I Am Uzumaki Menma

The second day of the Ninja Sword Tournament.

The same competition venue, the same lively atmosphere, though the mood was slightly different from the previous day. There was less of the novelty of a first appearance and more of the solemn air of a true showdown between strong fighters.

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro met up with Yukimi at the designated location.

Their Jonin Instructor had changed her outfit today. She still wore her Jonin flak jacket, but the lining was now a black bodysuit for easier movement, and her medium-length brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail, making her look much more capable.

"Morning, little ones." Yukimi waved to them, her usual lazy smile on her face. "Sleep well? Those matches yesterday were pretty exciting, right?"

"These seniors are all so strong!" Kankuro said excitedly. "Especially the fight between Taichi-senpai and Gensui-senpai. I was replaying it in my head all night!"

Temari analyzed more calmly, "Although Gensui-senpai lost, he was still very skilled. He even pushed Taichi-senpai into a corner several times."

Gaara also nodded slightly and said, "Taichi-senpai and Gensui-senpai both have extensive combat experience and their own specialties in battle. From yesterday's fight, it was clear their skills were evenly matched. It's just that this time, Taichi-senpai had the edge."

As the four pushed open the door to the locker room at the competition venue, Shunji was sitting on a bench inspecting the sheath of the Twin Swords Hiramekarei. He looked up at the sound of the door opening, revealing a bright smile: "Yukimi, you're here."

Beside him sat a Kunoichi with short tea-colored hair.

She looked about nineteen, her brown pupils clear and bright. Hearing the commotion, she also turned her head.

"Hazuki-chan!" Yukimi's eyes instantly lit up, her usual languid demeanor vanishing completely as she threw herself forward like a little girl.

The two Kunoichis hugged tightly, Yukimi even spinning the other around in a circle.

Hazuki laughed at her enthusiasm, patting her back gently. "Alright, alright, so many people are watching."

"So what?" Yukimi let go but still held Hazuki's hand, her face showing a rare, radiant smile. "It's been so long since you last came to see me! Is work at the Medical Department really that busy?"

"The National Healthcare System has been quite busy lately, and our Medical Department has sent a lot of people to support it." Hazuki explained gently, her gaze turning to the three Sand Siblings. "Are these your students?"

"Oh, right!" Yukimi remembered to introduce them. She stepped aside, presenting them like treasures. "These are my three students! Gaara, Temari, Kankuro. They're students I'm very proud of!"

She turned to the three: "This is Special Jonin Murakashi Hazuki from the Medical Department, my bestie!"

"Hello, Senpai." The three greeted in unison.

Gaara noticed that Hazuki's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer.

There was no common wariness or curiosity in that look, but rather something like... the gaze a Medical-Nin uses when observing a patient's physical condition.

Soon, her look became warm and friendly.

"Hello." Hazuki replied with a smile. "Yukimi often mentions you to me. She says you all work very hard, especially—"

She looked at Gaara: "You have a lot of talent."

Gaara inclined his head slightly, saying nothing more.

He was long used to being the center of attention.

Just then, the locker room door opened again, and a group filed in.

The first to enter was a blonde girl with black pupils. Her doll-like face made her look much younger than her actual age.

She wore a Medical-Nin's white coat over the standard Star Ninja uniform, moving lightly and briskly like a little bird.

"Morishita-senpai! We've come to cheer you on!" Suzuhara Ai said with a beaming smile, her voice clear and crisp.

Close behind her was a petite girl with white hair.

Though she was already sixteen, Oyashiro Chino looked like she was only eleven or twelve.

She bounced in energetically, her short white hair swaying with her movements, her purple eyes curiously taking in her surroundings.

"Hazuki-nee is here too!" Chino waved happily upon seeing Hazuki.

Next came two young men carrying Ninja Swords.

The one on the left had silver hair and black pupils, about seventeen years old, carrying the Kubikiribocho almost as tall as he was.

His expression was calm, his gait powerful… clearly a skilled swordsman trained rigorously.

The one on the right was around twenty, his medium-length black hair casually tied back, his red pupils particularly striking under the indoor lighting.

The sword on his back was relatively slender, the blade faintly shimmering with lightning. Lightning Blades: Kiba.

"Yusuke, Sato, you came too." Shunji stood up and fist-bumped with the two.

"Of course. How could we miss a brother's match?" Saionji Sato, carrying Lightning Blades Kiba, grinned, showing a set of white teeth.

But what truly caught Gaara's attention were the four who entered afterward.

Leading them was a pale-haired, pale-eyed boy about thirteen or fourteen. His skin was pale, his demeanor cool and detached.

The orphan of the Kaguya Clan, Kaguya Kimimaro.

Gaara had heard of the Kaguya surname back in Sunagakure. They were a clan that fought using their bones as weapons. During the Third Great Ninja War, Sunagakure had clashed with Kirigakure many times.

Walking beside him was a black-haired boy of the same age, his delicate features making him look like a girl, his expression gentle.

Yuki Haku, the orphan of the Yuki Clan, his Kekkei Genkai being Ice Release.

The third person made Gaara's pupils constrict slightly. Long white hair, pure white pupils. Though he only looked about twelve, he exuded a maturity that belied his age.

Otsutsuki Toneri.

The last to enter was a boy of similar age to Toneri, with black hair and pale eyes, wearing a Star Ninja's forehead protector.

Hyuga Neji, the young master of the Hyuga branch family, had just been promoted to Special Jonin this year.

These four standing together formed a subtle kind of presence.

Even among this group of prodigies in the Star Nation's new generation, they stood out distinctly.

"Kimimaro, Haku, Toneri, Neji." Shunji greeted them one by one. "You all came."

