Kitazawa walked to the front of the Genius Class students.
Not all of the Genius Class had gathered on the arena floor; some were seated in the spectator stands.
For example, Hanabi and her group were present in the stands, as they were not participating in this graduation exam.
Aside from them, Gaara and Fu were also absent from the arena.
Firstly, it was because they had not yet fully integrated into Konoha Village.
Secondly, they had joined the Genius Class far too recently; their current strength had little to do with the training of the class itself.
In that sense, they could not truly be considered students cultivated by the Genius Class.
Excluding Hanabi, Gaara, and the others, there were exactly thirty Genius Class students participating in the graduation exam.
"The rules for this graduation exam are the same as the previous combat exams, using a random matching system." Kitazawa took out a ballot box as he spoke.
"There is no limit on the number of rounds. Battles will continue until all rankings are determined."
In previous combat exams, there had only been three rounds, but three rounds were far from sufficient.
With thirty students, it would take roughly six rounds to narrow things down to a single victor.
"First round, first match." Kitazawa reached into the ballot box, drew out two slips of paper, and announced clearly,
"Akimichi Choji versus Hotaru!"
"Good luck to both of you!" Ino clenched her small fists, waving them energetically as she cheered.
The other students also offered their encouragement. They had been classmates for a long time, and their relationships were generally very good.
Moreover, since this was a graduation exam, there was no need to deliberately create a hostile atmosphere.
In truth, most of them were no longer fixated on rankings.
After all, if they could not break into the top three, the remaining placements made little difference.
Only Sasuke, Naruto, and a handful of others still cared deeply about ranking.
Choji and Hotaru stepped into the center of the arena.
Most of the audience had no real impression of Hotaru, but Choji was well known.
In the spectator stands, Akimichi Choza felt a rare flicker of nervousness. After all, nearly all of Konoha Village's high-ranking officials were present.
If Choji performed poorly, it would reflect negatively on the Akimichi Clan.
"The battle begins!" Kitazawa announced.
Multi-Size Jutsu!
Choji's body rapidly expanded. The ground beneath his feet trembled violently.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!
Hotaru had anticipated this and began forming hand seals the instant the battle started.
The roar of rushing water echoed through the arena as a water dragon, thicker than a man's waist, formed out of nothing and surged toward Akimichi Choji.
Human Bullet Tank!
Choji tucked in his limbs, his body compressing into a massive ball of flesh as he charged straight into the attack.
His sheer size, combined with rapid rotation, caused the earth to shake.
Boom!
The water dragon slammed into the spinning flesh ball, water exploding outward in all directions.
Choji was forced to a brief halt. But in the very next moment, his rotation resumed, smashing the water dragon apart as he barreled toward Hotaru.
Water Release: Water Blade Slash!
Hotaru reacted instantly, drawing a kunai. Water surged over the blade, shaping itself into a razor-sharp edge.
She thrust the water blade forward.
Sensing danger, Choji immediately released his Human Bullet Tank.
Super Open Hand Slap!
He stopped directly in front of Hotaru, his arms swelling massively as he brought both palms down.
A colossal shadow fell over Hotaru. She leapt backward in a hurry.
Even if her Water Release: Water Blade Slash could injure Choji, being struck by those enormous palms would flatten her completely.
The moment Hotaru evaded, the giant palms slammed into the ground.
Cracks spread outward as the earth caved in, leaving behind two massive palm-shaped craters.
Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!
Using the rising dust as cover, Hotaru opened her mouth and spat out three slender water needles.
The needles pierced through the dust cloud and struck Akimichi Choji.
However, Choji's size was simply too great, and his defenses were enhanced at that moment; the attack had little effect.
Just then, the dust dispersed, and the flesh ball reappeared.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall! Hotaru instinctively summoned a wall of water in front of herself.
But she immediately realized something was wrong. This Human Bullet Tank was different.
Choji's entire body was wrapped in kunai.
By linking the kunai together and binding them around himself, he had transformed it into the Spiked Human Bullet Tank.
Compared to the standard version, its destructive power was on an entirely different level.
The moment Hotaru realized this, the Water Formation Wall was shattered.
The Spiked Human Bullet Tank roared toward her with overwhelming momentum. Hotaru's face turned pale.
At that critical moment, Kitazawa appeared, extending a hand to stop Akimichi Choji.
