Chapter 132

Chapter 132

Chapter 132: The Hokage! It’s Time for the Uchiha Clan!

The Chūnin Exams.

“Kakashi is about to make his entrance!”

“Haha, the most talented ninja in Konoha, right? Graduated from the academy at five, became a Chūnin at six, and now he’s just seven years old! That white-haired kid is incredible!”

As Hatake Kakashi stepped into the center of the arena, the Chūnin examination venue erupted with excitement. Cheers filled the air, while ninjas from various nations secretly gathered intelligence with serious expressions.

“Tch, it’s just Chūnin! If the old man hadn’t stopped me from taking the graduation exam, I would’ve become a Genin by now!”

In the crowd, a child with a mature demeanor scowled as he jealously watched Kakashi basking in the spotlight.

This boy was none other than Sarutobi Asuma. Seeing his classmate shine so brightly while he was still stuck at the Ninja Academy made him feel even more aggrieved.

“Asuma, when do you think Kakashi will become a Jōnin?”

“Kakashi, go for it!”

From the stands, several classmates excitedly waved their fists to cheer Kakashi on. This only made Asuma more annoyed, cursing his meddlesome father for not allowing him to graduate.

“Damn it! With my strength, I could definitely become a Genin!”

Although Asuma knew he couldn’t quite compare to Kakashi, he was confident he had the skills to become a Genin.

Unbeknownst to him, a middle-aged man in the crowd had been watching him. A glimmer of red light flashed behind the man’s sunglasses, and his lips curled into a faint smile.

“Did you hear? Konoha’s Third Hokage is said to be the strongest Hokage in history!”

“Tsk, what a load of nonsense. I don’t know about the rest, but I do know that during the Land of Lightning incident, this so-called Shadow Guard abandoned the Second Hokage.”

“That’s nothing. Lately, rumors in Konoha suggest that when the Third Hokage took power, he relied on the support of the Senju and Hyūga clans to secure his position. Now, he’s just discarding them like trash...”

Hearing this gossip, Asuma’s face turned red with rage. He thought to himself, I can criticize my old man, but no one else can!

“Shut up!”

Asuma spun around and shouted angrily, startling the surrounding crowd, who were visibly shaken, especially upon noticing the ninja tools at his waist.

In the ninja world, even children couldn’t be underestimated!

“Asuma!”

Shocked classmates tried to calm him down, but the rebellious Asuma snorted, turned away, and left in a huff.

Amid this minor commotion, no one noticed the faint glimmer of red in the shadows or realized that the earlier conversation had planted a seed deep in the hearts of these young spectators.

Hidden in the crowd were several budding talents, including Might Guy, Yūhi Kurenai, Shizune, Moonlight Hayate, Genma Shiranui, Uchiha Obito, and Anko Mitarashi. While they paid little attention to Asuma’s outburst, their excitement over the Chūnin matches grew.

As Asuma left the arena, a shadowy figure appeared—one of Uchiha Yosuke’s shadow clones.

Yosuke observed the young crowd silently, his lips curling into a sly smile.

“Third generation Hokage Sarutobi... I’m simply returning the favor. You taught me well.”

Fully aware of how these old geezers would one day deal with the Uchiha clan—just as they’d tried to sow discord between him and Fugaku—Yosuke bore grudges like no other.

“My greatest advantage is knowing the future. These kids have the potential to become Jōnin, and I know your youngest son’s rebellious nature too!”

With a cold chuckle, Yosuke disappeared into the crowd, having transformed into an ordinary Konoha ninja using the Transformation Jutsu. No one suspected a thing.

From a distance, Uzumaki Kushina caught a fleeting glimpse of Yosuke’s familiar chakra signature and raised an eyebrow in surprise. However, her doubt quickly gave way to a smile. She trusted Yosuke completely and even used her sensory abilities to discreetly prevent others from interfering with him.

---

Meanwhile, outside the bustling Chūnin Exams arena, Asuma punched a tree in frustration.

“Why won’t the old man let me graduate? I’m strong enough to be a Genin!”

Suddenly, voices from nearby caught his attention. Asuma hid in the bushes and eavesdropped on two foreign ninjas speaking in hushed tones.

“Tch, Konoha is powerful, but with the Third Hokage in charge, there’s nothing for us to worry about.”

“True, but the White Fang and the Three Legendary Sannin are still forces to be reckoned with!”

The Iwagakure ninja scoffed.

“Sure, they’re strong—we’ll give them that. But the real showstopper is the Third Hokage himself. Just wait and see. It won’t be long before the White Fang and the Sannin meet their demise.”

“What? That’s impossible!” the companion exclaimed.

“Take a closer look at the intel we’ve gathered. The Senju and Uchiha clans were marginalized during Konoha’s founding, and even the Hyūga clan isn’t exempt. Sure, big clans like these can threaten a Hokage’s authority, but look at the Sarutobi clan—they’re not flashy, but they’ve infiltrated every department in Konoha.”

The Iwagakure ninja sneered. “The Third Hokage might appear to act for Konoha’s good, but he’s really just a selfish, power-hungry leech. The White Fang’s days are numbered, and the same goes for the Sannin.”

As the foreign ninjas’ voices faded, Asuma clenched his fists, trembling with anger. However, his heart wavered as seeds of doubt crept in.

“No... It can’t be true!”

Still, memories of his father’s offhand comments about the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyūga clans refusing to follow village rules surfaced. Even more unsettling was the realization that the Sarutobi clan seemed to hold key positions across the village.

“It’s not true! It can’t be!”

In a panic, Asuma shook his head violently, trying to dismiss these thoughts. He didn’t notice the fleeting red glow in his eyes.

Once Asuma left the forest, Yosuke emerged from the shadows, smirking in satisfaction.

“People always talk about the Sharingan’s prowess in observation, replication, and genjutsu, but they often overlook its ability to induce subtle hypnosis.”

While this hypnotic ability was ineffective against strong ninjas, it was child’s play for Yosuke to influence Academy students.

“The chakra used was so minimal it’s already dissipated. No one will be able to trace it back to me.”

Yosuke’s lips curled into a cruel grin. He had planted seeds of doubt and division in multiple young minds, confident they would flourish as events unfolded.

Turning toward the Hokage Rock bathed in sunlight, he stretched out his hand as if to grasp it.

“Hokage... It’s time for the Uchiha to take the mantle! And two years ago, you stabbed me with a kunai. Now, I’m returning it—ho

pe you can catch it!”

With a puff of smoke, Yosuke vanished, leaving no trace behind.

---

End of Chapter