Chapter 236: Chapter 236

“You won this round, but next time, I’ll definitely beat you!”

Sakura huffed, refusing to admit defeat.

“Next time, I’ll still win,” Ino replied with absolute confidence, flashing a bright smile as she tucked away her Ninja Flower.

“Hmph, we’ll see about that!” Sakura shot back, glaring at her rival with fiery determination.

“Don’t forget—you’re treating me to barbecue tonight.” Ino said it casually, as if it were already settled.

Sakura’s expression faltered. A sharp pang hit her chest.

Her allowance… gone in an instant.

“Winner: Ino Yamanaka,” Kitazawa announced with a knowing smile.

“We’re heading back now, Kitazawa-sensei!” Ino waved cheerfully before dragging Sakura back toward the Genius Class formation.

“First round, second match: Hinata Hyuga versus Shino Aburame.” Kitazawa drew the lot and spoke clearly.

As his voice faded, glowing text appeared before his eyes:

[Current Mission: Help Ino Yamanaka defeat Sakura Haruno in the next Monthly Exam.]

[Mission Reward: Mind Transfer Clone Technique.]

[Mission Complete. Reward Issued.]

It was Ino’s mission—and her prize had already been delivered. Kitazawa only glanced at it before turning his focus back to the field.

Hinata stepped forward with calm composure. Across from her, Shino adjusted his glasses.

He had faced Hinata before—never once victorious. The Byakugan simply countered his Kikaichu too well. Even with newly cultivated insects, the outcome seemed obvious.

And indeed, it was.

The Kikaichu swarmed, but Hinata’s Byakugan tracked them with merciless precision. She closed the distance in a blur, the Body Flicker Technique carrying her straight to her opponent.

“Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!”

Strikes rained down like thunder. Shino’s defenses crumbled; his insects dispersed, crushed. The final blow sent him skidding across the ground.

“Winner: Hinata Hyuga,” Kitazawa declared, nodding in approval.

Compared to her timid counterpart in the original story, this Hinata had blossomed—her growth was astonishing.

“Hinata’s gotten so much stronger,” Ino murmured thoughtfully.

“That was the Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms,” Neji admitted with a deep breath. She was no longer beneath him—her true potential had finally awakened.

Her change stemmed from more than bloodline alone. Confidence, proper nourishment, and Kitazawa’s relentless guidance had all shaped this version of Hinata.

“No wonder…” Ino nodded, remembering the Hyuga Clan’s famed technique, spoken of in the same breath as the Uchiha Clan’s Fire Release.

Sasuke Uchiha frowned slightly. The speed of her strikes exceeded his expectations. Even with his two-tomoe Sharingan, a single mistake would mean disaster. Luckily, he had his Leaf-Style Swordsmanship and Fire Release to maintain distance.

Nearby, Naruto scratched his head. Kitazawa’s training had forced him to think differently, to analyze. Like Sasuke, he realized that distance was the key. Multiple Shadow Clones, ninja tools, and Wind Release: Gale Palm—that would be his counter.

“First round, third match: Yakumo Kurama versus Choji Akimichi,” Kitazawa announced, glancing at the next slip of paper.

“Choji… tough luck,” Shikamaru muttered, patting his friend’s shoulder.

“Just try your best,” Ino encouraged him with a smile. “It’s only the monthly exam, anyway.”

Sakura pouted. Funny, you didn’t say that when you fought me.

Choji, however, remained calm. His focus was on food, not victory.

“Youth means charging straight at your obstacles!” Naruto gave him a big thumbs-up. “Go for it, Choji!”

Choji grinned innocently and lumbered onto the field.

Facing Yakumo, he wasted no time.

“Partial Multi-Size Technique!”

His right arm ballooned into a massive hand that swept forward like a great windmill.

Gasps erupted from the watching students. Though Sasuke and Naruto had already shown impressive ninjutsu, this was their first glimpse of the Akimichi Clan’s secret technique.

“Whoa!” Naruto’s eyes gleamed. “That jutsu’s amazing!” He imagined combining it with his clones—an army of giants.

Kiba quickly explained. “That’s the Partial Multi-Size Technique. If it were the full Giantification Technique, he’d be taller than the academy itself.”

“Too strong!” Naruto’s imagination went wild with images of colossal clone armies. But he also knew better—clan secrets weren’t meant for outsiders.

Sasuke, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes. Something was off. “Yakumo isn’t using Genjutsu?”

All eyes turned back to the field.

Yakumo dodged the giant hand and countered with a sharp kick to Choji’s wrist. He stumbled but recovered quickly, releasing the technique and rolling back to his feet.

Yakumo pressed forward, throwing a swift punch. Choji blocked with his arms—his greater size held firm. He retaliated with a strike of his own, but Yakumo’s Leaf Whirlwind countered, forcing them into close-quarters combat.