Seeing this, Choji immediately released the Spiked Human Bullet Tank and canceled his Multi-Size Jutsu.
"The winner—Akimichi Choji!"
As Kitazawa declared the result, he stepped forward to treat Choji.
Choji had sustained minor injuries from Water Release: Heavenly Weeping, while Hotaru remained unharmed.
"Not bad." Akimichi Choza nodded in satisfaction.
The first battle had ended cleanly, without disgracing the Akimichi Clan.
Meanwhile, many spectators watching the Genius Class combat exam for the first time wore expressions of astonishment.
Choji possessing this level of strength was within expectations.
But Hotaru, a student without fame, is displaying such formidable Water Release?
At her age, mastering even one Ninjutsu would qualify as genius-level talent. She had demonstrated four.
And that only made people even more certain that the already famous Naruto and Sasuke would possess strength far beyond expectations.
"First round, second match."
After Choji and Hotaru exited the field, Kitazawa spoke again. "Chino versus Rock Lee!"
Chino and Rock Lee stepped into the arena as their names were called.
"Lee is a pure Taijutsu ninja. Against the Genjutsu of the Blood Dragon Eye(Ketsuryūgan), he'll likely be at a disadvantage."
Tenten commented as she watched the two.
"Under normal circumstances, that would be true." Neji's gaze shifted to Might Guy in the stands, who looked unusually excited. "But the Eight Gates are not afraid of Genjutsu."
The essence of Genjutsu is disrupting the target's Chakra flow, thereby interfering with the five senses.
However, once the Eight Gates are opened, the Chakra flow becomes violently turbulent and impossible to control.
Moreover, it is accompanied by continuous physical damage, in other words, pain.
And pain is something Genjutsu cannot suppress.
"I see." Tenten couldn't help but nod in understanding.
"After all, it is the Eight Gates." Kiba let out a sigh as he spoke.
The Eight Gates were extremely famous within Konoha Village. That reputation traced back to Might Duy.
During the Third Shinobi World War, he had single-handedly wiped out the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
"If Lee opened all Eight Gates, wouldn't he be able to catch up to Sasuke and the others?" Ino asked curiously.
"The price of opening all Eight Gates is death." Shikamaru shook his head and said, "Theoretically, Lee will never open the Eighth Gate in his lifetime."
"Even just the first seven gates are powerful enough." Naruto gave a thumbs-up as he spoke.
Although he hadn't learned the Eight Gates himself, he had often seen Might Guy teaching Rock Lee, and those scenes were always incredibly intense.
"The battle begins!" Kitazawa's voice cut off their discussion.
Chino immediately activated her Blood Dragon Eye.
Seeing this, Rock Lee instantly lowered his head. Though his heart burned with youth, he wasn't foolish.
Moreover, Might Guy had specifically devised a strategy for him beforehand.
"Eight Gates!" Rock Lee roared.
"First Gate: Gate of Opening—Open! Second Gate: Gate of Healing—Open!"
As the two gates opened, Chakra surged violently from his body, forming a turbulent flow around him.
Chino's pupils contracted sharply. Before she could even react, a green blur had already closed the distance.
"Konoha Whirlwind!" Rock Lee launched a fierce kick.
Even the weakest move in the Konoha Whirlwind series became terrifying when amplified by the Eight Gates.
Chino barely managed to follow his movements with the Blood Dragon Eye. She instinctively retreated and opened her mouth, spitting out three water needles.
Water Release: Heavenly Weeping!
This Ninjutsu required no hand seals and was the optimal response in this situation.
Lee didn't dodge.
He kicked the three water needles aside with ease. His entire body spun in mid-air, unleashing a Konoha Gale.
Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
As she retreated, Chino had already begun forming hand seals.
A wall of water rose in front of her.
Bang! Bang!
Rock Lee shattered the water wall with two kicks, and his third kick struck Chino squarely.
Her body flew backward, crashing into the barrier at the edge of the arena before she lost consciousness on the spot.
"The winner—Rock Lee!" Kitazawa appeared in front of Chino in an instant.
Under his treatment, she quickly regained consciousness.
"As expected of the Eight Gates," Tayuya spoke with a grave expression.
After Rock Lee opened the Second Gate, even her normal-state speed could no longer keep up with him.
