"Fight!"
As Iruka's voice fell, two figures shot towards each other like arrows from a bow.
Satsuki's movements were as swift as the wind, her long black hair tracing an elegant arc behind her. Her fist aimed directly for Naruto's face, but he easily dodged it with a sidestep.
"When it comes to Taijutsu! I won't lose to you!"
Satsuki declared confidently, simultaneously performing a backflip to evade Naruto's sweeping leg kick. Her movements were fluid and graceful, not betraying the fact that she was just a Ninja Academy student.
"It's too early to declare victory!"
Naruto suddenly changed his attack. After exchanging a few blows, he used the momentum of a spin to leap into the air, bringing his right leg down like a battle-axe.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
This Taijutsu, personally taught by Might Guy, struck towards Satsuki with astonishing force. The children watching gasped in unison, some even instinctively closing their eyes.
"Bang!"
The immense impact kicked up dust, and sand and stones flew. Iruka's expression changed drastically, his hand already halfway up, ready to stop the match—such power had completely exceeded his understanding of 'children's Taijutsu practice'!
"Wait, Iruka Sensei."
Naruto's voice came from the dust, surprisingly calm. "Satsuki...she's not that weak."
Then, as if to confirm his words, the dust gradually dispersed. Only Naruto remained on the field, along with a wooden log.
"A Substitution Jutsu, huh..."
Naruto straightened up, a flicker of admiration in his eyes.
"You've got some skills."
No sooner had Naruto's praise faded than a sharp sensation suddenly came from the back of his neck. He instinctively raised his right arm, delivering a swift elbow strike backwards—
"Bang!"
Satsuki's figure, attempting a chokehold, once again vanished into a puff of white smoke.
It was a Clone Technique!
Naruto didn't give himself time to be surprised; his gaze swept across the entire training ground. Suddenly, he fixed his eyes on the crowd of spectators.
"Then...it's here!"
To everyone's shock, Naruto suddenly charged into the crowd of watching students. Iruka almost cried out, as Naruto delivered a fierce side kick to an inconspicuous brown-haired boy.
"Bang!"
Surprisingly, that "ordinary student" reacted incredibly quickly, raising his leg to block, and their legs collided with a dull thud. As a puff of white smoke rose, Satsuki's true body appeared.
A Transformation Technique to blend into the crowd of spectators?!
Iruka's jaw nearly dropped to the ground. This exquisite application of the Three Basic Ninjutsu, this ability to react on the spot, could it really be done by a newly enrolled student?
The two figures returned to the center of the field. Satsuki precisely parried Naruto's straight punch with her wrist, her black eyes gleaming with excitement. At this moment, she had completely forgotten her usual tsundere demeanor; the Uchiha Clan's warlike nature was on full display.
"You're truly amazing! As expected, only you are worthy of being my opponent!"
Naruto delivered another sweeping kick towards Satsuki's lower body. "That's truly an honor! But even if you praise me, I won't give you the victory!"
His voice also carried an undeniable excitement. The speed of their hand-to-hand combat grew faster and faster, leaving trails of afterimages on the training ground. The onlookers were already stunned; was this really a match between peers?
Iruka clutched his clipboard tightly, both shocked by the talent of these two children and troubled by how to guide them.
This level...do they really still need to attend the Ninja Academy?
"Bang!"
Satsuki's slender figure suddenly broke free from Naruto's Taijutsu suppression, leaping back to create distance. The corner of her mouth curved into an unyielding smile.
Her hands instantly blurred into afterimages, beginning to form hand seals.
Seeing this, Naruto understood that it was time to clash with Ninjutsu, and he too began to form hand seals, almost simultaneously forming the same ones.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Boom—!!!"
Two scorching fireballs violently collided in the center of the field, erupting in an astonishing wave of heat. The hot airflow swept around, even the sand and stones on the ground were scorched red by the high temperature.
The onlookers were forced back by the rushing hot wind, staring wide-eyed at the scene before them.
"Is this, is this really a Ninja Academy student?!"
"Alright! The sparring is over! You two stop immediately!" Iruka's face changed drastically, and he rushed forward, wanting to stop them. But it was already too late.
"Is this all you've got?" Naruto's throat suddenly surged with even more powerful Chakra.
"Whoosh—!" His Great Fireball Technique suddenly expanded, the crimson flames instantly overwhelming Satsuki's fireball and pushing it back towards her!
"Idiot."
Satsuki snorted coldly. She took a deep breath, and her Chakra burst forth again.
"Boom—!" The fire's momentum reversed again, and the two Great Fireball Techniques stalemated in the center of the field, exploding sparks flying everywhere. A few even landed on nearby tree trunks, instantly burning black marks.
"Stop! The sparring is over!" Cold sweat trickled down Iruka's forehead. This was no longer just ordinary sparring; it was a genuine Ninja battle! If it continued like this and either of them got injured, it would be bad!
"Whoosh—!"
A sharp whooshing sound suddenly cut through the air. Suddenly, a shuriken precisely sliced into the junction of the two fireballs!
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
The next second, that shuriken actually multiplied in mid-air, transforming into several cold, sharp afterimages that forcefully cut through the blazing Great Fireball Technique!
The scorching flames were violently torn apart, scattering into countless sparks, and finally slowly dissipated in the air.
"Alright, the sparring ends here."
A steady voice came. Naruto turned his head and saw the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, standing by the side of the field, a shuriken still clutched in his hand, his aged face showing a hint of helplessness, yet unable to hide the admiration in his eyes.
"Grandpa Third?"
"Hokage-sama!" Iruka quickly bowed, cold sweat still on his forehead, clearly having been badly frightened by the possibility of the students getting injured in the recent battle.
The Third Hokage, who had arrived after seeing the situation getting a bit out of control through his Telescope Jutsu, waved his hand and said with a chuckle.
"Iruka, don't be nervous. It's good for children to be motivated, but..."
He looked at Naruto and Satsuki, his tone gentle but unyielding, "Sparring at the Ninja Academy should still be kept in moderation. This time, it's a draw. Now—form the Hand Seal of Reconciliation."
Satsuki pouted, clearly not entirely satisfied with the result, but still obediently extended her hand and formed the Hand Seal of Reconciliation. "What a pity, if we had just held on a little longer, we could have decided the winner..."
Naruto smiled, also extended his hand, and formed the Hand Seal of Reconciliation, "Yeah, let's try harder next time."
"Hmph!" Satsuki turned her face away, but her ear tips were slightly red, showing the classic pattern of a direct approach conquering a tsundere.
Seeing this, the Third Hokage's eyes flashed with a hint of relief, then he turned and left, leaving only a single remark. "Iruka, continue with the class."
Only after the Hokage's figure had completely disappeared did Iruka let out a long sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He looked at the two who had just been fighting fiercely but were now chatting animatedly, and couldn't help but feel speechless.
"Ahem...sparring continues! Next group—"