Chapter 44: Ninjutsu Talent
"Very good, let's thank contestant No. 1 for the clone art performance. His score is eight points."
"Next, we invite contestant No. 2 to perform."
"Makoto-sensei, why are you here to watch this kind of competition? It feels like a waste of time. There are very few official ninjas here," Asuma asked, puzzled, as soon as he arrived at the scene, witnessing the contestants' poor clone skills on the stage.
Makoto replied with a smile, "Asuma, have you forgotten about the last battle with Shisui? Never underestimate anyone."
Asuma remained speechless for a moment, recalling how Makoto's timely intervention had prevented him from suffering a humiliating defeat at Shisui's hands.
"It's beneficial to understand the strength of our fellow villagers," Makoto added casually.
His main concern was Obito's task, and attending the competition in person helped put his mind at ease.
Asuma scanned the surroundings and spotted some familiar faces.
"Kakashi is here too? Is he participating in the competition? That's a bit unfair," Asuma remarked, recognizing Kakashi and his group.
Asuma and Kakashi were friends. He understood Kakashi's prodigious abilities well. Graduating from the Academy at the age of five, becoming a chunnin at six, Kakashi was an exceptionally talented ninja who had mastered various ninjutsu and nature transformations while others were still learning basic techniques.
Asuma also noticed Uchiha Shisui, who had previously defeated him. He couldn't help but anticipate the showdown between Shisui and Kakashi, both formidable prodigies.
"Contestant No. 2, Kotetsu, is invited to come on stage!" the host announced enthusiastically.
Kotetsu promptly ascended the stage upon hearing his name.
"Kotetsu, go for it!" Kamizuki Izumo cheered on his close friend from the audience.
Feeling that he hadn't reached a sufficient level of mastery, Izumo had opted not to participate in the competition himself. Anko, another potential participant, was unavailable due to prior commitments.
"Kotetsu, which ninjutsu would you like to perform?" the host inquired with a smile, bending down to address the young contestant.
"I'd like to perform the Enemy-Confusion Technique, a ninjutsu developed by my friends and me," Kotetsu proudly declared.
In the audience, Izumo displayed a proud smile, as he had also contributed to the creation of this ninjutsu.
"Young talents like you are impressive. You've already begun developing new ninjutsu at your age," the host praised.
"I'd like to ask, Kotetsu, in which grade are you currently enrolled at the Ninja School?" the host inquired.
Kotetsu replied honestly, "I'm in the first grade."
"Remarkable," the host marveled. First-grade students had only been studying for a couple of months, making it exceptional for them to exhibit proficiency in techniques like the Clone and Transformation Jutsu, yet alone creating their own Jutsus.
The audience, especially second and third-grade students, found this achievement quite astonishing. They questioned the progress of their own studies in comparison.
Makoto had already surmised the nature of Kotetsu's ninjutsu but wasn't aware of its degree of refinement.
The host took a step back and announced, "Now, let's enjoy Kotetsu's Enemy-Confusion Technique!"
Kotetsu promptly performed the required hand seals, channeling chakra. A puff of white smoke appeared, and a chair made of steel materialized next to him, towering over him in height.
A hushed silence enveloped the audience.
Everyone gazed at the towering chair beside Kotetsu with quizzical expressions, pondering its significance.
The host, who had hosted competitions for five years and believed he had seen it all, found himself momentarily stumped. He didn't rush to continue the event.
"Ahem, Kotetsu, could you please explain your ninjutsu?" the host finally managed to ask.
"Isn't the purpose of the Clone Technique to confuse the enemy? My ninjutsu combines the Clone Technique with the Transformation Technique to enhance the confusion effect," Kotetsu explained the rationale behind his ninjutsu's development.
"Why a chair, then?" the host couldn't help but ask, his curiosity piqued. He wondered if the chair effectively contributed to the confusion of the enemy, and he suspected that the audience had similar questions.
"Because the chair is easy to change to," Kotetsu candidly revealed.
Laughter erupted from the audience. What they had initially perceived as the work of a genius turned out to be rather comical.
"This kid has quite the talent."
Asuma's lips twitched. He had initially thought that he underestimated the geniuses in this era. However, his impression had swiftly changed.
"Teacher Makoto, is this the norm for Ninja School students these days?" Asuma couldn't help but lament.
Makoto, too, found himself somewhat at a loss. He had encouraged Kotetsu to experiment with the chair transformation, but he seemed to have taken it quite literally.
"In terms of mastery level, a first-grade student exhibiting this level of proficiency in Clone and Transformation Jutsus is quite impressive," Makoto commented objectively, acknowledging Kotetsu's potential.
Upon hearing Makoto's assessment, Asuma realized that Kotetsu was merely a first-grade student, not yet a genin, and his skill level was, indeed, noteworthy for his age.
"Teacher Makoto, you truly have a discerning eye. Looks can be deceiving," Asuma remarked, feeling a sense of superiority amidst the laughter of those around him.
Kamizuki Izumo fell silent after the laughter subsided. He was relieved he hadn't participated in the competition, as the news of his performance would undoubtedly spread throughout the school, potentially tarnishing his reputation.
"Let's see the judges' scores. The total is 12 points. In truth, the original intent of this ninjutsu is commendable. If it can be refined further, it would receive a higher score," the host commented.
"I'll continue to work hard and collaborate with my two good friends, Kamizuki Izumo and Mitarashi Anko, to perfect the ninjutsu we jointly developed," Kotetsu said with a smile, explicitly mentioning his friends' full names.
"It seems that the other two individuals are named Kamizuki Izumo and Mitarashi Anko. I wonder if they are present," the host pondered aloud.
Hearing the comments from those around him, Izumo's face paled. If this reputation spread, what would become of him? He considered finding a girlfriend to divert his attention away from the matter.
"Next, we invite contestant No. 3, Uchiha Ikunori, to perform on stage."
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Uchiha Ikunori didn't say much and directly summoned his best Fireball jutsu, quickly forming seals and launching it, releasing a 3 meters fireball into the air.
"As expected of a Uchiha clan member, he has mastered the Fireball ninjutsu before even graduating!" the host exclaimed.
"It's amazing even for a genin to master this kind of ninjutsu yet alone an academy student," a referee remarked and immediately gave a high score.
Other judges also nodded and awarded high scores.
"Twenty-six points! Uchiha Ikunori, has a high score of twenty-six and is temporarily ranked first!" the host shouted.
Uchiha Ikunori walked off the stage with an indifferent expression. If it weren't for the eight thousand Ryō, he wouldn't have had any interest in participating in this kind of competition.
"Shisui, how do you feel about the powerful Fireball I just unleashed?" Uchiha Ikunori asked.
"I can see that Brother Ikunori is serious about his practice," Shisui commented. In fact, he had planned to join Obito, but on the way, he met fellow members of the Uchiha family, so he joined them.
Although Uchiha Ikunori's Fireball jutsu was not bad, Shisui didn't think he could secure the first place because he had seen Obito's Great Fireball.
"Now, I would like to invite contestant No. 4, Uchiha Obito, to perform on stage."