The only way to match him would be to activate the Cursed Seal of Earth.
Tayuya couldn't help but feel grateful toward Kitazawa.
If he hadn't given her the Cursed Seal of Earth half a month ago, she would likely have performed far worse in this graduation exam.
"Does just the Second Gate really have such terrifying power?" Kiba asked in astonishment.
Although he knew Lee had learned the Eight Gates, this was the first time he had witnessed its true power.
"If he opened the Seventh Gate, he could probably break into the top five of our class," Shikamaru said after thinking it over.
Sasuke instinctively glanced at Naruto.
Fortunately, Naruto hadn't learned the Eight Gates. Otherwise, things would be even more troublesome.
As for Rock Lee's Eight Gates, Sasuke wasn't too worried. In front of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Lee's speed was still not enough.
"I wonder what's the maximum number of gates Lee can open right now." Kiba scratched his head.
He suddenly realized that making it into the top ten of this graduation exam might be impossible for him.
Even though his current strength was already considered once-in-a-century talent within the Inuzuka Clan, he still felt mediocre in the Genius Class.
"First round, third match." Kitazawa casually drew two slips of paper, raised an eyebrow, and announced,
"Kimimaro versus Karin!"
The six students who had appeared in the first three matches were all familiar faces.
But that was only natural—there were thirty students participating in this graduation exam.
That meant only fifteen would advance to the second round, and six of the top twenty-one would be eliminated.
"Karin, just do your best!" Ino and the others cheered for her.
In their eyes, the outcome of this match was already decided. Kimimaro's strength was far above Karin's.
"Mm." Karin nodded and stepped into the arena.
As a Medical Ninja, she didn't care much about the result. Just as Ino and the others said, doing her best was enough.
"The battle begins!" Kitazawa announced loudly.
The moment the command was given, Kimimaro charged straight toward Karin. As he moved, segments of white bone burst from his arms.
Karin, however, remained motionless, as if she hadn't reacted at all.
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes slightly. Although he didn't understand why Karin wasn't dodging, he never held back in battle.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow!
Kimimaro suddenly accelerated, his body drifting forward like a willow.
At the same time, the white bones launched a flurry of attacks aimed directly at Karin.
Chakra Enhanced Strength!
Only then did Karin move. She clenched her fist and punched forward.
Kimimaro reacted instantly, crossing the bones on his forearms to block.
But the moment they collided with Karin's fist, he knew something was wrong.
An overwhelming force surged toward him. It felt as if he had been struck head-on by a charging bull at full speed.
Kimimaro was sent flying like a cannonball, his arms instantly going numb. If his bones hadn't been as hard as blades, they would have shattered completely.
Seeing this, Karin immediately pursued him.
Cold sweat broke out across Kimimaro's forehead. Fortunately, he was no ordinary taijutsu Ninja.
Thanks to Shikotsumyaku, he didn't lose consciousness from that monstrous blow.
The moment he hit the ground, he activated Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Larch without hesitation.
In an instant, dozens of massive bones erupted from all over his body. These bones could not only withstand tremendous impact but also carried powerful counter-force.
Karin's punch landed—and she was blasted backward immediately.
Kimimaro let out a quiet breath of relief. He had nearly fallen in the very first round.
"Winner, Kimimaro!" Kitazawa walked over to Karin and immediately began treating her injuries.
In the spectator stands, Tsunade nodded slightly.
Karin's proficiency with Chakra Enhanced Strength was already very solid. Especially that punch just now—her timing had been flawless. She had seized the perfect moment.
In Karin's hands, Chakra Enhanced Strength would never go to waste.
On top of that, she had also learned Medical Ninjutsu. She was practically born to be Tsunade's student.
Unfortunately, Tsunade was already preparing to retire and had no intention of taking on more disciples.
Still, for the sake of the Uzumaki Clan, teaching Karin advanced techniques like the Yin Seal wouldn't be a problem.
"How did Karin's strength become so terrifying?" Kiba stared at the arena, dumbfounded.
"If you didn't react in time to that punch, I'm afraid most Ninjas would be knocked out instantly," Tenten spoke with clear astonishment.
"It's Chakra Enhanced Strength," Sakura said proudly, lifting her chin. "Kitazawa-sensei taught it to the three of us."
