"Remember, it's the person who makes the strength, not the talent."
Shiki used nearly the exact same words as Sasuke had once said, but turned them against him.
Then Shiki thrust out his fist and struck Sasuke.
It looked so weak—yet somehow, it became Shiki's strongest move.
Sasuke was stunned, unsure whether by the punch itself or by Shiki's words.
Then he lost his balance and collapsed.
They were all completely drained.
This battle had ended with such a weak attack. It felt like an action-packed novel that suddenly ended with something surprisingly simple.
But...
Why wasn't anyone speaking?
No one shouted, no one laughed, and no one rushed over to help Sasuke up.
Instead, there was only a quiet sense of shock.
It's the person that makes the strength? Not talent?
Those words sounded like something out of a bedtime story.
If someone had said this before, they would have definitely mocked them for being foolish.
Yet here, in this moment, everything seemed perfectly reasonable.
Because those calm, gentle words from the red-haired boy carried the weight of a solemn vow.
He really will become strong.
That feeling settled deeply into each of their hearts.
Lee also widened his eyes. "It's the person, not the talent?"
He repeated the phrase softly to himself, tightening his fists even more.
Finally, the Examiner's announcement broke through everyone's thoughts: "Shiki Uzumaki vs Sasuke Uchiha — Shiki Uzumaki is the winner!!!"
Winning this fight was seriously exhausting.
Shiki sighed helplessly. Compared to this, he still preferred straightforward fights.
"Hey, aren't any of you going to come over, help me up, and then buy me lunch or something?"
Shiki turned his head toward his friends. They're so slow on the uptake. Can't you tell my legs are shaking already?
After hearing Shiki's words, everyone froze for a moment, then realized—the battle had gone on until noon.
Tenten shook her head with a helpless look. "I don't know if that kid is stubborn or just plain naïve."
"That child might truly become a ninja who surprises everyone," Iruka said with a smile.
Hayate Gekko first covered his mouth with his right hand and coughed twice, then smiled gently. "Hearing those words, I feel inspired too."
Chapter 75: In a Hurry
"Is that how it is? It's the person that makes the strength?" Sasuke muttered while lying on the ground.
Suddenly, he felt as though he had found a new purpose. With tired arms, he placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself up.
Sakura, who had been silently watching nearby, wanted to run over and help him stand.
"Don't touch me!" Sasuke snapped. "I can get up by myself."
Sakura froze, uncertain what to do.
Even the other girls were the same—cold Sasuke was like an undiscovered world that fascinated them.
But ice was still ice—it cut deep when you got too close.
At this moment, the only teacher remaining here was Iruka.
Although Sasuke hadn't sustained any serious injuries, he had simply used up all his strength.
Even so, as Sasuke's teacher, Iruka still felt deeply concerned.
"I really wonder what kind of person Shiki will become in the future."
Iruka murmured slightly emotionally.
He then thought back to this year's Genin exam.
Who would've thought it would end like this?
Shino Aburame and Hyuga Ao hadn't even gotten a chance to fight before everything ended mysteriously.
Since most Jonin had their own missions to complete, they couldn't possibly spend so much time watching a bunch of children fight.
Originally, allocating one afternoon and one morning had already seemed more than sufficient for battles among kids this age.
Yet no one expected that Shiki Uzumaki alone would last an entire morning — truly an unexpected result.
"But maybe this is also acceptable. After all, it was just an exam to determine whether students were qualified to become Genin. This outcome could still be considered reasonable."
This wave of commotion passed just like that—like a minor ripple in life's stream.
Many kids quickly forgot the words spoken by Shiki and failed to carry the intensity of his determined eyes in their hearts.
However, when they saw Shiki again later, their eyes held less pity and more solemnity.
Of course, this mainly applied to the children from other classes.
To Iruka's class, Shiki remained the bright, kind-hearted boy as ever.
Shiki's life gradually returned to normal too.
After gaining experience fighting Sasuke, Shiki began emphasizing the accumulation of battle techniques and awareness.
In battles with equal surface-level strength, combat awareness often played a crucial role.
Therefore, in one of Konoha's forests, annoying battle noises frequently echoed.
Shiki and Lee kept at it without ever stopping.
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