Ninjas are amazing, aren't they!

At first, Qingyu was completely lost, but after trying to follow along, he discovered... it was actually quite useful.

Ninjas are truly magical!

When he tried using chakra to perceive the ground, he could indeed faintly sense the subtle differences beneath his feet—where it was harder, where it was softer, and where there were protrusions.

When he attempted to treat every landing as a "charge," the fluidity of his continuous movement improved significantly, and his chakra consumption decreased as well.

"Interesting..." Tobirama commented in his mind.

"This 'holistic movement' mindset is more efficient than traditional footwork. Although the theoretical framework is still incomplete, its practicality is strong."

"Flashy nonsense," Izuna scoffed.

"On the battlefield, there is no time for you to slowly 'feel the ground.' Everything relies on instinct and experience."

"That is why this Shisui has systematized and theorized 'instinct and experience,'" Tobirama said, rarely speaking up for an outsider, especially one who was an Uchiha.

"This is the approach of a genius."

As Qingyu practiced, listening to the two big shots in his head praise Shisui more and more, he felt a bit conflicted.

On one hand, having such a strong teacher was truly a stroke of luck.

On the other hand... the stronger the teacher, the higher the expectations might be, and the greater the risk of him being exposed.

"Alright, let's stop here for today," Shisui said, glancing at the sky.

"Tomorrow is the drawing ceremony for the final round of the Chunin Exams. Rest early today and keep your energy up."

Qingyu stopped, panting as he nodded, "Thank you, Senior Shisui. These past few days... I've learned a lot."

This was the truth.

While practicing, he vaguely felt his reactions had quickened, as if a blurry intuition was growing, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

The training method was quite "mystical," but fortunately, the results were solid.

"No need for thanks," Shisui said with a smile, patting his shoulder. "One final piece of advice."

"Please, Senior."

"After the draw tomorrow, no matter who your opponent is, do not go out of your way to study their tactics, ninjutsu, or weaknesses," Shisui said.

"The clan head and Itachi will organize that intelligence for you. You only need to do one thing..."

He pointed to Qingyu's chest.

"Trust the feeling you've developed over these past few days. Trust that your shuriken will fly where they are meant to fly."

"Trust that your footsteps will land where they are meant to land. Sometimes, 'knowing too much' will only bind your hands and feet."

Qingyu was stunned for a moment, then nodded solemnly, "I will remember that."

"Good." Shisui turned and waved.

"See you tomorrow. Oh, right..."

He looked back and winked. "If you draw a tricky opponent, like that genius from the Hyuga clan or the jinchuriki from Sunagakure..."

"Don't be too nervous. Just treat it as an opportunity to test the results of this special training."

With that, he leaped a few times and vanished into the depths of the forest.

Qingyu stood where he was, digesting Shisui's words.

The sense of intuition he had just felt became clearer, as if his body were silently echoing the results of his training.

In his mind, Izuna suddenly spoke: "This kid... he's not simple."

"Indeed," Tobirama replied, rarely refraining from a rebuttal.

"His teaching seems casual, but every word points to the core. And he seems to be... deliberately cultivating Qingyu's independence."

"What do you mean?" Qingyu asked.

"He doesn't teach you specific moves, only methods," Tobirama analyzed.

"The Heart-Intent Style of shuriken, the sensory movement of footwork—these are the fishing rod, not the fish.

He wants you to learn how to fish for yourself, rather than just eating the fish he provides."

"Hmm," Qingyu responded in silence.

"His teaching core is to cultivate independence; he doesn't teach specific moves, only methods, much like teaching a man to fish."

Izuna was silent for a moment before rarely admitting: "...Indeed, this kid's teaching method is more 'open-minded' than my brother's was when he taught me back then."

Qingyu scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed: "So, Senior Shisui... is really a good person."

"But be careful," Tobirama warned.

"The better he treats you, the higher the expectations the Uchiha leadership might have for you.

In tomorrow's final round, you must put on a performance that is convincing enough."

Qingyu: You're definitely overthinking this. Shisui's reputation is beyond reproach!

Qingyu took a deep breath and looked toward the center of Konoha.

Tomorrow, the drawing of lots.

The day after tomorrow, the final round.

He touched his ninja tool pouch, which contained the fruits of his special training over the past few days, as well as the two old relics living inside his head.

"Let's go," he said. "Home! Time to recharge."

Tomorrow, it would be time to show his true colors.

[Ding!]

[Hidden Quest: Hand of Intent completed]

[Completion Assessment: B+]

[Quest Reward: Unlocked special passive "Combat Intuition (Beginner)". Slightly increases reaction speed and decision-making accuracy during critical moments. (Effect: Reaction time shortened by 5%-10% when encountering ambushes or needing split-second judgments.)]

[New Notification: The final round of the Chunin Exams is about to begin. Please prepare yourself, Host. Main Quest updated: Place in the top five.]

Qingyu looked at the system interface and clenched his fists.

The top five, huh...

That's a mountain of pressure.

But he suddenly remembered Shisui's words from earlier.

Trust your instincts.

Then... let's give it a try.

The day of the drawing ceremony, Konoha Central Arena.

Qingyu stood in the waiting area, looking at the massive circular structure capable of holding tens of thousands of people, and felt his legs go a bit weak.

"This is... way too big, isn't it?" he muttered to himself. "I thought it would be a small venue, maybe a few hundred people in the stands at most..."

"The scale is decent," Izuna commented in his mind.

"But back in the Warring States period, battles like this were happening everywhere, so it's really just average!"

Tobirama analyzed calmly: "The architectural structure is bowl-shaped, with a central arena diameter of 150 meters, suitable for mid-to-long-range ninjutsu duels. The angle of the stands has been calculated to ensure all spectators have a good view, and the ventilation system is hidden at the top; it can be used to vent toxic smoke or release sleeping gas if necessary. It's a standard dual-use military-civilian design."

Qingyu: ...Teacher Tobirama, your "if necessary" makes me very nervous, and Teacher Izuna's Warring States Battle Royale isn't helping either.

The waiting area was already crowded with the twenty-four candidates who had passed the first two rounds—eight teams of three.

The atmosphere was as heavy as if they were heading to the execution grounds.

Qingyu scanned the area and saw familiar faces:

The Sunagakure Team Gaara trio stood in the far corner; Gaara was resting with his eyes closed, while Temari and Kankuro kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings.

On the Konoha side, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were huddled together; Shikamaru was yawning, and Ino was scolding Choji to stop eating snacks.

Neji Hyuga's team had the most eclectic vibe—a cold genius, a hot-blooded kid, and a weapons master.

Tenten: You guys know what the strongest weapon is? That's right, it's...

Then there was Sasuke Uchiha, standing alone against the wall with his arms crossed, his cold gaze fixed on the drawing platform in the center of the arena.

Qingyu hesitated for a moment but decided not to go over and say hello.

After all, they weren't close, and Sasuke's "stay away" aura was far too strong.

Qingyu: His brother hasn't even been killed yet, why is this kid still like this?

"Qingyu-kun." A gentle voice came from behind him.

Qingyu turned around to see Shisui standing there with a smile, accompanied by the expressionless Itachi.