Chapter 27: Time to Take Off (1/2)

"Pleasant Goat, Lazy Goat, Boiling Goat, Red Wolf, Grey Wolf..."

As Wakaho stepped into the dense, ancient forest, listening to the chirping of insects and the singing of birds, his mood improved considerably.

Memories of childhood companions came flooding back to him. They didn't live in the forest but on the green pastures, and it was said they had lived for over a hundred years.

A hundred-year-old goat becoming a spirit was perfectly normal.

They possessed unparalleled wisdom, and Wakaho had learned many life lessons from them.

For example, the art of leadership from the crafty Beauty Goat.

Or the spirit of innovation from the tough Grey Wolf.

Or even the management principles from the class leader, Warm Goat.

As he grew older, looking back, these memories might seem childish.

But the lessons they taught definitely shaped Wakaho's growth.

"Our luck couldn't be better, running into this Uchiha brat."

Three ninja emerged from the bushes, one of them being the young man who had confronted Wakaho before the exam.

They were all civilian ninja, but they clearly didn't have Minato's talent.

Seeing Wakaho alone, their faces lit up with excitement, as if the Chūnin vests were already within their grasp.

"Kid, don't say we didn't give you a chance. Hand over your scroll right now!"

"Or don't blame us for roughing you up~"

Wakaho didn't respond, merely raised two fingers.

The young men were initially puzzled. Isn't that the sign of opposition before a schoolyard fight?

"Kid, didn't your parents tell you? This is the Chūnin exam—it's a battlefield!"

"No one's going to play along with your Academy antics here!"

Not everyone had Orochimaru's patience.

The young men rolled up their sleeves, ready to teach this "junior" a lesson.

"Tsk..."

In front of the crystal ball, the Third Hokage shook his head.

"These kids are too eager for quick success."

Even though it was an exam, Wakaho was still their junior. If they didn't help him when they found him alone, that was one thing, but to immediately go for his scroll?

Danzo glanced at the Third Hokage.

For once, he didn't argue, instead keeping his eye locked on the small figure.

"Did you know? Before I graduated, I was the class leader for the first-year students."

Wakaho continued to hold the "opposition seal," but his chakra was already prepared.

"Class leader?" The young men were amused. This kid... Why didn't we run into this kind of luck in previous exams?

"I was the hall monitor back in the day!"

The trio charged at Wakaho.

But just then, something unexpected happened!

"Fire Style: Great Fireball!"

Whoosh—!

High-temperature flames spewed from Wakaho's mouth, but instead of forming a single fireball, they split into two, one to the left and one to the right, converging into two fire fists!

And that wasn't all!

The fire fists then opened up, transforming into giant flaming palms. Before the three Genin could react, they saw the massive flaming palms coming down on them like a hammer on a nail!

"Scatter now!!!!"

The squad leader shouted as he quickly dodged, but his two teammates weren't so lucky. The massive flaming palms engulfed them, slamming them to the ground like swatted flies!

Boom!!!!

"Ahhhh!!!!"

Their screams came as quickly as they went, and when the flames dissipated, the two of them were left charred and unconscious.

"Don't you know that only those brimming with the Will of Fire are qualified to be the class leader?"

"If you don't have enough Will of Fire, how can you protect the other students in the class?"

Wakaho looked down on them with disdain. "I really don't know how you got qualified for the exam... The Third Hokage must be getting soft, just like my grandma."

Do you think it's easy surviving in the green pastures?

If Warm Goat weren't born with divine strength, the power to pull up mountains and cover the world, how would she ever manage to be the class leader?

How would she manage the other goats?

"..."

In front of the crystal ball, the Third Hokage choked on his smoke, unable to breathe for a moment.

"This..."

"He's completely mastered the transformation of fire-natured chakra, simplified the seals for this jutsu, and even controlled its power with ease," Danzo stated with a cold expression, his single eye sharp. "It seems Orochimaru has developed his abilities well."

In a place the Third Hokage couldn't see, Danzo clenched his fist.

He had underestimated the kid...