Kitazawa stepped onto the elevated platform after drawing lots. He was to serve as both host and referee for the Genin Exchange Meet.
"Genin Exchange Meet, first match — Uzumaki Naruto vs. Chōjūrō!" Kitazawa's clear voice rang across the training grounds.
Chōjūrō — the future Sixth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village.
Naruto — the future Seventh Hokage of Konoha Village.
Kitazawa couldn't help but feel that this matchup would be interesting… though the result seemed all but decided from the start.
"Naruto, good luck with the first spar!" Kiba said, throwing an arm around Naruto's shoulder.
"That's right!" Ino Yamanaka clenched her fists. "We need to show the spirit of Konoha in the opening match!"
"If you lose," Sasuke said coolly, hands in his pockets, "you're not fit to be my teammate."
"I'll definitely win — in the name of youth!" Naruto declared, giving a bright thumbs-up before hoisting Samehada over his back and walking toward the platform.
"Let them witness the power of our youth!" Rock Lee shouted energetically.
"I think you should be more worried about Naruto's opponent," Shikamaru muttered lazily, watching Naruto's figure. "This looks like bullying."
Shino Aburame, Choji Akimichi, and Karin all nodded in quiet agreement.
"The opponent isn't simple either," Neji noted calmly, his gaze landing on Chōjūrō. "That's Hiramekarei (Twin Swords), isn't it?"
Hiramekarei, one of the legendary blades of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, possessed two unique abilities.
First — much like Samehada — it could absorb Chakra, but with a limitation: it could only absorb the Chakra of enemies slain by its wielder.
In other words, it couldn't drain living opponents, making it weaker than Samehada in single combat — yet highly effective in group battles, growing stronger with each kill.
Second — Hiramekarei could release stored Chakra through its circular vents, unleashing it in the form of devastating energy attacks.
"This is getting interesting," Shikamaru said, hands behind his head, smiling. "A battle between two of the Seven Swordsmen's blades."
"Naruto doesn't rely on Samehada," Shino observed, pushing up his glasses. "If his opponent depends too much on Hiramekarei, he won't stand a chance."
When Naruto stepped onto the high platform, Samehada instantly drew the eyes of every Hidden Mist ninja present.
Many of them wore expressions of humiliation and barely contained anger.
Their humiliation came from the fact that Samehada had been taken by Kitazawa after he slew Suikazan Fuguki.
Their anger was simpler — such a priceless sword, a treasure of the Mist, had been handed to a mere child.
Even among their Jonin, few had ever earned the right to wield it.
Still, they had given Hiramekarei to Chōjūrō, so in the end, both villages had made the same decision — to arm their prodigies.
"Chōjūrō! You better teach that guy a lesson!" shouted a young boy with white hair and purple eyes — Hōzuki Suigetsu.
The Hozuki Clan had safeguarded the summoning scrolls and swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen for generations.
To him, seeing Samehada in Naruto's hands was unbearable — like having his beloved wife stolen.
"I… I'll do my best," Chōjūrō said shyly before walking to his position opposite Naruto.
"Samehada, huh?" Mei Terumī frowned slightly.
She had given Hiramekarei to Chōjūrō precisely to give him an edge in weaponry — but with Naruto wielding Samehada, that advantage vanished.
Still, Chōjūrō's Water Release and swordsmanship were exceptional. Mei retained her confidence in him.
"The battle begins!" Kitazawa announced, stepping back to give them space.
Chōjūrō took a deep breath. Then, without hesitation, he charged forward, swinging Hiramekarei in a flurry of twin strikes.
But to everyone's surprise, Naruto suddenly threw Samehada.
"What the…?" Chōjūrō blinked, momentarily stunned. He quickly crossed his blades, deflecting Samehada before it could strike him.
"What's that idiot doing?" Suigetsu barked in disbelief. "Does he even know how to use Samehada?"
As a member of the Hozuki Clan — guardians of the seven swords — Suigetsu knew every nuance of their handling. Watching Naruto discard it so casually made his blood boil.
He wanted nothing more than to storm the arena and shout, "Watch closely! This is how you wield Samehada!" But all he could do was seethe from the sidelines.
