C9

"You're telling me he cast over a dozen Gougakyu No Jyutsu in a row, and he still hasn't exhausted his Chakra?"

Danzou scrutinized the subordinate who had come to deliver the report. He knew they wouldn't dare lie to him, yet he couldn't shake off his skepticism. He had encountered prodigies before – the legendary Sannin of Konoha, Shomo Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake – but a five-year-old with such an immense reserve of Chakra? Unheard of. Even Uchiha Madara, the Shura of the Ninja Realm, didn't boast such a vast amount of Chakra at that age. It seemed only the First Hokage could have achieved such a feat.

The member of Root who had brought the news stood rigid, without lifting his head, and replied in a detached tone, "Yes."

"Hahaha! Excellent, excellent!" Danzou couldn't contain his laughter in the eerie underground base. He mused aloud, "A promising seedling like this must be cultivated by Root."

The truth was, the Chakra of those with the Power of Human Sacrifice far exceeded Russell's, yet they couldn't wield it at will. Moreover, the Chakra of a tailed beast could disrupt their own, making the mastery of ninjutsu an arduous task. Russell, however, was free from such limitations. With enough ninjutsu under his belt, he could have formidable combat power at his fingertips.

As Danzou resolved to claim Russell for himself, the Sandaime Hokage was pondering the same issue. The fact that Russell was Minato's younger brother – and with Minato on the cusp of becoming the Yondaime Hokage – raised the question: would he be able to keep Minato in check? After some deliberation, the Sandaime decided to shelve the issue. He was in a tight spot with no alternatives.

Once Kushina and Minato had escorted Russell home, he was confined to his bed until the Ninja School reopened two days later. Only then was Russell allowed to step outside. Despite his busy schedule, Minato made a point to accompany Kushina in taking Russell to enroll.

"Good morning, Jonin Minato!"

"Jonin Minato, are you here to enroll your little brother in school?"

"Jonin Minato..."

"..."

Throughout the journey, Russell truly realized the extent of Minato's current prestige; he was greeted by everyone on the streets.

Before long, Russell and his companions reached the Ninja School. Despite looking around, Russell didn't spot any characters from the original story.

Within minutes, Minato had introduced Russell to a Chunin-level teacher, saying, "Harayama-sensei, I entrust this child to your care."

After exchanging pleasantries, Minato and Kushina promptly departed.

Dealing with the fervent crowd was a challenge; Russell noticed Minato's smile had become a rigid mask.

"Russell, the entrance exam is about to start, and you need to join us," Harayama-sensei said, attempting to sound gentle, though his severe facial scar made his smile appear more frightening.

"That face could make a little girl cry!" Russell thought to himself, but he politely replied, "Yes, Harayama-sensei."

Shortly after, Harayama-sensei escorted Russell to the school's practice field.

"Silence!" The roar, akin to that of an angry bear, quieted the clamorous children, all eyes now fixed on Harayama.

Pleased with the reaction, Harayama nodded and announced, "The entrance test will now commence. Run five hundred laps around the track! You have five minutes to get ready."

Upon hearing this, Russell leaped from the platform and started his warm-up on the track.

"Is he the child adopted by Lord Minato?"

"Yes, that's him. I can't fathom why Lord Minato would adopt him; he's just an orphan!"

"Lord Minato is about to become the Yondaime Hokage. That makes him the brother of our future Lord Hokage!"

"The test is starting soon. We've got to knock him down a peg!"

"..."

One child glared at Russell with envy, eager to prove himself far superior.

The news of Minato's imminent rise to Yondaime Hokage had spread throughout Konoha. Once Minato assumed the role, Russell's status would be transformed.

It wasn't just children from average families who felt this way; even those from the esteemed Uchiha and Hyuga clans harbored some jealousy.

Russell overheard every comment, but he remained unfazed.

Russell couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy when an orphan abruptly rose to become one of the most esteemed individuals in Konoha.

Despite his feelings, Russell was determined to put his all into the upcoming test to prove his worth.

"Alright, everyone take your places. The test is about to begin!"

The children scattered to their spots as Minato, Kushina, and other dignitaries, including the Sandaime Hokage, looked on from the stage.

Out of nowhere, a one-eyed man clad in black, resembling a member of the mafia, ascended to the platform.

"Danzou, what brings you here?" the Sandaime inquired with a hint of curiosity.

It was unusual for Danzou to show up at the entrance ceremony; his presence today was quite unexpected.

"The war has drained Root of much of its strength. I'm here to scout for promising talents to replenish our forces," Danzou declared, setting the tone without concern for the others' opinions, his eyes fixating on Russell.

On the field, Russell felt a chill run down his spine as if he'd been targeted by a predator.

He turned to find Danzou's covetous stare fixed on him, almost as if he were ready to devour him whole.

Swallowing hard, Russell quickly averted his gaze, reassuring himself silently, "It's okay, it's all good. If Danzou dares to target me, Kushina won't hesitate to unleash the Nine-Tails and decimate Root!"

"On your marks... Run!"

At that instant, Harayama-sensei's command sent a wave of children dashing forward.

Russell burst into action, quickly taking the lead, his gap from the others widening by the second.

The field was filled with children aged five or six, whose training, at best, brought them to an adult's level.

But Russell's attributes in all four dimensions exceeded 20 points, putting him well ahead of the pack.

Even with their ability to use Chakra, none could match the prowess of Russell's own.

As he ran, a spark of excitement lit up in Russell's eyes. "System, pick up the card!" he thought.

And there it was, mid-stride—a white card shimmering with an enticing glow materialized before him.

It was impossible to tell which of the hundred or so children had lost it.

The white card granted a one-point boost to his constitution.

Russell stumbled upon an unexpected boon and abandoned his initial goal of being the fastest runner. He dialed back his pace to maintain a one-lap lead, all the while collecting cards.

With the odds of a card dropping during physical activity being low, the chances significantly increased with hundreds participating in the exercise!

The white card added one point to his speed!

The white card added one point to his constitution!

The white card added one point to his strength!

...

"Hahaha, it looks like attending school was the smartest decision ever!" As he watched his stats soar, Russell unabashedly took all the credit for his good fortune!