Naruto: Five Lives, Five Times the Excitement

Chapter 166 Kyosuke's Character Design

Early in the morning, Kyosuke and Shisui went out.

"Shisui, starting today, you need to carefully record everyone's information. Sometimes I will make a move to test the waters, and you will cover for me."

"Yes."

Zhi Shui's answer remained calm and reassuring.

Inside the stone passageway, two rows of doors opened one by one, and candidates emerged one after another.

Asma stood in the crowd, his eyes scanning the people around him, his heart burning with a burning desire to prove himself.

"Is this all? They don't look very strong. Once I defeat Kyosuke, I can take over the leadership of this ninja army. Then let's see what the old man has to say!"

Suddenly, Asuma saw a sharp gaze and his heart skipped a beat.

What a terrifying murderous aura!

Immediately, Asuma felt a deep shame for his earlier cowardice. His strong sense of pride made him glare back and issue a stern warning.

"Kid, watch your eyes."

"hehe."

That person was none other than Mikami. Faced with Asuma's retort, he merely chuckled, glanced at Asuma out of the corner of his eye, and then turned and left.

This dismissive attitude directly broke Asuma's defenses and successfully ignited his anger.

Kyosuke was right next to Asuma and naturally saw what was happening. He even pretended to be very "kind" and showed concern for Asuma.

"Be careful, this guy seems tough to deal with, don't mess with him."

Asuma could have suppressed his anger, but after Kyosuke fanned the flames, he could no longer tolerate it.

Fortunately, he still had his senses and wasn't planning to take action now, but rather to teach Mi Shou a lesson during the selection process.

After breakfast, everyone went to a square.

The plaza is surrounded by sturdy stone walls, and the terrain inside is a complex mix of rocks, ponds, grass, and trees. The space is very open, making it a good place for battle.

Mao Likun stood on the circular platform surrounding the square, looking down at the candidates below.

"The first assessment is a practical test. There are thirty-six of you in total, and you can freely choose your challenge targets. Each person has two chances to challenge, and the challenged person can refuse. We will select suitable candidates based on your performance."

Free challenge mode?

interesting.

This stage tests not only combat effectiveness, but also the team's intelligence analysis, camouflage, and tactical planning abilities.

If you feel you lack the strength or don't want to take the risk, you can give up the challenge or refuse to be challenged by others.

Of course, there may be a deeper meaning to doing this, such as investigating the relationships between the people and their respective positions, so that the daimyo can control this ninja army in the future.

Kyosuke, as an observer, silently thought about and recorded everything, while Mimori became much more proactive and started asking questions.

"It wouldn't matter if someone died here, would it?"

Mi Shou's words were calm, yet they sent a chill down everyone's spines.

It was just a selection process, yet they were already thinking of killing him and even said it in public.

Is it arrogance or stupidity, conceit or pride?

Mao Likun glanced at Mi Shou, recalling the information about Abe Shouichi in his mind.

So that's how it is. As a declining ninja clan, they secretly yearn to rise above others. If used properly, such a person could become a reliable lackey for the daimyo.

As a close confidant of the daimyo, Mao Likun dutifully analyzed the situation in his mind while providing his response.

"I believe everyone here has come with the necessary awareness. Ninjas are meant to kill, not to be merciful."

"understand!"

Mimori nodded, his eyes seemingly glancing unintentionally at Asuma.

Seeing this, Mao Likun curled up the corners of his mouth.

Just as I suspected, this Abe Moriichi must have found out Asuma's identity and wanted to use Asuma to establish his authority. Hehehe, he's hostile to Konoha, very good!

Mao Likun gave Kazuma a wink, suggesting that if this Abe Moriichi was capable, they should make good contact with him and try to win him over to their side.

Kazuma glanced calmly at the masked Mikami, then at Asuma who was trying to suppress his anger, and made up his mind.

The selection process continued, with everyone standing in the stands, awaiting the upcoming battle.

After giving a further explanation, Mao Likun announced the start of the selection process.

"So, who wants to be the first to issue a challenge?"

For a moment, many eyes swept back and forth, people looking for a suitable opponent to strike against.

Although the rules say you can challenge twice, which sounds like you have two chances, it's actually a trap.

If you fail in the first battle or reveal too much information, you will be targeted in the second battle and easily become someone else's stepping stone.

Therefore, the first battle is very important; you need to win beautifully while concealing your true strength as much as possible.

The balance involved is very difficult to maintain.

Mi Shou continued to maintain his persona, snorted coldly, and jumped off the stands, landing in the center of the square, his aggressive gaze sweeping over everyone.

"I only challenge the strongest. None of you are weaklings, so step forward now!"

A blatant provocation.

Some people immediately had murderous thoughts.

Some people felt that Mi Shou was fearless and must be quite strong, so they didn't want to confront him head-on.

A thoughtful person, however, felt that Mi Shou was all show and no substance, bluffing and hoping to intimidate others with his arrogant behavior.

His words sparked a lot of thought.

Asuma, in particular, was instantly overcome with passion and was about to rush down and fight Mikami to the death.

Kyosuke reacted quickly, taking half a step forward and standing sideways in front of Asuma, blocking him with his body while issuing a warning.

"Be careful! I have a feeling this guy is not simple. He seems to be hostile towards Konoha. Don't act rashly!"

Although this was a trap set by Kyosuke and Mimori, Kyosuke's noble and righteous image could not be damaged.

Not stopping Asuma at this point would contradict the persona Kyosuke had cultivated for himself.

As expected, upon hearing Kyosuke's organization, Shisui gave him a perfectly reasonable expression, feeling that although Kyosuke often bickered with Asuma, he still cared about his comrade.

The captain is truly reliable and gentle.

Kyosuke's attempt to stop Asuma wasn't just for show; his feet seemed rooted to the ground as he used immense strength to firmly shield Asuma behind him.

"Damn it, you guys all underestimate me!"

Asuma had just bumped into Kyosuke when Kyosuke shoved him away, sending him crashing back into the air. Asuma could only mutter angrily under his breath.

Kazuma witnessed this entire scene.

So, it turns out that Uesugi Kyosuke is the core of the Konoha team.

With a light laugh, Kazuma glanced at Asuma and said loudly.

“We have the son of the Hokage here, so why don’t we let him go up? The Third Hokage was a ninjutsu expert and was known as the strongest Hokage. Like father, like son, the son of the Hokage must also have extraordinary strength.”

Kazuma's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to reach everyone's ears.

Asuma immediately became the center of attention.

Some people, knowing Asuma's identity, curled their lips indifferently upon hearing Kazuma's assessment.

Some people, unaware of Asuma's identity, showed expressions of surprise and solemnity.

Regardless of one's perception of Naruto, the strength of the Third Hokage is undeniable, so the strength of the Hokage's son is certainly something to look forward to.