The ninth match came to a close with Tayuya stepping off the field victorious.

Her opponent had been a Genjutsu user, but between her three Nuki Oni summons and her own Genjutsu, she had smothered him completely.

Against ordinary ninja, that combination was simply oppressive.

“The tenth sparring match: Shikamaru Nara versus Muta Aburame!”

Iruka’s voice echoed across the training ground.

“A member of the Aburame Clan, huh?”

Shikamaru blinked once, then sighed helplessly. “Troublesome opponent…”

“He’s a Special Jonin,” Shino added calmly. “More of a sensory-type than a frontline fighter.”

“Thanks.”

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. He appreciated the warning, even if it didn’t make this any less of a drag.

“Even Sakura beat a Special Jonin,” Ino said, pumping her little fist. “You can do it too, Shikamaru!”

“…’Even Sakura’?”

Sakura puffed her cheeks and huffed. “I’ll have you know I’m very strong!”

“Sakura is indeed very powerful!” Naruto chimed in proudly.

“That somehow doesn’t make me feel better…” Sakura muttered.

“Shikamaru! You got this!”

Choji offered genuine encouragement.

Shikamaru waved lightly and headed to the center of the field.

Muta Aburame was already waiting—white coat, sunglasses, and a jar of kikaichu on his back. Classic Aburame.

He’d been part of Kitazawa’s underwater exploration team. When he returned to report, Kitazawa had chosen him for this exam—much to Muta’s own surprise.

“This might be rough,” Shikaku muttered with a frown.

“Have more confidence in your son,” Choza laughed.

“It’s not about confidence.” Shikaku shook his head. “Aburame techniques counter Nara techniques quite well.”

In a team battle, the Ino–Shika–Cho trio could overwhelm almost any opponent.

But Shikamaru was fighting alone—much more limiting.

“In front of the Nara Clan’s intellect, there’s no such thing as a bad matchup.”

Shibi Aburame smiled faintly.

“Begin!”

Muta raised his arm.

Secret Technique: Destruction Insects!

Thousands of kikaichu swarmed forward.

He clearly knew that if the Nara Clan seized control even once, the fight was over—so he immediately kept distance.

If Shikamaru’s shadow moved, he’d spot it instantly.

Shikamaru flicked two shuriken toward the kikaichu, testing.

The insects split into four streams, dodging effortlessly.

“As expected…”

Shikamaru wasn’t surprised.

He broke into a sprint leftward.

Muta sent the kikaichu chasing him, and Shikamaru ended up rolling, sliding, and diving across the field in a very undignified manner to avoid the insects.

Muta exhaled in relief.

The previous matches had been nightmarishly intense—the Genius Class students were far too dangerous.

But Shikamaru?

He looked… manageable.

Which was when Shikamaru hurled six shuriken—not at the kikaichu this time, but directly at Muta.

Secret Technique: Insect Wall!

Kikaichu streamed from Muta’s jar, forming a dense shield that absorbed the incoming blades.

The metal clattered to the ground—

One shuriken landing precisely in Muta’s shadow.

Shikamaru’s eyes sharpened.

Shadow Imitation Shuriken.

“What—!?”

Muta’s body froze.

He scanned the shuriken littering the ground and realized too late which one had trapped him.

“Miscalculation!”

He immediately ordered the kikaichu forming the wall to chew through the shuriken on the ground

But Shikamaru had already moved.

He vanished like a drifting leaf.

The pursuing kikaichu halted, confused, unable to detect his position.

Muta’s eyes widened—Too slow.

Shikamaru emerged beside him, kunai at his neck.

“Checkmate.”

“Winner—Shikamaru Nara!”

Iruka declared.

“As expected of the Nara Clan,” Shibi remarked, tone filled with genuine appreciation.

“Feign weakness, strike once, and decide the match. Classic.”

“Shikamaru really is brilliant,” Choza agreed.

“The real key was the Body Flicker,” Shikaku added modestly.

“Without Kitazawa teaching it to him, he wouldn’t have had that opening.”

“Kitazawa must’ve arranged these matches with intent,” Hiashi commented thoughtfully.

Fugaku glanced sideways.

Hiashi had been praising Kitazawa all day…When did that start?

A silent sense of urgency stirred in Fugaku.

If nothing unexpected happened, Kitazawa would be the next Hokage.

