Chapter 115: Chapter 115

“What… what kind of jutsu is that?”

Naruto skidded to a stop, eyes bulging at the massive crater Kitazawa’s attack had left behind. Just imagining being hit by it made his stomach drop—he’d be a goner for sure.

“It’s called Rasengan,” Kitazawa said calmly, as if creating a miniature disaster was no big deal. “A jutsu created by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.”

Naruto’s jaw nearly hit the dirt. “What?! That’s the Fourth Hokage’s jutsu? Kitazawa-sensei, I have to learn it!”

“I’ll come find you the day after tomorrow,” Kitazawa said, not the least bit surprised by his enthusiasm. Naruto’s dream of surpassing all the Hokage made this reaction inevitable.

“Easy win for Kitazawa-sensei,” Ino said with a bright smile.

“Seriously, what kind of jutsu was that? I’ve never seen anything like it! It looked insanely strong,” Kiba gawked, leaning forward as if he could get a better look at the crater.

“And he didn’t even use hand signs,” Shino added quietly. “For a jutsu without seals to have that much power…”

Shikamaru’s eyes lit with recognition. “Wait… that’s the Fourth Hokage’s Rasengan. I’ve heard my dad talk about it. The Yellow Flash had two signature jutsu: the Flying Thunder God and the Rasengan.”

Sakura’s eyes widened. “Ohhh… so that’s it!”

Sasuke’s gaze sharpened, his thoughts racing. Rasengan… an A-rank jutsu. Could he ever learn it? Probably not. Kitazawa wouldn’t casually hand over a jutsu like that. Still, he told himself the Sharingan was the Uchiha’s ultimate weapon. No jutsu could surpass that.

Iruka was struck speechless. At first, he’d seen Kitazawa as just a talented senior, maybe a future Jōnin. But learning Rasengan? That was elite Jōnin territory. He could easily become vice principal of the academy one day… maybe sooner than anyone expected.

[Mission Complete: Obtain first place in the final exam with an overwhelming lead.]

[Reward: First Gate of the Eight Gates.]

Kitazawa exhaled in satisfaction as the system’s voice echoed in his mind. Immediately, a torrent of information poured in, and he couldn’t help but click his tongue.

’The Eight Gates really are monstrous… even the First Gate gives a massive boost. No wonder the training is brutal.’

Still, with his current body, unlocking the next gate would require either torturous effort or more system rewards—ideally Senju or Uzumaki bloodline enhancements to meet the absurd requirements.

“Good work today, Naruto.” Kitazawa patted his shoulder. “Go rejoin your class. The results will be announced soon.”

“Okay!” Naruto practically bounced, still buzzing from the fight. He’d beaten Sasuke, secured first in the practical exam, and just witnessed the Rasengan up close. His grin stretched ear to ear as he sprinted back.

“I’m back, guys!” he shouted, waving triumphantly.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself!” Kiba snapped. “This is only the first semester!”

“That’s right,” Sakura huffed. “Next time, Sasuke-kun will definitely reclaim first place!”

Sasuke gave her a sideways glance. ’She’s more confident than I am… and that usually ends badly.’ A strange, subtle irritation prickled in his chest.

“I’m not stopping here!” Naruto declared, pumping a fist skyward. “Next semester, I’ll be even stronger! This is the burning springtime of youth!”

Shikamaru groaned. Just hearing the word youth gave him a headache.

Sasuke stepped back discreetly. He had an even worse headache. Gai’s training tormented the body, the mind, and the ears. The constant chants of youth and hard work haunted his dreams. But at least this phase was ending—summer vacation meant solo training under Kitazawa instead.

“Kitazawa-senpai!” Iruka jogged up, practically beaming as he handed over the report card.

Kitazawa chuckled. “Why so excited?”

“I’m just proud. First Year Class A is overflowing with talent this year.”

Kitazawa scanned the results. No surprises—exactly as he’d predicted.

“Quiet, everyone!” Kitazawa’s voice carried across the field. The students straightened instinctively.

