"How could this happen?!"
Even Ino looked at Shiro with genuine, unconcealed worry, biting her lower lip nervously. Despite her usual confidence, even she didn't honestly believe Shiro could win this matchup.
"Shiro... why don't you... why don't you just forfeit like usual?" Ino suggested cautiously, leaning in close.
As far as she and the rest of the class knew, Sasuke Uchiha's combat abilities, precision, and physical strength already far surpassed the level of an average Genin. It wasn't just a matter of losing; it was a matter of potentially getting seriously hurt.
"There's no need for that," Shiro replied simply, offering a calm, reassuring smile.
The only thing he found genuinely surprising was that Ino, despite the intimidating presence of the Uchiha prodigy, was still actively standing up for him and prioritizing his well-being at this moment.
Seeing the usually passive Shiro actually step up to battle Sasuke Uchiha, a collective wave of preemptive pity washed over the surrounding girls. The values of teenagers could sometimes be frustratingly superficial. The truth was, it was simply because Shiro was so remarkably handsome that none of them wanted to see his perfect face get bruised and battered by the aggressive Uchiha.
The subsequent lottery draws to determine the rest of the sparring pairs became entirely meaningless. No one cared about the other matches anymore; the entirety of the class's attention was hyper-focused on the impending duel between the enigmatic dead-last, Shiro, and the undisputed top-dog, Sasuke Uchiha.
As they took their positions in the dirt arena, Shiro found himself facing a rather unique dilemma. He was actively calculating and hesitating.
*Should I use one percent of my true strength here? Or perhaps 0.1 percent?* he pondered silently, his face an unreadable mask.
"Forget it. I'll stick to 0.1 percent just to be safe," he decided internally with a mental sigh.
He was genuinely worried that if he accidentally used even a full one percent of his Senju-empowered strength, he might inadvertently splatter Sasuke across the training ground. This was merely an ordinary academy sparring session; there was absolutely no justifiable reason to utilize even a fraction of his true capabilities.
What did possessing a system-maxed, God-tier Wood Style truly entail? It meant that even when utilizing a mere 0.1 percent of his power, Shiro had to be incredibly careful not to cause permanent structural damage to his opponent or the surrounding environment.
"Alright, both combatants, take your marks and prepare yourselves!" Iruka commanded loudly, raising his hand to signal the start of the match.
"You can do it, Shiro!"
"We believe in you! Just do your best!"
A large group of female students spontaneously began cheering for Shiro, their voices ringing out clearly across the training ground.
This blatant display of favoritism made Sasuke visibly bristle with annoyance. He was clearly the strongest, the most skilled, and the most dedicated student in the entire academy. Why were they cheering for the lazy dead-last?
"Go get 'em, Sasuke! Kick his butt!"
Cutting sharply through the sea of high-pitched cheers, a single, raspy voice rang out, sounding entirely out of place. It was so distinct that practically everyone in the crowd simultaneously snapped their heads around to glare at the source.
"Uh..."
Naruto flinched, instinctively shrinking back slightly. This was arguably the first time in his life he had ever been stared at so intensely by so many of his peers at once, and it made the back of his neck prickle uncomfortably.
Hey, it wasn't like there was a rule against cheering for Sasuke! One could only chalk this bizarre display of support up to the strange, underlying bond of rivalry and grudging respect that existed solely between Naruto and Sasuke. Did anyone else possess such a complex dynamic?
"Enough of this nonsense. I carry the pride and the bloodline of the elite Uchiha Clan. I will never lose to a nobody!" Sasuke declared, his voice cold and arrogant. Within his dark eyes, the crimson hue of his fully matured, two-tomoe Sharingan flared to life, the tomoe spinning rapidly as he locked his gaze onto his opponent.
"Sasuke Uchiha's victory is an absolute certainty," Neji Hyuga stated with calm, analytical finality from the distant viewing platform, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I have to agree. I also feel like Sasuke is going to win this easily," Tenten nodded in agreement. Even though she had been momentarily captivated by Shiro's striking appearance the moment she laid eyes on him, she wasn't foolish. Sasuke Uchiha's established strength and prodigious talent were simply not things that could be underestimated.
