Taijutsu Ranking Battle

The taijutsu ranking battle in the phase test used the simplest and most direct format: elimination brackets.

Winners earned high scores, while losers continued to be ranked based on their performance.

There were no fancy rules. Even the arena was nothing more than a circle marked by a white line in the middle of the training ground. Yet precisely because of that, all the students were more excited than they had been for the previous events.

Because this was the event that most clearly showed who was better.

Once the drawing results were announced, there were few surprises in the first few rounds. Kiba, Ino, Sasuke, and Ling all advanced steadily. Although Hinata faced an opponent better than her at aggressive attacks, she still earned a good score through careful defense.

What truly began to heat up the atmosphere was the second round.

Ling drew Shino Aburame as his opponent.

This boy usually spoke little and did not have much presence, but people like that were easily overlooked. Ling had noticed him long ago. His movements were not fast, but they were steady, and whenever he looked at someone, there was always a calm, observant quality in his gaze.

"Begin."

As Iruka's shout fell, neither of them rushed in immediately.

Shino's first move was a probe.

He pressed forward step by step, keeping both hands close, as if waiting for Ling to reveal his habits first. Ling lowered his center of gravity, his gaze fixed on the subtle changes in his opponent's shoulders, elbows, and footing.

It was a rare match where neither side was in a hurry.

The watching students found it somewhat baffling, but Shikamaru opened his eyes instead.

He could tell that Shino was waiting for Ling to close the distance with one of those short bursts of speed, while Ling was waiting for Shino to reveal his true rhythm first.

At last, Shino changed first.

He stepped forward, feinted with his right hand, but his left foot suddenly cut in at an angle. This was clearly not an ordinary straight-line attack; he wanted to seize position from the side. It was a sharp read. Against an average child, it would have been easy to force them into retreating head-on.

Ling did not retreat.

The instant Shino's shoulder turned slightly, he had already seen the path. He shifted half a step sideways with the motion, causing Shino's positioning attempt to miss, then pressed his arm in and directly turned that probe into a close-range exchange.

Smack!

They separated after only a brief clash.

A noticeable change appeared in Shino's eyes.

This was not a matter of overpowering him. Ling's judgment had simply been faster.

Their second exchange came even more quickly. Shino tried to use consecutive changes in direction to delay Ling's initial reaction, but Ling still did not lose his composure. He defused each move with the most economical motions, only suddenly pressing forward once Shino revealed his true center of gravity.

Compressed chakra flashed briefly through his legs.

The burst was not large, but it was enough to bring him close in a single breath.

Shino reacted quickly, but he was still forced back half a step. Ling seized the chance, driving a clean elbow strike into his chest to control the distance. His other hand locked Shino's wrist in the same motion, forcing him to the edge of the white line.

The outcome had been decided.

Shino did not keep struggling. He withdrew on his own.

"I lost."

His decisiveness left quite a few people at the side of the field stunned.

Ling did not press the attack either. He merely nodded.

"You're faster than I thought," Shino said calmly.

"You're steadier than a lot of people."

They did not exchange many words, but it was enough for Iruka to give them both very high evaluations on the record board.

The third round soon began, and Kiba's opponent was another top-ranked student. He fought far more fiercely than usual, as if venting all the pent-up drive from the previous matches, and ultimately forced his way to victory.

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

He still fought in that crisp, sharp, no-nonsense style. He gave his opponent almost no opportunity to mount a real counterattack and directly claimed a high score.

By the end, the list of students at the forefront of the taijutsu ranking battle had become very clear.

Sasuke.

Ling.

Kiba.

Ino.

And several students who were steady but lacked explosive power.

"It still feels like it'll come down to those two competing in the end." Kiba crossed his arms, looking displeased.

"Aren't you still in the running too?" Ino deliberately teased him.

"Of course I am." Kiba snorted. "But isn't that what you're thinking too?"

Ino did not argue.

Because everyone could see it. The real battle for first place in this phase test increasingly seemed to be a contest between Sasuke and Ling.

Before leaving that evening, Iruka called Ling over to the side of the field alone.

"You handled that match against Shino well today."

Ling looked up at him.

"Not because you won," Iruka said. "It's because you didn't let him drag you into his rhythm. You knew when to wait and when to strike."

Compared to the child who once only knew how to charge forward through abnormal bursts of power, this was entirely different.

Ling was silent for a moment before saying calmly, "I don't want to have to win by paying a greater price every time."

Iruka looked at him, and a complicated emotion flashed through his eyes.

That answer was far more valuable than simply wanting to become stronger.

Because it meant that Ling had begun to actively consider how to make his strength sustainable.

And that was the foundation needed to go far.