“I’ll first announce the practical exam rankings,” he said.

Unlike the monthly exams, which combined theory and practice, this final focused on true combat. In battle, rankings were clear and merciless.

“First place: Uzumaki Naruto.”

“YES!” Naruto leapt into the air, his joy unrestrained. Until now, his only victories were in raw physical fitness. This was his first real triumph in the Academy, and it was sweet.

Hiruzen watched with a soft smile. In a class brimming with talent, Naruto standing on top was no small feat. He thought briefly of Minato—he, too, had often taken first place as a student.

Sakura sighed. Her bet with Ino was halfway lost. Fortunately, she was confident in her theory score—maybe she could salvage a draw.

“Second place: Uchiha Sasuke.”

Realistically, Sasuke could’ve faced Hinata and Shino in separate duels, but that would’ve been excessive for a school exam. Considering their styles, Sasuke’s Fire Release would likely secure victory anyway.

Still, the quiet sting of second place burned him.

“Third place: Hyūga Hinata. Fourth: Aburame Shino. Fifth: Nara Shikamaru. Sixth: Yamanaka Ino.”

Shikamaru exhaled in relief. Fifth place meant freedom—no summer training for him.

Kitazawa let the results sink in. “Everyone’s improved tremendously. But don’t get complacent. Strive for even better next semester.”

“Kitazawa-sensei!” Naruto raised his hand. “Will future exams also be real combat?”

“That’s right,” Kitazawa confirmed.

A sharp glint lit Sasuke’s eyes. ’Three or four exams a semester… at least nine chances a year. I only need to lose once.’ His hand tightened into a fist. Once he awakened his Sharingan, he would reclaim everything.

“Next, the theory exam results.”

The chatter died instantly. Eyes turned toward Kitazawa with tension and anticipation.

Sakura’s heart hammered. She was confident in first place… but after Naruto’s upset, doubt crept in.

Even Sasuke’s “guaranteed” victories weren’t safe anymore.

“First place, Nara Shikamaru.”

Kitazawa announced with a relaxed smile.

“Wha—?! That’s impossible!” Sakura’s voice cracked, her face frozen in disbelief.

“Wait… Shikamaru? First place?” Naruto gawked at the lazy genius like he’d grown a second head. In his mind, Shikamaru was even less serious in class than he was!

“Did someone mess up the scores?” Kiba scratched his head, baffled.

After all, Shikamaru had hovered around the bare minimum—sixty points—in every previous exam. He’d never even sniffed the top twenty.’

’Unless… he was holding back on purpose.

“Shikamaru, don’t tell me you finally stopped slacking?” Chōji was less shocked about the rank and more surprised his friend had actually tried for once.

Thinking back to the way Shikamaru had exploded into action during the practical exam, Chōji couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been hiding his true ability all along.

The only one not surprised was Ino—she knew exactly what was going on.

Even Sasuke’s brows lifted slightly. Up until now, the theoretical exam’s first place had always bounced between Sakura, Hinata, and himself. Since when had Shikamaru become a contender?

“Second place, Sakura Haruno.” Kitazawa’s calm voice carried over the murmuring class.

Sakura’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Second place was objectively good, but losing the top spot left a bitter taste.

Sasuke gave her a side glance and almost smirked. For the first time, he felt a strange kinship—he’d lost first place to Naruto, and she’d just been dethroned by Shikamaru.

“It’s fine, Sakura.” Ino patted her shoulder with a knowing smile. “There’ll be plenty of chances to take first place back.”

Ino knew Shikamaru too well; unless Kitazawa forced him every time, he’d probably go right back to scoring sixties out of sheer laziness.

“We’re both second place now, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura suddenly said, her eyes sparkling. “It’s like… fate!”

Ino’s eye twitched. ’Seriously? You lose first place and still find a way to flirt? Hopeless.’

“Don’t forget our bet,” Ino said sweetly. “Nine o’clock tomorrow morning—bring the money.”

Sakura pouted. “I’m already depressed, and you still want to talk about that?”