Whoever stood close to him now would gain an immense advantage—especially regarding the Hokage after him.

Hinata… Neji… even Sasuke.

Their talents were undeniable.

And if Tsunade had become Hokage, then a gentle Hyuga heir certainly wasn’t impossible.

Just thinking about it put Fugaku on edge.

Shikamaru returned to the Genius Class lineup.

“Why is your whole clan so smart?” Sakura asked, half admiring, half exasperated.

“It’s natural,” Shikamaru said with a helpless shrug. “Can’t be helped.”

“Damn it…” Kiba groaned. “If I had Shikamaru’s brains, I definitely wouldn’t have lost!”

“It wasn’t just intelligence,” Shikamaru corrected calmly.

“Kitazawa-sensei’s Body Flicker Technique won me the match.”

His father had said the same thing—not surprising.

Ino nodded seriously.

Without that technique, Shikamaru wouldn’t have seized the perfect moment to strike.

Tayuya, watching silently, clenched her fists.

She had won, yes—but only against a Chunin.

Meanwhile, others were defeating Special Jonin.

If she kept falling behind… she might drop out of the top eighteen entirely.

…She’d have to ask Kitazawa for help.

No way around it.

“The eleventh sparring match: Ino Yamanaka versus Yūgao Uzuki!”

“It’s your turn,” Shikamaru said. “Be careful.”

“Hmph! I can’t wait to see you lose,” Sakura taunted.

“Lose? Watch me win,” Ino shot back confidently.

“Don’t celebrate too early,” Sakura said. “I heard Kosuke-sensei say Yūgao’s Leaf Style Swordsmanship is terrifying.”

Sasuke paused mid-sentence.

He had heard the same thing when training swordsmanship with Kosuke.

But Sakura already said it—no need to repeat.

“We’ll see,” Ino sniffed, strutting into the arena.

Yūgao stepped in as well, calm and composed.

She immediately recalled the Yamanaka Clan’s techniques—and Hana’s earlier fight.

A counter-strategy formed in her mind.

Shadow Clone Technique!

She split into three immediately.

A perfect counter to the Yamanaka clan’s possession techniques.

Ino frowned.

A troublesome tactic—but she wasn’t the same Yamanaka girl she used to be.

Ninja Art: Moonlight Beauty!

Petals danced around her like a shimmering veil.

Yūgao and her clones charged—only to halt abruptly.

Ino… was gone.

A soft whoosh sounded above.

Yūgao looked up—

Countless flower-shaped shuriken rained down.

Yūgao reacted instantly.

Leaf Style Swordsmanship: Crescent Moon Dance!

She and her clones cut through the barrage in synchronized arcs and closed in on Ino—

Fox Mind Technique!

Ino’s Genjutsu hit all three at once.

Their straight assault staggered into a diagonal drift—slipping past her entirely.

“Genjutsu, huh… Release!”

Yūgao immediately nullified it.

But Ino was already moving.

She spun and hurled three flower shuriken—each glinting with sealing paper.

The faint smell of explosive tags reached Yūgao’s nose.

Her expression tightened.

She vaulted backward, and her clones intercepted the projectiles—BOOM!

Both clones burst into smoke.

Yūgao landed, sword drawn, expression sharpening.

Ino hadn’t used a single Yamanaka-style Secret Technique.

All of Yūgao’s preparations were useless.

Very well.

Yūgao leapt into the air, blade sweeping into a perfect moon arc.

Leaf Style Swordsmanship: Oborotsukiyo!

She flashed down with blinding speed, sword shadows raining upon Ino.

Ino’s lips curved into a soft smile.

Ninja Art: Mind Butterfly!

A wave of mental force struck Yūgao at point-blank range.

Her body froze—vision spinning.

Her blade slipped from her numb fingers and clattered to the ground.

“I win.”

Ino pressed a kunai lightly against Yūgao’s neck.

Yūgao blinked, clearing the dizziness.

Then she exhaled and smiled.

“You don’t fight like a Yamanaka at all.”

“It’s Kitazawa-sensei’s training,” Ino said proudly.

“I see,” Yūgao nodded. “In that case… I have no regrets.”

“Winner—Ino Yamanaka!” Iruka announced.

“How did Ino suddenly turn into a full Genjutsu-type ninja?” Choza muttered, glancing at Inoichi.

