Year 6 of Konoha's Founding
Kenichi Sato's Age: 10
Morning – Third Day of the Final Eliminations
Nine students stood in perfect formation in the academy's arena, facing the evaluation platform.
From above, Tobirama Senju looked down, a scroll in hand.
> "Today's test... is individual. The winner advances, the loser is eliminated. In the end, only one will remain."
He then drew the match order:
---
First Match: Hiruzen Sarutobi vs. Renji Nara
Renji, a boy from the Nara clan, stepped into the arena with calm eyes and a subtle smile. He carried his tool pouch confidently, hiding sharp intelligence behind a composed demeanor.
Hiruzen met his gaze with sharp focus, as if reading Renji's thoughts.
> "Begin!"
Renji didn't rush. Instead, he took two steps back and quickly formed hand seals:
> "Shadow Imitation Technique!"
His shadow extended fluidly along the ground, attempting to catch Hiruzen.
One instructor whispered:
> "He's not just sending out one shadow… he's creating multiple branches!"
Another added, concerned:
> "He's trying to trap him from three different angles… an advanced technique."
Renji cleverly used terrain—rocks, grass, and equipment—to bend and guide his shadow's path.
Hiruzen thought to himself:
> "A smart trap… but it relies on predicting my movement."
Then he pulled a small smoke bomb from his pouch and tossed it, shrouding a section of the field in mist.
Renji didn't retreat. Instead, he launched his shadow in a semi-circle, aiming to envelop Hiruzen within the fog.
Another instructor whispered:
> "He's using a refined version of the Nara shadow trap… he's cornering his opponent."
But Hiruzen vanished from sight, reappearing on Renji's flank. With a swift movement, he threw a small fireball toward the exact intersection point of the slow-moving shadows.
Renji shouted:
> "Shadow techniques can't withstand direct fire chakra!"
At that exact moment, Hiruzen had already landed behind him and withdrew the shadow with a sharp motion.
> "Winner: Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
A moment of silence… followed by polite applause from a few instructors.
> "A clash between one of the brightest minds and strongest bodies of this generation."
> "He didn't just follow a plan… he executed it with complete confidence."
Tobirama nodded:
> "Calm… confident… Good work, Sarutobi."
---
Second Match: Danzo Shimura vs. Might Dai
Dai stood ready with eager eyes. Danzo, by contrast, observed him silently, expression unreadable.
> "I'm ready! I won't be slow!" shouted Dai.
> "Charging in without thinking… doesn't mean you're strong."
> "Begin!"
Dai launched forward like a human missile—wild and seemingly random in his movements.
He mixed spinning kicks, jabs, and low sweeps with chaotic speed.
> "Faster than we expected… but his style is too wild," one instructor noted.
Danzo didn't react at first, simply observing. Then, with calm precision, he began countering Dai's strikes with focused hits to the elbow, ankle, and chest.
Dai staggered back, breathing heavily.
> "No… this isn't enough. I have to prove myself…"
He planted his feet, closed his eyes, then shouted:
> "Open… First Gate: Gate of Opening!"
Chakra burst from his body, cracking the ground beneath him.
> "What?! His chakra just spiked!"
> "That technique… it's unregistered! Where did he learn it?!"
> "It's not even a recognized jutsu!"
Dai launched forward again—three times faster than before—overwhelming Danzo with a flurry of heavy strikes.
But blood began dripping from Dai's arms. His breathing grew ragged.
> "Just… one more hit!"
He aimed directly for Danzo's chest with a final punch, but Danzo pivoted, dodging to the side and counterattacked.
> "Kgh!"
Dai collapsed, pale and sweating, face-down on the ground.
A medical instructor rushed in:
> "His body exceeded its limit—stop the match!"
Tobirama raised his hand:
> "Winner: Danzo Shimura."
---
From a distance, Kenichi watched without moving.
He looked down at Dai lying motionless on the ground, struggling to breathe.
> "Since I came to this world… I've never felt this kind of anger before."
He remembered Dai's training, laughter, stubbornness, and determination.
Kenichi clenched his fist slowly.
> "I'm grown now. I won't let this happen again without cost."
To be continued in Chapter 49…