After 200 laps, Tatsu crossed the finish line with a commanding lead.
The high-speed run was exhausting, but he had energy to spare.
Nawaki, hands on knees, struggled not to collapse. "You didn't even go all out," he panted.
Looking at Nawaki, Tatsu felt sympathy.
As the First Hokage's grandson, Nawaki faced immense pressure. Countless eyes watched him, magnifying his every move.
Unlike Tsunade, a woman, Nawaki was expected to carry the Senju legacy.
Yet, at twelve, he'd die horribly on the battlefield.
Poor guy. Tatsu pitied him while adjusting his Uchiha coat.
Always maintain style.
"The wind's picking up," Tatsu mused, striking a pose.
He'd conveniently forgotten that, per history, he too was doomed to die young.
Nawaki found Tatsu's gaze unsettling.
This guy... he's not that kind of weird, is he?
Nawaki shivered.
...
Nawaki's performance was impressive, outpacing everyone but Tatsu.
Though not as godly as his grandfather, the First—okay, maybe a god—Nawaki's potential was high without his untimely death.
This was Tatsu's first time speaking with another clan's child.
"What's your name?" Nawaki asked, eyeing Tatsu's Uchiha emblem.
He was curious about the Uchiha kid who'd beaten him so decisively.
A loss was a loss, and he could handle it.
Though from rival clans, the Uchiha and Senju had no open hostility in this era.
Before enrolling, Tsunade had told Nawaki to note worthy rivals.
After all, he aimed to become Hokage.
"Uchiha Tatsu. You?" Tatsu asked, feigning ignorance.
"Nawaki, Senju Nawaki," he replied.
Tatsu approached, patted Nawaki's shoulder like a boss, and said, "You're pretty good, Nawaki. I understand your eagerness to surpass me. No rush, no panic—we've got time. I'll be waiting."
...
Nawaki stared, dumbfounded.
What... what?!
Tatsu walked away, smiling, giving his acting a perfect score.
Didn't you see how moved Nawaki was?
He aimed to project a friendly demeanor, unlike the Uchiha's typical arrogance.
Who knew if the Third Hokage was spying on them with his Telescope Technique?
Gotta make a good impression.
No doubt about it.
...
As he walked, the system chimed: "Congratulations, host, for earning your first ninja world achievement: Entrance Exam First Place! Rewarded with 2,000 ninja points."
Updated System Information:
Remaining Ninja Points: 2,890
"Sweet!" Tatsu stayed calm outwardly but was thrilled inside.
Achievements were a shortcut to points—2,000 points took a year to earn otherwise.
The entrance exam was minor.
The academy had theory and combat exams. If he topped every class and year, he'd rake in points.
Tatsu couldn't wait for the next big test.
Soon, the 200-lap test ended. Most passed, save for a few. Those here were confident enough to try.
Tatsu noticed a blond boy—Namikaze Minato, the future Fourth Hokage.
The man who'd refine Flying Thunder God, earning the title "Yellow Flash of the Leaf," single-handedly leveling the playing field in the Third War.
Tatsu was interested in befriending him, but now wasn't the time.
Minato's scores were average. A civilian with no chakra extraction yet, he couldn't compete with trained clan children.
His rise would come after apprenticing under Jiraiya. Some people, given a little resource, soared.
There'd be plenty of time to connect at the academy.
After the test, Mikoto ran over, slightly out of breath but with energy to spare.
She'd kept her own pace, unaffected by Tatsu's speed, and hadn't gone all out.
That was Mikoto—never one to show off.
"Tatsu, you're amazing! You're so fast now," she said earnestly.
Tatsu shook his coat, striking a calm pose.
Stay cool. A man shouldn't get cocky over small victories.
After getting his admission notice, Tatsu and Mikoto headed back to the clan.
The world never lacked idiots, especially in the Uchiha clan, full of kids eager to play the villain.
As they walked, three figures in Uchiha coats blocked their path.
"Who's that?"
Tatsu lazily looked up, meeting three angry faces.
Truth be told, the kids—Uchiha Ryo, Uchiha Rei, and Uchiha Toyo—weren't ugly. The Uchiha genes guaranteed good looks.
But their enraged expressions ruined the vibe.