Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha lacks motivation.

The purple-haired girl peeked out in confusion, only to see wave after wave of dream chasers collapsing before the nine-tailed fox statue. Her expression changed slightly.

I guess I queued in the wrong line. This isn't the line for the limited-edition wasabi-flavored popcorn.

"Senior Hikaru, this is the team participating in the recruitment. Let's leave quickly."

Uchiha Rin, whose arms were already full of various snacks, reminded Uchiha Hikaru, who was walking slowly forward.

"We know!"

Before Uchiha Hikaru could respond, Senju Itama answered first.

"ha?"

Uchiha Hikaru stopped in his tracks, turned his head slightly, and his fair face clearly showed two large characters:

[Competition]

"If that seafood girl can come, why can't we?"

Uchiha, who had been lured there by the two women, paused upon hearing this, realizing he seemed to have gotten himself into trouble. A wry smile immediately appeared on his face.

"But none of us signed up."

The recruitment of Tailed Beast Riders has caused quite a stir; even Uchiha Rinpoche, who dislikes gossip, has heard about it. To participate, one must pay two million ryo.

"It's an honor for the organizers that I can participate in this event. That big-butt brat Danzo, does he dare to charge me?"

Uchiha Hikaru curled her lip in disdain. In terms of seniority, even Danzo and the others had to respectfully address her as "Shifu" (Master's Wife).

"Those two staff members who were here when we came in just now."

Hearing this, Uchiha Osamu blinked in confusion. They had encountered two Shimura clan members while queuing, and now that she thought about it, they must have been there to verify their identities.

"I used illusion magic."

It turns out that the reason they were able to successfully join the recruitment line was all thanks to Uchiha Hikari. Facing the two staff members who were checking identities, she only glanced at them and successfully hypnotized them, allowing them to blend in.

"Oh, this."

Uchiha Rinne looked conflicted. It was her first time doing something like fare evasion, and the young girl was torn, standing frozen in place, unsure what to do.

"Stop staring blankly, it's our turn."

Uchiha Hikaru and Senju Itama, on the other hand, didn't have as many psychological burdens. They just wanted to get inside quickly and obtain the Tailed Beast Cards before Uzumaki Mito.

"Forehead"

Dragged along by Senju Itama, Uchiha Rinpoche reluctantly arrived in front of the extremely abstract Nine-Tails statue.

With the girl's keen senses, even without activating her Sharingan, she could feel that trace of man-eating malice.

"Didn't they say they were going to buy snacks? How did they end up over there?"

In the audience, Uchiha Gin was so anxious that he scratched his head and cheeks.

He even had to mooch off his younger cousin for tickets costing 100,000 taels, while these three spendthrift women squandered 6 million in one go.

The thought of that money flowing into Xiao Tuantuan's pocket made Uchiha Gin feel extremely uncomfortable, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

"Big cousin, when did Guangjie and the others sign up?"

Looking at Uchiha Gin, who was covered in prickly heat, Izuna Uchiha asked in confusion,

"How would I know? They're chatting behind my back now."

With a heart-wrenching pain, Uchiha Gin shook his head. If he had known earlier that Hikari and the others had signed up, he would definitely have stopped them from throwing money around.

"No, I need to apply for a refund for a minor now."

Increasingly distressed, Uchiha Gin could no longer sit still; he had to get his money back.

"My cousin is so frugal! No wonder the Land of Waves is so wealthy; it's all thanks to him saving every single penny!"

Watching Uchiha Gin's hurried departure, Uchiha Izuna recalled the magnificent palace of the Daimyo of the Land of Waves, and couldn't help but shed tears of emotion.

Big brother, don't worry, I'll make sure you get your share too.

"That Xiao Tuantuan is really something. She didn't even tell me beforehand that Xiao Guang and the others were participating in the recruitment."

Having detected Danzo's presence, Uchiha Gin quickly headed towards his destination, soon arriving at a simple hut used for meetings.

"Danzo, didn't you say no Uchiha participated in the recruitment? What's going on with those three?"

"Indeed, there isn't one. I check the list every day, and there's definitely no one with the surname Uchiha."

"Then them"

"Fare evasion?!"

Having confirmed that the people inside the room were indeed recognizable, he was about to raise his hand to knock when he heard voices coming from inside. His arm froze in mid-air.

Oh, it was a freebie, never mind then~

Gin Uchiha lowered his hand, satisfied. Since they weren't paying, he'd let Hikari and the others play as they pleased.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Hikaru and his two companions strolled past the Nine-Tails statue, chatting and laughing, much to the disappointment of the audience who were waiting to see the beautiful Ahegao.