“That was Kitazawa’s arrangement,” Inoichi said with an amused smile. “Even I didn’t expect she’d show such aptitude for Genjutsu.”

“Ino performed remarkably well,” Shikaku praised.

“Even without the Ino–Shika–Chō combo, she’s fully capable of becoming a Jonin someday.”

“What about that final technique she used?” Shibi asked, curious. “I don’t recall the Yamanaka Clan ever having something like that.”

“It’s an original Yin Release secret technique Kitazawa created,” Inoichi explained.

Shikaku sighed. “Honestly… Kitazawa’s starting to feel like a young Second Hokage.”

“Agreed,” Tsume said instantly.

After all, Kitazawa alone had developed several new techniques for Kiba.

Iruka looked at the match list, his pupils tightening for a moment—but he kept his tone steady.

“Twelfth match: Shino Aburame versus Uchiha Tekka!”

The spectators collectively froze.

“Tekka?” Tsume blurted. “Shino has to fight that Tekka?”

Even she hadn’t expected a Jonin matchup—much less an Uchiha Jonin.

The difference between an ordinary Jonin and an Uchiha Jonin was enormous.

After all, the world still whispered the legend: The Uchiha are unbeatable one-on-one.

“What an… interesting arrangement,” Shikaku said carefully.

He had nearly said unreasonable, but since Kitazawa designed the lineup, he quickly corrected himself.

“‘Interesting’ is an understatement,” Choza muttered.

Facing someone with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan required extreme vigilance.

“Kitazawa wouldn’t arrange a hopeless battle,” Fugaku said calmly.

“The only explanation is that he believes Shino can contend with Tekka.”

Hiashi glanced at him.

Copying me now?

The reason Hiashi had been praising Kitazawa all morning was simple on the surface—the Hyuga Clan had received two priceless chakra weapons.

But in truth…

Kitazawa showing such favor toward Hinata and Neji meant he valued them deeply.

And so, for the first time, Hiashi wondered—What if… Hinata or Neji could reach the Hokage seat someday?

The Hyuga Clan had never aimed for dominance.

But with Kitazawa backing them, the possibility was no longer impossible.

Shikaku, watching them both, felt a pang of envy.

The Nara Clan would never produce a Hokage—their strengths simply didn’t align with that role.

“Shibi, you’re awfully quiet,” Shikaku noted.

“I have nothing to add,” Shibi said, smiling faintly. “Let’s just watch.”

Only a few knew Shino had secretly learned the Jōryū Clan’s techniques.

Naturally, his father knew.

With fire-resistant beetles and exploding insects added to the mix…

Shino truly did have a fighting chance.

“You seem confident,” Shikaku realized.

Now everyone—including Fugaku—looked curious.

They had assumed Shino didn’t stand a chance.

But Shibi’s confidence changed the atmosphere completely.

Shino inhaled deeply and stepped forward.

Tekka’s presence alone felt oppressive.

After all, Shino had never defeated Sasuke—how could he handle a full-fledged Uchiha Jonin?

Tekka, meanwhile, appeared completely at ease.

The Genius Class had been impressive so far, yes—but none had reached Jonin level.

And he certainly didn’t think Shino had.

Iruka raised his hand.

“Begin!”

Tekka moved instantly.

Fire Release: Great Fireball!

A massive fireball roared toward Shino.

Secret Technique: Insect Wall!

Shino summoned a thick swarm of Kikaichu.

The fireball smashed into it—the blazing heat instantly reducing the bugs to ash.

The fireball, weakened but still lethal, continued toward him.

Shino flickered left.

Tekka smirked.

Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Claw Crimson!

Shuriken and flames scattered like a meteor shower, cutting off every escape route.

Shino’s response was immediate.

Summoning Technique: Queen Bee!

A massive queen bee—four to five meters long—materialized.

She hurled a beehive into the path of the flaming shuriken.

The beehive greedily absorbed the chakra-infused flames.

Tekka’s eyes widened.

“What?!”

“That’s the Jōryū Clan’s queen bee…” Shikaku breathed.

“Correct,” Shibi replied.

“Kitazawa took Shino on a mission where they met a Jōryū ninja.”

“It’s Kitazawa again?” Choza said, half-amused, half-in awe.

“At this point, all the Genius Class students owe their strength to him.”

——————————–

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