It was not yet nine o'clock in the morning.
All the students of the Genius Class had already arrived. They were arranged in the area next to Asuma and the others.
"There are actually Jonin?" Tenten scanned the area, feeling dumbfounded.
Yesterday, she had said it was impossible for Jonin to be there, but now she found that not only were they present, but there were quite a few of them.
"There are Jonin, but also Chunin." Shikamaru reassured her, saying, "Teacher Kitazawa should arrange opponents for us based on our strength. You don't need to worry too much."
"Jonin definitely has nothing to do with us." Akimichi Choji said, fully aware of his limits.
"Youth is all about challenging the strong!" Rock Lee raised his thumb and said excitedly.
"Uncle Asuma is here too?" Ino noticed Sarutobi Asuma and immediately showed a surprised expression.
"How strong is Uncle Asuma? Is he especially powerful?" Naruto asked curiously.
They had once attended a dinner gathering where Kitazawa invited Hiruzen Sarutobi, who brought Asuma Sarutobi and Konohamaru Sarutobi along.
So while they knew Asuma, they didn't actually know his strength.
"He is a Jonin." Ino replied, "I heard his Fire Release and Wind Release are both very powerful."
"He is the son of the Third Hokage, after all." Naruto said with anticipation, "I hope he is my opponent."
"For you, that might not be the case." Kiba shook his head and said, "I also saw Uchiha Jonin and Hyuga Jonin."
"There are two Uchiha Jonin." Sasuke frowned slightly. "They've both activated the Three-Tomoe Sharingan."
He felt certain his opponent would be one of Uchiha Tekka or Uchiha Inabi.
Even though they also had the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, they were older and much more experienced. Defeating them would be extremely difficult.
"How are we supposed to fight this?" Tenten couldn't help but complain.
Hyuga Neji nodded slightly. Even with the Fate Breaking bow Kitazawa had given him, defeating a Jonin wouldn't be easy.
"Did Teacher Kitazawa overestimate us?" Sakura couldn't help but ask.
Though she believed they were all incredibly strong—geniuses among geniuses—facing Jonin still felt unreasonable.
"Winning or losing isn't important." Shino adjusted his glasses and reminded them, "What matters is our performance."
"Shino is right." Kiba agreed. "If we can win, we fight. If we can't, we do our best."
Although normally confident, even he recognized reality when facing an official Ninja.
"How can you let your spirits be dampened?" Tayuya snorted lightly. "When the time comes, we'll let them know how formidable the Genius Class is!"
"It seems you've already integrated into the Genius Class." Ino noticed her tone and smiled.
"That's not what I meant!" Tayuya denied immediately.
Everyone already understood her personality, so they wore expressions that clearly said, 'We know.'
Seeing this, Tayuya hesitated, unsure what to say, and ultimately could only blush in frustration.
On both sides of the Training Ground were the spectators for this actual combat examination.
On the left were the teachers of the Genius Class and the remaining students. On the right were spectators invited by Kitazawa—few in number, but all heavyweight Jonin.
Tsunade, Shizune, Uchiha Itachi, Hyuga Hiashi, Uchiha Fugaku, and Nara Shikaku were among them.
The total number of spectators exceeded forty people. The scale wasn't large, but it was more than enough to spread the results of this exam.
The referee was not Kitazawa, but Iruka Umino.
One reason was that the match schedule had already been set, so there was no need for drawing lots or manipulation.
The second reason was that Kitazawa was sitting next to Tsunade.
"You truly have confidence in them, arranging so many Jonin." Tsunade glanced toward Asuma and the others.
"As you know, they are not weak," Kitazawa replied with a smile.
"Their age is the problem," Tsunade said after some thought.
"Age isn't the problem—experience is." Kitazawa corrected.
"That's true." Tsunade nodded slightly. "How many matches do you think they can win?"
"Ten matches," Kitazawa replied.
"Are you sure?" Tsunade looked surprised. "In my opinion, winning five would already be impressive."
