Cross-Rank Challenge

Yu's class was an ordinary one, unlike Sasuke's "rocket class." Most of the students came from small clans or were talented children from ordinary families in Konoha.

As a result, their class moved very slowly. They were still learning how to write and do arithmetic.

Yu wasn't a top student, but even a poor student like him didn't need to study this material. It was far too basic; he only had to recall his original memories, and that was more or less enough.

So Yu barely paid attention in class all day. The teacher in charge of the lesson didn't bother with him either, acting as if he weren't there.

Classes at the Ninja Academy were divided into morning and afternoon sessions. Mornings were for ordinary academic subjects, while afternoons were for moral education and ninjutsu.

Moral education meant studying the Will of Fire and Konoha's history, to strengthen the students' sense of belonging to the village. Yu pretended to listen to that lesson for a while, since he needed to show that his loyalties were in the right place.

Ninjutsu lessons focused on the basics.

Although the students in their class were only seven or eight years old, each of them was already practically superhuman in combat. Even without ninjutsu, any child here could overpower an adult man with Taijutsu alone.

That was the power of a ninja.

But as Yu watched these little superhumans train with such enthusiasm, he felt like a cripple.

"Yu, why aren't you training with everyone else?"

The teacher in charge of instructing them in ninjutsu training was a female Chunin with a sweet face. The students liked her very much.

"Teacher Ling Xue, my health isn't good, so I can't do high-intensity training." Yu smiled at Hoshino Reiyuki and answered her question honestly. His body really wasn't suited to intense training.

"This...!"

Hoshino Reiyuki furrowed her brows. Yu had been a little withdrawn before, and his ninjutsu hadn't stood out, but he had always been very enthusiastic about Taijutsu training. So she thought he was lying to her.

But she quickly remembered what had happened. Her gaze softened with sympathy as she looked at Yu.

"Then get some good rest. If you don't want to join the training, you don't have to. Taking care of your health is the most important thing." Hoshino Reiyuki smiled and patted Yu on the head, radiating a gentle, motherly warmth.

"Mm!"

Yu didn't mind having a beautiful woman pat his head. He behaved very obediently.

There were small challenge matches every day during ninjutsu lessons. Many of the students were keen on them. With no ninjutsu exchanges, the matches tested their basic abilities alone.

But soon, during a Three Body Technique practice class, Yu showed a little of what he could do and earned praise from Hoshino Reiyuki.

The Three Body Technique was simple, but extremely useful to a ninja. No matter how strong they became, it always had considerable practical value in battle.

That was why the Ninja Academy placed great importance on the Three Body Technique. To graduate, students had to be able to use it proficiently. Yu's Three Body Technique was only at the beginner stage, and he still had a long way to go before he could use it well.

But this brought him back to the issue of his Chakra reserves. He didn't have enough Chakra to train in ninjutsu for long.

Is there any good way to increase my Chakra reserves? Yu wondered as he walked around the training ground.

His class wasn't the only one training on the grounds. Classes from other grades were there too.

But one particular class was clearly drawing a crowd. Most people liked watching a commotion, and Yu was no exception.

Once he got closer, he understood why it was so lively. A challenge match between students of different grades was underway, and the star of the show was the school's famous Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke's opponent was an older student. He looked like the sort of forgettable guy you'd call Guy A, B, or C, but he was quite skilled, having trained for several more years.

The two began by exchanging Taijutsu blows. The older student was a head taller than Sasuke, but it was obvious that Sasuke had the advantage in their Taijutsu clash.

Thud!

After they traded a kick, the force of the impact sent them apart. Without hesitation, they began forming Hand Seals on the spot.

"Clone Technique."

"Clone Technique."

Both chose to use the Clone Technique, but Sasuke didn't seem very proficient with it and produced only one clone. The older student, on the other hand, made three clones, giving him four bodies in total.

Six figures now filled the battlefield. As soon as they finished their techniques, the two resumed fighting, wooden Kunai appearing in their hands.

The clash began again.

Clones created by the Clone Technique couldn't attack. If they were struck, they disappeared.

Thud! Thud!

Two soft impacts rang out as one of Sasuke's clones and one of the older student's clones collided and vanished together.

But the older student still had two clones left, while Sasuke's real body had been exposed. The spectators thought Sasuke was about to lose.

"Sasuke's going to lose."

Even Yu thought so—assuming Sasuke couldn't activate his Sharingan, of course. If Sasuke activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, even if he couldn't maintain it for long, beating this student would be easy.

The older student's combat instincts were good too. He sent his clones and real body to surround Sasuke from three directions. As long as Sasuke couldn't identify which one was the real body, he was sure to lose.

Surrounded by three "people," Sasuke had nowhere to run. He could only attack one at random, unable to tell whether it was a clone or the real body.

But Sasuke chose the wrong one. The person behind him was the real body.

The older student's face lit up. Sasuke was a recognized prodigy, and defeating him would be a great honor.

The older student's wooden Kunai stabbed into Sasuke's back. Even though it was wooden, a solid hit would still hurt, and the older student hadn't held back much.

But just as the Kunai in the older student's hand touched Sasuke's body, there was a poof, and Sasuke vanished in a puff of white smoke. A rock appeared in his place.

"Substitution Technique!"

The older student had lost. He'd gotten flustered and failed to account for the possibility of a Substitution Technique.

Then a figure sprang up from the ground and lunged at the older student.

A wooden Kunai pressed against the older student's back. Sasuke had won the match.

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke!"

The students and teachers who had gathered around applauded and cheered for Sasuke's performance.

Yu was happy too—not only because Sasuke had won, but because this was the first time he'd ever watched a ninja battle in person. Compared to his memories, the real thing was far more impactful.

It was nothing compared to the godlike battles in the later parts of Naruto, but the realism was still thrilling. For a moment, it even sparked a desire in him to fight.

"What's so great about that? I can do it too."

A childish voice suddenly spoke beside him, and the jealousy in it was unmistakable.