"This is truly a waste," Mei Terumī muttered. "Your village made a mistake giving that sword to him."
"We give our weapons to whoever we please," Tsunade replied coolly.
"..." Mei fell silent, a pang of pain hitting her chest.
In Hidden Mist, Samehada was revered — treated as a living treasure. Here in Konoha, it seemed to be treated worse than a household pet.
Just then, Mei's eyes widened in shock — and she wasn't the only one. The Mist ninjas around her were equally stunned.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, forming hand seals.
With a loud bang, smoke erupted across the platform — and countless Naruto clones appeared, filling nearly the entire arena.
Fortunately, Kitazawa had anticipated this and ordered the platform to be built larger than usual.
"How… how is this possible?" Mei Terumī whispered in disbelief.
Even she couldn't summon that many clones at once. Could this child truly have more Chakra than her?
"He really knows the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu…?" Ao muttered, frozen in place.
This wasn't just about knowing it — even seasoned Jonin could barely manage a dozen clones. Naruto had summoned hundreds.
"???" Chōjūrō stared blankly, question marks practically floating over his head.
For a moment, he thought he might be under Genjutsu. A seven-year-old boy — creating hundreds of Shadow Clones?
Cold sweat trickled down Chōjūrō's face.
But Naruto gave him no time to think — a flood of clones had already surged forward like a living wave.
"Dynamic Entry!"
A Shadow Clone leaped high into the air, spinning into a fierce kick aimed straight at Chōjūrō.
Reacting swiftly, Chōjūrō separated Hiramekarei into two blades—one sword blocking the incoming kick while the other slashed outward in retaliation.
With a loud bang, the Shadow Clone burst into smoke and vanished.
"Konoha Double Whirlwind!"
Two more Shadow Clones appeared, one from the left and one from the right, both launching rapid spinning kicks toward him.
Chōjūrō gritted his teeth and brought up both swords. Two dull thuds echoed as the impact made his arms go numb from the vibration. He quickly crossed his blades, cutting down the two clones in a single sweeping motion.
"Konoha Great Whirlwind!"
A sudden gust of wind roared from behind him. Chōjūrō immediately rolled to the left.
"Violent—Leaf Adamantine Strength Whirlwind!"
Naruto's kick came like a thunderclap. Chakra coated his right leg, amplifying his already immense strength, and the air howled as the attack came down.
Chōjūrō's pupils shrank. He braced himself and lifted Hiramekarei to block. The impact rattled his arms and forced him back several steps across the platform.
Before he could recover, Naruto's Shadow Clones swarmed again.
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
The flurry of coordinated kicks and strikes left Chōjūrō trapped in a desperate, defensive struggle. Dust and chakra gusts swirled as he parried blow after blow, his movements growing increasingly frantic.
"This kind of pain—finally, someone else can feel it too," Kiba said with a grin of schadenfreude.
Sasuke's lips twitched slightly, his expression stiff. Kiba's words stirred up bitter memories of his own past sparring matches with Naruto and his endless Shadow Clones.
"It's exactly as expected," Shikamaru sighed, shaking his head.
Over the past two years, nearly everyone in their generation had fought Naruto, and all had suffered under his merciless group beatings.
"I feel like this Hidden Mist genius isn't that impressive after all," Sakura snorted.
To her, Sasuke, Hinata, and Yakumo had never been beaten this badly, even when facing Naruto's full swarm of Shadow Clones.
"This only proves he's an ordinary genius, just like us," Tenten said with a teasing smile.
"Naruto and his lot are basically monsters," Kiba complained.
"That's true," Sakura agreed with a huff.
While the Konoha side joked and chatted, the Hidden Mist ninja stood silent.
Chōjūrō was one of their brightest prodigies—someone many believed would one day become the next Mizukage, or at least a pillar of the village. But now, facing Konoha's Naruto, he looked utterly powerless.
Mei Terumī rubbed her temples with a sigh. No wonder Naruto had so casually tossed Samehada aside earlier.
For the first time, she wondered if the intelligence reports they'd received had actually been true.