“You look pretty cheerful to me.” Ino smirked, their frenemy dynamic on full display.

“The final exam is officially over,” Kitazawa said with a warm smile. “Starting tomorrow, your summer vacation begins. Enjoy yourselves.”

“Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei!” the class chorused.

“Iruka, I’ll leave the rest to you,” Kitazawa said as he noticed the Third Hokage quietly departing. Handing the report cards to Iruka, he added, “I have to stop by the Hokage Building.”

“I understand,” Iruka said, clearly envious. “Go ahead, I’ve got this covered.”

Kitazawa waved to the class and strolled out.

“Alright, line up for your report cards!” Iruka clapped his hands. “Once you get yours, you’re free to head home!”

Later, Kitazawa followed Hiruzen into the Hokage’s office.

“Kitazawa,” the Third Hokage said, settling into his chair. “Today’s Class 1-A truly surprised me.”

“It’s all thanks to their effort,” Kitazawa replied modestly.

“And yours,” Hiruzen countered with a chuckle. “I’ve overseen countless classes, but none quite like this one.”

“Our class just happens to have a lot of geniuses,” Kitazawa said lightly. “I was simply lucky enough to guide them.”

“Perhaps, but your contribution is undeniable,” Hiruzen said, eyes twinkling. “And contributions deserve rewards.”

Kitazawa straightened slightly. “Thank you, Hokage-sama.”

“You no longer need to monitor Terai,” Hiruzen said after a pause. “I’ll have Danzo retrieve him shortly.”

Kitazawa blinked in mild surprise. For Hiruzen to cut off one of Danzo’s men so easily meant his own value had risen significantly.

“After Terai leaves, you’ll take over his classes,” Hiruzen continued. “Use shadow clones to manage the schedule.”

“Understood,” Kitazawa nodded. Refusing wasn’t an option.

“Here—this is for you.”

Hiruzen produced a sealed scroll. Kitazawa’s heart gave a small leap as he unrolled it.

Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.

An A-rank Forbidden Technique, first on the Scroll of Seals. Unlike the basic version, there was no real limit to the number of clones—except for the user’s own chakra and sanity.

Kitazawa couldn’t help but think, ’This is clearly meant for Naruto.’ The boy’s monstrous chakra pool made him perfect for the technique. But still, receiving an A-rank Forbidden Jutsu as a “bonus” was no small fortune.

With this and the First Gate of the Eight Gates, he’d essentially collected two forbidden jutsu in a single day. If he told anyone, they’d think he was lying.

“With your current strength, creating a dozen clones should be safe,” Hiruzen advised. “But don’t push beyond that.”

“I understand,” Kitazawa replied. His cautious nature—and the system’s guidance—meant he wouldn’t take foolish risks.

“This is a forbidden jutsu, so the scroll stays here. Memorize it and return it.”

Kitazawa nodded, already used to this procedure after learning the Rasengan.

“Go find Haru outside the office,” Hiruzen added. “He’ll arrange a quiet room for you—and inform Danzo to come here.”

In the next room, Kitazawa committed the scroll to memory, ears half-tuned to the muffled voices next door. Eventually, they rose into the sharp tones of Hiruzen and Danzo’s infamous arguments.

“Hiruzen, You’ll regret this!”

Even catching only a fragment, Kitazawa grinned in satisfaction. ’Witnessed the legendary spat—even if just by ear.’

Once he’d finished memorizing the technique, he returned the scroll to Hiruzen.

“I told Danzo Terai’s teaching wasn’t up to standard. He’ll take him back,” Hiruzen said. “You won’t need to worry about him anymore.”

“Thank you, Hokage-sama,” Kitazawa said sincerely.

“If you have any trouble with the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, come to me,” Hiruzen said with a wave. “You’ve earned your rest today.”

Kitazawa bowed and left the office.

Stepping into the sunlight, he stretched, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

This final exam had been more than worth it.

Two missions complete, two new ones triggered, Terai out of the picture, and a Forbidden Jutsu in hand.

Not a bad start to summer vacation.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep