The End

Isho strode steadily out of the crowd, his expression complicated. If he lost this match, he'd definitely end up dead last in the rankings. He didn't want to increase his training load.

I'd planned to keep a low profile and develop at my own pace, but it looks like I'll have to go all out. Even if it costs me a common Ninja Experience Card, I'm going to win.

Isho quickly reached the designated spot. At the examiner's signal, the two exchanged the Seal of Confrontation and entered battle stance.

Thud, thud, thud! Isho sprinted backward, hurling shuriken from his hand at different parts of Neji Hyuga's body.

Neji stayed hot on his heels, rapidly blocking with his kunai or leaping and rolling to dodge every attack by the narrowest of margins.

"Another useless trick," Neji muttered, dismissing it with contempt.

Isho didn't lose heart and kept running. He'd used the same approach in his previous matches against Neji because he knew just how dangerous the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms was. Once Neji struck his chakra points, he'd be powerless to fight back.

Of course, that didn't apply when you had a cheat.

Before long, the two were less than ten meters apart. Neji's eyes flashed as he suddenly accelerated like an arrow loosed from its bow, intent on securing victory in one move.

Just then, Isho turned around and finished forming the final Tiger Seal. A bad feeling instantly welled up in Neji's heart.

He was about to react when a wave of searing heat accompanied by a massive fireball over a meter in diameter came hurtling toward him.

It was none other than Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!

But just before it engulfed Neji, the Chunin examiner appeared in front of him with the Body Flicker Technique. He was about to reach out, then flickered back again. The strange maneuver looked almost like a demonstration of the Body Flicker Technique.

Seeing this, Isho didn't dare let his guard down. He formed Hand Seals once more.

In an instant, a charred log appeared in his place, cut off halfway. Neji reappeared ten meters to Isho's left.

He looked rather disheveled. Some of his clothes had been burned away, his face was flushed red, and his breathing was ragged.

Isho charged forward. In that moment, the two had suddenly switched roles: now he was the one giving chase.

"How is this possible?! He can still use a ninjutsu of that level? How can he have so much chakra?"

Neji's expression changed. He immediately tried to use his speed advantage to widen the gap.

Isho wasn't about to let him have his way. He surged forward with the Body Flicker Technique, closing the distance between them once more.

A crimson stream of flames burst from Isho's mouth. Knowing he couldn't dodge, Neji immediately darted to the side.

Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!

A thick, heavy brown stone wall appeared in front of Neji. The examiner had stepped in.

That meant Isho had won. The entire fight had lasted barely two minutes.

"Uchiha Isho... I never expected a third-year exam to feature a ninjutsu that only Chunin can master. A talent like this truly lives up to the Uchiha name."

After a brief sigh of admiration, the Chunin examiner appeared beside Isho and raised his right hand. "First match: Uchiha Isho wins!"

"What was that ninjutsu? Uchiha Isho actually used it twice in a row!"

"He can use such a powerful ninjutsu in his third year? He must be at least a Genin! When did he get so strong?!"

The students around them paid little attention to Neji's defeat. From the moment Isho used the Great Fireball Technique, the skill and power with which he wielded it had left them reeling.

Many students in the class still hadn't mastered even the simplest Three Basic Techniques. That showed just how difficult ninjutsu was to learn.

And the Fire Release Ninjutsu Isho had used so skillfully was several levels more difficult to master.

What was more, Isho had been only average in the class. His sudden leap to Genin-level strength was such a huge change that they found it hard to accept.

"Isho, no wonder you said you were second. You'd learned such a powerful ninjutsu! At this rate, forget second place—you'll probably take first."

Akiyo was genuinely happy for Isho. He stepped forward and slung an arm around Isho's shoulders, eyes shining as he suddenly stood up straighter.

Seeing so many classmates look him over as if he were a stranger, Isho's lips curled up. "I was lucky to win, of course. But my victory also owes a lot to all the hard work I put in."

Hard work can't beat having a cheat. Isho silently added.

Neji, who had returned to the group a step behind Isho, saw this too. He clenched his fists, his pale eyes casting an unwilling glance toward Isho. Then he gave a cold snort and looked away.

Of course, not everyone was happy to see Isho suddenly get so strong. Lingdou Yiyou and his gang, in particular, had just been discussing cornering him after school.

Their faces were all wearing the same strange, unpleasant expression. After sizing up the situation, they tried to give Isho a friendly smile, but it came out awkward and stiff, as though they hadn't practiced enough.

"Next match: Yukino versus Yuino."

"Whew, it's finally almost over. This weather is awful—it's roasting. Seriously, couldn't we watch from somewhere shady? Why do we have to stand around until the exam results are announced?"

Isho wiped his forehead with his hand and flicked the sweat onto the ground. The droplets evaporated the moment they touched it.

The evenly matched ones just keep fighting until one side is exhausted before winning. What a waste of time. Unlike me—both my second and third matches ended with one well-timed ninjutsu. Isho thought with a sigh.

"Final match: Uchiha Isho versus Jingchuan Lirang."

Jingchuan Lirang walked out of the crowd at an unhurried pace. He stood about one meter forty tall and had a sturdy build, making him stand out among the students.

At the examiner's signal, both fighters drew their kunai.

"Bang!"

Two identical copies of Jingchuan Lirang appeared in an instant, each holding a kunai. The three figures lined up and immediately charged at Isho.

Attacking so quickly? Looks like this guy doesn't want to give me a chance to use ninjutsu. Fine, I'll practice my Taijutsu against him.

Isho still had enough chakra to use Fire Release Ninjutsu twice, but he suddenly felt like honing his Taijutsu, so he decided to meet his opponent head-on.

As he considered this, Isho smoothly pulled two shuriken from the ninja tool pouch on his back.

"Whoosh!"

The shuriken whistled through the air, accurately targeting the chests of Jingchuan Lirang's left and middle figures.

"Clang!"

The middle figure of Jingchuan Lirang immediately blocked with his kunai, and the shuriken bounced away. The figure on the left had already vanished in a puff of white smoke.

Just then, Jingchuan Lirang charged to within two steps of Isho. The figure on the right leaped forward, its sharp kunai aimed straight at Isho's throat.

Isho's eyes flashed. Though he knew this figure was a clone, he didn't dare let his guard down. He jerked his head backward while kicking out with his right foot. The figure he struck in the stomach quickly vanished.