Chapter 42
"As long as he likes it," Naoki Asakawa muttered helplessly.
He had been afraid of snakes in his previous life. Maybe it was because, back then as a regular person, he'd often seen news stories about venomous snake bites. But in this world, things were different. Once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, creatures like snakes were no different from pigs and dogs in his eyes. There was no reason for the strong to fear the weak.
Seeing that Naoki was no longer uneasy, Orochimaru didn't bother teasing him further. Instead, he took out three forehead protectors engraved with the Konoha symbol, each tied with a blue cloth band.
The moment those forehead protectors appeared, the eyes of Naoki and the others were immediately drawn to them — especially Nawaki, whose excitement was plain as day.
To wear one of these meant becoming an official Genin of Konoha.
"Put these on," Orochimaru said calmly. "From this moment on, you're ninja of the Hidden Leaf."
"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru!" Nawaki was the first to grab his forehead protector, a silly grin plastered on his face. He'd barely become a Genin and was already imagining what it would be like to become Hokage someday.
"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru."
Naoki and Masamura Oki followed suit, taking the forehead protectors and tying them across their foreheads.
Oddly enough, they hadn't felt much until this moment — but once the forehead protector was in place, the sense of being a real ninja took hold.
"There's still some time before lunch," Orochimaru spoke again, turning toward them. "I'll teach you your first lesson now. Follow me."
Without waiting, he pushed open the office door and strode out. Naoki and the others quickly followed.
Orochimaru didn't slow down as he led them straight out of the academy, heading toward the nearest training ground at a rapid pace.
"He's so fast!"
The three boys pushed themselves to keep up, running even faster than they had during their recent physical fitness tests. Naoki wasn't particularly worried — even if Orochimaru picked up the pace, he could easily follow. What mattered was keeping an eye on his two teammates.
Fortunately, Nawaki, though he hadn't inherited the Senju clan's special physique, still had solid stamina and managed to maintain a steady pace. Masamura, meanwhile, gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep up, unwilling to fall behind.
Soon, the familiar buildings of the village gave way to sparse surroundings, with patches of forest becoming more frequent.
"So we're going to the training ground… is it going to be the bell test?" Naoki thought to himself.
After all, this was practically a tradition for Konoha's sensei.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had used the bell test on his own disciples, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. Namikaze Minato did the same with Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. Kakashi would later use it on Naruto and his teammates. It was practically a rite of passage.
As expected, when Orochimaru noticed Masamura's stamina beginning to flag, he finally stopped.
"Your task today is to snatch this bell from me," Orochimaru said, pulling a small silver bell from his pocket and tying it to his waist.
After a moment's thought, he took out a scroll and summoned three ninja tool pouches, tossing them to the boys.
"Attack however you like. Don't hold back, and don't worry about me hurting you."
"Understood, sensei," the three replied in unison.
"I'll give you ten minutes to come up with a strategy. Once time's up, we begin."
With that, Orochimaru stepped behind a nearby tree, making it clear he wouldn't listen in on their discussion.
Naoki turned to the others. "Any ideas?"
Both Nawaki and Masamura shook their heads.
"What kind of ninjutsu do you know?" he asked again.
Another pair of head shakes. Aside from the basic Three Academy Techniques and some shuriken throwing practice, neither of them knew anything else.
This was the reality for most civilian-born ninja. The graduation exams only required the Three Techniques, so most civilian students focused on those. Learning additional ninjutsu would have to wait until after they officially became Genin.
Naoki's situation was a little better. His original body's parents had left him a scroll with the Great Fireball Technique — a luxury for a civilian family.
Masamura, on the other hand, was a textbook example of a civilian Genin. Tsunade had told him to build a solid foundation first before pursuing more advanced techniques.
"In that case," Naoki grinned, "why don't you leave the strategy to me?"
Neither Nawaki nor Masamura objected. Naoki was already the strongest among them, and since they had no plan of their own, it was natural to follow his lead.
"Alright then — who's good at the Transformation Technique?"
"I'll do it!" Nawaki immediately volunteered.
Naoki smirked. Anyone who'd watched Naruto knew the bell test wasn't just about individual strength — it was a lesson in teamwork.
If they tried to take the bell by force, even Naoki would have to reveal his real strength to stand a chance. Better to play smart.
"Okay, here's the plan…"
Naoki quickly assigned roles and outlined the strategy. Since there was still time, he had Nawaki test his Transformation Technique twice for consistency — and while Nawaki wasn't paying attention, Naoki discreetly plucked a strand of his hair.
He already had a strand of Hyuga hair he'd snatched from a classmate before graduation. Now with some Senju hair too, his preparations were complete.
By the time Orochimaru reappeared in the clearing, Naoki and the others had vanished.
"Hmm? Hiding already?" Orochimaru chuckled.
Before he could move, the whistling sound of shuriken cutting through the air reached his ears.
"Trying to distract me with a ranged attack before moving in to grab the bell?" Orochimaru guessed.
But then — another flurry of shuriken came at him from a different direction… and then a third.
Three coordinated attacks from different angles. It was a decent plan. The combined barrage made it harder for Orochimaru to dodge cleanly.
"All three at once, huh? Not bad for a first attempt. But… what happens when you run out of shuriken?"
The shuriken stormed around him like a heavy downpour, but Orochimaru moved as easily as a small boat in rough seas — untouched despite the chaos.
"They should be almost out by now," Orochimaru estimated. The tool pouches he'd given them each only had about thirty shuriken and kunai combined.
Just as the final shuriken whizzed past, Orochimaru waited for their next move with mild curiosity.
But in that instant — a hand shot out from the last shuriken's position, grabbing the bell from his waist.
A puff of white smoke followed as the shuriken transformed into a grinning Nawaki.
"Got it, Lord Orochimaru!"
Naoki and Masamura stepped out from the trees a moment later, victorious smiles on their faces.
Orochimaru chuckled, genuinely pleased.
"Well done," he praised. "Asakawa's throwing technique was impressive, and your coordination was solid."
He pointed to Naoki.
"You had shuriken coming from two angles, making it seem like three people were attacking together. That misdirection lowered my guard."
"Then, you had Nawaki transform into a shuriken, and at the critical moment, he reverted and snatched the bell."
Orochimaru nodded approvingly. "You've already grasped the essence of a ninja team — unity and cooperation."
Of course, had he taken the test seriously, a simple sensory ninjutsu would have revealed their positions instantly. But this was a lesson, not a real fight.
"Alright, let's rest here a bit, then we'll head out for lunch together," Orochimaru said with a faint smile.
The three new Genin cheered quietly. Their first lesson as ninja had ended in success.
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