Real Men Fight One-on-One, Fist Against Fist!

"Fifteen people? It seems the new generation of ninjas from each village is quite outstanding."

At the Konoha Chunin Selection Exam arena, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked down from his high vantage point at the fifteen genin gathered in the center, hailing from Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure.

Representatives from other villages, however, curled their lips in disdain. The Sunagakure delegation, in particular, felt that Konoha was merely flexing its muscles to intimidate them, hoping to gain the upper hand in the upcoming armistice negotiations. They even suspected Konoha had sent elite chunin disguised as genin to achieve this!

The massive circular arena shimmered under the midday sun, resembling a colossal gladiator pit.

The stands were a cacophony of noise; the cheers of Konoha villagers, the hushed whispers of foreign delegations, and the scrutinizing gazes of ninjas intertwined to form a scorching wave of heat.

After two rounds of brutal screening, the fifteen who remained were truly the elite of the elite among the four great ninja villages.

Konoha held an absolute advantage:

Nara Shikaku scanned his opponents with lazy eyes that hid sharp glints of intellect. Yamanaka Inoichi wore a focused expression, as if communicating silently with someone, while Akimichi Choza's massive frame stood like a boulder, radiating a sense of immense power.

Namikaze Minato stood calmly, his golden hair shining like molten gold in the sunlight. Uzumaki Kushina, like a blazing flame, possessed a massive, almost visible aura of chakra; she was currently rubbing her hands together in excitement. Akimichi Yoshimaru smiled shyly, though beneath his honest appearance, he seemed to hide infinite strength.

Shirokumo Hayama kept his long sword slung diagonally across his back, his eyes as sharp and piercing as a hawk's. Yakushi Nonou pushed up her thick spectacles, her gaze coolly analyzing every potential opponent—including, but not limited to, the teammate standing on her other side: Uzumaki Qi Luna, whose chakra reserves were as deep as an abyss and as torrential as a waterfall, her strength unfathomable.

Qi Luna watched the arena calmly, clearly sensing the tension, the battle intent, and the blatant killing intent directed toward Konoha permeating the air.

The drawing of lots ended quickly. Once the results were announced, all but the two combatants for the first match retreated to their respective waiting rooms.

The first match pitted Namikaze Minato against a genin from Iwagakure.

At the command of the proctor, Inuzuka Gaku, both sides moved instantly.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

The Iwagakure genin performed hand seals rapidly, preparing to raise his prized defensive wall directly in front of him. But before the wall was even halfway up, a flash of gold appeared behind him.

Namikaze Minato appeared as if he had teleported, his sharp, cold kunai resting lightly against his opponent's neck.

"Winner, Konoha's Namikaze Minato!"

Inuzuka Gaku's voice was crisp and decisive.

Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands. The name of Namikaze Minato rang out across Konoha for the first time, etching itself into the minds of the delegates from every village.

Fast, too fast! He's already this fast without even having learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. I can't imagine how fast he'll be in the future. No wonder he'll eventually be classified by the major villages as someone you can abandon a mission to avoid without penalty! Qi Luna thought to herself as she watched Minato finish the fight so quickly.

"Will the candidates for the second match please proceed to the arena immediately. Any contestant who fails to arrive within ten minutes will be considered to have forfeited."

As Inuzuka Gaku's voice rang out again, Namikaze Minato and the defeated Iwagakure genin quickly left the arena, returning to their respective village waiting rooms.

As they departed, the combatants for the second match jumped from their waiting room windows almost simultaneously, appearing in the center of the arena via Body Flicker.

"Second match, Kumogakure's Ayani versus Konoha's Uzumaki Kushina. Begin!"

"Lightning Style: Swift Thunder Arrow!"

The Kumogakure ninja didn't bother with formalities, launching several white lightning arrows at Kushina with a zero-frame start.

"Don't look down on me!"

Facing Ayani's attack, Kushina let out a clear, angry shout. Her massive, near-tangible chakra exploded outward, creating a shockwave that shattered the lightning arrows instantly!

"That is indeed a spectacular amount of chakra, but you won't have another chance!"

"Lightning Style Chakra Mode! Raiton: Raido Ninyu Sutori-to!"

Wrapped in thunder, Ayani used the Body Flicker technique to charge at Kushina, swinging a heavy fist toward her!

Kushina looked stunned by the sudden onslaught, but as Ayani drew close, a mocking smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"You fell for it, ya know! Idiot!"

"Ninja Art: Adamantine Sealing Chains!"

Several brilliant golden chains, like living dragons, ignored the opponent's momentum and shattered Ayani's right arm, then precisely coiled, tightened, and sealed him, binding him firmly in the air half a foot above the ground.

"Winner, Konoha's Uzumaki Kushina!"

As soon as Inuzuka Gaku finished speaking, the audience erupted into another round of thunderous applause!

Next, the third match: Akimichi Yoshimaru versus Iwagakure's Ishigaki.

"Ninja Art: Partial Multi-Size Technique! Palm Thrust!"

"Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!"

This was a confrontation of force against force, a battle of fist against palm!

Neither side hesitated from the start, opting for a pure exchange of absolute power. Every collision caused the very air to tremble!

In the end, Yoshimaru seized a moment when Ishigaki's old strength had faded and his new strength had yet to rise. His enlarged palm, carrying immense impact, slammed Ishigaki into the wall, knocking him unconscious.

"Winner, Akimichi Yoshimaru!"

In the fourth match, Shirokumo Hayama faced a "battery-type" Lightning Style ninja from Kumogakure, using exquisite swordsmanship and Wind Style—which countered Lightning—to deliver a textbook-style crushing victory!

In the fifth match, Yakushi Nonou faced the final Iwagakure ninja. Using the smoke from an explosive tag kunai to mask her movements, she used a Chakra Scalpel to quickly sever the ninja's vital muscle connection points, causing him to lose control of his limbs and collapse to the ground.

In the sixth match, Qi Luna faced the final Kumogakure genin: a boy carrying four jagged swords and wearing black sunglasses, named Kiraru!

"Moro hara no baka yarou~ Raimyo o kono yaro~ yo~ baka yarou~ kono yarou~"

(Fool of Konoha, thunder shall shatter you, fool you jerk~ that's roughly the meaning, I haven't studied Japanese, so just make do with it.)

"Kiraru, is it? I think you might just become the next 'Bee' in the future!"

Facing an important character who would appear in the original work, Qi Luna didn't take his provocation to heart. Instead, she offered a rare compliment to Kiraru, despite him being her opponent and enemy.

"Oh~ moruharanogagidomo~ sonaranaewa urushiganadesuyo~ bakayaro~ konoyaro~"

(Little brat of Konoha, I won't be happy even if you say that, fool you jerk!)

"That's enough idle chatter from both sides. Kumogakure's Kiraru versus Konoha's Uzumaki Qi Luna—begin!"

As the proctor Inuzuka Gaku's voice fell, the previously calm atmosphere instantly turned tense and bristling with hostility!

Supplementary note:

Inuzuka Gaku's age is roughly equivalent to Fugaku's; in this timeline, he is around twenty years old. His strength is likely that of a Special Jōnin, which should be more than enough to serve as a proctor for the Chūnin Exams.

As for Killer Bee, his age is likely similar to Minato and the others, but I have never been able to find specific data on when he formed a duo with "Ai" or when he became a Jinchūriki. Judging from the anime, Killer Bee became "Bee" before he became a ninja, and he became a Jinchūriki just as he was about to become a ninja.

However, I am taking some creative liberties here: I'll have him become a ninja first, then become "Bee," and finally become a Jinchūriki.