"No, you are both incorrect. I firmly believe that Shiro will emerge victorious!"
Only Rock Lee, who had personally borne witness to the mind-boggling, physics-defying scene at the equipment shop earlier that morning, truly grasped just how terrifyingly powerful Shiro actually was.
"Oh?"
Both Neji and Tenten turned to look at Lee, their expressions registering genuine surprise. It was highly unusual for Lee to predict an outcome that so blatantly contradicted the established hierarchy of skill.
Their curiosity was instantly piqued, and they all leaned forward, looking forward to the unfolding battle with renewed interest. What exactly had Lee seen that made him so confident that an unassuming, chronically lazy student who habitually kept a low profile would suddenly defeat the heralded genius of the Uchiha Clan?
---
It wasn't just Tenten's team eagerly observing the spectacle from the sidelines.
Concealed deep within the dense foliage of the trees overlooking the training ground, Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi watched the proceedings with keen, professional interest.
"So, these are the highly anticipated graduates of this year's batch? Hmm. At first glance, they seem rather ordinary to me," Asuma remarked casually, striking a match and lighting a cigarette, exhaling a thin plume of grey smoke into the canopy.
"Asuma, please take this seriously. And put that out before the students detect our presence," Kurenai scolded lightly, clearly dissatisfied with his laid-back, unprofessional attitude during an official observation mission.
But Asuma didn't take her reprimand to heart. Regardless of their relaxed posture, they were elite, seasoned Jonin; the chances of them being spotted by a bunch of green academy students who hadn't even earned their headbands yet were practically zero.
"The two boys currently stepping up for the first bout are considered the strongest of this entire graduating class," Kakashi noted softly, his lone visible eye fixed intently on the arena below.
Kakashi himself couldn't fully explain it, but every single time his gaze landed on Shiro, a strange, inexplicable chill ran down his spine. It was an uncanny, deeply unsettling feeling... almost as if the boy was fully aware he was being watched from the shadows.
"Sasuke Uchiha, right? The last surviving brat of the Uchiha Clan. That kid is a walking political landmine. I certainly wouldn't want the headache of taking him on," Asuma muttered, his rugged face breaking into a rare frown as he observed the brooding boy with the Sharingan. Now that the clan was essentially extinct, Sasuke was a highly sensitive asset.
"And who is that strikingly handsome boy facing off against him?" Kurenai asked, her interest immediately captured by Shiro's composed demeanor. She pointed a slender finger toward the arena, her crimson, ringed pupils reflecting genuine curiosity.
"His name is Shiro. And to be perfectly frank, I don't fully understand him either," Kakashi replied, his usually relaxed expression tightening into lines of serious contemplation.
"His scores on the theoretical written exams have been flawlessly perfect for years, yet he has consistently scored absolute zeroes in every single practical combat evaluation."
"According to Iruka's reports, the boy has deliberately chosen to forfeit every single combat exam he's ever been scheduled for," Kakashi elaborated, his tone indicating the immense weight and suspicion he placed upon this bizarre discrepancy.
"What a truly fascinating anomaly. Despite his academic record indicating a complete lack of physical combat capability, I actually sense a great deal of latent potential within him," Kurenai mused, her eyes tracking Shiro's relaxed posture.
Seeing Kurenai express such high praise and intense interest in the boy, Asuma actually felt a sudden, irrational twinge of jealousy prickle at his pride.
"Kurenai, don't forget the assignment parameters. The Third Hokage has already pre-selected the core members of our respective squads based on clan affiliations and synergy," Asuma reminded her gruffly, secretly worried that Kurenai might attempt to petition the Hokage for a roster change.
After all, prior to arriving at the observation post, they had already been briefed on their highly probable team assignments. Asuma was slated to lead Team 10, taking charge of Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi—the traditional Ino-Shika-Cho formation. Kurenai, meanwhile, was designated to command the sensory-focused Team 8, consisting of Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Hinata Hyuga.
