However, Shiki didn't choose to watch this battle because the outcome was already obvious. It would only vary slightly in process due to the changes in the two fighters' strength.
So Shiki turned his head and looked at Yuuma and Seiji. "Let's go ahead."
"Not staying to watch Lee and Sasuke's fight?" Yuuma glanced at the battlefield and hesitated slightly.
Shiki shook his head. "No, it's completely pointless."
"Okay then."
Suddenly a shout came from downstairs. "Shiki, wait for two minutes! I still want to fight you!"
Naturally, Lee could get a rough idea of Sasuke's strength just by blocking his earlier move.
Even with the weights on and not using the Eight Gates, Sasuke was still way below Lee in both power and speed.
"Two minutes?" Sasuke seemed to feel slight disdain. After all, when Naruto rushed forward claiming he could defeat Lee, he had only boasted about finishing it within five minutes.
Then he calmly remarked, "Right, two minutes. You'll be defeated within two minutes."
Lee heard Sasuke's provocation and suddenly scratched his head, sincerely apologizing. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that out loud just now."
"Is Lee an idiot?" Sakura thought in her mind. Although thanks to Shiki, Sakura had known Rock Lee for quite some time now.
But she still didn't understand exactly what level of strength Lee possessed. After all, Sasuke was known as the top genius at the Academy.
He was a figure comparable to the previous generation's genius from the Hyuga clan, Neji Hyuga, who graduated earlier.
Of course, these were just the usual gossip and chatter going around the Academy.
But how could someone like Lee, practically a no-name, stand a chance against a genius like Sasuke?
However, Lee had already assumed a defensive stance. "Come on, let me see if the jutsu I've worked so hard to cultivate are any match for your natural talent."
The fight was about to explode into action. Disdain filled Sasuke's eyes. In his mind, an opponent like Lee wouldn't even take five minutes.
Shiki took a glance and shrugged. "Still feels boring. Let's go to the third floor first."
Tenten asked, "Don't you want to fight Lee a bit?"
"I do, but right now, fighting Lee won't bring out his full strength."
With that, the group headed toward the third floor.
Not surprisingly, Konoha's Ninja Academy had top-notch facilities.
It was hard to believe that such a huge training ground was actually part of the Ninja Academy. Although these children might not usually use these facilities, it clearly showed how much Konoha valued its children.
Actually, just the high-quality wooden flooring laid on the ground alone probably consumed a huge amount of money. Let alone all the fully equipped facilities inside.
However, for Shiki, who already could accept missions, he had already realized how profitable the ninja profession was.
Not only did a considerable part of the national tax directly supply the Ninja Village, but also in these chaotic times, various merchants and nobles required protection from ninjas.
"Hey, Shiki, you're here early," Kakashi said as he waited at the entrance for Team 7, not expecting to run into Shiki.
Shiki replied, "It's rare to see you on time, Sensei."
"Eh, how did you know about that? Was it Naruto who told you?" Kakashi stuffed his hands into his silver hair, wearing a clearly indifferent expression. "By the way, have you seen Naruto and the others? I hope they aren't so scared they won't come."
"Knowing how Naruto is, you actually thought he wouldn't show up?" Shiki gave a bitter smile. He wondered whether Naruto would have run straight to the Third if Kakashi hadn't suggested he join the Chunin Exams—and demanded to enter alone.
"That's true," Kakashi was equally speechless.
"This time, they all came—even [Cherry Blossom] Sakura."
"Sakura came too? That actually surprises me a bit," Kakashi said with slight astonishment.
Seiji Ito, somewhat puzzled, asked, "Isn't this Chunin Exam supposed to be done in team formations?"
Kakashi nodded. "Yes, but I didn't tell them. I wanted to see what Sakura would decide on her own. But it seems she truly impressed me."
"Well then, Sensei Kakashi, if there's nothing else, we'll go inside first," Yuuma Akimoto said. He wasn't close to Kakashi and wanted to avoid getting pulled into more conversation now that the Chunin Exams were about to start.
"Yeah, go ahead. But I need to talk to Shiki for a moment." Kakashi nodded while shifting his gaze entirely onto Shiki.
Seiji looked at Shiki in surprise. Why is it that so many people seem to enjoy keeping Shiki behind separately?
What kind of secret could possibly lie within Shiki Uzumaki?
Still, curiosity aside, he knew he had no reason to stay behind now.
So he followed Yuuma Akimoto inside first.
Once both of them had entered, only Kakashi and Shiki remained outside Room 301. Kakashi's expression turned much more serious.
"The scroll I gave you—you read it, right?" Kakashi couldn't help recalling the tone he used a month earlier, almost as though the scroll contained something truly regrettable once seen.
But he knew that according to Shiki's character, he must have opened it the moment he left.
"Yes, I've read it. Surprising indeed, just as you said. I really am sorry," Shiki nodded, his expression more formal compared to usual.
When the topic concerned his family, he had no choice but to become serious. He couldn't remain as casual and carefree as he usually did among friends.
Sealing techniques are the foundation of the Uzumaki clan.
And yet, until today, he hadn't mastered any form of sealing technique.
Previously, it was due to the lack of opportunity to learn, but now that opportunities existed, his physical condition prevented him from studying further.
Kakashi leaned against the wall, silently gazing ahead for a moment. "How's your body doing? After all, you are an Uzumaki."
Shiki nodded. "Somewhat. Even an ordinary person should have recovered by now."
Kakashi's eyes lit up briefly, but what Shiki said next made him sigh again.
"But my recovery rate is about the same as an average person's—which means you can also regard it as nearly nothing."
"How can this be happening? You're one of the Uzumaki—this just doesn't make sense."
"It's kind of like when tissue dies off, you know? How do I even explain this…" Shiki glanced at Kakashi. "You know how burned wood turns into charcoal? Looks the same, but it loses all its original purpose. It's easy to turn wood into charcoal, but almost impossible to reverse it. My meridians are probably in a state like that."
Kakashi couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Maybe it was because of Kushina, but he'd always had a soft spot for anyone from the Uzumaki Clan.
"What about using the Five Elements Seal?"
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