A week later, in the Hidden Leaf Village—
Today the academy was unusually lively.
There were no classes; instead, it was the day of the Ninja Combat Tournament.
After finishing his early-morning physical training, Leo arrived at the academy well before the crowds.
Ever since he had defeated the Uchiha prodigy, Uchiha Tsuki, Leo was no longer seen as that nameless outsider from a destroyed village. He now stood as one of the three rising stars of the academy—spoken of alongside Namikaze Minato and Hyūga Kagami.
As he walked through the halls, countless students turned to look—some with admiration, others with awe.
With his sharp, chiseled features, jet-black hair, and cold, steady eyes, combined with his overwhelming strength, Leo had already captured the attention of more than a few of the school's girls.
He, of course, couldn't be bothered with such trivialities.
Children's games, he thought. Hardly worth noticing.
The Ninja Combat Tournament worked by drawing lots—students faced their assigned opponents in duels of ninjutsu and taijutsu.
Winners advanced to the next round until a single champion was crowned.
Unlike the small sparring sessions during regular classes, this was a full-scale competition involving nearly all academy students.
In this era, the Konoha Ninja Academy's system wasn't yet as refined as it would become later, and with the constant backdrop of war, resources were limited.
Many lower and middle grades were still grouped together for instruction.
That meant this tournament included students in their first, second, and even third years.
First-year students usually withdrew, knowing their limits—unless they were exceptionally confident in their talent.
For Leo, who had only been enrolled for half a year, to take part was almost unheard of.
Even so, dozens had signed up, filling the grounds with eager competitors.
The academy training field had been divided into five arenas.
Four were for the preliminary rounds; the fifth was the main arena, reserved for the final matches and special exhibitions.
After a few elimination rounds, the top students from the four arenas would move on to the main field, where the Hokage himself—along with several elite jonin—would be watching.
When the opening ceremony began, Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, appeared before the assembled students, dressed in his white Hokage robes.
As he stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers.
Looking over the faces of the young ninja—filled with admiration, excitement, and reverence—Hiruzen smiled warmly and raised his hand. The noise subsided instantly.
"The leaves of the village flutter in the wind," he began. "And wherever the leaves fly, the Will of Fire burns bright."
"You are the future of this village. The Will of Fire will be passed on through you—the new leaves sprouting from the great tree of Konoha. So, my children, train hard. For the glory of the village, and for the Will of Fire that unites us all!"
As expected of the spiritual pillar of the village, Hiruzen's few simple words ignited the crowd.
Even students like Namikaze Minato clenched their fists, their hearts burning with resolve, eyes shining with youthful passion.
Among the crowd, Leo stood quietly, gazing up at the Hokage with a hint of reflection in his eyes.
The Hokage… he thought. For children of this world, even for Minato, the Hokage is the ultimate dream.
But Leo knew better.
Beyond the Hokage, there existed beings far greater—
The supposedly dead Uchiha Madara,
The Sage of Six Paths,
The Ōtsutsuki Clan,
And even Hamura, watching from the moon above.
Each of them possessed power that could destroy worlds—transcending the title of Kage itself.
Leo clenched his fist, eyes hardening with determination.
One day, he vowed, he would surpass them all.
He would stand above every existence in this world—
and become a true king.
After all, Conqueror's Haki was the mark of one born with the spirit of a king.
Since he had come to this world, why should he not live wildly—
as the one and only ruler?
That was Leo's deepest ambition.
When the Hokage's speech ended, the matches began.
The students were divided among the four arenas, and the battles commenced in rounds of eliminations.
Leo's first opponent wasn't from any prestigious clan—just an ordinary student of average skill.
The fight lasted less than a second.
One punch, and it was over.
He had killed an elite chūnin before; how could a mere academy student be of any concern?
Each of his battles ended the same way—quick, brutal, decisive.
One strike. Victory.
Some opponents even forfeited upon drawing his name.
His power was terrifying, his taijutsu monstrous.
Even without using his Conqueror's Haki, Leo's mere presence carried the aura of invincibility.
To the students watching from the sidelines, he was a force of nature—
Some admired him, some envied him, others hated him outright.
The examiners—veteran chūnin instructors—couldn't help but praise his composure and the sheer strength he displayed.
Among the spectators, Kushina Uzumaki watched intently, eyes gleaming with excitement.
Every time Leo won, she jumped to her feet, cheering loudly, her small fists pumping in the air.
"Match six—Leo wins!"
The examiner's voice rang out.
In his arena, Leo had finished long before the others—
becoming the undisputed champion of his division.
Now all that remained was to wait for the other four arenas to finish.
When the strongest from each group had been chosen, the final duels would be held in the main arena—under the watchful eyes of the Hokage and the elite jonin.
High above, in the central viewing platform, stood Sarutobi Hiruzen, overlooking the field.
Beside him were three shinobi—Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya.
"Oh? Someone's already finished all their matches?" Tsunade leaned against the railing, peering down at the field below.
"Hahaha! Who else could it be?" Jiraiya laughed, his voice loud and carefree. "It's gotta be Minato—my prized student!"
"Not necessarily," Orochimaru murmured, his pale face curving into a serpentine smile.
"Heh… Leo, that boy. Just as I expected."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, sensing Leo's chakra. She couldn't help but smirk.
"That brat's really something," she muttered.
"Wait, what? It's not Minato?" Jiraiya hurried to the railing, leaning over so far he nearly tumbled off.
"Idiot!" Tsunade snapped, pulling him back with a glare.
Orochimaru chuckled softly, his tongue flicking out to wet his lips, his golden eyes gleaming with intrigue.
"Leo… what an interesting child," he whispered.
Tsunade shivered, goosebumps rising on her arms.
Every time Orochimaru smiled like that, it sent a chill straight down her spine.
The Three Legendary Sannin stood together, their attention fixed on the arena—
and on the boy named Leo, whose shadow was already beginning to stretch across Konoha.
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