The Ninja Academy's training ground was packed with people. Students gazed at the geniuses on the arena with envy and admiration, parents were full of anticipation, and excitement was written across the faces of Konoha's villagers. The nobles carried themselves with lofty airs, while the heads of the major ninja clans wore solemn expressions, their gazes filled with scrutiny and assessment. They had all gathered to witness the first Ninja Academy graduation ranking battle.
After three brutal rounds of testing, only the final thirty elites remained of the 1,265 students. Now, the ranking battle had reached its most crucial stage: a series of one-on-one elimination matches. This was not merely a contest of strength, but a competition for glory and dreams, for the top six students would have the honor of becoming the Hokage's disciples and joining Konoha's upper ranks.
On arena number one, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hidemune Hatake stood facing each other.
Hiruzen stood tall, confidence and resolve in his eyes. A genius proficient in all five elemental releases, he radiated a powerful aura of complete control.
Hidemune held a short blade, his white ninja outfit and white cloak fluttering in the wind. Proficient in the Wind and Lightning Ninja Sword Technique, he seemed to be surrounded by the invisible power of wind and lightning, overbearing, sharp, and dangerous.
The battle was about to erupt, and Hidemune struck first. Moving like lightning, he closed in on Hiruzen in an instant, his long blade sweeping toward Hiruzen's neck amid the howling of wind and lightning. Before the blade arrived, the wind struck first, a sharp wind blade leaving a shallow bloody cut across Hiruzen's cheek.
A gasp rose from the stands. "So fast! That wind blade is incredible!"
Hiruzen jumped in surprise, but though startled, he remained calm. He turned slightly to the side, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. At the same time, his hands rapidly formed seals, and he shouted, "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" A thick earthen wall rose from the ground in front of him. Hidemune's blade struck the wall, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Hmph, a petty trick!" Hidemune snorted. He tapped his feet against the ground and used the recoil to leap high into the air. His long blade danced, sending countless blades of wind and lightning flying from it. Like a raging storm of wind and thunder, they sliced the earthen wall to pieces in an instant.
A glint flashed in Hiruzen's eyes. His hands swiftly formed seals again. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" An enormous water dragon shot from his mouth and lunged at Hidemune, baring its fangs and claws. It left a deep trail of water on the ground wherever it passed.
Unable to propel himself while airborne, Hidemune showed no fear of the water dragon charging at him. He pushed the Wind and Lightning Ninja Sword Technique to its limits, spinning rapidly around his blade to form a powerful tornado that swept the dragon inside. The water dragon struggled and twisted in the tornado before wind blades sliced it into countless droplets that scattered across the ground.
The spectators below stared in astonishment, exclamations rising all around. "Those two are incredible! The way they switch between attack and defense is impossible to follow!" "Yeah, they really are the Ninja Academy's elites! If you didn't know better, you'd think it was some Elite Jonin fighting up there."
Seeing his Water Release broken, Hiruzen did not pause for an instant. His hands formed seals in quick succession, unleashing Fire Style, Lightning Release, and Wind Release Ninjutsu one after another. Fire and lightning intertwined, and wind fanned the flames. For a moment, flames soared over the arena, lightning flashed, and fierce winds howled. Under the assault of the three powerful releases, Hidemune gradually began to struggle to hold his ground.
Surely that attack was at the level of a clan head! Exclamations rang out endlessly from the stands.
I can't let this go on! Hidemune thought. He took a deep breath and gathered all the Chakra in his body into his blade, then drove it into the ground and shouted, "S-rank ultimate technique, Wind and Lightning Ninja Sword Technique: Gale Lightning Prison Slash!" A powerful current of air spread outward from the blade, tearing apart the ground and sending dust flying wherever it reached.
Hiruzen sensed the tremendous power, and his expression changed slightly. He quickly gathered the Chakra of all five elements into an enormous sphere and threw it at Hidemune. "S-rank ultimate technique, Five Elements Release: Five Dragon Whirlwind Bullet!"
The Five Dragon Whirlwind Bullet and Gale Lightning Prison Slash met in midair. The immense force of their collision made the protective barrier around the arena hum and tremble. When the light faded, Hiruzen and Hidemune were both down on one knee, gasping for breath.
"It looks like the match has been decided." Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet. Though he looked somewhat battered, his gaze remained resolute, and he clearly still had strength to spare.
Hidemune stood as well. He looked at Hiruzen, then shook his head with a pale face and a bitter smile. "You won. I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."
Thunderous applause and cheers broke out throughout the stands. The spectators had been won over by the spectacular battle. That attack power definitely reached the level of a clan head, didn't it? In the end, Hiruzen narrowly defeated Hidemune and advanced to the next round.
Over at arena number two, Torifu Akimichi and Nozomi Sato had already taken their stances. Torifu was a burly genius of the Akimichi Clan, proficient in the Secret Multi-Size Technique and radiating a powerful sense of strength. Nozomi was petite, with lively eyes. She specialized in Earth Release and possessed a natural, unique control over the earth element.
The battle began, and Nozomi rapidly formed seals. "Earth Release: Rock Prison Technique!" The ground beneath Torifu surged upward, instantly forming an enormous rock prison that trapped him inside.
"Hmph, you think this can hold me?" Torifu snorted. He clenched his fists, and the Chakra in his body surged rapidly. His body swelled until he was like a giant, easily bursting the rock prison apart.
"Is that the power of the Secret Multi-Size Technique? That's incredible!" the spectators exclaimed at the sight of Torifu's enormous body.
Nozomi's expression changed slightly. She had not expected Torifu to be so strong. But she did not panic, forming seals again. "Earth Release: Earth Spear!" A thick layer of rock armor wrapped around her body, while a sharp, long rock spear formed in her hand.
Torifu charged toward Nozomi in great strides, each step making the ground tremble. He raised a massive fist and smashed it down at her. Nozomi flashed aside, easily avoiding the attack, then thrust her rock spear at his leg.
Clang! The rock spear struck Torifu's leg with the sound of metal colliding. Empowered by the Secret Multi-Size Technique, his skin had become incredibly hard. Nozomi's attack was nothing more than a tickle to him.
"It's my turn to attack!" Torifu roared, swinging his massive fists at Nozomi in a furious assault. Under his attacks, she could only keep dodging.
This can't go on, Nozomi thought anxiously. As she dodged Torifu's attacks, she searched for an opening. At last, she discovered that when he attacked, the area beneath his crotch was the weakest point in his defense.
Nozomi seized the moment and quickly formed seals. "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!" An enormous earth dragon burst from the ground and charged at the vital area beneath Torifu's crotch.
Torifu spotted the earth dragon coming, but it was too late to dodge. He chose to take the attack head-on, blocking it with his arm. The tremendous impact drove him back several steps.
"An opening!" Nozomi seized the chance to rush forward, thrusting her rock spear at Torifu's chest.
Torifu looked at the incoming spear, a cold smile appearing on his lips. He suddenly reached out with his enormous hand, seized the spear, and crushed it to pieces.
"What?" Nozomi stared at Torifu in terror.
"It's over!" Torifu roared. He leaped high into the air, then came crashing down on Nozomi. She had no time to dodge and was pinned beneath him.
"Torifu Akimichi wins!" the referee announced. Thunderous applause rose from below the arena. Torifu had overcome technique with strength, defeating Nozomi.