Sarutobi Sanaru moved across the training ground like a phantom, his relaxed, unhurried steps masking absolute control as he played with two of Konoha’s top graduates.
One had already fallen into a genjutsu, grinning foolishly at a wooden post.
The other was completely suppressed by Earth Release, trapped in a narrow space and unable to unleash her Fire Release at all.
Now, only Kazama Ryū remained.
Pressure poured in from every direction, heavy and suffocating.
Sanaru’s once-gentle gaze sharpened into something hawk-like, locking firmly onto him.
“Top graduate,” he said calmly.
“Let me see what kind of skill you have—the one Hokage-sama praises so highly.” Ryū didn’t answer.
Instead, he activated his maxed-out Body Flicker Technique, his figure streaking through the forest at extreme speed, leaving overlapping afterimages in his wake.
Snatch the bells head-on?
He dismissed the thought instantly.
The man before him was a true elite jōnin—someone who had walked back alive from hellish battlefields of blood and fire.
His Earth Release flowed effortlessly, and his grasp of battlefield rhythm was flawless.
Against him, Ryū felt like a child swinging fists at a world-class boxer—utterly powerless.
His mind, however, remained calm, spinning at full speed.
He wasn’t searching for weaknesses; Sanaru had revealed none.
He was observing—studying Sanaru’s habits, his choice of techniques, and the intent hidden beneath that seemingly casual demeanor.
From the very beginning, this test had never been about raw strength.
If it were, there would have been no need for a team.
A one-on-one fight would have sufficed.
“Earth Release: Earth Spear!” Sanaru’s voice drifted over calmly.
Sharp earthen spikes erupted from the ground where Ryū had just landed.
Ryū didn’t even look back.
His body reacted on instinct, flashing away again with the Body Flicker Technique.
Evade.
Reposition.
Observe.
He was buying time—and waiting.
Mid-movement, his gaze swept toward Uchiha Naion, trapped within the earthen enclosure.
The girl’s black eyes, usually brimming with arrogance, were now filled with frustration and anxiety.
She repeatedly launched Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu, but the flames only scorched the surface before the chakra-infused wall regenerated.
More than two years of sparring—hundreds of bouts—had forged a silent understanding between them.
Ryū’s gaze was calm as still water.
As he passed, he lightly tapped his right index finger against his side three times.
A signal born of training.
Abandon defense.
Use your strongest technique.
Attack the position I designate—at full power.
Naion froze for an instant, then understood.
The anger clouding her thoughts vanished at once.
This guy… what insane plan is he pulling now?
She didn’t hesitate.
Drawing in a deep breath, she completed a complex sequence of hand seals at terrifying speed.
“Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!” A massive flame dragon erupted from her mouth—larger, denser, and more ferocious than any she had produced before.
But its target wasn’t Sanaru.
It was the seemingly indestructible earth wall in front of her.
“Oh?” Sanaru watched with interest, a faintly amused smile on his face.
“A cornered beast’s struggle?” He made no move to stop her.
“BOOM—!” The blazing dragon smashed into the earth wall.
Contrary to expectations, the wall didn’t collapse.
Instead, the flames clung to it, heating it instantly until the entire structure glowed red-hot.
The air warped violently under the intense heat.
Now!
At the precise instant the flames peaked and the heatwave surged— Ryū appeared behind the glowing wall like a ghost.
His hands flew through seals, leaving only afterimages.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
He poured nearly ninety percent of his chakra into the maxed-out C-rank technique.
The gale surged straight into the still-burning fire dragon.
Wind fed the flames.
In that instant, it was as though a violent reaction detonated.
The fire was compressed, catalyzed, then exploded outward—its crimson hue transforming into a blinding golden-white.
A devastating lava-like storm was born.
“RUMBLE—!!!” With a thunderous roar, the earth wall—strong enough to restrain even elite jōnin—was torn apart like paper.
Fire and debris blasted outward, filling the sky with dust and shockwaves.
“Not bad.” A flicker of genuine admiration crossed Sanaru’s eyes.