If Naruto truly knew the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu… then did that mean Sasuke could really use the Two-Tomoe Sharingan as well?
A bad premonition settled in her heart.
"Rasengan!" Naruto's shout pulled her attention back.
After forcing Chōjūrō into a corner, Naruto seized an opening. Two Shadow Clones flanked him, forming a spinning sphere of chakra in his palm before he lunged forward to strike.
Sensing danger, Chōjūrō's face hardened. He clenched his teeth and decided to release Hiramekarei's power.
The twin blades merged into one. The holes along its surface glowed, spewing streams of chakra that converged into a concentrated beam of light.
With a thunderous boom, Rasengan and chakra cannon collided—creating a shockwave that rippled across the entire platform.
"Rasengan?" Mei Terumī's eyes widened in disbelief.
A seven-year-old who could use both Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu and Rasengan?
This wasn't a Genin Exchange Meet—it was a Jonin-level duel!
In truth, Naruto wasn't even seven yet; he was still three months shy of it.
"This child just has too much chakra," Tsunade said with a faint, amused smile.
Mei Terumī wanted to respond but found no words.
"Everyone, scatter!"
Seeing that his Rasengan had failed to break through, Naruto instantly shifted strategies.
"What is he planning now?" Chōjūrō muttered, frowning. The pause gave him a moment to breathe—but only a moment.
The Shadow Clones split into two organized rows before his eyes. In unison, they began forming hand signs.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
The first row clapped their hands forward, unleashing a raging wind.
The second row followed up, hurling Shuriken into the gale. Dozens turned to hundreds—each blade riding the storm like an arrow fired from a divine bow.
Chōjūrō's expression twisted in disbelief. He crossed Hiramekarei in front of him, but the violent winds battered him relentlessly.
A moment later, he was blown off his feet.
"Naruto, stop!" Kitazawa shouted from the side.
Ao moved instantly, leaping onto the platform to catch the falling Chōjūrō. He raised a wall of water to shield against the oncoming barrage of Shuriken and wind.
"Chōjūrō, are you alright?" Ao asked, lowering him to the ground.
"Lord Ao..." Chōjūrō's face was pale with shame. "I lost. I've disgraced Hidden Mist Village."
Ao fell silent. Could Chōjūrō really be blamed? No.
Even many Chunin wouldn't have survived that storm of attacks—unless they were a Jonin, and using one in a Genin event would be utterly shameless.
As he recalled the intel he'd gathered earlier, Ao's heart grew heavy. Could it really be true… that Naruto and Sasuke had once defeated a Jonin?
"You go rest," Ao said gravely.
Kitazawa stepped forward, raising his hand.
"Victor—Uzumaki Naruto!" he declared loudly.
The ninja of Konoha Village smiled and applauded warmly.
Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Many of those present had once fought alongside Minato, and seeing his son's victory now filled them with both joy and nostalgia.
In contrast, the ninja of Hidden Mist Village were completely silent.
Hōzuki Suigetsu, who had been full of confidence moments ago, said nothing.
Chōjūrō's defeat was not undeserved—he would have lost in the same manner had he been in that position. There was no shame in it.
Now, their only hope was that Konoha's strength ended with Naruto. After all, the Genin Exchange Meet consisted of five matches; they only needed to win three to claim victory.
"I won! Everyone!" Naruto shouted excitedly as he ran down from the high platform.
"You did great!" Rock Lee gave him a bright thumbs-up, his eyes sparkling. "I can feel the burning passion of youth!"
Unfortunately, there were only five matches scheduled, and he wouldn't get the chance to test himself against the geniuses of Hidden Mist Village.
"Alright, alright, we all saw it," Kiba groaned through gritted teeth, clearly irritated by Naruto's smugness.
"It's not like he was a formidable opponent," Sasuke said coolly, hands in his pockets. "I'll win faster than you."
He wasn't boasting—Naruto's use of the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu lacked raw destructive power, which had only delayed his victory. If Sasuke used his Fire Release, genjutsu, and swordsmanship, the fight would end much sooner.
"It's good that you won," Ino said with a cheerful smile.
"You guys are getting more and more out of hand," Shikamaru muttered lazily.
