Fire Release Scoring

The day after the chakra control assessment ended, the stage tests moved on to the item that students from ninja clans cared about most.

Attribute awakening and Fire Release scoring.

Strictly speaking, children at this stage could not yet be said to have mastered complete ninjutsu. The test was more about whether they could steadily combine chakra with fire-nature transformation and carry out a controlled release within a limited range.

But for the Uchiha Clan, it still carried great significance.

Because Fire Release was not merely a technique. It was more like a pride written into the clan's bloodline.

There were two more teachers at the training ground today than usual, both responsible for recording results. Even the wooden targets had been replaced with thicker boards that were more resistant to burning. A faint scent of scorched wood lingered in the air; clearly, several groups had already tried before them.

Iruka did not say much, emphasizing only one thing. "Stability comes first. Don't get reckless just for power."

He said it to everyone.

And to Ling as well.

When it was Sasuke's turn, the sidelines naturally fell silent once more.

He formed hand seals more smoothly than last time, his breathing astonishingly steady. The next moment, a more condensed mass of flame burst from his mouth and struck the center of the wooden target with precision. The heat spread evenly, without the slightest sign of losing control.

The teacher recording the results nodded immediately.

"The flames are stable. High completion."

A wave of low exclamations rose from the watching students.

After withdrawing his technique, Sasuke showed no pride. He merely swept his gaze toward where Ling stood, as though silently waiting to see what answer his opponent would produce.

When Ling stepped onto the field, he did not feel at ease.

Fire Release was currently the technique most likely to clash with his compression talent. If he released it entirely by the normal method, he could keep it stable with ease. But if that instinctive compression within him interfered even slightly, the flames could instantly surge in power—and their stability would collapse along with it.

So this time, he did not seek power. Only precision.

Hand seals.

Inhale.

Chakra pushed up through his throat.

The instant that familiar sensation of collapse began to rise, Ling deliberately eased half a fraction of the output outward. He stabilized the fire-nature transformation first, then released it slowly.

The moment the flames took shape, quite a few people at the sidelines widened their eyes.

They did not surge explosively as they had last time. Instead, they possessed an unusually solid, concentrated quality. The flames were a deeper shade, their range exquisitely controlled and their landing point precise enough. A neat ring of scorch marks instantly appeared on the surface of the thick wooden board.

Most importantly, nothing went out of control.

From beginning to end, everything had been so steady that it was practically textbook-perfect.

"Not bad." The recording teacher studied the marks on the board, his expression turning more serious. "The power and stability are balanced very well."

Iruka understood better than anyone else what this "very well" meant.

It meant that Ling was not only forcibly suppressing the side effects of his talent, but had already learned how to guide them toward a positive use.

He had not allowed the flames to expand excessively, yet he had still maintained a higher heat density than ordinary children his age.

That was the most terrifying part.

"Teacher, who scored higher?" Kiba could not help asking from the side.

The recording teacher flipped through the score sheet before finally giving his answer. "Sasuke and Ling are currently tied for first."

A commotion immediately broke out around the field.

Many had assumed Sasuke would dominate this event without question. No one had expected Ling to catch up and match his score.

Standing among the crowd, Ino's lips curled upward unconsciously. She had noticed that lately, whenever she saw Ling shatter others' expectations, she instinctively felt happy.

But Sasuke stood where he was, and his gaze grew noticeably colder.

Tied.

Those two words felt even worse than losing by a little.

Because they meant his opponent had begun to catch up to him in the area he excelled at most—and took the greatest pride in.

During the lunch break, Kiba unusually did not mess around with the others. Instead, he stared blankly at his lunchbox.

"Feeling discouraged?" Ino asked.

"No." Kiba curled his lip. "I just suddenly feel like those two Uchiha guys are both really annoying."

Ino laughed. "Is that your way of complimenting them?"

"It isn't."

She did not tease him further. Instead, she turned to look at Ling by the window. He was eating quietly, his expression calm, as though he had not been the one who had tied for first that morning.

Ino rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment before suddenly getting up and sitting beside him.

"You could've made your Fire Release a lot fiercer, right?"

Ling's hand paused slightly. "Why do you say that?"

"Instinct." Ino blinked. "Every time you win impressively, you actually become quieter. That means you know you haven't shown all your cards yet."

Ling looked at her for two seconds, neither admitting nor denying it.

Yet Ino seemed to understand something and smiled softly.

"This is getting more and more interesting."

The afternoon breeze carried warmth as it drifted through the classroom.

Ling looked out the window, but in his mind, he was recalculating the total scores.

He had pulled ahead a little in the written test.

He was tied in control and Fire Release.

All that remained were taijutsu sparring and comprehensive combat.

The events that would truly determine who took first place were about to begin.