A week later, Ninja Academy training ground.
"Wow! Sasuke is so cool."
"Yeah! Sasuke is amazing!"
"Sasuke really is the top student in the grade, a genius!"
"..."
Sasuke stood in an open area dozens of meters away from the humanoid wooden targets. His hands darted to his waist like lightning, one grabbing kunai and the other shuriken before he threw them simultaneously. Amid sharp whooshes through the air, they flew like arrows loosed from a bow. Thud! Thud! Thud! Every kunai and shuriken struck dead center, not a single one missing the target.
Cheers erupted at once. The original Sasuke had already been first in the entire grade, born into the Uchiha clan and a talent in his own right. Even without his transmigration, the original owner of this body could have managed something like this.
In fact, he could now perform all sorts of tricks with shuriken and kunai, throwing them fast or slow, combining the two speeds, even making a later kunai catch up to an earlier one so that both struck the bullseye at the same time.
He could also throw ten kunai at once, calculating their speed and angles so they collided with each other, making it impossible for an enemy to predict the weapons' trajectories.
He simply did not want to show that off yet. A direct hit on the bullseye was already a perfect score, so there was no need for all those flashy tricks.
Besides, Sasuke had nearly mastered the Fuma Shuriken: Shadow Windmill and Wire Manipulation Shuriken Technique that the original Sasuke would not master until four years later. His eyesight could already keep up completely, and even far surpassed the requirement.
Only the speed of his fingers was still lacking. The wire cut into his fingers far too painfully. Even with chakra protecting them, the pain was intense enough to make it difficult for him to manipulate his fingers flexibly.
My progress over these past two months has been decent enough. After all, I haven't devoted that much of my training to throwing techniques.
"Hmph!"
Listening to the cheers around him and looking at Sasuke's calm expression, Naruto felt thoroughly displeased. Especially when he saw that Sakura, the girl he liked, was among those cheering—and was even cheering the loudest—he felt even more annoyed.
"Watch what Naruto-sama can do!"
Naruto strode forward, first shooting Sasuke a provocative glare. Then he pulled out a handful of shuriken and hurled them fiercely at the wooden targets ahead.
Calling that a throw would have been generous. It was more like he smashed them forward.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Not one of the ten shuriken hit. They all flew wide, vanishing off somewhere unknown.
"How is that possible?"
Naruto's face first turned red as he muttered in disbelief. Then he turned and angrily pointed at Sasuke beside him. "Damn it, Sasuke! It's because you were standing there that I couldn't concentrate! Otherwise, I definitely would've gotten a perfect score!"
"How did you manage it?"
Sasuke asked blandly.
Naruto froze. "What do you mean?"
Sasuke clapped his hands, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his lips. In a teasing tone, he said, "Being able to skillfully avoid the wooden targets with ten consecutive shuriken from this distance... in a way, you're pretty impressive!"
"I... I..."
Seeing Sasuke's calm expression, Naruto's cheeks flushed crimson. Yet he stammered, unable to figure out how to retort.
Although Sasuke's words sounded like praise, how could Naruto fail to hear the mockery in his tone?
Seeing Naruto's reddened face, Sasuke inwardly chuckled. He shook his head, slipped both hands into his pockets, and turned to leave, presenting Naruto with a carefree back.
"Damn it!"
That smug bastard!
Naruto clenched his fists and was about to say something when Iruka walked over. He glanced at the results casually, then announced the score without surprise.
"Uzumaki Naruto, zero points!"
"Huh?" Naruto's face instantly fell as he shouted, "Iruka-sensei, give me one more chance! Sasuke interfered with me just now! Otherwise, I definitely would've gotten a perfect score!"
Iruka rolled his eyes inwardly. He had wanted to refuse the request, but faced with Naruto's earnest gaze, he still nodded.
"Yosh!"
The dejected Naruto instantly sprang back to life, filled with fighting spirit. He pulled out another handful of shuriken and hurled them fiercely at the wooden targets ahead!
Bang!
Out of ten shuriken, only one hit—and it did not hit the bullseye. It struck the ground at the foot of a wooden target, while the other nine had long since flown off who knew where.
Iruka helplessly covered his forehead and announced the score.
"Uzumaki Naruto, 0.5 points!"
"..."
The throwing technique assessment for the drill class soon ended. Iruka took out a new score sheet and announced to everyone, "All right, the ninja tool throwing assessment is over. Students, the next subject is the practical combat assessment. Show your full strength. I'll be observing from the side."
Besides recording the students' scores, practical combat assessments also allowed teachers to observe their fighting styles, adaptability, and shortcomings in actual combat, so they could provide guidance accordingly.
Every practical combat assessment was the most exhausting and nerve-racking time for the Ninja Academy teachers. Although the ninja tools used were unsharpened, students went all out in sparring matches so that the teachers could identify their shortcomings as thoroughly as possible. This world had no notion of holding back just because one was sparring with a fellow student.
To prevent injuries or even deaths, the Ninja Academy teachers did not dare let down their guard in the slightest at times like this, ensuring that they could stop any accident the instant it happened.
"I'll assign everyone opponents based on the results of the previous practical combat assessment. When I call your names, step forward."
"Second Pillar versus Inu—"
"Wait!" Before Iruka could finish, Naruto shouted, "I challenge Sasuke!"
"Naruto!" Veins bulged on Iruka's forehead as he was about to reprimand him, only for Naruto to continue smugly, "You said it yourself. Opponents are assigned according to the previous practical combat assessment results, so Sasuke's opponent should be me!"
Iruka paused. To avoid completely one-sided matches, the Ninja Academy usually assigned opponents of similar strength within the same group. This made it easier for teachers to observe both students' strengths and weaknesses, and to better see a person's potential.
The previous practical combat assessment had been the final exam of last semester. Since Sasuke had been absent from the exam, he had no score. In that sense, Naruto's claim did indeed fit the assignment rules.
"This..."
Iruka was momentarily speechless. He glanced at the calm Sasuke beside him, feeling somewhat troubled.
"Hehe!" Seeing Iruka remain silent, Naruto immediately pointed at Sasuke and provoked him, "Damn it, Sasuke, don't tell me you're too scared to accept?"
Sasuke nodded and agreed without hesitation. "Fine. I accept your challenge."
Iruka had originally been preparing to find a reason to reject Naruto's request, but since Sasuke had actually agreed, he simply went along with it.
Seeing this, the somewhat nervous Inuzuka Kiba secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew exactly how strong Sasuke was. Unless absolutely necessary, he truly did not want to go up there and get beaten up.
What an idiot, Naruto.
Inuzuka Kiba mocked inwardly.
Before you continue