The afternoon lesson was the practical session for ninja tool throwing.
Standing in front of a row of wooden targets, Oda looked at the students, cleared his throat, and announced, "I've already taught you the technique for throwing ninja tools. Today, let's see how much progress you've made."
"Of course, don't be discouraged if your scores aren't great. This is just a small practical test."
"So, who wants to go first?"
The Ninja Academy curriculum followed a fixed schedule. What classes were taught and when was all pre-arranged.
The first month focused entirely on laying a foundation, such as chakra refinement and basic theory. Practical training was only introduced once students had grasped the essentials.
Ninja tool throwing was one of the first and most basic forms of application, and an essential skill for all shinobi.
"Teacher, I'll go first…" Kakashi, who ranked second in the written exam, raised his hand. Highly motivated, his competitive spirit was strong.
Losing the written exam to Seiryū had bothered him.
He absolutely had to shine here and take the lead.
Kakashi's performance was flawless. Of the ten senbon he threw, six hit the bullseye directly, one was very close, and the rest all landed within the target.
Not a single miss.
For a five-year-old, this was an astonishing result.
Even Chūnin Oda was surprised. He applauded enthusiastically and exclaimed, "That's a very impressive score. Even students in the upper years might not manage this!"
Clap, clap, clap!
The class broke into applause, marveling at Kakashi's skill. Not only were his written test scores excellent, but his tool-throwing technique was also strong.
Truly deserving of the title of class genius.
Now, everyone was curious how Seiryū, who had beaten Kakashi in the written exam, would perform in comparison.
"Mm." Perhaps because his mask hid his expression, it was impossible to tell how Kakashi felt. In any case, he simply gave a brief reply.
He glanced at Seiryū, who was clapping enthusiastically, then returned silently to the crowd.
Mr. Worldwide is really reliable! Seiryū was indeed impressed. He wasn't perfect himself and occasionally missed the target.
He couldn't afford to slack off either.
Among the crowd, Guy, wearing a green jumpsuit and sporting a bowl cut, gave Kakashi a thumbs-up with a grin full of shining white teeth. "As expected of one of the rivals I've chosen, Kakashi! But I won't give up!"
"Yes, yes…" Kakashi subtly shifted away from him.
For some reason, this strange guy had decided to treat him as a rival.
Being declared a rival out of nowhere made him feel helpless... But "one of the rivals"? Who were the others? Seiryū?
"Sensei, let me go next! I'm fired up!" Guy volunteered with his usual passion. His green outfit and intense expression were a bit... unique.
Oda was already used to it. This class was full of eccentric talents. "Alright, begin."
He was certainly full of spirit, but his score was average. Guy's slightly disappointed expression showed as much.
Fortunately, he was the optimistic type, convinced that he was a genius of hard work.
Hard work could beat genius!
He wasn't discouraged. After all, being discouraged was pointless.
Unlike Obito, who missed the target with seven of his throws. Because of nerves, he did even worse than during home practice. His eyes were brimming with tears... He was completely crushed.
He had lost to Kakashi again and failed to impress Rin. He felt like a failure. He even began wondering if the "exam practice" Seiryū mentioned could help improve practical scores.
Probably not. Seiryū himself said he wasn't good at practical stuff and often missed the target...
Kurenai also stepped up. Her performance was solid. Only one miss and four bullseyes. That alone made her very happy.
She had learned not to compare herself to the monster that was her brother.
Little sisters should let big brothers be better. That was how it should be!
Seiryū didn't hold back in praising his lovely but terrifying sister. He rubbed her head, her hair soft and smooth in his hand. "Good job. That's even better than your practice scores."
Kurenai didn't resist having her head rubbed anymore. She raised her chin proudly and said, "Hehe, of course! So, can we cut down on the cramming now?"
Seiryū thought it over and decided a balance between work and rest was better. "No cramming today. Take it easy."
"Yay!" Kurenai cheered, grabbing Seiryū's right hand and shaking it.
"That damn Seiryū!" Someone nearby ground his teeth. He wanted Kurenai to treat him like that too, but Kurenai never paid him much attention.
He wasn't her brother!
Which, in a way, was a good thing. It meant he still had a chance...
Determined to show off and impress everyone, Asuma stepped forward. "Sensei, is it my turn now?"
As the Hokage's son, his presence naturally drew attention. Everyone looked his way.
His score was excellent, second only to Kakashi, and better than Kurenai's. Five bullseyes, no misses. The class gasped in admiration.
That was close. I almost missed one. Asuma breathed a sigh of relief, satisfied with his result.
He looked toward Seiryū and curled his lip.
I should definitely be better than Seiryū. Hmph, if you're not good at practical stuff, you're guaranteed to lose!
He had "coincidentally" overheard Seiryū's earlier chat with Obito. What good were high test scores if they couldn't be applied?
Completely useless.
He was confident.
"Next, Seiryū!"
Following Oda's call, it was finally Seiryū's turn.
All eyes turned to him. Several top test scorers had already achieved strong results.
Now, the top-ranked student was up. How would he perform?
Doddododo...
Seiryū moved fast. With a flick of his wrist, ten senbon flew out in rapid succession. Ten sharp sounds followed.
Nine hit the bullseye, completely encircling the central point.
One landed just one centimeter off.
The sight stunned the teacher and the students. Their eyes widened. Gasps filled the air.
Obito and Asuma in particular looked like they had taken a direct hit... This was the guy who kept saying he wasn't good at practical stuff?
Both of them wore the mask of pain...
"All done." Even though he "missed" one, Seiryū was satisfied with the result. Showing off a bit felt unexpectedly great.
He pretended to be calm and returned to his spot.
As Seiryū walked back, Obito stared at him, blankly asking, "Didn't you say you often miss the target?"
Seiryū nodded. "Yeah. Didn't one of them miss the bullseye?"
"..." Obito took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to punch him.
So your definition of "missing the target" is not hitting the bullseye?
You can't just bully people like this!
Seiryū's performance made the girls in the class even more enthusiastic. He was handsome, and his grades were excellent. A perfect match for their ideals.
Some of them couldn't help but cheer and crowd around him, talking non-stop.
"Ugh…" Kurenai pouted, getting pushed aside. She felt an odd pressure. Damn it, why did Seiryū have to be so outstanding?
Being his younger sister was exhausting.
Even worse, it felt like some girls were trying to take her Seiryū and become her sister-in-law. That was absolutely not allowed!
She had to stop them!!
This scene, however, made many of the boys in the class uncomfortable. Their expressions were sour, fists clenched tight, eyes burning with jealousy.
Why did he get all the attention?
Just because he had good looks and high scores?
Hmph.
One boy was so bitter, his eyes almost turned red. Not that they could at that age…
Uchiha Ryota hated people who showed off the most. He couldn't help but sneer, "A ninja relies on strength. Written exams and practical scores don't mean anything. Real combat is the true measure of strength. The Uchiha Clan excels at that."
Several nearby boys nodded in agreement.
Exactly. Exactly. Written exams and practice lessons didn't prove anything.
Real combat was what mattered.
And just to be clear, they definitely weren't jealous.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇◇◇
◇ I'll be dropping two bonus chapters for every 10 reviews.
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ If you enjoy the story, please consider leaving a review, it helps a lot!
◇ Don't forget to add the book to your library.