The Third Hokage's exhausting speech finally came to a close. Haruta Ichiro, an instructor at the Ninja Academy, stepped up to take over the proceedings.
"This exam is of monumental importance! Not only will it determine whether you successfully graduate, but it will also heavily influence your team placements moving forward," the instructor announced loudly. "Furthermore, to stoke your enthusiasm, Hokage-sama himself will be personally observing your bouts and evaluating your skills. The student who secures first place will receive a reward of two hundred thousand ryo from the village!"
"Ha! I'm definitely going to show Hokage-sama my true strength!" Kushina's eyes practically blazed with competitive fire.
For someone striving to become the next Hokage, the Third's opinion was of paramount importance. Minato, on the other hand, appeared entirely serene. With his gentle disposition, he seemed to have no desire to compete with anyone. Yet, it was precisely this unassuming nature that made his comrades feel so incredibly safe by his side.
Shiki, who up until this very moment had been playing the part of a lifeless dead fish devoid of any motivation, suddenly snapped his eyes wide open.
Two hundred thousand ryo?! If memory serves me right, that's the standard payout for an A-Rank Mission! If I get my hands on that kind of cash... I'll be able to slack off with absolute impunity for months on end!
After barely a second of deliberation, Shiki made his firm decision: he was in!
Sensing the sudden wave of intense determination radiating from Shiki, Minato blinked in surprise. Just a minute ago, the guy had looked ready to fall asleep right in his chair, but now, it was as if a fire had been ignited within him. Kushina shot him a sidelong glance as well.
"Hmph, have you finally decided to show off in front of Hokage-sama?"
Shiki shook his head.
"No, I just want to score some easy cash."
Minato raised an eyebrow in surprise. But then, remembering that Shiki had grown up in an orphanage, a wave of sympathy washed over him.
"I understand," he nodded softly.
Kushina, catching onto the implication as well, awkwardly scratched the back of her head, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. Shiki got the distinct impression that the two of them were overthinking things and had completely misunderstood his intentions. But that hardly mattered now. Today, he was going to snatch that first-place prize no matter what!
Kushina was the first to step into the arena. Though she was just a young girl, the vigorous blood of the Uzumaki Clan flowed through her veins. Even at her age, the sheer power behind her fists could rival the monstrous strength of Tsunade herself. Her fighting style was outrageously simple: wind up as much as possible and punch with everything she had.
Her opponent turned out to be one of their male classmates. Back when Kushina had first transferred to the Academy, he used to tease her relentlessly about her red hair. To his profound regret, the fiery fury had eventually beaten the arrogance right out of him. The moment he stepped into the ring, the poor boy began shaking like a leaf, and Kushina knocked him out cold in just two strikes.
"Next up: Namikaze Minato versus Hyuga Tenichi!" the proctor announced.
Shiki peeked over the rims of his dark shades. He was incredibly curious to see what the legendary Yellow Flash was capable of in his youth. And Minato certainly didn't disappoint. In fact, he didn't disappoint a single person who had placed high hopes on him—even against a recognized genius from the Hyuga Clan. Despite his young age, Hyuga Tenichi had already managed to awaken his Byakugan, yet in pure hand-to-hand combat, Minato still dominated him with ease.
Does this guy really not possess any special bloodlines? Shiki rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
In a world where pedigree and bloodlines dictated almost everything, geniuses born to ordinary families, like Minato, were an extreme rarity. Take Hyuga Tenichi, for example: any other civilian-born student wouldn't have lasted nearly this long against him. After all, the Byakugan naturally granted its wielder phenomenal kinetic vision. Furthermore, it allowed the user to see the chakra pathways within their opponent's body and predict their next moves. How was someone even supposed to fight against that?
But Minato's taijutsu was on a completely different level. Above all else, his speed was simply off the charts. Even with the Byakugan allowing him to see exactly where Minato was going to strike next, Hyuga Tenichi physically couldn't react fast enough to block the attacks!
"It's over," Shiki suddenly murmured.
Standing beside him, Kushina blinked in confusion. At that exact moment, Hyuga Tenichi thrust his palm forward, aiming straight for Minato. Minato sharply leaned back, planted his hands on the ground, and used the momentum to launch a devastating double-kick squarely into his opponent's chest!
Tenichi let out a hollow gasp. It felt as though he had been rammed by a raging bull; the tremendous force of the blow effortlessly sent him flying backward. Haruta Ichiro appeared in a flash, catching the falling student before he hit the ground.
"The winner of this match is Namikaze Minato!"
"Minato is so cool!"
"Minato-kun, you're the best!"
Handsome and incredibly skilled, Minato instantly became the center of attention, showered with adoring gazes from his numerous fangirls. After quickly examining Hyuga Tenichi's injuries and confirming he was alright, Haruta Ichiro finally called out the next matchup:
"Hanao Shiki versus Uchiha Hanabi!"
Kushina's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Shiki, be careful. That guy from the Uchiha Clan is no joke..."
Before she could even finish her sentence, Shiki had already risen from his seat. Adjusting his "Justice" cloak, he casually strolled toward the arena. As he passed by Minato, the blond boy offered a quiet whisper:
"Good luck."
Still keeping his hands casually tucked into his pockets, Shiki sauntered up to the platform with a lazy, unhurried gait. Well, what do you know—his opponent was a kid from the Uchiha Clan.
Actually, this works out perfectly. It'll take an opponent from the Uchiha Clan to justify me showing off a bit more of my abilities. Those two hundred thousand ryo are as good as mine!