The Field Exercise Ends

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!..."

In the forest, Sasuke and Asuma were still locked in fierce combat. Both had gotten fired up, and Sasuke held a kunai in reverse grip as he clashed hard against Asuma's Flying Swallow.

Sparks flashed in the air, leaving the four lurking nearby dumbfounded.

They knew Sasuke and Naruto had been undergoing intensive training with Lu Yu and Tenten, but they had never imagined the results would be so terrifying.

A freshly graduated Genin could actually fight an elite ninja in hand-to-hand combat without falling behind. That was just ridiculous.

"I'm starting to regret turning down my big brother when he asked me to train."

Sakura gazed at Sasuke with shining eyes. Hearing Shikamaru, she asked in confusion:

"Are you saying Sasuke learned all this from your brother, Lu Yu?"

Shikamaru nodded. Sakura fell into thought. She couldn't understand how that lazy Top Student could be so skilled.

In Sakura's eyes, Lu Yu had managed to remain Top Student year after year mostly because Sasuke wasn't interested in the title.

After all, Sakura felt that even if Lu Yu came here, he might not be able to perform as well as Sasuke, let alone teach someone else.

The three of them could tell what Sakura was thinking, but as veteran slackers, they couldn't be bothered to explain all that to her.

On the field, Sasuke grew more and more excited. He hadn't had such a satisfying fight in ages.

He had crossed hands with Lu Yu a few times before, but what fun was there in getting beaten up outright?

As for Naruto, that guy always wore him down with clones. Fighting him never felt like much of a fight.

This battle was completely different. It was so intense that Sasuke could feel his whole body trembling with excitement.

Even he hadn't expected to have reached this level of strength.

To be honest, a month ago, Lu Yu had nearly driven him into a slump. No matter how hard he and Naruto tried, they couldn't make Lu Yu take them seriously even once.

Lu Yu felt like an insurmountable mountain. Every time they climbed one peak, thinking they were getting closer to the summit, they would sadly discover that it was still far away.

But it was precisely because Sasuke had sparred with Lu Yu for so long that his combat instincts and adaptability had become frighteningly sharp.

Asuma could feel the difference most clearly. At first, Sasuke had struggled to keep up with his movements.

But as the fight went on, the boy became increasingly difficult to deal with.

By now, it was as if Sasuke had become a completely different person. He had read every one of Asuma's attack trajectories and anticipated his next move.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a voice rang out from the distance.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Naruto had arrived. As the white smoke cleared, hundreds of Shadow Clones charged straight at Asuma.

Naruto's arrival tipped what had been a balanced fight decisively in Sasuke's favor.

"Clang!"

Seeing Naruto come to his aid, Sasuke's eyes flashed. He swung his kunai hard at Asuma.

The attack was powerful and terrifyingly fast. Its main purpose wasn't to deal damage, but to force Asuma back. Once they pushed him away, they would have countless follow-up moves.

But the experienced Asuma didn't take the bait. He gripped his Flying Swallow tightly in his right hand and blocked Sasuke's strike, while raising his left arm to stop Naruto's kick from above.

"Heh, that's a good attack, but—"

Before Asuma could finish speaking, he suddenly noticed a huge shadow rushing toward him.

"Human Bullet Tank!"

Seeing Choji's attack, Asuma swept both arms out with all his strength, forcing the two boys back. Then he pushed off the ground and quickly retreated.

"Now's our chance!"

Hidden nearby, Shikamaru's eyes flashed. He rapidly formed Hand Seals.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"

Shikamaru's shadow shot toward the spot where Asuma was about to land.

The terrain had been deliberately altered, making Shikamaru's shadow easy to overlook. The instant Asuma touched down, his expression changed dramatically.

Shikamaru's lips curled slightly.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu, success!"

At the same time, Ino was already prepared.

"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

Sakura carefully supported Ino as she watched Asuma struggle briefly, then roll his eyes back and lose consciousness.

Naruto and Sasuke, who had been ready for this, quickly reached Asuma and easily took the bells.

Clap, clap, clap...

The sound of applause rang out. The six of them stiffened, then looked up in shock at Lu Yu, who had appeared in a tree without them noticing.

Lu Yu smiled warmly at them and said:

"Very good, very good. You did better than I expected. As a reward, I'll treat you to barbecue next time."

At Lu Yu's words, everyone except Sakura grew excited. They slapped each other's hands in celebration.

"Long live the boss! Hahaha..."

Meanwhile, once Ino saw they had the bells, she released her Mind Transfer Jutsu.

When Asuma came to, he saw that the bells were gone. Looking at the youngsters celebrating, he said cheerfully:

"I declare you the winners of the first field exercise. To the Barbecue Restaurant—let's go!"