The class watched in shock. Yakumo, known for her Genjutsu, was holding her own in Taijutsu.

“Her hand-to-hand is this good now?” Sakura exclaimed.

“If her Genjutsu is already the best and she covers her weakness in Taijutsu… who could even stop her?” Kiba muttered, wide-eyed.

Sasuke stayed silent, unsettled. Yakumo’s progress spelled danger. He felt pressure tightening around him—he couldn’t afford to fall behind.

“Kitazawa-sensei really is terrifying. Everyone’s improving under him,” Ino murmured. Hinata gave a quiet nod.

Ultimately, Yakumo shifted gears. The moment Choji regained footing, she struck with Genjutsu. The tide turned instantly, and Choji collapsed in defeat.

“Winner: Yakumo Kurama,” Kitazawa declared.

Her strategy was clear—fight with her weakness until the last moment, then secure victory with her strength. It was a brutal, effective way to grow.

Match after match followed. In the blink of an eye, the first round’s fifteen battles concluded.

“Now, the second round begins.”

After the short break, Kitazawa drew another lot.

“Second round, first match—Naruto Uzumaki versus Sasuke Uchiha.”

No doubt, the draw had been rigged again.

“Here we go… the main event.”

For once, Shikamaru dropped his lazy demeanor, his eyes fixed on the field. He might have hated exertion, but a good fight always drew him in—and battles between Naruto and Sasuke never disappointed.

“Sasuke-kun! Take Naruto down again!” Sakura cheered, fists clenched in excitement.

“Naruto, you better win this time!” Kiba barked, his voice booming over the crowd.

The Genius Class instantly split into two noisy camps, each side fiercely backing their favorite.

“Thanks, everyone!” Naruto beamed, waving as if he were already a champion. “On the name of youth, I won’t lose this time!”

“Whether you lose or not isn’t for you to decide,” Sasuke replied coolly, stepping onto the field with composed confidence.

“Sasuke! I’ve been waiting for this! Youth means going all out—come on!” Naruto gave him a big thumbs-up as he joined him in the arena.

Sasuke’s brow twitched. His grip tightened around his ninja sword.

“Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

Naruto opened with his signature move—sixty clones burst into existence, filling the battlefield.

“Tch. Throwing ninja tools again?” Sasuke thought, already weaving signs.

Shadow Clone Technique!

Two clones appeared at his sides—his tried-and-true formation. But to his surprise, Naruto wasn’t using his usual three-row tactic.

Instead, thirty clones formed a sweeping semicircle in front, while the other thirty stood directly behind him in support.

Sasuke frowned. What’s he planning…?

“Wind Release: Gale Palm!”

Naruto slammed his palms together, compressing chakra into a dense current before unleashing it in a deafening roar.

The first row of clones mimicked him instantly.

Thirty-one Violent Wind Palms overlapped into one monstrous storm. The training ground shook, trees bent, and dust exploded into the sky.

Then, the rear formation moved. Sixty kunai whistled forward, caught in the screaming winds and propelled like blades of steel.

Sasuke’s eyes widened. What the hell is this…?

The gale tore across the ground like an ocean swallowing a lone boat. The kunai were no longer simple weapons—they were projectiles carried by a hurricane.

Swordsmanship? Genjutsu? Useless here.

Kitazawa’s lips twitched. “So this is what happens when you give that much chakra to one kid. Outrageous…”

Even the audience felt the pressure. Kitazawa quickly appeared in front of them, forming rapid hand seals.

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

A wall of water surged up, shielding the Genius Class from Naruto’s storm.

But Sasuke wasn’t so lucky.

Body Flicker Technique!

He darted left at top speed—but the gale caught him almost immediately.

“Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!”

He spun and spat a blazing sphere, but the moment it met the windstorm, it scattered like a candle flame in a hurricane.

One Violent Wind Palm could send a person flying. Thirty-one together could flatten a building.

And the kunai within made it a death storm.

Sasuke barely had time to draw his sword. Steel clashed desperately against steel as he deflected kunai after kunai. But against sixty, propelled by hurricane winds, it was futile.

The gale swallowed him whole.

Kitazawa flickered in front of him. Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!

A massive wall of stone rose, halting the onslaught at the last moment.

When the winds died down, silence fell.

The Genius Class stood frozen, mouths open in disbelief. Even Sasuke could only stare, stunned.

“Winner—Naruto Uzumaki.”

Kitazawa lowered the wall and announced calmly.

The words snapped everyone back to reality.

Sasuke clenched his fists but said nothing. He hadn’t even shown half his abilities before being crushed. What kind of fight was that…?

“A C-rank Wind Release, stacked with Shadow Clones… and it turns into that?” Shikamaru muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Most people don’t even have that kind of chakra!” Kiba growled.

