Chapter 53: Genius
"Begin!"
The moment Iruka's voice fell, both figures shot toward each other like arrows from a bow.
Satsuki moved swift as the wind, her black hair tracing elegant arcs behind her. Her fist aimed straight for Naruto's face, only to be easily dodged by a sidestep.
"In taijutsu, I won't lose to you!"
Satsuki declared confidently while performing a backflip to avoid Naruto's sweeping kick. Her movements flowed like water, showing no signs that she was merely a ninja academy student.
"It's too early to declare victory!"
Naruto suddenly changed tactics. After exchanging several moves, he used rotational momentum to leap into the air, his right leg descending like a battle axe.
"Konoha Senpuu!"
This technique, personally taught by Might Guy, crashed toward Satsuki with tremendous force. The watching children collectively gasped, with several instinctively closing their eyes.
Bang!
The massive impact kicked up dust and scattered debris. Iruka's expression changed drastically, his hand already halfway raised to stop the match—this level of power completely exceeded his understanding of "children's taijutsu practice"!
"Wait, Iruka-sensei."
Naruto's voice emerged from the dust cloud, surprisingly calm. "Satsuki... isn't that weak."
His words proved prophetic as the dust gradually settled. Only Naruto remained on the field, along with a wooden log.
"Kawarimi no Jutsu..."
Naruto straightened up, approval flashing in his eyes.
"Not bad at all."
The moment Naruto's praise fell, a sharp sensation suddenly came from behind his neck. He instinctively raised his right arm, delivering a fierce elbow strike backward—
Bang!
The Satsuki figure attempting a chokehold once again dissolved into white smoke.
Bunshin no Jutsu!
Naruto didn't give himself time to be surprised. His gaze swept across the entire training ground. Suddenly, he focused on the crowd of spectators.
"Then... it's here!"
To everyone's shock, Naruto suddenly charged into the group of watching students. Iruka nearly cried out in alarm as Naruto delivered a fierce side kick toward an unremarkable brown-haired boy.
Bang!
Surprisingly, that "ordinary student" reacted extremely quickly, raising his leg to block. The collision of their legs produced a dull sound. As white smoke rose, Satsuki's true form was revealed.
Henge no Jutsu to blend into the spectators?!
Iruka's jaw nearly hit the ground. This exquisite use of the basic three techniques, this adaptability—could first-day academy students really achieve this?
The two figures returned to the center of the field. Satsuki precisely blocked Naruto's straight punch with her wrist, her dark eyes sparkling with excitement. At this moment, she had completely forgotten her usual tsundere attitude, revealing the Uchiha clan's natural love of battle.
"You're amazing! Only you are worthy of being my opponent!"
Naruto swept at Satsuki's lower body with another leg sweep. "What an honor! But even if you praise me, I won't hand you the victory!"
His voice also carried barely contained excitement. Their strikes grew faster and faster, leaving afterimages across the playground. The watching children had long been stunned—was this really a match between peers?
Iruka gripped his clipboard tightly, both shocked by these two children's talent and troubled by how to guide them.
This level... do they really still need ninja academy?
Bang!
---
Satsuki's slender figure suddenly broke free from Naruto's taijutsu pressure, leaping back to create distance. The corner of her mouth curved in an unyielding arc.
Her hands instantly became blurs as she began forming seals.
Seeing this, Naruto understood they were moving to ninjutsu combat. His hands also began forming seals, almost synchronously creating the same sequence.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"
BOOM—!!!
Two blazing fireballs collided thunderously in the center of the field, erupting in tremendous heat waves. The scorching air swept all around, even causing the sand and stones on the ground to glow faintly red from the high temperature.
The watching children were forced to retreat by the oncoming heat, staring slack-jawed at the scene before them.
"Are these really ninja academy students?!"
"Enough! The sparring is over! Both of you stop now!" Iruka's expression changed dramatically as he rushed forward to intervene. But it was too late.
"Is this all you've got?" More powerful chakra surged from deep in Naruto's throat.
"Whoosh—!" His Gokakyu suddenly expanded, the crimson flames instantly overwhelming Satsuki's fireball and pushing back toward her!
"Idiot."
Satsuki snorted coldly. She took a deep breath, her chakra erupting once more.
BOOM—!
The fire reversed again, the two Gokakyu locked in stalemate at the field's center. Explosive sparks scattered everywhere, some even landing on nearby tree trunks and instantly burning black marks.
"Stop! The sparring is over!" Cold sweat beaded on Iruka's forehead. This was no longer ordinary sparring—it was a real ninja battle! If this continued and someone got hurt...
Swoosh—!
A sharp whistling sound suddenly cut through the air. A shuriken precisely struck the intersection of the two fireballs!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The next second, that shuriken actually multiplied in midair, becoming several coldly gleaming shadows that forcibly severed the burning Gokakyu!
The blazing flames were violently torn apart, exploding into countless sparks before gradually dissipating in the air.
"Alright, the sparring ends here."
A steady voice spoke. Naruto turned to see the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen standing at the field's edge, still holding an unthrown shuriken. His aged features showed a hint of helplessness, yet couldn't hide the approval in his eyes.
"Sandaime-jiji?"
"Hokage-sama!" Iruka quickly bowed, cold sweat still on his forehead, clearly shaken by the possibility of student injury.
The Third, who had come after seeing the situation getting out of control through his telescope technique, waved his hand with a chuckle.
"Iruka, no need to be nervous. It's good that the children have spirit, but..."
He looked toward Naruto and Satsuki, his tone gentle yet brooking no argument. "Academy sparring should know when to stop. This time we'll call it a draw. Now—form the Seal of Reconciliation."
Satsuki pouted, clearly dissatisfied with this result, but still obediently extended her hand to form the reconciliation seal. "What a shame, we were just about to settle it..."
Naruto smiled and also extended his hand, forming the seal. "Yeah, let's try harder next time."
"Hmph!" Satsuki turned her face away, though her ears turned slightly red—the direct approach conquering tsundere pattern had appeared.
Seeing this, the Third's eyes flashed with relief before he turned to leave, only saying, "Iruka, continue the lesson."
After the Hokage's figure completely disappeared, Iruka finally let out a long breath, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Looking at the two who had been fighting earth-shakingly moments ago but were now chatting animatedly, he felt speechless.
"Ahem... sparring continues! Next group—"
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