Just as Kitazawa said, experience was the biggest issue. These official Ninjas had fought countless missions and battles. Their experience alone gave them a massive advantage.
"How about we make a bet?" Kitazawa blinked. "If you win, I'll go with you to the Konoha Casino this afternoon, and you can use my money as much as you like."
"Fine!" Tsunade agreed instantly.
"Aren't you going to ask what you'll have to pay if you lose?" Kitazawa asked helplessly.
"I won't lose!" Tsunade snorted confidently.
Kitazawa twitched the corner of his mouth. Why are you so confident when you've never won a bet?!
The time reached nine o'clock.
Iruka took a deep breath and walked to the center of the Training Ground. Everyone's eyes fell on him, making him a little nervous.
Fortunately, he had served as a referee many times and quickly regained his composure.
"The Genius Class's final examination for this semester now begins!" Iruka announced loudly. "The first sparring match is Haku versus Hyuga Natsu."
A black-haired girl with the Byakugan walked into the arena.
In the original story, Hyuga Natsu was Hyuga Hanabi's maid, responsible for caring for her as a child.
Haku looked at her and remembered Hyuga Hinata and Hyuga Neji. He wondered whose Gentle Fist was stronger compared to theirs.
But after watching many battles involving Hinata and Neji, he understood — against the Hyuga Clan, one should avoid close combat if possible.
"Did Haku learn Ice Release?" Tsunade's gaze fell on him.
"He learned two Ice Release Ninjutsu," Kitazawa replied.
"Two? It seems his talent is good." Tsunade commented.
Since it was the first match, many spectators leaned forward, interest rising.
"Haku? Is this student from a Ninja clan? Why is he immediately fighting a Ninja from the Hyuga Clan?" Akimichi Choza asked curiously.
It is well known that Bloodline Limit Ninja are often stronger than ordinary Ninja. And the Byakugan is a standout among many Bloodline Limits.
Although Hyuga Natsu is currently only a Genin, possessing the Byakugan is enough for her to deal with some weaker Chunin.
As for Haku, he hadn't demonstrated Ice Release before, and only Kitazawa and Tsunade knew his background.
"Never heard of him." Shibi looked around and said, "He probably isn't from a Ninja clan."
"Then, facing Hyuga Natsu, he's probably going to lose." Inuzuka Tsume said very directly.
She is the mother of Kiba and Inuzuka Hana, and her personality has always been straightforward.
"Not necessarily." Hyuga Hiashi shook his head and said, "Based on my understanding of Kitazawa, he wouldn't arrange a one-sided battle."
Uchiha Fugaku subconsciously glanced at him. When did you become so familiar with Kitazawa? And you're actually not supporting a Ninja from your Hyuga Clan?
The other Ninja also felt surprised. These words didn't sound like something Hyuga Hiashi would say. After all, the impression he gave them was rigid and serious.
"Begin the battle!" Iruka's voice drew everyone's attention back.
Byakugan!
Hyuga Natsu's eyes flashed as the veins around her eye sockets bulged. She used the Body Flicker Technique without hesitation and rushed toward Haku.
Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness! Haku raised both hands, and a massive ice wall appeared.
Hyuga Natsu's pupils constricted, and she immediately stopped to avoid crashing into it.
Most of the spectators showed stunned expressions. Because Konoha Village had never had an Ice Release Ninja, while the Hidden Mist Village was rumored to have one.
What was going on? Did Kitazawa go to the Hidden Mist Village and kidnap an Ice Release Ninja?
They assumed this because Haku was too young to have awakened it himself — it had to be inherited.
Hyuga Natsu immediately changed her strategy. She didn't try to break the ice wall by force but instead ran up it.
But before she could stabilize herself, Haku flicked his hands and threw six shuriken.
Hyuga Natsu frowned slightly and jumped back, making all six shuriken miss.
Then — a cracking sound rang out.
Hyuga Natsu looked at the cracked ice wall, momentarily stunned. What was this? Was his Ice Release level insufficient?
