Chapter 44: Ninjutsu Talent
"Excellent! Thank you, Contestant Number One, for your Clone Technique performance. His score is eight points."
"Next, let's invite Contestant Number Two to the stage."
"Mugetsu-sensei, why are we even here watching this kind of competition? It feels like a waste of time. There probably aren't many actual ninja competing," Asuma asked, clearly unimpressed as he watched the contestant fumble through a clumsy Clone Technique.
Mugetsu chuckled. "Asuma, have you already forgotten your last match with Shisui? Never underestimate anyone."
Asuma fell silent. If it hadn't been for Mugetsu-sensei timely encouragement after that crushing loss to Shisui, he might've withdrawn from everything entirely.
"Understanding the strength of your peers in the village is never a bad thing," Mugetsu added, sounding casual—but truthfully, he was mainly here to keep an eye on Obito, just in case the kid messed something up.
Asuma glanced around and noticed some familiar faces in the crowd.
"Kakashi's here too? He's not competing, is he? That'd just be bullying," he muttered.
He and Kakashi had grown up together—he knew how abnormal that guy was. Graduated at five, Chūnin at six… terrifying talent.
While others were still fumbling with hand seals and practicing the Three Body Technique, Kakashi was already deep into Ninjutsu training and Nature Transformation.
And it wasn't just him—Asuma also spotted Shisui, the very same guy who'd defeated him before.
He couldn't help but look forward to a clash between those two monsters. Let them go wild against each other.
"Please welcome Contestant Number Two, Kotetsu!" the host called out enthusiastically.
Kotetsu stepped confidently onto the stage the moment his name was announced.
"Kotetsu, you got this!" Izumo cheered from the crowd, throwing a fist into the air for his best friend.
He himself had opted not to participate—he didn't feel ready. Anko had considered joining, but she had something else to do today.
"Contestant Kotetsu, what Ninjutsu will you be performing today?" the host asked with a professional smile and slight bow.
"I want to perform the Enemy Confusion Technique that my friend and I developed!" Kotetsu declared proudly.
Izumo grinned in the crowd. He'd helped create it too—he was proud of their work.
"One really can't underestimate the new generation," the host remarked. "Don't let Contestant Kotetsu's young age fool you—he's already developing his own Ninjutsu."
"May I ask what grade you're currently in at the Ninja Academy?" the host asked, intrigued.
"First grade," Kotetsu replied earnestly.
"Incredible!" the host exclaimed. First-grade students hadn't even been studying for two months yet. Just being able to use the Three Body Technique was already above average.
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Second and third-grade students in particular started questioning what they'd been doing with their time.
Mugetsu had a rough idea of what Kotetsu's Ninjutsu was, but he wasn't sure how far along it had been developed.
The host stepped back. "Then, let's enjoy Contestant Kotetsu's Enemy Confusion Technique!"
Kotetsu swiftly formed hand seals and channeled chakra. With a puff, a burst of white smoke erupted—and a chair, taller than Kotetsu, appeared beside him on stage.
Silence.
A deafening silence.
Everyone stared at the chair with visible confusion, expressions blank as question marks formed above their heads.
Even the host, a seasoned veteran of five years of hosting, found himself momentarily stunned.
"Ahem… Contestant Kotetsu… your Ninjutsu…?" he asked, struggling to form a coherent question.
"Isn't the Clone Technique meant to confuse enemies?" Kotetsu said, explaining with pride. "My Ninjutsu combines the Clone and Transformation Techniques to increase its effectiveness in battle."
"But… why a chair?" the host blurted out. He wasn't sure if this would confuse enemies, but it would definitely confuse allies.
"Because a chair is easier to transform into. I can't do anything else yet," Kotetsu answered honestly.
"Pffft—Hahahaha!"
The audience erupted into laughter. They'd been expecting a young genius—what they got was something else entirely.
"This kid's… truly a talent," Asuma muttered, lips twitching.
Just a moment ago, he'd been wondering if all the new kids were secretly mini-Second Hokages, developing Ninjutsu in the first grade. Now the illusion was thoroughly shattered.
"Mugetsu-sensei, are all Ninja Academy students like this now?" Asuma said dryly.
Mugetsu could only sigh. He'd told him to start with a chair, not stop at a chair.
"In terms of actual mastery, being able to perform both Clone and Transformation Techniques at this level—especially as a first-grader—is impressive," Mugetsu said honestly.
Asuma blinked. "Right… he's still a first-grader. That's true."
He glanced around at the crowd, many still laughing, and suddenly felt a rare sense of maturity. "You're sharp, Mugetsu-sensei. Didn't let appearances fool you."
Izumo, on the other hand, was sweating bullets. After all that laughter, he was secretly relieved he hadn't joined. If this got out, his whole school life might be over.
"Let's look at the judges' scores. Total: twelve points," the host announced. "The concept behind this Ninjutsu is actually quite good. If refined, it could become a truly effective technique."
"I'll keep working hard—with my brothers Izumo and Anko—to perfect this technique we developed together," Kotetsu said with a big smile, purposely saying their full names.
In the crowd, Izumo's face went pale. If people remembered that, how would he ever get a girlfriend?
"Next, let's welcome Contestant Number Three, Uchiha Tekka!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Tekka didn't waste time with pleasantries. He formed seals rapidly and launched a massive fireball, nearly as tall as a person, blazing across the stage.
"As expected of the Uchiha Clan!" the host exclaimed. "He hasn't even graduated and he's already mastered the powerful Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Amazing. Even most Genin can't handle that level of Ninjutsu," one of the judges said, immediately scoring high.
The others nodded in agreement, all handing out generous scores.
"Twenty-six points! Contestant Tekka is now in first place!"
With five years of hosting under his belt, the host felt confident: unless some monster appeared, twenty-six would hold the top spot.
Tekka walked off the stage with calm indifference. Truthfully, if the prize wasn't eight thousand ryō, he wouldn't have bothered competing.
"Shisui, what did you think of my Fireball Technique?" Tekka asked.
"You've clearly been working hard," Shisui replied.
He'd actually been on his way to meet Obito but had bumped into some clanmates and joined them instead.
While Tekka's Fireball was decent, Shisui didn't think he'd win—because he'd seen Obito's.
"Next, let's welcome Contestant Number Four, Uchiha Obito!"
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