Ino was momentarily stunned, a trace of envy rising in her heart.
However, although she hadn't learned Chakra Enhanced Strength, she had mastered Genjutsu: Infinite Darkness and Super Beast Imitating Drawing, Ninjutsu that were no less formidable.
Even so, Kiba immediately became wary.
If he were matched against Sakura Haruno or Shion later, he would have to be extremely careful of their Chakra Enhanced Strength.
"A pity," Neji spoke calmly. "Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku counters Chakra Enhanced Strength too perfectly. Otherwise, Karin would have won."
"That's true." Tenten nodded in agreement.
"First round, fourth match." Kitazawa glanced at the slip of paper and announced, "Uchiha Sasuke versus Jugo!"
"It seems my luck isn't very good today." Jugo shook his head with a bitter smile.
He knew very well how strong Sasuke was—no matter how hard he tried, this was an opponent he couldn't defeat.
Tayuya opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but stopped. She didn't know how to comfort him.
Jugo, however, remained composed. He stepped into the center of the arena and fixed his gaze on Sasuke.
"Cursed Seal of Earth—Stage Two!" Jugo's body immediately underwent a drastic transformation.
His skin turned black, and his face twisted into a monstrous shape.
Sasuke watched calmly. Then, in the next second, his eyebrow lifted slightly.
Jugo began spinning rapidly in place.
Sasuke recognized it instantly. Konoha Dragon God.
The wind howled violently.
A massive blue dragon formed out of thin air, spiraling toward Sasuke at terrifying speed.
Wherever it passed, the ground trembled, and dust billowed into the air.
"What?!" Tayuya exclaimed in shock. "Jugo actually learned the Konoha Dragon God?!"
"Damn it!" Kiba clenched his fists. "How did all of you suddenly become this strong?!"
In just four battles, he had already witnessed terrifying performances from Rock Lee, Karin, and now Jugo.
The others felt the same.
It could only be said that this truly lived up to being a graduation exam—everyone was fighting at full strength.
Sasuke remained completely calm.
If it were his past self, breaking through the Konoha Dragon God would have been extremely troublesome.
But now, he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan dōjutsu—Tenjōtōtsuki.
Sasuke vanished from the spot.
The ferocious dragon stalled for an instant.
In the next moment, Sasuke appeared directly above Jugo's head. He drew the Sword of the Thunder God and slashed downward.
Lightning erupted, spreading instantly and engulfing the spinning Jugo.
Jugo let out a scream. His rotation stopped abruptly, and the Konoha Dragon God was forcibly dispelled.
"Winner—Uchiha Sasuke!" Kitazawa announced immediately.
The corners of Sasuke's mouth curved upward slightly. Naruto had once thrown him into chaos every time he used the Konoha Dragon God.
But now, through Jugo, Sasuke had already glimpsed Naruto's defeat.
"What just happened?" Aburame Shibi asked in confusion. "How did Sasuke suddenly appear above Jugo's head?"
Only a handful of people knew about Sasuke awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan. Moreover, many of them didn't frequently visit the Ninja Academy.
This was their first time witnessing Tenjōtōtsuki.
"This looks extremely similar to the Flying Thunder God Technique." Akimichi Choza spoke in a heavy voice.
"The outer layer of the Konoha Dragon God is filled with sharp wind blades," Nara Shikaku said thoughtfully. "Only a Space-Time Ninjutsu like Flying Thunder God could ignore that."
"It's the Mangekyō Sharingan!" Jiraiya blurted out.
Although the battle had ended quickly, he had clearly glimpsed Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
The moment those words were spoken, the expressions of Hyuga Hiashi and the others changed drastically.
Only Uchiha Fugaku's lips twitched slightly, a satisfied smile forming on his face.
There was no doubt—Sasuke's performance had been stunning.
Though he had long been famous, the Mangekyō Sharingan still shocked even Jiraiya and the others.
"First round, fifth match." Kitazawa continued, "Hyuga Hinata versus Shion!"
Shion was, in many ways, another Karin.
She had also learned Medical Ninjutsu, Sealing Techniques, and Chakra Enhanced Strength.
However, just as Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku countered Chakra Enhanced Strength, Hinata's Byakugan and Bow Ninjutsu countered it just as effectively.
Shion fought with everything she had. But Hinata maintained a distance of more than five meters at all times.