"The second match is about to begin," Neji reminded. "Kitazawa-sensei is drawing lots."
Everyone turned to look at Kitazawa and Ao as they stepped forward.
"Kurama Yakumo," Ao read from the slip of paper, his tone relaxing slightly.
Among the intelligence he had gathered, Kurama Yakumo's name hadn't appeared once. That meant she probably wasn't an exceptional genius—at least, that's what he believed.
In truth, Yakumo had always been low-key. Her frail health had caused her to miss most of the academy training, and the villagers rarely discussed her.
The focus was always on the great clans—the Uchiha, Hyuga, and, of course, Naruto, son of the Fourth Hokage.
"Satsuki," Kitazawa announced, after reading his own slip of paper. The name stirred no memories in his mind.
Putting the paper away, he stepped onto the platform and declared, "Second match: Kurama Yakumo versus Satsuki!"
The two girls faced each other.
Kurama Yakumo's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Satsuki's nervousness.
Chōjūrō's crushing defeat still lingered in her mind, and if she lost too, Hidden Mist would fall behind two matches to none—a nearly impossible position to recover from.
"Battle starts!" Kitazawa called out, stepping aside.
"Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!"
Satsuki immediately formed hand signs. Water surged into existence, spiraling rapidly in her palms.
But just as the technique reached completion and before it could transform into water bullets, her eyes went blank. The chakra lost control, the water collapsing to the ground in a splash.
"What's going on?" Hōzuki Suigetsu asked in confusion. "Why did she cancel her own jutsu?"
"She… fell under genjutsu?" Chōjūrō said uncertainly.
"How is that possible?" Suigetsu protested, stunned. "Kurama Yakumo didn't even form hand signs—how could Satsuki be caught in genjutsu?"
"…" Chōjūrō could only remain silent. He had no answer either.
"Bloodline Limit!" Mei Terumī exclaimed suddenly.
"That's right," Tsunade said with a faint smile. "It's the genjutsu Bloodline Limit."
Truth be told, among all the prodigies of Konoha's Genius Class, Kurama Yakumo was the one Tsunade worried about the least.
Her genjutsu Bloodline Limit was simply too overwhelming—unless her opponent possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan, there was almost no way to resist it.
Ao's expression stiffened. A genjutsu Bloodline Limit?
He recalled that long ago, the Kurama Clan and Uchiha Clan were both renowned for their illusionary arts. But over time, the Kurama had fallen into obscurity, so he had never paid much attention to them.
Now, seeing Kurama Yakumo's performance, he realized how wrong he had been.
Her Bloodline Limit was terrifying—she could ensnare opponents in genjutsu without any hand signs at all.
While Uchiha illusions required the Sharingan, making them recognizable and thus easier to guard against, Kurama Yakumo's genjutsu came without warning—utterly unavoidable.
Ao felt a chill crawl down his spine. If he had faced her without prior knowledge, he would likely have fallen for it instantly.
Mei Terumī pressed her fingers against her temples, another pang of frustration tightening in her chest.
Hidden Mist Village had once possessed the most Bloodline Limits of any village. But through two Mizukage's cruel purges, most had been wiped out.
Of course, even she had to admit—this genjutsu Bloodline Limit was monstrously unfair. Satsuki had no chance from the start.
Mei Terumī didn't regret organizing this Genin Exchange Meet… but after just two matches, an uneasy dread began to form deep within her.
The future of Konoha Village was simply too terrifying.
"Victor, Kurama Yakumo!" Kitazawa declared.
Once Satsuki fell into the illusion, the match was over. Unless she were a Jinchūriki, there was no escaping it.
Kitazawa returned to the lottery box, ready to draw again. Ao followed, his expression heavy.
"Hōzuki Suigetsu," Kitazawa read aloud.
Ao's eyes brightened slightly—Suigetsu was their last hope. If he lost too, the remaining two matches would become meaningless.
He reached into the box and pulled out another slip. When he saw the name written on it, his heart sank.
"Uchiha Sasuke," he said quietly.
His voice was calm, but his heart was filled with dread. Did the Hidden Mist Village… still have any chance left?