"Senpai's match is naturally something to come and observe." Neji spoke with respectful language, but his gaze had already swept across the entire locker room, finally resting on Gaara.

Just then, Chino poked her head out from the crowd, curiously examining Gaara.

She was so short she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.

"So you're the One-Tailed Jinchuriki?" Chino asked bluntly, blinking her purple eyes.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone's gaze focused on Gaara… curious, appraising, scrutinizing.

Temari frowned slightly, while Kankuro looked nervously at his younger brother.

They knew their brother didn't like this kind of attention.

But Gaara's expression didn't change at all.

He calmly met Chino's gaze and nodded. "That's me."

"Wow." Chino put her hands on her hips, as if she'd discovered something interesting. "You look just like an ordinary person. I thought Jinchuriki would have three heads and six arms."

Her words were naive and blunt, which actually dispelled the awkwardness of the moment.

Ai gently tugged at her. "Chino, don't be so rude."

"So what? I'm just telling the truth." Chino muttered.

Yukimi walked over then, placing a hand on Gaara's shoulder with an expression that screamed 'this is my student and I'm proud'. "Ha! This is my student, the most promising junior of the younger generation. You seniors better watch out, you might get overtaken one day."

Iida Yusuke, carrying the Kubikiribocho, looked at Gaara with interest. During his time in the Anbu, he had briefly served as one of Gaara's secret bodyguards.

"A Jinchuriki, huh..." Sato murmured, lightly tapping the hilt of his blade with his fingers. "Indeed, those who can become Jinchuriki are geniuses with immense potential. But—"

He looked at Gaara: "Potential is just potential. How much of it you can actually use is what matters."

The words were blunt but not malicious, more like a senior spurring on a junior.

Gaara met his gaze and said calmly, "I will work hard."

Just four simple words, but they sparked a glint of appreciation in Sato's eyes.

Sato then turned to Shunji and said, "Shunji, your opponent today is Uchiha Taichi, right? That guy has awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, he won't be easy to deal with."

Mentioning the matter at hand, Shunji's smile faded.

He patted the twin swords on his back. "I know. But that's exactly why it's worth the challenge."

"Uchiha Taichi—"Neji mused. "He should be the strongest among the Uchiha Clan of his generation. I've heard he's always wanted to enter the Star Ninja's military system, but Hikaru-sama and Shisui-sama have been keeping him in the Police Department to temper him for a few years. He's definitely a formidable opponent."

"But Morishita-senpai has the Twin Swords Hiramekarei." Haku interjected gently, his voice soft as a spring breeze. "The advantage in Chakra Reserves is quite obvious."

Kimimaro had been silent, but now he suddenly spoke. "The outcome of a battle has never been determined solely by Chakra Reserves."

His gaze swept over Shunji. "Tactics, timing, will… none can be lacking."

His words were calm and objective, yet they made Shunji nod seriously. "You're right. Every challenger who's made it this far is a formidable opponent. I'll give it my full concentration!"

As they were talking, the locker room door was pushed open once more.

"Sensei! We're here!"

A somewhat familiar voice reached Gaara's ears.

Gaara turned to see three figures approaching quickly.

In the lead was a red-haired girl wearing oval, black-rimmed glasses, a lively smile on her face. The princess of the Uzumaki Clan, Uzumaki Karin.

Behind her was Kurotsuchi, with short black hair, fair skin, and the aura of a sporty girl.

And bringing up the rear was a small boy with short purple hair, red pupils, and a somewhat shy expression.

Yusuke waved to them, then introduced them to everyone with a smile: "I also brought a Genin Team. These are my three students: Uzumaki Karin, Kurotsuchi, and Ranmaru."

The three quickly came over, first bowing to Yusuke, then turning to the other Jonin in the room.

But Karin's gaze was quickly drawn to Kimimaro and Haku.

Her eyes lit up, and she trotted over: "Kimimaro-nii! Haku-nii!"

Haku smiled gently and patted her head. "Karin, it's been a while."

Kimimaro merely nodded slightly, but his eyes softened considerably.

Karin's mother was their foster mother, and they doted on Karin as their little sister.

Sato raised an eyebrow in surprise. "The princess of the Uzumaki Clan, the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage, and one from the Red-Eyed Clan... heh, Yusuke, your students are no joke!"

His words made everyone realize.

Karin's signature red hair was indeed too eye-catching.

Having grown up pampered as the princess of the Uzumaki Clan, she was quite famous at the Ninja School, known as the [Red-Haired Princess]. Of course, what her peers remembered more was her temper, which was as fiery as her red hair.

Kurotsuchi is the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki.

After the last war, the Land of Earth was defeated and ceded five provinces. Iwagakure became a vassal of the Star Nation, with a military advisory group stationed there.

Many young members of Iwagakure's Ninja Clans were sent to the Star Ninja School as exchange students, and Kurotsuchi was one of them.

Ranmaru's appearance drew even more attention, especially from Chino.

She approached Ranmaru, tilting her head and examining him curiously. They were about the same height.

"How old is this kid?" Chino asked, her purple eyes fixed on Ranmaru's red pupils.

Several people looked down at Chino, who also looked like a child. They knew more or less about Chino's situation… her physical growth had been stunted because treatment was delayed back then.

Yusuke scratched his head. "Ranmaru? I think he's nine. Because of his Kekkei Genkai Disease, he participated in Shura-sama's genetic engineering project, so he graduated early."

Hearing this explanation, everyone understood.

There were many Ninja Clans in the Star Nation. Clans like Yukimi's Iburi Clan, or Kimimaro's Kaguya Clan, all had varying degrees of Kekkei Genkai Diseases.

It was the genetic engineering project led by Menma that had cured their Kekkei Genkai Diseases and even helped them tap into more potential.