In the end, Shion was defeated by precise long-range attacks.
Time slowly passed.
The first round soon came to an end.
"First round, fifteenth match—Aburame Shino versus Haku!" Kitazawa's voice rang out clearly.
Aburame Shino adjusted his glasses. As he stepped forward, he rapidly reviewed the intelligence he had gathered on Haku.
The most troublesome aspect was undoubtedly Ice Release, followed closely by Water Release.
"Begin the battle!" Kitazawa announced.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Haku swiftly formed hand seals, summoning a massive water dragon that surged forward with roaring force.
Aburame Shino raised both hands.
Dense blue Parasitic Water Insects immediately poured out from his sleeves—special insects designed specifically to resist Water Release.
The Parasitic Water Insects collided head-on with the incoming water dragon.
Boom! Water exploded in all directions, instantly soaking the surrounding ground.
Seeing this, Haku did not hesitate and immediately formed hand seals again.
"Ice Release: Blasting Ice Crystals!"
A chilling aura spread outward.
The scattered water froze instantly, trapping not only the water itself but also the Parasitic Water Insects within solid ice.
In the next moment, the ice shattered and shot forward like a storm toward Aburame Shino.
Shino frowned slightly.
He had not expected Ice Release and Water Release to be combined so seamlessly, causing him to lose the initiative.
Fortunately, his reaction was quick.
"Insect Wall Technique!"
A massive swarm of Kikaichu surged out, forming a dense wall in front of him.
Ice shards struck the insects, killing many of them instantly.
Using this brief opening, Shino retreated and swung his arms forward. "Bee Bomb Technique!"
Several bees shot toward Haku.
Haku's response was calm and direct.
He threw multiple kunai. The kunai struck the bees, triggering immediate explosions.
"Summoning Technique!" Shino bit his thumb and summoned the Queen Bee.
The Queen Bee rose into the air. Immediately afterward, Shino released an overwhelming swarm of bees.
"Bee Senbon Technique!" A sky filled with poisonous needles rained down toward Haku.
Water Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death! Haku countered by launching water needles of his own.
Poison needles and water needles collided mid-air, clashing violently.
At the same time, Shino commanded the Parasitic Water Insects to charge forward.
Ignoring the water needles entirely, they rapidly closed in on Haku.
"Water Release: Instant Water!"
Haku dove into the stream of water flowing along the ground.
Shino's heart jolted. He immediately tried to move away from the water's surface—but he was a step too late.
Haku emerged nearby and instantly formed hand seals.
"Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"
Multiple ice mirrors formed around Shino, sealing him within.
Seeing this, Haku finally let out a breath of relief. He might win.
Haku vanished into the ice mirrors and began launching senbon at Aburame Shino from every angle.
The senbon struck Shino's body.
It collapsed to the ground—then transformed into honey. It was the Honey Clone Technique.
Haku froze in shock, instantly realizing something was wrong.
Shino, meanwhile, felt a quiet sense of relief.
He had already used the Honey Clone Technique earlier, taking advantage of the confusion caused by the bee explosions.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals truly was.
Once trapped inside, defeating Haku would be nearly impossible.
"Honey Technique!"
Shino raised his hand without hesitation. The Queen Bee and the massive swarm rose into the air, releasing vast amounts of beeswax.
Like a golden tide, the beeswax poured down, coating every ice mirror—and Haku along with them.
Haku was completely immobilized.
The battle was over.
"Winner—Aburame Shino!" Kitazawa announced.
"Haku has become incredibly strong, too!" Kiba said with emotion.
"If Shino hadn't avoided Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals in advance, this might have been Haku's victory." Tenten nodded in agreement.
"This is only the first round." Shikamaru rubbed his forehead and said helplessly, "With my strength, I feel like I can only make it to the second round at best."
"Youth is all about fighting!" Rock Lee gave a thumbs-up enthusiastically. "This really gets the blood pumping!"
"Exactly!" Naruto shouted excitedly. "The battles coming up will definitely be even more full of youth!"
"The first round ends here. Everyone, take a fifteen-minute break."
Kitazawa paused before continuing, "A total of fifteen students will advance to the second round. The final student will receive a bye."
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Read the complete novel on P@treon: P@treon / Arvinstorm
Check out my other novels:
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