CHAPTER 16
At this moment, Uchiha Mikoto stood on the dueling platform, her expression calm but focused.
Her long ponytail swayed behind her as she adjusted the Uchiha-emblazoned windbreaker, her presence both elegant and formidable.
Though she was usually soft-spoken and gentle, Tatsumi knew better. Behind Mikoto's demure demeanor was a steel will—once she set her mind on something, she rarely changed it.
As a member of the prestigious Uchiha clan, Mikoto had always shown exceptional talent. At just six years old, her aptitude for chakra control, taijutsu, and especially genjutsu was already well beyond her peers.
But beyond her natural gifts, Mikoto also trained harder than most. Quietly, diligently.
She usually held back against her classmates out of courtesy—but that never meant she wasn't taking the battle seriously. Whenever she faced an opponent, she always gave them her full focus, showing them respect through her intensity.
Her opponent today… did not quite return the favor.
On the other side of the arena, Nara Shikaku stood yawning, hands in his pockets, wearing the exact same expression he always did: lazy and mildly irritated that he had to be awake.
"You're in the middle of the selection trials, you know," Jiraiya called out from the sideline. "At least pretend to care, Nara."
"So troublesome," Shikaku muttered, glancing up at the sky. "Should've just gone to the rooftop and napped."
Despite appearances, nobody underestimated him. Even now, the instructors had their eyes on him. His IQ was over 200—a true tactical genius, even at his age. And with the backing of the Ino-Shika-Cho alliance, the Nara clan was a key pillar of Konoha.
"I forfeit," Shikaku said suddenly, raising a hand. "Jiraiya-sama, I'm not feeling well. Can I step down?"
"...'Not feeling well'?" Jiraiya stared at the boy. "You've got a perfectly healthy complexion, steady breathing, and you look like you just had a full breakfast. What part of you is unwell?"
Still, he sighed.
The Nara clan's infamous laziness wasn't just a personality quirk—it was practically hereditary.
"Well, alright. This match goes to Uchiha Mikoto. But," he added, squinting at Shikaku, "I'll be informing your father that you bailed."
Shikaku flinched. "Wait… you mean my dad?"
"Of course. Isn't the Nara clan matriarchal?" Jiraiya grinned. "He's not the one you're really afraid of, right?"
Laughter rippled through the audience.
Shikaku sighed heavily, already regretting everything. Dad, your fear of Mom is legendary in the Jonin corps, huh? What kind of legacy have you left me?
He quietly stepped off the platform, looking visibly troubled.
Then he spotted Akimichi Choza, munching on chips nearby.
"Hey, Choza," Shikaku asked, leaning in. "Mind if I stay at your place tonight? I... don't think I wanna go home."
The students around them started snickering at the implication.
"...Not like that," Shikaku muttered, exasperated.
---
Mikoto jogged off the field and ran toward Tatsumi.
"It's over," she said softly.
"Nice work," Tatsumi smiled, patting her head. "You're so good, even Shikaku didn't want to fight."
"No, he's always like that in class. I'm not sure I'd win if we actually fought."
Tatsumi grinned. "That's fine. You fought, and you showed your spirit. Beat me someday, and Shikaku won't stand a chance."
Mikoto looked up with determination. "I'll try. I want to be someone who can fight beside you."
"Then I'll have your back." He held up his fist.
---
"Pffft…!" On the sidelines, Jiraiya choked on the rice ball he'd been eating. "This… this must be what they call public displays of affection. Unbelievable. It's like emotional Genjutsu. The power level is S-rank. If I ever learn it, it might kill me."
"Ahaha… Tatsumi and Mikoto have always been like that," Minato said, smiling beside him.
Jiraiya turned to him, dead serious. "Why?! I'm sixteen, a war orphan, strong, and good-looking—yet I'm still single! Even Tsunade ignores me! Why does she look at Orochimaru like that?!"
"With your strength, Jiraiya-sama, I'm sure you'll find someone amazing one day," Minato said sincerely. "Maybe all the rejections are just leading you to the right person."
Jiraiya wiped a tear. "Kid… what's your name?"
"Namikaze Minato. I'm in the second-year class."
"Minato, huh?" Jiraiya ruffled his hair. "You're sharp, strong, and considerate. I like you. If you do well today, I'll give you one-on-one training."
It wasn't just sentimentality, either. Tsunade was the only one of Hiruzen's students from a great clan—the Senju. Both Orochimaru and Jiraiya came from civilian backgrounds. And if Orochimaru had just said he'd give personal tutoring, then of course Jiraiya couldn't be outdone.
"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama! I'll do my best!"
"Alright, your next opponent's that love-struck Uchiha kid."
"…Tatsumi," Minato said with a sheepish smile.
"What? Is he strong?" Jiraiya asked.
"Very. I've never beaten him in sparring," Minato admitted, face serious now. "He's tricky. He specializes in genjutsu and taijutsu. He never goes all-out, but he always wins."
Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Uchiha talent in genjutsu is no joke. You got a plan?"
Minato nodded. "Yes. I've been working on a countermeasure."
He gripped his kunai and stepped onto the platform.
"Alright! Go get him!" Jiraiya cheered. "Crush the spirits of that six-year-old couple! Win one for us single shinobi!"
"If I win, can I come with you to gather 'research materials' next time?" Minato joked, raising an eyebrow.
Jiraiya gave a devious grin. "You'll be my top apprentice!"
---
Tatsumi raised a brow as Minato approached the platform.
"What were you two whispering about for so long?" he asked.
"…Definitely not about spying on the women's bath," Tatsumi said with a grin. "Listen, Minato, you've gotta be careful with guys like Jiraiya. He's the type of bachelor who'll end up writing adult novels just to cope with rejection."
"…That's oddly specific," Minato muttered.
Tatsumi kept going. "Mark my words—one day, he'll be infamous across the shinobi world for writing Icha Icha Paradise and still calling it 'research.' His life path is already set."
From the audience, Jiraiya stood up, red-faced. "Oi, brat! Peeping is art! And Icha Icha will be a masterpiece of shinobi literature! I'll be the godfather of the ninja world!"
"...Idiot," Orochimaru muttered somewhere in the crowd.
"Who are you calling an idiot, you snake-faced freak?!"