Ice Release: Blasting Ice Crystals! At the same time, Haku completed his second Ice Release technique.
The ice wall burst apart, and ice crystals flew out like blades.
Natsu's expression changed drastically, but there were too many ice crystals; even with her Byakugan, she couldn't react in time.
The next second, an earth wall rose in front of her. Three dog heads were carved into it.
A barrage of ice crystals struck the earth wall, causing it to shake violently. But no matter how it shook, it did not break through. It blocked everything.
"The winner is Haku," Iruka announced upon seeing this.
If Kakashi hadn't intervened, Natsu would have been seriously injured by Ice Release: Blasting Ice Crystals. Hyuga Natsu understood this and said nothing.
"Haku's current strength has already reached this level?" Kiba widened his eyes, shocked.
Previously, Haku only knew the Three Body Technique and Konoha-style Taijutsu, barely ranking eighteenth in the Genius Class.
But now, he was clearly far beyond that.
"Ice Release is a Bloodline Limit after all," Sakura said solemnly.
"This is really troublesome." Shikamaru felt a headache forming. Competition in the Genius Class was already fierce, and now Haku was joining in.
"He actually knows Ice Release?" Tayuya subconsciously clenched her fists.
Does this mean my ranking will drop further? No — absolutely not.
Judging from the current situation, Haku's strength didn't threaten her yet, but the future was uncertain.
Tayuya grit her teeth. If things went poorly, she would simply ask Kitazawa for help. Coincidentally, she had nearly mastered the Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chain.
Kimimaro, Sasuke, Hyuga Neji, and the others were surprised, but not overly. They believed that even with Ice Release, Haku wouldn't surpass them.
"That Ice Release is so cool!" Naruto's reaction was completely different.
"The second spar is Jugo versus Izumo!" Iruka checked the schedule and shouted.
"It's my turn already?" Izumo was surprised to hear his own name.
"You're a squad leader in the Cursed Seal Unit, after all. Good luck!" Kotetsu said with a grin.
"I heard everyone in your Cursed Seal Unit was inoculated with some Curse Mark that enhances strength," Asuma asked curiously. "Does Kitazawa allow you to use it during this exam?"
"Lord Kitazawa didn't say." Izumo paused, thinking. "Does the fact that he didn't say mean we can use it?"
"I think that's what it means." Asuma stroked his chin. "I haven't seen it myself. You can use it and let me have a look."
"If I can't beat him, then I'll use it," Izumo decided.
He walked into the arena and stood across from Jugo. Izumo examined him twice but saw nothing special.
"Begin the battle!" Iruka announced.
Jugo immediately used the Eight Trigrams Curse Seal of Earth without hesitation. In his normal state, he only had the strength of a Genin at most, and it was impossible to defeat a Chunin like Izumo Kamizuki.
His only hope of victory was his Eight Trigrams Curse Seal of Earth.
Jugo's body underwent astonishing changes in an instant. His entire body turned pitch black, sharp claws grew on his hands, and strange cylinders emerged from his back.
Jugo simultaneously removed the restrictions of the first six layers, directly entering the Earth Scroll Cursed Seal: State Two.
Izumo felt that wild aura, and his breathing hitched. Without a word, he also used the Eight Trigrams Curse Seal of Earth.
After Jugo used the Eight Trigrams Curse Seal of Earth, he had already surpassed his normal state. His skin quickly darkened, sharp claws emerged, and his hair stood on end.
Izumo pulled out a large, Kunai-shaped sword from behind his back. The sudden transformation of the two people caused the spectators to show surprised expressions.
However, they were all high-ranking officials of Konoha Village and had already known about the existence of the Cursed Seal Unit beforehand.
But this was the first time they had truly witnessed the so-called Curse Mark with their own eyes.
Jugo was slightly startled watching Izumo's transformation, but quickly put it out of his mind.
Exploding Smash! He lunged forward and smashed his arm toward his opponent.