“More than all of us put together,” Tenten admitted, both envious and awestruck. She could barely manage a few summonings before exhausting herself. Yet Naruto had unleashed thirty-one C-rank jutsu in one go and looked fresh as ever.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke, worry clouding her eyes. Losing like this—so decisively—had to sting.

Neji’s expression darkened. He analyzed carefully. The only way to stop that barrage… was to prevent Naruto from ever casting it. And even that seemed daunting. For the first time, he truly grasped the weight of raw power.

“Youth is a storm!” Lee shouted, flashing his bright grin. “Naruto, well done!”

From the distance, Kakashi and Kosuke finally looked surprised.

“This kid’s chakra pool is unbelievable,” Kosuke said, voice full of wonder.

Kakashi nodded silently. Compared to his own at that age… no, even now, Naruto’s reserves already surpassed him. But then, he reminded himself—Naruto was both an Uzumaki and the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki. It was only natural.

“Still… that tactic’s crude,” Kosuke added thoughtfully. “It wouldn’t work against strong opponents. Too much chakra wasted.”

“Maybe,” Kakashi replied, eyes narrowing. “But for this generation, it’s more than enough.”

His gaze lingered on Sasuke. Swordsmanship, fire release, and genjutsu weren’t enough against that wind. But lightning release… yes, that could cut through a storm. And Sasuke was ready for it.

Kitazawa rested a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. “You two can step down.”

Sasuke said nothing, his eyes shadowed as he walked off the field.

“Second round, second match—Tenten versus Inuzuka Hana!” Kitazawa called out.

Kitazawa’s voice rang out across the field after drawing the next lot.

“Sis, watch out for her ninja tools!” Kiba called out immediately, concern lacing his tone.

“Mhm.” Inuzuka Hana gave him a confident smile. “Don’t worry. Kitazawa-sensei taught me a new secret technique. I think it’s time to test it out.”

The word Secret Technique made Tenten’s eyes sharpen. She had no idea what Hana had learned under Kitazawa’s guidance, and that uncertainty made her wary.

The two kunoichi stepped into the arena.

Not wasting a moment, Tenten formed hand seals. She had no intention of giving Hana the chance to use her mysterious technique first.

Shadow Clone Jutsu!

Four identical Tentens appeared, each immediately unleashing a storm of ninja tools. Kunai and shuriken filled the sky until the sun itself seemed blotted out.

Hana’s expression tightened. She knows the Shadow Clone Technique too?!

There was no time to hesitate. She slammed her hands together.

“Quadruple Fang Over Fang!”

With a sharp growl, Hana and the three Haimaru brothers spun into four violent tornadoes of fang and chakra. The vortexes tore across the battlefield, deflecting Tenten’s raining steel as if they were mere twigs in a storm.

Then, the spinning fangs accelerated and lunged straight at Tenten.

“What?!”

Three of the Tentens scattered to both sides, hurling kunai and chains in retreat. But their weapons had no effect—nothing could halt the momentum of the Inuzuka clan’s ultimate assault.

After all, Fang Over Fang was powerful enough to drill through solid stone. With four users and chakra-enhanced speed, the technique’s destructive force was leagues above simple ninja tools.

The tornado pack split into two pairs, hunting the Tentens like wolves cornering prey.

Boom!

The real Tenten was struck, her clones dispersing instantly under the crushing force. She cried out as her body was flung backward—only to be caught mid-air by Kitazawa, who appeared in a flash.

“Thank you, Kitazawa-sensei…” Tenten gasped, pale but safe.

“Winner—Inuzuka Hana!” Kitazawa declared, his tone firm.

The match ended, and the exams rolled on. Morning crept toward noon, the arena buzzing with the tension of each clash.

Finally, Kitazawa raised his voice again.

“Third round, seventh match—Uzumaki Naruto versus Hyūga Neji!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. This was the third and final “arranged” battle of the day.

Neji stepped onto the field with a grave expression. The devastating match between Sasuke and Naruto earlier still lingered in his mind. Pressure weighed on his chest—he knew he had little chance, but pride and duty demanded he fight.

He charged in with blinding speed.

“Gentle Fist—Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!”

His goal was clear: suppress Naruto before he could call forth his clones.

But Naruto wasn’t so easily caught. With a clap of his hands, he cloaked himself in surging winds.

“Wind Release: Gale Palm!”

The gale erupted around him, accelerating his body and forcing distance between them.

Neji faltered for a split second, eyes widening. He’s using wind release like armor… to evade?

“Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

Naruto took full advantage of the gap. In an instant, sixty clones filled the field.

“Eight Trigrams—Vacuum Palm!”

Neji reacted swiftly, his Byakugan spotting the real Naruto among the sea of copies. He launched a sharp palm strike straight at him—

—but it was already too late.

“Wind Release: Gale Palm!”

The storm howled to life once again, vast and unstoppable, descending upon the Hyūga prodigy like the wrath of nature itself.

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