"This thing is far inferior to the true form of a Tailed Beast."

The three members of the Uchiha clan had all personally subdued tailed beasts; a mere trace of malicious chakra posed no threat whatsoever, not even enough to make them wary.

After passing through the dark passage, the view suddenly opened up. The examination hall was enormous. Those who had passed the test were gathered in the center, where a high platform stood. The Tailed Beast Cards, radiating a malevolent aura, were placed securely on the platform.

Below the stage, several members of the sealing team, dressed in white uniforms, were intently maintaining the barrier, carefully preventing the occasional escape of the tailed beast chakra.

"Why are you here?"

Mito Uzumaki, who was examining the Tailed Beast Cards, froze. Her good-evil perception radar kicked in, and she immediately turned her head, accurately locating the two sources of malice directed at her.

"Why can't we come?"

Uchiha Hikaru raised an eyebrow. The moment their eyes met, an invisible bolt of lightning flashed, instantly making the atmosphere tense.

"Exactly, you didn't organize the event."

Senju Itama, not to be outdone, stepped forward. She had decided to form a temporary alliance with Uchiha Hikaru to jointly fight against the foreign beauty, Uzumaki Mito.

"Little Zhili, it's been a long time."

Mito's gaze swept over the two disgruntled faces, finally landing on the purple-haired girl behind them who was carrying snacks. A bright smile bloomed on her face.

"have not seen you for a long time."

Uchiha Negi nodded politely. She and Uzumaki Mito were old acquaintances; they had crossed paths decades ago when they were protecting the Hagoromo clan.

Are Senior Guang and the others just looking for trouble with this woman?

Because Uchiha Gin and Uzumaki Mito had always kept their relationship secret, Uchiha Gin was unaware that the voluptuous red-haired woman in front of him was also his rival.

"Sister Zhili, don't be fooled by her. This red-haired monster and the curly-haired baboon are having an affair."

Seeing that his teammates showed no sense of crisis, Senju Itama quickly spoke up to explain.

"ah!?"

"Forehead"

Mito Uzumaki, who was about to continue with the pleasantries, suddenly froze. Another coordinate had appeared on his good-evil radar, with a malice value that was no less than that of Hikaru Uchiha.

"Have the enemy numbers increased again?"

With his eyes half-closed, Uchiha Rinpoche exuded a cold and sinister aura, the intensity of which was no less than that of Uchiha Hikaru.

Seeing this, Mito Uzumaki raised an eyebrow, her full red lips slightly upturned, and a hint of mockery appeared in her eyes as she looked at Uchiha Ryo.

Gintoki's charm is truly undeniable!

Just as the girls were arguing, the white-haired boy not far away was jumping around anxiously.

"Damn it! How come that curly-haired guy can't even keep an eye on a person?"

Seeing her younger sister openly participating in such a public event, she instantly flew into a rage and shifted all the blame onto the equally bewildered Uchiha Gin.

Senju Itama sensed someone watching him and instinctively turned his head, pinpointing a familiar white-haired figure among the few people.

The two nodded in tacit agreement, as if to say hello.

Some time ago, through the introduction of Senju Momoka, the two of them recognized each other. Senju Itama, as the aunt, had a strange feeling about this suddenly appearing niece, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Boom—"

Suddenly, the door to the passage behind them slammed shut, and Danzo appeared with his men.

"Congratulations everyone, you have successfully passed the test."

Danzo looked at the few people in the arena, his smile widening. The Uzumaki clan's sealing technique was indeed powerful; a single statue could eliminate 99.99% of the contestants, greatly shortening the assessment time and reducing the loss of funds.

"Huh? That's all? I remember there were over five thousand applicants, right?"

The audience was also caught off guard by the sudden closing of the passageway doors. They had thought the first trial would at most eliminate most of the unsuspecting contestants, but it turned out to be a complete rout.

"That's really strict. So many Jonin failed the test. What kind of monsters are those who stayed?"

Even Jonin-level ninjas feel fear when faced with the Nine-Tails' malice.

Once negative emotions arise, immediate elimination becomes inevitable.

"Next, you will face the Nine-Tails directly. I hope you will cherish your lives. If you really can't take it, you can abstain."

Although everyone present signed a waiver of liability, a death would ultimately have a negative impact on future activities and hinder his ability to attract customers again.

For the sake of sustainable development, he wanted to ensure that nothing went wrong during the event.

Gumbling—

Those contestants who had barely passed the first test felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this. They glanced up at the Nine-Tailed Fox card, which shimmered with golden light in the sunlight, and subconsciously swallowed hard.