Seeing Kurenai place such immediate importance on this unknown variable named Shiro, he worried she might try to disrupt the meticulously planned formations.
"Quiet down, both of you. The match is about to commence," Kakashi interrupted sharply, silencing their bickering.
Down in the dirt arena, the tension was palpable. The obligatory pre-match exchange of words, a staple of shinobi posturing, was naturally indispensable.
"Hey. You usually just tuck your tail and forfeit these things. Why aren't you throwing in the towel this time, coward? You know perfectly well that if you don't quit now, you won't get another chance once I start," Sasuke sneered, standing opposite Shiro.
Sasuke was still quietly seething over Naruto's earlier insult, resentful of being unfavorably compared to the boy standing in front of him. After all, despite his skills, Sasuke was still just an arrogant, prideful child.
"Whether or not I'll have a chance to forfeit later is irrelevant, Sasuke... because you are the one who won't have a chance to strike," Shiro replied.
His previously casual, aloof expression vanished in an instant, replaced by a chilling, predatory seriousness. The sudden, drastic shift in his aura was so intense, so suffocatingly heavy, that it almost forced Sasuke to involuntarily take a step backward in pure, instinctual fear.
"As if I could ever be intimidated by a talentless loser like you!" Sasuke roared, furiously shaking off the momentary dread, his Sharingan spinning aggressively.
"Begin the match!" Iruka bellowed, his arm slicing downward.
The very second the command left Iruka's lips, Sasuke exploded forward. He utilized a burst of chakra to his feet, closing the distance with terrifying, blinding speed.
"Whoa... Sasuke is so incredibly fast!" Naruto gasped loudly from the sidelines, his eyes wide with involuntary amazement. Although he constantly bickered with and challenged Sasuke, Naruto had never once doubted the Uchiha's overwhelming physical prowess.
*BANG!*
A sickeningly loud impact echoed across the training ground.
Before anyone could even blink, a figure was violently launched backward through the air, skipping across the dirt like a stone violently skipped across a pond, looking entirely like a kite whose string had been abruptly severed.
"S-Sasuke?!" Iruka choked out, his eyes bulging. Even as the seasoned referee, he seriously wondered if his vision was failing him.
Sasuke Uchiha, the undisputed prodigy, had just been effortlessly swatted away with a single, devastating blow.
"When did he—?!" Iruka's mind raced. He hadn't even clearly perceived the exact moment Shiro had launched his counterattack!
"What just happened?!"
"Did you guys see that?!"
"Sasuke was actually sent flying by Shiro?!"
The students watching from the sidelines immediately erupted into a chaotic cacophony of shock and disbelief. This was Sasuke! A genius of the highest caliber! Yet, he had been sent hurtling backward as easily as tossing aside a piece of trash.
"Hey, are you alright over there?" Shiro asked calmly, dropping his fist.
He honestly hadn't expected his subconscious, deeply restrained strike to possess such overwhelming kinetic power. He hadn't undergone any formal, intense physical conditioning; this absurd increase in his base physical strength and speed was purely a passive benefit brought about by the continuous, vitalizing effects of his maxed-out Wood Style passively altering his cellular structure.
"Oh my god, Shiro is so incredibly cool!"
"This is impossible! He was always tied with Naruto for the absolute dead-last spot in every single class! How could he possibly be this strong?!"
"Don't get cocky... is that really all you've got?" Sasuke growled, slowly forcing himself up from the dirt, entirely refusing to be humiliated and defeated by a single, albeit surprising, blow.
"I haven't even begun to use my full strength yet, either!" Sasuke declared, glaring at Shiro with burning, hateful eyes. At this moment, his arrogance was shattered; he officially recognized Shiro not as a loser, but as a genuinely formidable, dangerous opponent.
Sasuke's hands blurred into a rapid sequence of practiced hand seals.
*Snake - Ram - Monkey - Boar - Horse - Tiger.*
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
After rapidly kneading a massive amount of fiery chakra in his lungs and throat, Sasuke exhaled violently, spewing a gigantic, scorching sphere of roaring flames directly toward Shiro.