Regarding the Graduation Exam Being Fighting the Third Hokage

He organized his intelligence while heading toward the training ground, preparing his tactics in advance.

The blade in Chiba Genichi's hand was the very Kusanagi Sword used by Sasuke in the original work. It lacked a tsuba, featuring a white hilt and scabbard paired with a black blade. It could slice through iron without a sound and was sharp enough to sever a hair blown against its edge.

It perfectly satisfied Chiba Genichi's requirements for both aesthetics and strength.

His swordsmanship integrated various techniques from both Konoha-Style Kenjutsu and Uchiha-Style Kenjutsu, focusing primarily on speed. When combined with the exceptionally sharp Kusanagi Sword, it possessed significant lethality in close-quarters combat.

In recent years, Chiba Genichi had focused his research on the "Lightning Release: From Beginner to Grave" left behind by Senju Tobirama. He was now able to refine his lightning-attribute chakra during daily training, guiding it along his meridians to stimulate his muscles and slowly increase his strength and speed.

Although he could not yet manifest the Lightning Release Armor or the Lightning Release Chakra Mode during combat, Chiba Genichi had used this method of bodily stimulation to integrate his own combat system, eventually recreating the Lightning Release: Chidori, Chidori Blade, and Chidori Current from the original series.

The ninjutsu he had already mastered included:

Wind Release: Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, Wind Release: Vacuum Blade, Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique.

Lightning Release: Lightning Release: Lightning Shadow Clone, Lightning Release: Flash Lightning Arrow, Lightning Release: Chidori, Chidori Blade, Chidori Current.

Genjutsu: Demonic Illusion: Mirror Heaven and Earth Change, Haze Clone Technique (D-rank, short-range auxiliary), Fox-Head-Hunting Technique (C-rank, long-to-mid-range auxiliary), Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique (C-rank, long-to-short-range auxiliary), Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Death (B-rank, short-range auxiliary).

Sealing Jutsu: Contract Seal, Four-Symbols Seal, Five Elements Seal, Evil Sealing Method.

In addition to these, he knew the classic Three Basic Jutsu, the Body Flicker Technique, the Body Freeze Technique, the Rasengan, and the Shadow Clone Technique.

Arriving outside the training ground, Chiba Genichi saw the Third Hokage had already been waiting for some time, but he did not rush over.

Nawaki's failure was still fresh in his mind; preparing the battlefield in advance was a vital part of a ninja's combat. Chiba Genichi carefully observed the environment within the training ground.

The experienced Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Chiba Genichi, who had stopped outside to observe, with a silent expression. He sighed and said, "Not bad. Being cautious is a good thing, but today is about testing your strength. Come in, there are no traps."

"Don't worry about an old man like me. Let me see you at your full potential," Sarutobi Hiruzen added.

The two performed the Sign of Confrontation.

Chiba Genichi flicked his right hand, scattering most of the shuriken from his ninja tool pouch into the air. He immediately formed hand seals—Dog-Horse-Rooster—and unleashed the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. The gale carried the sharp shuriken straight toward the Third Hokage.

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained unhurried. He simply said, "Not bad," and formed seals. An earthen wall rose between them, effortlessly blocking Chiba Genichi's attack.

Without a moment's pause, a Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique surged over the wall, crashing toward Chiba Genichi's position.

Chiba Genichi, who had been observing the battlefield while launching his probe, used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge the moment he saw the water dragon. Simultaneously, he formed seals to use the less easily detected Shadow Clone Technique, creating a clone so that the two of them could flank the earthen wall from the left and right.

Watching the two Chiba Genichis approach from different directions, Sarutobi Hiruzen did not rush. It was only when they were nearly upon him that he used the Earth Release: Earth Flow River, turning the solid ground into mud and forcing Chiba Genichi to retreat.

Suddenly, the Sarutobi Hiruzen before him transformed into white smoke and vanished. A hand grabbed Chiba Genichi's left foot and yanked him downward.

"Looks like you chose the shadow clone," Sarutobi Hiruzen said casually as he returned to the surface.

The Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique was a jutsu with controllable lethality that could render an opponent helpless once it landed, making it perfect for a teaching match. Chiba Genichi had been guarding against attacks from beneath his feet all along.

Taking advantage of this moment, Chiba Genichi stabilized his center of gravity, halted his Chidori Current seals, and switched to the Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique.

Seeing the wind blades rapidly approaching through the air, Sarutobi Hiruzen quickly formed seals and exhaled a stream of fire from his mouth. The two ninjutsu collided in mid-air and vanished, settling into calm—it was the Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique.

"That's enough," Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction. "Your use of ninjutsu and your battlefield adaptability are both quite good. Next, let's test your taijutsu—or more accurately, your close-quarters combat. Bring out whatever methods you have."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen used the Summoning Technique to call forth Enma, who transformed into the Adamantine Staff.

Hearing this, Chiba Genichi slowly drew the long sword at his waist and used lightning release to stimulate his entire body.

Enma was a monkey with a body as hard as diamond. In the original work, even more than a decade later, the Third Hokage could still use the Adamantine Staff to push the Nine-Tails out of the center of the village.

There was no chance of winning in a head-on collision; he could only seek an opportunity through speed.

As he utilized the Chidori Blade, pale purple lightning circled the blade. The Wind Release: Vacuum Blade was insufficient to break through Enma's defense, so it was clear that the paralyzing effect of the lightning would be more practical in this fight.

His probing slashes and thrusts were blocked by the Third Hokage with effortless ease. The lightning release did not have the intended effect; the Third Hokage seemed to have condensed a layer of earth-attribute chakra onto the staff.

Finally, during another collision, a massive force traveled from the blade to the web of his thumb. His entire arm went numb, and the Kusanagi Sword was knocked from his hand. At that very instant, Chiba Genichi seized the opportunity to press the Contract Seal he had prepared in his left hand onto the Adamantine Staff that Enma had become.

"There, now neither of us has a weapon," Chiba Genichi said. If he couldn't shatter the target directly, a katana was at a massive disadvantage against a heavy staff.

In the rapidly changing pace of close-quarters combat, most ninjutsu were difficult to cast due to the need for hand seals, often imposing significant limitations.

However, this did not include the seal-less A-rank ninjutsu—the Rasengan.

"Take this! This is my true offensive path."

The Third Hokage, struck by the Rasengan, transformed into a puff of white smoke.

Chiba Genichi's pupils constricted: "A shadow clone? When?"

Immediately after, the Third Hokage appeared at his side, gently placing a kunai against Chiba Genichi's shoulder. He smiled and said, "You performed very well, Genichi. Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?"

Feeling the dwindling chakra in his body and his stamina gradually slipping away—clearly insufficient to sustain another high-intensity battle—Chiba Genichi suddenly said with a serious expression, "A ninja's battle is a battle of intelligence. If one can grasp an opponent's weakness, winning against a stronger foe is not impossible.

"Lord Hokage, is there anyone else around us?"

"You still have a trump card?" Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen became serious as well. He crouched down and touched the ground with two fingers—this was the chakra sensing technique of the Second Hokage.

"Rest assured, this training ground is very remote. There are only the two of us nearby. Do you still have energy left?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, feeling that Chiba Genichi's chakra was already nearly exhausted.

"This S-rank forbidden jutsu must never be known by others. Do not blame me for being underhanded; a ninja's battle knows no bounds."

Chiba Genichi recalled the Child of Prophecy's understanding of the Transformation Technique and slowly formed the hand seals: Tiger-Rabbit-Dragon-Snake.

He had successfully passed the assessment.

Today's battle ended in the defeat of Sarutobi Hiruzen.