"Let's give it our all!"

The first Senju clansman to pass the test gritted his teeth. He had come this far; how could he back down now? While the others were still observing, he leaped forward, his large, fan-like hand reaching straight for the Nine-Tailed Fox on the platform.

The future of the Senju clan rests on this card!

"Uncle Kenta."

Inside the stands, Tsunade nervously crossed her arms, her large, watery eyes fixed on the Senju clansmen who had leaped into the air, while she silently offered a devout prayer.

"Kenta is still too impatient."

Sitting next to Tsunade, Senju Momoka frowned slightly and shook her head.

It wasn't that she didn't think highly of Kenta Senju; on the contrary, she believed more in Kenta, the current number one fighter in the clan, than in Hisana Senju, who had asked her for money to participate in the competition. However, given the current unclear situation, such a rash action would likely end badly.

"snort!"

As expected, just as Kenta Senju was about to touch the Nine-Tails, an overwhelming malice erupted, and countless negative emotions surged into his brain like a tidal wave.

"ah!!!"

In less than a second, the negative energy emanating from the Nine-Tails Card knocked Kenta Senju unconscious. As an elite Jonin, he didn't even have a chance to resist.

"Quickly! Set up the formation and guard the barrier!"

The Nine-Tails snorted inside the Tailed Beast Card, and the sealing team outside was struck as if by a heavy blow. The team leader, his face flushed red, roared in anger.

To prevent the escape of the Tailed Beast chakra, he ordered all members to maintain the barrier beneath their feet. The purple light barrier became increasingly solid, blocking the fiery red chakra within the barrier.

"Mental exhaustion, brain damage, and reversed meridian flow"

The medical team, which had been waiting for a long time, quickly stepped forward and made a preliminary diagnosis of the unconscious Kenta Senju. A series of alarming indicators made the hearts of the eager contestants around them race.

"As everyone has seen, we must act within our capabilities."

Danzo watched as Kenta Senju was carried away, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.

The strongest of the Thousand Hands is nothing more than this.

The Senju clan has fallen into decline.

"I abstain!"

Soon, someone else stepped forward, but instead of advancing, they retreated. A mountain tribesman who had passed the Nine-Tailed Statue's test with his powerful mental strength raised his hand.

The mountain tribes, who rely on their spiritual power for a living, have no intention of gambling their future on a vague dream of being a knight.

"I also abstain."

After all, Kenta Senju's injury set a precedent, and soon half of the participants chose to withdraw.

"You guys go first?"

Of course, there were also those who remained unmoved. Mito Uzumaki calmly raised an eyebrow at Hikaru Uchiha.

Are you sure? I'm afraid you won't have a chance.

Uchiha Hikaru pursed her lips. If she accepted the other party's concession like this, even if she obtained the Tailed Beast Card, she wouldn't feel satisfied.

"Shall I go first?"

"No!"

"Let's see who's faster!"

"Nine-Tails! Can you hear me?"

The situation reached a stalemate once again, but Senju Hisama seized the opportunity to contact the Nine-Tails in the Tailed Beast Card.

"Huh? Human, who are you? How did you find this channel?"

The Nine-Tailed Fox, who was feigning sleep within the cards, sensed a familiar presence and sprang to its feet, its enormous beastly eyes filled with astonishment.

"It's me!"

"You...you used to have a penis, didn't you? What happened to it?"

The Nine-Tails looked at Senju Hishima with surprise, seeing a male soul within this human woman.

Old man, can you even see humans playing these fancy tricks?

"Phew, I'll talk about that later. I'm here for the Knight System now. Nine-Tails, are you willing to fight alongside me again?"

Senju Hisana exhaled a breath of stale air and solemnly extended an olive branch to Kurama.

"Since that's the case, I'll just have to make do."

After pondering for a few seconds, Nine-Tails nodded with a serious expression.

The white-haired guy below seems quite easy to manage. Anyway, with that scourge Madara Uchiha gone, I can finally turn the tables and be the master!

"Okay, I'll be right there. Hold on, don't let anyone else subdue you."

"Who do you think you're underestimating? I am the Nine-Tails, the Speed-Slap Q-Tailed Beast, and I've never been afraid of anything in my life! ~"

Nine-Tailed Fox patted its chest and assured it, but the next second, it felt the world spin around it.

When Kurama opened its eyes again, it was horrified to find that the card it inhabited was being held by two women at the same time.

"Maybe you shouldn't come. I'm afraid they'll misunderstand." (End of Chapter)