Setting a Record (3)

"Hmph!"

Hatake Kakashi had been about to leave, but when he heard Uchiha Yue speak under his breath, he let out a cold snort and leaped up to the spectator stands to watch the fight.

Even Hatake Kakashi had to admit that Uchiha Yue's words had really gotten under his skin.

After all, Uchiha Yue and Hatake Kakashi had both been born in Year 4 of Konoha. Kakashi was a few months older, so he had started at the Ninja Academy earlier. But now, after only one year at the Academy, Uchiha Yue was about to graduate alongside him. And thanks to his age advantage, Yue was set to make history as the youngest Genin in Konoha's history. It was only natural that the usually proud Hatake Kakashi would feel disgruntled.

However, Kakashi knew that Uchiha Yue was about as strong as he was, so all he could do was watch Yue provoke him.

Still, Uchiha Yue hadn't actually meant to provoke Hatake Kakashi with those words. He'd just thought it would be fun to tease him. Even back at the Ninja Academy, Yue and Kakashi hadn't had any deep-seated grudges. Nor did Yue hate the Hatake Clan like Uchiha Obito did, so he had no reason to pick on Kakashi.

However, Uchiha Yue was a transmigrator who knew the original story inside out, and in his previous life, he'd also been quite fond of Hatake Kakashi as a character.

So whenever he had a chance to tease Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Yue would never let it pass.

Even just getting the proud, tsundere Hatake Kakashi to eat crow was enough to make Yue secretly gloat.

Then...

Once Hatake Kakashi had left the training ground and gone to the spectator stands to watch Uchiha Yue's exam, Sarutobi Shinsuke nodded to signal that it could begin.

His earlier fight with Hatake Kakashi had barely cost Sarutobi Shinsuke any chakra. If he hadn't been testing Kakashi's abilities, he might have taken him out with a single move. Of course, when testing Uchiha Yue, Shinsuke wasn't going to use his full strength either.

But the instant Uchiha Yue's graduation exam began, a trace of gravity flashed across Sarutobi Shinsuke's eyes!

"Whoosh..."

"Whoosh..."

The sound of blades slicing through the air rang out. The moment the graduation exam began, Uchiha Yue pulled seven kunai from his ninja pouch and launched an attack.

Watching the seven kunai streak toward him in graceful arcs, Sarutobi Shinsuke was impressed by Yue's skill with throwing weapons. He prepared to dodge to the side. Clearly, if he didn't show some skill, Yue's kunai might actually catch him off guard.

After all, Uchiha Yue's kunai-throwing ability was already on par with that of an average Chunin. Even Sarutobi Shinsuke couldn't afford to underestimate him.

But...

What Sarutobi Shinsuke hadn't expected was that, even though he'd taken Uchiha Yue's attack seriously, he'd still underestimated him.

As Sarutobi Shinsuke dodged the kunai in midair, Uchiha Yue's fingers suddenly began to move nimbly!

"Falling Moon Style: Kunai Manipulation Technique!"

In an instant, the chakra threads wound around Uchiha Yue's fingers attached themselves to the kunai he'd thrown. Then the kunai Sarutobi Shinsuke had just dodged collided with each other in midair under Yue's control, completely sealing off Shinsuke's escape route!

"Not bad! I really underestimated this kid!"

Seeing all seven kunai block his escape route, Sarutobi Shinsuke gave a wry smile. With no other choice, he began forming Hand Seals, preparing to use ninjutsu against Uchiha Yue's attack!

Never forget how great the difference in strength was between Uchiha Yue and Sarutobi Shinsuke!

The fact that Uchiha Yue had forced Sarutobi Shinsuke to use ninjutsu to counter him in the very first exchange was proof enough of his ability.

But Uchiha Yue wanted to make a spectacular impression with this graduation exam. He wanted to prove he was far stronger than Hatake Kakashi!

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

"Boom..."

Having finished his Hand Seals, Sarutobi Shinsuke used Wind Release Ninjutsu to forcibly break through Uchiha Yue's kunai attack. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was about to announce that Yue had passed his graduation exam.

But before Sarutobi Shinsuke could speak, Uchiha Yue used the Falling Moon Style: Afterimage Fist to appear right in front of him!

And Uchiha Yue gave Sarutobi Shinsuke no chance to speak. He launched another attack first!

Watching Uchiha Yue's fierce assault, Sarutobi Shinsuke could easily guess what he was thinking. Yue was clearly taking the opportunity to gain some real combat experience. And since Shinsuke had figured that out, he wasn't about to pass up the chance to give Yue some pointers. Yue was still a student at the Ninja Academy, after all, and a little guidance before graduation could only help.

So Uchiha Yue and Sarutobi Shinsuke clashed once more, their attacks so dazzling that it was hard to follow them.

Even the spectators who couldn't understand the fight could tell that Uchiha Yue and Sarutobi Shinsuke's battle was far more exciting than Hatake Kakashi and Sarutobi Shinsuke's. At the very least, Kakashi hadn't forced Shinsuke to use ninjutsu during their fight!

"Damn it. Has the gap really gotten this big?"

Watching Uchiha Yue on the training ground, Hatake Kakashi clenched his fists and cried out in frustration inside.

But Uchiha Yue was completely absorbed in the thrill of battle and didn't notice Hatake Kakashi's resentful gaze. He was giving the fight everything he had, testing his unfinished techniques bit by bit in his battle with Sarutobi Shinsuke and looking for weaknesses in his own abilities.

Twenty minutes!

Uchiha Yue and Sarutobi Shinsuke's battle went on for a full twenty minutes!

In the end, if Uchiha Yue hadn't run out of chakra, the fight might have continued.

Looking at Uchiha Yue, who was panting heavily in front of him, Sarutobi Shinsuke wiped the sweat from his forehead and gave another wry smile. "Yue, you're already far stronger than an ordinary Genin. No wonder Lady Tsunade had you take the graduation exam. You really are a disciple trained by Lady Tsunade herself. Even fighting you gave me a lot of trouble!"

After saying this, Sarutobi Shinsuke took a deep breath, walked over to Uchiha Yue, and patted him on the shoulder. "All right, I'd already decided that you'd passed. Tomorrow, you'll become a true ninja, Yue. I hope you'll keep working hard. Don't get complacent over a little success, understand?"

"Yes, Teacher Shinsuke!"

Hearing Sarutobi Shinsuke's words, Uchiha Yue looked a little exhausted from using up all his chakra, but the corners of his mouth still curved into a smile.

At last, Uchiha Yue had graduated from the Ninja Academy.

Uchiha Yue was only five years old when he graduated, setting a record in Konoha as the youngest Genin in history!

What's more, the fight during Uchiha Yue's graduation exam became the talk of the village!

Along with setting the record as the youngest Genin ever, Uchiha Yue had also set another record...

He was the only Genin in history ever to make his examiner eat crow!