Clang! Izumo's large sword blocked Jugo's arm. A huge force struck, causing both people to retreat a few steps.
But Jugo retreated two steps further. Due to the difference in age and physical build, he was inferior to Izumo in strength.
"Again!" Izumo charged forward, swinging his large sword.
The two men engaged in a Taijutsu contest. Although Jugo had no weapon, his arms possessed super defense and could withstand the large sword directly.
"The amplification provided by this Curse Mark is indeed good." Akimichi Choza couldn't help but speak.
He was very clear about Izumo's strength; he was a decent Chunin. But after using the Curse Mark of Earth, his strength was already comparable to a Special Jonin.
"The increase is limited." Uchiha Fugaku shook his head and said.
"It's not very useful for a Jonin," Hyuga Hiashi commented in agreement.
"There are few Jonin to begin with." Shikaku said thoughtfully, "Being able to boost Chunin and Special Jonin already gives it extremely high value."
Everyone nodded slightly. There was nothing wrong with that statement.
"It's just a bit ugly." Tsunade shook her head and said.
"The ugliness is only temporary." Kitazawa smiled upon hearing this and said, "Once the battle is over, they can restore their original appearance."
"Hmm." Tsunade watched for a moment, then smiled and said, "Your student is about to lose. It looks like our wager will end in a tie again."
As soon as she finished speaking, Izumo forced Jugo back once more. But this time, he didn't pursue; instead, he formed hand seals.
Water Release: Starch Syrup Capturing Field! Izumo opened his mouth and spat out a stream of water.
Just as Jugo stabilized his body, the stream of water turned into sticky, rope-like bindings that coiled around him.
He used all his strength, attempting to break free from the special ropes, but it was too late. Izumo used the Body Flicker Technique and placed the large sword against his neck.
"The winner is Izumo Kamizuki," Iruka announced upon seeing the situation.
"Our wager has just begun." Kitazawa, seeing Tsunade's words come true, was not flustered and spoke with great confidence.
Tsunade's characteristic of always losing bets could not possibly fail when dealing with him.
Of course, the most important thing was that he had already made certain arrangements to complete his system mission.
"After this practical exam is over, have the Anbu inform them not to leak the existence of the Cursed Seal Unit," Tsunade suddenly remembered and said.
"I understand." Kitazawa nodded and said.
Exposing the Curse Mark of Earth actually didn't matter because only two or three people were using it.
Even if other Ninja clans knew about the existence of the Curse Mark of Earth, they wouldn't connect it to the Cursed Seal Unit.
This was because, under normal circumstances, this kind of enhancement in Ninjutsu either had severe side effects or an extremely low success rate.
But they couldn't imagine that two creative Ninjas, Orochimaru and Kitazawa, had appeared in Konoha Village.
"When did Jugo get the Curse Mark of Earth, just like Kimimaro?" Kiba scratched his head, feeling threatened.
Like Haku, Jugo previously barely managed to hold onto seventeenth place in the Genius Class. But now it was different; his strength was already comparable to theirs.
"You are wrong. Jugo is the first true possessor of the Curse Mark," Tayuya said proudly, crossing her arms.
"He was the first one?" Ino showed a surprised expression on her face.
"Then why didn't he use it before?" Tenten asked, confused.
"His Curse Mark is somewhat special. Previously, he was prone to rampaging, but after Teacher Kitazawa improved it, he was able to use the Curse Mark of Earth freely," Tayuya answered.
"I see." Tenten nodded and said.
"Teacher Kitazawa is truly amazing!" Hinata couldn't help but say.
Tayuya pouted upon hearing this, but couldn't refute it.
"The rankings for this final exam are likely to undergo significant changes," Shikamaru said with emotion.
Of course, he was referring to the rankings from eighth place to eighteenth place. Jugo and Haku currently posed no threat to the top seven.
"Everyone is getting stronger! I can feel this incredibly intense youth!" Naruto clenched his fists and said excitedly.