Naruto: Forbidden Arts and an Immortal Agenda

After a lengthy speech by Hiruzen Sarutobi, he announced the list of successful candidates for this Chunin Exams.

Since the exam mainly tested combat strength, all twenty participants who passed two rounds were successfully promoted. Additionally, the Third personally elevated three Genin who had shown impressive performance during the second round—Aya was among them.

Everyone present was being promoted from Genin to Chunin, so no one raised any objections.

Feeling happy for Aya, Aozora stepped forward and accepted the Chunin vest symbolizing his new rank.

After the exam, Hiruzen kept Aozora, Jifeng, Hagane Kotetsu, and others who had performed exceptionally well.

He studied them carefully before saying with calm authority, "Each of you has shown extraordinary talent and strength. The rank of Chunin should not be where you stop. I would like you to consider joining the Anbu—there you'll receive higher training and become true supports of Konoha."

Jifeng, Hagane, and others immediately flushed with excitement and without hesitation replied enthusiastically, "We accept!"

Aozora, however, didn't answer right away. After a moment's thought, he said, "Lord Hokage, may I consider this carefully?"

Anbu may be called the cradle of Konoha's elite ninjas, but more bluntly, it's just the Hokage's blade—a weapon with no will of its own, cutting wherever it's aimed.

Joining Anbu would give access to high-level Ninjutsu and plenty of battlefield experience, but it would also strip away the right to choose missions independently.

Aozora had become a Chunin precisely to gain mission autonomy and quickly accumulate Gongde—how could he now become merely a tool in Hiruzen's hands?

Moreover, he couldn't yet determine where Hiruzen truly stood regarding the Uchiha clan. If he misjudged the Hokage's intentions, entering Anbu wouldn't be unlike walking straight into a lion's den?

Faced with these concerns, naturally he chose a polite refusal.

Jifeng gave Aozora a stunned look, exclaiming in urgency, "Aozora..."

Hiruzen's face stiffened briefly, but he quickly masked it with a composed smile. "That's fine. Take your time. The Anbu doors are always open to you.

Of course, if you have other ideas, come find me at the Hokage office over the next couple of days."

Although Hiruzen hadn't changed his expression, everyone felt his impatience. He quickly addressed the details concerning their promotion before turning and leaving.

As soon as Hiruzen left, the newly promoted Chunin began congratulating each other. Meanwhile, Jifeng walked over to Aozora, clearly disappointed.

"Why won't you join Anbu? Don't you see the current rift between the village and your clan? Only by integrating ourselves into the village can we gradually change how the village perceives your clan."

"Integrate ourselves into the village? Even if we ignore the cost, even if I were fully integrated, it would still just be me—not nearly enough to overcome the deep-rooted prejudice against the Uchiha."

Aozora disagreed. "I have my own considerations."

Jifeng's expression darkened further. He muttered, "Then I suppose you'll manage on your own."

With that, he turned and walked toward Hagane and the others.

No one extended an invitation to celebrate with them, so Aozora simply went home alone.

Carrying good ingredients he'd bought along the way, Aozora entered the Uchiha Compound and met Uchiha Tetsuka waiting by the roadside.

Seeing Aozora approach, Tetsuka's eyes lit up with joy as he smiled, "The exam went well?"

After a brief skirmish with Aozora, he understood the latter's strength and felt no concern at all.

Aozora lifted his left arm, wrapped in bandages, and said, "It went smoothly enough."

Tetsuka stepped forward, glancing in surprise at Aozora's wounds. "Are genin really this terrifying nowadays? If they could injure you like this."

You should live to see what genin are like ten or twenty years from now—you wouldn't say that then.

After all, Konoha's genin were the truly terrifying ones.

Someone actually cared—Aozora's mood improved significantly, reigniting his inner urge to unleash some sarcastic remarks.

Shaking his head, Aozora added nervously, "Not because the enemy was too strong, but because he was a terrorist—he brought dozens of explosive tags into the examination venue and didn't say a word before charging straight in for a self-destruction attack."

"If I wasn't fond of long-range combat, I might have actually lost this time!"

Upon hearing this, Tetsuka angrily said, "What were the proctors doing? That was practically murder!"

Aozora replied, "Who says otherwise?"

"Do you know who he was?" Tetsuka asked coldly. "Killing our comrade Aozora Uchiha means we must make him pay dearly."

"A fake name, 'Kunai'—and there's not much else to go on. His companion was named 'Senbon'; he's already been taken away by the Interrogation Unit."

Knowing this matter would likely end unresolved, Aozora changed the subject: "Why did you come all the way here specifically waiting for me today?"

Tetsuka said, "I know you don't have many friends. I was afraid you'd be too lonely today."

"Ouch—"

"..."

Chatting casually, the two returned to Aozora's home.

Tetsuka, unlike Shisui, didn't lift a finger—he just sat back and watched Aozora do all the cooking.

Luckily, he still remembered he was a guest and had even brought a gift along; otherwise, Aozora would've kicked him out then and there.

Persuaded by Tetsuka, Aozora fetched some fine aged wine stored in his cellar.

Slightly puzzled, Aozora asked, "Tetsuka-niisan, how did you even know I had wine in my cellar?"

Tetsuka poured himself a glass impatiently, drank it in one gulp, and immediately winced from its spiciness, tears welling up as he coughed repeatedly.

After hastily gulping down several glasses of water, he finally managed, "That bastard Inabi Uchiha tricked me!"

Aozora picked up his cup, lightly sniffed the aroma—delightful—and took a small sip. It was slightly sour and sweet, smooth going down, though the alcohol content was indeed quite high.

Looking at Aozora's professional tasting manner, Tetsuka gaped at him in disbelief: "Since when did you know how to drink alcohol?"

Konoha had an underage drinking ban.

Instead of answering directly, Aozora said, "You still haven't answered me yet!"

Tetsuka imitated Aozora, taking a cautious sip, but still found it unpalatable. He set his cup down and said, "I heard it from Inabi Uchiha. Inabi Uchiha and Shisui used to serve together in the Police Force. They were close back then—call them what you will—but later on, their ideals diverged, so they stopped keeping in touch."

Aozora gave a slight nod. Shisui had never mentioned this before, but during their last clan meeting, Inabi Uchiha had indeed shown him kindness.

After eating a few bites, Tetsuka suddenly asked, "Aozora, after becoming a chunin, where do you plan to go next?"

Apart from becoming a free chunin, promotion usually meant joining one of Konoha's six major departments: Administration, Anbu, Medical Corps, Interrogation Unit, Police Force, or Education Department.

There were also smaller divisions, like the Sealing Team and Barrier Division.

Aozora knew he wasn't genuinely asking about his whereabouts. He cut straight to the point. "Tetsuka, what do you want? Spit it out!"

Tetsuka let out an awkward laugh. "Haha, I guess I can't fool you after all!"

He put down his chopsticks and dropped the smile. "Although I admire Shisui's strength, we don't share his views. Constantly appeasing Konoha won't improve the Uchiha's situation. With the Village constantly tightening its grip on us, we should unite. Only through unity will the higher-ups fear us, only then can we protect our family's peace and obtain what we rightfully deserve."

Aozora just gave him a blank stare. "Cut to the chase."

Locking eyes with him, Tetsuka said, "The Head of the Uchiha Clan wishes to appoint you as his assistant."

"Assistant to the Chief of the Konoha Police Force!"

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