Chapter 10: ch10
Is There Such a Thing as a Special Genin?
Iruka explained to Nanaya about his new role.
A Special Genin was an unprecedented position in Konoha. It came with no instructors, no teammates, and complete autonomy.
However, there was a catch: only D-rank missions could be undertaken.
What exactly were D-rank missions? Nanaya couldn't be more familiar with them:
Tasks like finding a lost cat, helping an elderly person cross the road, or weeding fields. Simple, safe, and decidedly boring—but they did offer payment.
Iruka smiled knowingly. "Nanaya, Lord Hokage specifically created this position for you. He thought you might feel lost after leaving the ninja school, so this was his way of helping you transition. And don't forget—you'll still get paid. How about that? Lord Hokage is thoughtful, isn't he?"
Nanaya nodded absentmindedly.
Leaving the ninja school was all he really cared about. Becoming a Special Genin was merely a label.
After all, with his current strength, survival wasn't something he worried about.
Stepping outside the school, Uchiha Nanaya took a deep breath, feeling an unexplainable lightness. For years, he had been stuck as a "repeater," burdened by the stigma.
Now, he could finally move forward.
The question was: forward to what?
Testing Newfound Strength
Nanaya scratched his head as he wandered aimlessly through the forest outside Konoha.
He needed someone to test his strength on.
But whom?
Weak opponents wouldn't prove anything, and he didn't want to waste his time.
He considered fighting Sasuke but dismissed the idea—it wouldn't be satisfying.
"What about Danzo?" he muttered to himself. "No, too conspicuous."
Just as he pondered further, the space in front of him began to ripple.
A vortex of swirling energy materialized before him, and a figure clad in a black cloak emerged from its center.
Long, flowing hair. An orange spiral mask.
Nanaya's eyes narrowed. He recognized this man immediately.
"Uchiha Obito."
The man who bore Madara's legacy. The harbinger of chaos.
What timing! Obito would make the perfect test subject.
Smirking inwardly, Nanaya masked his intent and feigned surprise. "Who are you? You're not from Konoha, nor Anbu. What are you doing here?"
A Clash of Ideals
Obito's single Sharingan narrowed as he scrutinized Nanaya.
He recalled Itachi mentioning this lone survivor, Uchiha Nanaya. Intrigued, Obito had tasked Black Zetsu with investigating him.
What he discovered was unimpressive.
A seventeen-year-old "repeater" at the ninja school. A talentless Uchiha without even a Sharingan to his name.
Yet something felt off.
"How did this man survive the massacre?" Obito wondered.
While he had promised Itachi not to harm Sasuke, no such deal extended to Nanaya.
For Obito, the existence of another Uchiha was a loose end—one he intended to tie up.
The Sharingan glinted from beneath his mask. He threw two shuriken with nonchalant precision, aiming for Nanaya's throat.
To his astonishment, the shuriken froze mid-flight.
The air around Nanaya had turned icy, his breath visible in the sudden chill.
Fragments of ice fell to the ground as the shuriken shattered.
"Who are you? What are you doing here? You think you can just throw shuriken and leave?" Nanaya taunted, his tone dripping with mockery.
Obito's demeanor shifted to caution.
The Power of Ice
Obito was unprepared for the sudden cold radiating from Nanaya.
"Is this ice release?" he muttered. "But how? That's not a Uchiha ability."
Nanaya clapped his hands and grinned. "Tell me who you are and entertain me a little. Maybe I'll spare your life."
Obito didn't respond. He formed a series of hand seals, his Sharingan glowing ominously.
"Fire Style: Storm Dance!"
A swirling spiral of flames erupted from his position, surging toward Nanaya with blistering intensity.
But Nanaya didn't flinch. He whispered a single command.
"Ice Time."
The raging firestorm stopped mere steps away, frozen solid in an instant.
The spiral flames transformed into a stunning sculpture of ice.
Obito's hidden expression stiffened.
"This... This isn't just ice release. It froze fire itself."
With a sharp crack, Nanaya shattered the frozen flames with a single punch.
Ice shards scattered across the ground, glittering in the sunlight.
"Well, that was underwhelming," Nanaya teased, shaking his fist mockingly. "Is that the best you've got, Obito? Your Fire Style needs work."
Obito's body stiffened. He quickly assessed the situation.
"This ice release… It's a new ability, something beyond what the Uchiha are known for. I underestimated him."
But he remained undeterred.
"You're strong, Uchiha Nanaya. I'll give you that. But the victor here is already decided."
As he spoke, his form began to twist and warp, vanishing into the same vortex of space-time he had arrived in.
Nanaya watched with amusement as Obito disappeared, his voice echoing in the distance.
"We'll meet again."
Nanaya smirked.
"I'll be waiting."