His full attention snapped to the sudden transformation, and he instinctively leapt backward to avoid the searing aftermath.
But the follow-up attack he expected never came.
From within the dust, a figure flashed forth—his Body Flicker Technique so fast it left no trace.
Yet his target wasn’t Sanaru.
It was Hyūga Chihori, still hugging a tree, smiling foolishly inside the genjutsu.
“Smack!” Ryū struck the back of her neck with a precise hand chop.
Chihori’s body went limp, the haze in her eyes clearing rapidly.
“I… what was I just…?” At the same moment, behind the shattered wall, Naion glanced once at the bells on Sanaru’s waist—then at Chihori, now being supported.
She gritted her teeth.
Abandoning any thought of the bells, she turned and hurried to Chihori’s side, steadying her.
“You’re seriously useless at critical moments,” she snapped.
But there was no real blame in her voice.
The dust settled.
At the center of the training ground, Ryū, Naion, and Chihori stood together once more—forming a standard defensive formation.
None of them looked at the bells.
Sanaru stood frozen.
The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by realization.
He understood.
That powerful combined Ninjutsu hadn’t been meant to attack him—it was meant to break the cage and free Naion.
Ryū’s lightning-fast movement wasn’t to seize the bells—it was to rescue his trapped teammate.
The bells were bait.
Teamwork was the answer.
So… this was their response.
Sanaru returned the bells to his waist.
For the first time, a deeply satisfied smile appeared on the face that was always so gently composed.
“This answer…” he murmured, filled with emotion, “…is completely different from the one Kakashi’s team gave back then.” Then he raised his voice, clear and firm.
“Excellent!
Team 8—pass!” — That evening, the celebration was held at Akimichi Barbecue Restaurant.
“Sizzle—” Premium pork belly crackled on the grill, fat dripping as a rich aroma filled the air.
Ryū’s eyes sparkled.
He’d heard of this place for years—Konoha’s finest barbecue, famous not just for its taste, but for its terrifying prices.
With the money he’d earned from sparring, he’d never dared step inside.
Today, he could finally eat without restraint.
“Sensei!
Another plate of premium beef ribs—and beef tongue!” Naion ordered relentlessly, venting all the pent-up frustration from the exam.
Her lips gleamed with oil, yet she showed no sign of slowing down.
Watching his wallet shrink at an alarming rate, Sanaru’s smile grew visibly stiff.
“Sensei, don’t feel bad,” Ryū said through a mouthful of meat.
“Naion’s just throwing a tantrum like a kid.
Eating more helps.
Just think of it as celebrating.” “Pfft!” Sanaru nearly spat out his tea and shot Ryū an annoyed look.
“You have the nerve to say that?
Since we sat down, your chopsticks haven’t stopped once.
You’re the one eating the most!” Ryū laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.
“I’ll be careful next time—really.
I just… I’ve never eaten barbecue this good in my life.” It was the truth.
A corporate slave in his previous life, an orphan in this one—luxury like this was a first.
“You’re talking about a next time?” Sanaru’s eye twitched.
“Dream on.” The meal ended in laughter.
Back home, Ryū solemnly handed the brand-new forehead protector—still gleaming under the light—to his mother.
“Mom.
I’m a genin now.” Kazama Kazumi took the headband, gently tracing the Leaf symbol with her fingers.
Her eyes reddened instantly.
“Good… good boy… You’ve finally grown up…” Relief and pride filled her voice—but beneath it lay unmistakable worry.
Becoming a genin meant missions.
It meant the battlefield.
She had already lost her husband.
She didn’t want to lose her son.
Ryū met her gaze, warmth rising in his chest.
He took her hand, his voice steady and firm.
“Mom, don’t worry.” “In this world, survival means becoming strong.” “I’ll protect myself—and I’ll protect you too.” This was his promise.
And the true reason behind his relentless, merciless training.
Late that night, Ryū lay in bed, watching moonlight spill through the window.
From this moment on, his peaceful student days were over.
What awaited him next was the real world— a world of blades, shadows, and war.