Ninja Academy.
Aomi glanced at the exam paper in front of him, quickly skimmed through the questions, and confidently started spinning his pen with a smile.
This was the last subject of the final assessment — An Overview and Summary of the Will of Fire.
"Tobirama, how about it? Interested in seeing how many points you could score?" Aomi spread out the exam paper, smiling as he said to Senju Tobirama:
"The Will of Fire was summarized by the first Ninja School principal, surely you wouldn't fail to score full marks, right? That would be quite laughable..."
"Kid, don't underestimate people, the Will of Fire that the monkey possesses is exactly what I taught him personally. These kinds of questions wouldn't stump me,"
Senju Tobirama sneered, "If you want me to help you cheat, just say it..."
"If you want to use your understanding of the Will of Fire to get the monkey's attention, then rely on your own skills. I won't help you."
Aomi raised an eyebrow, why does this old man feel so good about himself?
[Briefly describe the deeds of the Third Hokage and discuss your views on him.]
[Discuss the differences between the Ninja Clan and civilian ninjas from your background, and describe your future ninja career plans.]
[Ninjas must obey rules, with completing tasks as the first priority. Please discuss the importance of discipline for ninjas.]
[Describe your understanding of the Will of Fire.]
The four summary questions covered issues surrounding the Third Hokage, the Will of Fire, and the current most sensitive topics between the Ninja Clan and civilians in Konoha, as well as the lack of discipline in Ninja Academy students compared to mature ninjas.
Aomi squinted his eyes. Based on the question style and intention, this exam paper was of high quality, even somewhat practical, unlike the mundane questions usually set by those mediocre Chunin from the ninja school...
The questions in Aomi's hands today seemed ordinary but were actually targeted at the hot issues in Konoha.
In previous Will of Fire exams, there were questions like "Who is the strongest Hokage and why?" which seemed to bolster the popularity of the Third Hokage's rule, but in reality, only attracted criticism to him.
Civilian students might not know about big figures like Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, and Senju Tobirama from thirty or forty years ago, but didn't students from the Ninja Clan know about these once Earth-shattering peaks of the Ninja World?
The elders in the Ninja Clan homes all told stories of this kind.
Senju Tobirama seemed to be moving in sync with Aomi, squinting his eyes, looking a bit serious, and internally thought, "What's the monkey doing? Making Ninja Academy students answer such profound questions, if my brother did it, he might not even pass..."
While Senju Tobirama was still questioning the difficulty of this exam paper.
Aomi thought for a moment, and the tip of the pen began to make a "swish", "swish" sound as he flowed smoothly with his answers.
Senju Tobirama sneered as he watched this scene.
If the Uchiha Clan could really understand the Will of Fire, they wouldn't be the Uchiha!
Even if Aomi seems a bit like it right now, it's just from surface aspects like Water Release and swordplay, merely floating on the surface...
Even if Aomi's current performance has a bit of the flavor of the Will of Fire, Senju Tobirama didn't believe that the Uchiha, always a practical genius but weak in theoretical understanding, could handle this level of question.
But as Aomi continued to answer, Senju Tobirama's smile gradually faded, his expression shifted from mockery to seriousness, looking intently at the answers on the exam paper.
Wait, are you really answering as fluently as this? Are you from the Hokage's lineage or am I from the Hokage's lineage?
Oh, Aomi is Kagami's descendant, then never mind, he's indeed worthy to be the descendant of my apprentice, good!
"...Wherever Konoha's leaves dance, fire will be ever-burning. Where the leaves dance, hope's light will burn brightly, lighting up the village, and new leaves will sprout again..."
Just before Sarutobi Hiruzen's passing, his heartfelt words were easily used by Aomi to conclude the final big question, making Senju Tobirama's eyes light up and his heart hesitate.
This emotion is so rich... Is Aomi truly doing this seriously? Could it be that he's naturally suited to studying the Will of Fire?
"Fallen flowers are not heartless things, they turn into nourishing spring soil to protect new flowers..." Aomi checked the exam paper, feeling deeply as he said to Senju Tobirama:
"It's autumn, fallen leaves dance and turn into nutrients in the earth, nurturing the new buds of the coming spring, the Will of Fire indeed subtly contains the logic of the world's operation, it makes you reflect deeply..."
Senju Tobirama was savoring the poem Aomi had impromptu copied, and the more he pondered, the more flavorful it became.
He initially wanted to spar verbally and suppress Aomi a bit, but now he couldn't even say anything.
That damn kid, he sure has a way with words...
Especially when Senju Tobirama saw Aomi's answer to the question about [discipline], his expression became more complicated.
"...Discipline is extremely necessary for ninjas, as it requires them to suppress unnecessary emotions. If the village establishes strict and effective rules and follows them from top to bottom, it can avoid most unnecessary conflicts..."
These words were almost identical to the response he and Hashirama discussed when talking about achieving peace together as children!
Except for Senju Hashirama and his brothers who were present then, Senju Tobirama had never discussed this conversation with anyone else, not even his apprentices.
But after being dead for thirty years, Senju Tobirama now heard a little Uchiha kid saying words almost no different from his childhood ones!
This Uchiha kid's name, is Uchiha Aomi.
This strange feeling enveloped Senju Tobirama's heart, and recalling Aomi being extremely similar to him in Water Release, swordplay, even prompting self-created perceived similarities in character...
This is a feeling that none of the disciples taught by Senju Tobirama had ever given him...
This feeling, called "like oneself," is considered the highest evaluation in the master-disciple inheritance, even a standard for "graduation"... If it were in the feudal emperor era, it would be considered a standard for succession.
[Special talent received from the target in opposition, Senju Tobirama: Tobirama Power!]
[Tobirama Power]: You can borrow the power of Senju Tobirama's spirit within you, the strength depends on the target's subjective willingness.
Aomi blinked at this peculiar talent.
What kind of strange ability is this, is the ancestor possessing me or what?
No, I'm from the Uchiha Clan, system, you might as well let me be possessed by Indra, or at least Uchiha Madara...
Sigh, well, let's make do, it's better than nothing.
Still not knowing that Aomi was very dismissive of him, Senju Tobirama pretended reluctantly, coughed dramatically, "Kid, your answers are okay..."
"However, compared to me, there's still a huge gap."
"How about this, you think of a way, let me answer a set too, and the old man will show you a perfect exam paper, consider it as a lesson for you..."