Reborn in Konoha; I Think I’m Cultivating Immortality

Chapter 8: Cheating? It’s Clearly a Kekkei Genkai!

“So, you’re telling me that you ‘accidentally’ took all the forehead protectors and eliminated every other participant in the exam, right?”

In the Hokage’s office, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, sat in his chair, speaking with a playful tone.

Across from him stood Mochizuki Hui, who appeared perfectly innocent. Hearing Tobirama’s words, he quickly nodded and responded earnestly:

“Grandpa Tobirama, you have to believe me! It really was an accident! You know I’ve always been an honest kid. ‘Adorable’ and ‘obedient’ are my middle names. I, Mochizuki Hui, never lie.”

Tobirama’s eyebrow twitched.

Looking at Hui’s big, innocent eyes and cute expression, Tobirama almost believed him. But he’d watched this boy grow up, so he knew better.

This was the grandson of an old ally, the last surviving member of the Mochizuki clan, who had always been loyal to the Senju. He was mischievous from birth. Honest? Hah, good one.

“Fine. I won’t pursue this any further,” Tobirama said, leaning back slightly and crossing his arms. “But what about hiding your true strength? Don’t tell me that was also ‘accidental.’”

His eyes gleamed with amusement, as if daring Mochizuki Hui to come up with another excuse.

But Mochizuki Hui’s face showed shock as he replied in disbelief, “Grandpa Tobirama, you can’t just accuse me of such things! Be careful, or I’ll sue you for slander!”

He added with a huff, “And when did I ever hide my strength? I’ve been giving my all in every exam, I swear!”

His exaggerated performance left Tobirama speechless.

The boy’s actions alone told a different story. A six-year-old kid had wiped the floor with fourteen older, more experienced students, and yet in his own class, he was ranked as merely average? And now he was claiming he wasn’t hiding his abilities?

Hui’s claim of giving his “all” was basically slapping Tobirama’s intelligence in the face.

Seeing Tobirama’s dark expression, Mochizuki Hui realized his excuse wasn’t working. He coughed awkwardly and then tried again.

“Well... maybe I hid a little bit of my strength. But, you know, the tallest tree catches the most wind, right?”

Hearing this, Tobirama paused, pondering the saying. He shook his head, then said seriously:

“Hui, you must remember: you are part of the Senju clan. You can grow as tall as you want—no wind will knock you down as long as I’m here.”

Hui felt a warmth in his heart at Tobirama’s words.

“Alright... but, Grandpa Tobirama, you really can’t blame me! I honestly don’t know how I got so strong,” Mochizuki Hui said with a sheepish grin.

He decided it was time to start planting seeds for the future. His power would only grow stronger, and who knew what kind of changes might come with it. Maybe his body would even change drastically if he unlocked some kind of special ability later on.

Rather than face suspicion later, it was better to prepare an excuse in advance.

After all, in the world of Naruto, power-ups weren’t unusual. It was a world where kekkei genkai (bloodline limits) were common, not cheats! If anything, he could just claim he had awakened a rare bloodline trait.

Tobirama suddenly disappeared from his chair and reappeared next to Mochizuki Hui in the blink of an eye, his hand on Hui’s shoulder.

It was the Flying Thunder God Technique, one of Tobirama’s signature jutsu. He had marked Hui with its seal long ago.

Not for attacking, of course, but for protection. To Tobirama, Mochizuki Hui was as close as family—he saw him as a grandson and a member of the Senju clan.

This bond came not just from the Mochizuki clan’s unwavering loyalty to the Senju, but also from the fact that Hui was the last survivor of his clan, and he had grown up in the Senju compound alongside Tobirama and Hashirama. They shared a deep familial connection.

Moreover, Hui had always been a charming and likable child, which made it easy to grow fond of him.

Placing his palm on Hui’s back, Tobirama closed his eyes for a moment before snapping them open in surprise.

He could feel the immense power coursing through Hui’s body—strength far beyond what a child his age should possess. This was on par with an adult ninja!

“Could it be... a kekkei genkai?” Tobirama mused aloud, rubbing his chin in thought.

As far as he knew, the Mochizuki clan had never been known for possessing any bloodline limits. Could this be a case of genetic mutation?

It was certainly possible.

“Hui, since your strength began increasing, have you felt any unusual changes in your body?” Tobirama asked, curious.

“Hmm… well, I do feel like my breathing has become lighter, and I’ve noticed I prefer being in bright, well-lit places,” Hui replied honestly. These were actual side effects he had experienced after absorbing light energy.

“I see…” Tobirama was about to say more when an Anbu appeared in the room, waiting to report something.

Seeing this, Tobirama waved Hui off. “Alright, you can go for now. Tomorrow morning at eight, meet me at Training Ground One.”

Tobirama had already made up his mind that Mochizuki Hui’s sudden increase in power must be due to the awakening of a kekkei genkai. He just didn’t know yet what kind of abilities it might grant him.

“Got it! See you later, Grandpa Tobirama!” Mochizuki Hui waved and headed for home.

He knew that news of his graduation would soon spread, causing quite a stir. And when it did, he’d be surrounded by a bunch of adoring girls again, robbing him of his peaceful and quiet life.

“Ugh, being handsome can be such a burden sometimes...” he sighed dramatically.