The Day the Special Training Ended

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."

A Great Fireball with a diameter of 2.5 meters erupted from Sora Uchiha's mouth, casting a crimson glow on the calm lake surface. The rose-colored flames hissed as they touched the water.

Sora Uchiha was very satisfied with the Great Fireball. No wonder they say practical combat is the shortcut to improving strength.

Since joining the Anbu a week ago, he's had missions almost every day. In just seven days, he's already killed over a dozen people.

The rewards have been plentiful too. The Great Fireball has grown from a 1.5-meter diameter to 2.5 meters. His progress has been immense. If his cheap old dad knew, he'd probably shout to the heavens, "My son has made something of himself!"

Sooner or later, his Fire Release will engulf thousands, just like Madara's.

On the street, "Hmm... today seems to be the day Kurenai and the others finish their special training," Sora Uchiha said, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a flatbread the size of his face.

This flatbread was special. It was sold by Uchiha Jing and Uchiha Tesho, rare individuals from the Uchiha clan with known names. Their flatbreads couldn't be called the absolute best in the world, but they were at least on par with Ichiraku Ramen.

"Sora, up so early? The weather's getting colder, remember to wear an extra layer," an Uchiha clansman passing by greeted Sora Uchiha.

"Mhm, I'll keep that in mind," Sora Uchiha replied with a friendly smile. It felt good to be cared for.

Only his clansmen and friends cared about him. If it were anyone else from Konoha, not looking at him with disdain would be a blessing.

"Sora, want to come over for lunch? I'm stewing duck today," an Uchiha auntie asked kindly as she came out of the market. Elders like her truly treated him like a child, always showing concern.

"No thank you, Auntie. I have something to do today. I'll definitely come another time," he replied politely.

"Alright... but you can't refuse next time," the auntie said, taking a fruit from her bag and pressing it into Sora Uchiha's arms.

Sora Uchiha felt overwhelmed by the warmth. He quickly thanked her several times and fled the clan grounds as if escaping.

"Mhm, I'll go see the results of Kurenai and the others' special training today."

"It's decided."

#

Dense forest, by the lake, Slender willow branches drooped over the lake's surface, occasionally touching the water and creating ripples as they swayed in the gentle breeze. The shimmering reflections captured the duel between the young boy and girl on the shore.

Crack—

A willow branch snapped as the boy strode across the lake. A kunai, coated in a faint blue glow, sliced through the branches as easily as cutting vegetables. As he ran, the willow branches were quickly "annihilated," floating on the lake's surface.

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death." Kurenai Yuhi, who was in front, suddenly turned back, her red eyes flashing with a strange, eerie light as she formed hand seals.

Asuma Sarutobi, who was in pursuit, faltered for a moment. He then discovered that a tree had sprouted beneath his feet, binding him tightly.

Not far away, Kurenai Yuhi's figure quietly disappeared. The next moment, she emerged from a tree beside him, a dazzlingly cold kunai thrusting directly at him!

Asuma's pupils contracted. He instantly realized he was caught in a genjutsu. He bit his tongue lightly, tasting the metallic tang of blood. This action successfully broke him free from the illusion.

Facing the kunai just inches away, he raised his Chakra Blade in a counter-attack, deflecting the kunai. The Chakra Blade then stopped at Kurenai Yuhi's neck.

"Very good, Asuma wins," a distant instructor clapped his hands, announcing the result of the training session.

"Argh!! Damn it, I was so close!" Kurenai Yuhi stomped her foot in frustration, her face filled with defiance, her crimson eyes holding a stubborn glint.

Asuma silently retreated to the side, wary that Kurenai Yuhi might punch him at this moment.

"Alright Kurenai, do you know the reason for your failure this time?" the instructor patted Kurenai Yuhi's head and said with a smile.

"If my genjutsu were a little stronger, I would have won," Kurenai Yuhi said.

The instructor nodded, then shook his head. "Indeed, if your genjutsu were a bit stronger, Asuma wouldn't have been able to break free just by biting his tongue. However, mastery of genjutsu isn't something that can be achieved in a short time. The main reason for your failure today is that your combat style was flawed. After Asuma was caught, you should have engaged him from a distance, rather than challenging him with your weaker points against his strengths."

After lecturing Kurenai Yuhi, the instructor turned to Asuma. "Asuma, do you know your shortcomings?"

"I won," Asuma said defiantly.

The instructor found his arrogant demeanor troublesome. He said with a stern face, "If your initial assault had been more aggressive, Kurenai wouldn't have had the chance to use her genjutsu."

Although Asuma had youthful pride, he wasn't unreasonable. After thinking about it, he felt there was some truth to the statement and fell silent.

Seeing his teachable demeanor, the instructor nodded with satisfaction.

Having pride wasn't the issue; the problem was lacking judgment and refusing to change. That could be fatal on the battlefield.

"Alright, next up, Asuma will spar against Lightning Release."

The next moment, his amiable gaze turned sharp. He fixed his eyes on a specific tree in the nearby woods, a few shuriken appearing in his hand. He shouted, "Who?!"

Kurenai Yuhi and the others were startled and quickly looked in that direction.

After a moment, a figure leaped down from a tree.

"Haha, it's just me, just me. Teacher, don't attack."

Sora Uchiha walked out with his hands raised, looking a bit awkward.

The instructor recognized him and breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you doing here, you brat?" he said, exasperated.

"Hehe, I just missed you, Teacher," Sora Uchiha said with a fawning smile. He flashed to the instructor's side and took the shuriken from his hand. "Honestly, Teacher pointing shuriken at me. That hurts."

Yes, as mentioned before, after graduating from the Ninja Academy, Sora Uchiha became a student of many, basically having been taught by every instructor for a few days, so this instructor recognized Sora Uchiha.

"You brat..." the instructor chuckled helplessly.

"Ah, Sora, what brings you here!" Kurenai Yuhi's eyes lit up, revealing her pearly white teeth. The dejection from her earlier defeat vanished.

"Heh, I figured today was the end of your special training for the Chunin exams, so I came to take a look." As he spoke, he extended his palm. The other person, understanding, ran to a nearby tree and rummaged through her bag, soon returning with a few candies.

Sora Uchiha took the candies, tore open the wrappers, and popped them directly into his mouth.

The instructor beside them stared, dumbfounded, and looked at Asuma next to him. "Are they engaging in some sort of dirty transaction?"

Seeing Kurenai Yuhi become happy the moment she saw Sora Uchiha, Asuma felt an inexplicable sense of dejection and sadness. Hearing the question, he briefly explained the bet from that day.

The instructor stroked his chin, looking at Sora Uchiha, who was slowly chatting with Kurenai Yuhi, with a strange expression. He thought this kid was truly talented, not realizing he was so popular with the young girls.

Immediately, he thought of his own "she-dragon" at home, then glanced at the cute Kurenai Yuhi. The comparison was stark. For some reason, he found Sora Uchiha extremely annoying. Thus, he narrowed his eyes and said with ill intent:

"Sora, it's good you're here. Let me gauge your recent training results."

Sora Uchiha: ╯□╰.