The atmosphere at the training ground reached a fever pitch. Heads crowded the stands, and even the corridors were packed with students standing on tiptoe to watch. Anticipation hung in the air, almost ready to explode. Today was the final day of the end-of-term tournament, and the two boys facing each other in the arena were already legends known to everyone at the Ninja Academy.
For the first time since the Ninja Academy's founding, two third-year prodigies had met in this tournament spanning every year group, with no divisions.
"Shinji Uchiha versus Minato Namikaze!"
The teacher refereeing the match sounded barely able to contain his excitement. The sidelines instantly fell silent, every gaze drawn like a magnet and fixed firmly on the arena.
Minato Namikaze stood on the eastern side, his short blond hair gleaming like flecks of gold in the sunlight. He wore his signature clean blue training outfit, his expression as focused and calm as ever. Yet deep in his clear blue eyes was a rare gravity, greater than usual, as he carefully examined every tiny sign his opponent gave.
Shinji Uchiha stood on the western side, his short black hair neatly swept back to reveal his forehead. Rather than the Uchiha clan uniform, he wore a simple, practical dark gray training outfit, with an unsharpened training short sword hanging casually at his waist. His stance looked relaxed, and a faint smile lingered on his lips. But deep in his black eyes gleamed a cold sharpness, like a hawk locking onto its prey.
Finally, the final boss fight? Wait, wouldn't I be the "boss" with system cheats? Shinji Uchiha made his usual inward wisecrack, while outwardly remaining completely unruffled. "Finally our turn, Minato. The warm-up matches are over at last."
He even swung his arms around theatrically-only heaven