After breakfast, Natsuki walked Yakushi Nonou to the entrance of Konoha Hospital as usual.
"Natsuki."
Nonou took two steps, then turned back. She clenched her small fists. "Do your best!"
Natsuki smiled and nodded.
Today was the final exam for Class 1-A—but Nonou wouldn't be participating. She was already a student in the medical ninja training program.
Of course, the program would have its own exams eventually.
But since it had only been established recently, none had been held yet.
Medical training was extraordinarily difficult. Students couldn't learn much in such a short time, so there was no point in testing them.
Natsuki soon arrived at the Ninja Academy.
He didn't go to the classroom. Instead, he headed straight for the training grounds.
Class 1-A's first practical combat exam would be held there.
"Natsuki."
Spotting him, Namikaze Minato walked over with a smile.
"Good morning, Minato."
Natsuki responded.
"For the first combat exam—what rank do you expect to get?"
Minato asked, studying him.
Over the past year, Natsuki had steadily climbed the rankings according to plan. He was now firmly in third place.
"First place."
Natsuki said simply.
"First place?"
Minato blinked, caught off guard.
He had asked Natsuki similar questions before. The answer was always some variation of "I'll do my best."
This was the first time Natsuki had stated so clearly that he intended to take first.
Why the sudden confidence?
Over the past year, Natsuki had only mastered the Substitution Jutsu. Minato himself had learned all three of the Basic Jutsu.
"It seems you've been holding back."
Minato paused, his expression turning serious. "For this combat exam—as a friend—I want to see your true strength."
"As you wish."
Natsuki nodded.
"I'll be waiting."
Minato felt the pressure building.
But as a genius, he had his own pride. If Natsuki wanted first place, he'd have to earn it.
9 AM.
Ishida Yu arrived at the training grounds on schedule.
Without preamble, he explained the rules for Class 1-A's first practical combat exam.
First: only wooden ninja tools were permitted.
Second: stop when the point is made—no lethal techniques.
Third: matchups would be arranged according to the roster for one-on-one duels. After three rounds of sparring, final rankings would be determined.
With the rules established, the exam officially began.
Natsuki stood on the sidelines and observed.
As expected, it was a mess of flailing amateurs.
Apart from Namikaze Minato and himself, the other students only knew the Substitution Jutsu, basic taijutsu, and ninja tool throwing.
With such limited arsenals, the matches were destined to be unimpressive.
"Second round, first match: Namikaze Minato versus Onodera!"
Ishida Yu announced.
The clash between first and second place instantly electrified Class 1-A.
Minato's popularity was overwhelming. Students shouted his name in unison, their cheers echoing across the grounds.
"What's all the yelling for?"
Onodera stalked onto the field, his face dark.
But his words were completely ignored.
"Minato!"
Onodera glared at his rival, teeth clenched. "I've waited a long time for this. First place is mine!"
Minato said nothing. He simply formed the Seal of Confrontation.
After Onodera—face livid—completed his own seal, he immediately flicked both hands and launched six kunai.
All six were aimed at Minato's vital points.
Minato glanced at the incoming projectiles—and charged forward.
"What?"
Onodera's heart lurched.
What happened next left him stunned.
Minato weaved through the kunai without slowing down, dodging all six with fluid precision.
By the time Onodera processed what he was seeing, Minato was already in front of him.
In a panic, Onodera raised his leg and kicked.
Minato sidestepped—and simultaneously cocked his right fist, slipping behind his opponent.
BANG!
The punch landed squarely on Onodera's back.
Before Onodera could even retract his leg, he was sent tumbling several meters across the ground.
"As expected of Minato—he's incredible!"
"Onodera didn't even last thirty seconds?"
"So cool!"
The students of Class 1-A erupted in cheers.
Ishida Yu smiled with satisfaction.
Minato had defeated Onodera effortlessly—without even using the Three Basic Jutsu.
Natsuki observed quietly.
As expected.
But he wasn't thinking about Minato's victory over Onodera.
He was thinking about that terrifying reaction speed. That dynamic visual acuity.
Using the same basic taijutsu, Minato was simply faster and sharper than his opponent.
No wonder he would master the Flying Thunder God Technique in the future.
That space-time ninjutsu's greatest characteristic was speed.
Not only couldn't enemies react in time—sometimes even the user couldn't keep up.
To wield it effectively required extraordinary reflexes and perception.
And applying those abilities in combat gave Minato an absolute advantage.
"Winner: Namikaze Minato!"
Ishida Yu announced.
A sunny smile spread across Minato's face.
He raised his hand and waved to his supporters.
Onodera's expression, in contrast, was darker than a storm cloud.
But apart from impotent rage, there was nothing he could do. A loss was a loss.
"Third round, third match: Namikaze Minato versus Natsuki!"
Ishida Yu's voice rose with anticipation.
If Minato defeated Natsuki, first place in the final exam would be confirmed.
But he didn't favor Natsuki's chances.
Even second-place Onodera had lost. Could third-place Natsuki possibly turn the tables?
After stepping onto the field, Natsuki walked to the nearby weapon rack and selected a wooden ninja sword.
"A ninja sword?"
Minato and the other students looked confused.
None of them had ever seen Natsuki use a blade. They didn't even know he'd learned kenjutsu.
Minato's expression grew solemn as he formed the Seal of Confrontation.
The moment the match began—
Whoosh.
He drew four kunai from his pouch and threw them in rapid succession.
Compared to Onodera's throws, his kunai were faster, their trajectories trickier.
Natsuki moved.
His sword traced an arc, deflecting all four kunai with a single fluid motion—and without losing momentum, the blade slashed toward Minato's wrist.
Minato's eyes widened.
Natsuki's strength truly exceeded his expectations.
Fortunately, his reflexes were exceptional.
In a fraction of a second, he drew two more kunai and blocked the incoming blade.
One-Sword Style: Lion Strike!
Natsuki's gaze sharpened.
The ninja sword erupted with devastating force—and slashed downward with crushing power!
"What—?!"
Minato's pupils contracted.
Then came a burning pain.
Natsuki's blade cleaved through both wooden kunai and raked across his chest.
If his reaction had been any slower—if this hadn't been a wooden sword—he would have been split in two.
Minato stared at Natsuki, lingering fear in his eyes.
Natsuki stood motionless, making no move to pursue. He simply watched his opponent.
But even standing still, he radiated pressure.
Minato gritted his teeth and rapidly formed hand seals.
Clone Jutsu!
A second Namikaze Minato appeared.
The Clone Jutsu wasn't the Shadow Clone Jutsu. It had no combat ability—only the power to distract.
Minato's strategy was simple: he and his clone would attack Natsuki with basic taijutsu simultaneously.
If Natsuki chose wrong, the real Minato could land an effective strike.
One-Sword Style: Iai — Lion's Song!
But Natsuki didn't bother choosing.
The moment the two Minatos overlapped—he vanished.
He brushed past both figures like a gust of wind.
Poof.
The clone dissolved into smoke.
The real Minato trembled, let out a pained groan, and collapsed to the ground.
Silence descended over the training grounds.
"What... just happened?"
Onodera's face went blank.
He hadn't even seen the sword strike.
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