Chapter 377: The Trajectory of Fate, the Leaked Alien Chakra!

Karin's Wood Release Bloodline Limit had a significant impact on the audience, sparking excitement even among those who had initially shown little interest in the assessment.

Everyone eagerly anticipated the emergence of more outstanding students from the ninja academy. With this anticipation, Uchiha Sasuke, a member of the prestigious Uchiha clan of Konoha, naturally drew attention.

As a descendant of a renowned lineage, expectations for Uchiha Sasuke were just as high as those for Senju Karin. Moreover, Sasuke's reputation as a genius was well-known throughout the village. As he stepped forward for his exam, the audience's focus shifted entirely to his examination room. Even though there were candidates in the other three examination rooms, very few people paid them any attention.

"It's my turn!"

Uchiha Sasuke stepped into the examination room, glanced at Senju Karin as she left, and took a deep breath.

"Alright, let me see your strength!"

"Candidate Uchiha Sasuke, if you're ready, you may begin at any time!"

The examiner, standing a short distance from Sasuke, waved his hand and nodded toward the judges, signaling that he was prepared for Sasuke's attack.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke didn't waste any words. He quickly pulled out a kunai from his ninja pouch, gripping it firmly as he assumed a battle stance.

"Hey, Candidate Uchiha Sasuke, if you're ready, start!"

After a brief silence, the examiner noticed Sasuke still hadn't moved. Unable to hold back, he reminded him again. Even after waiting a while longer, Sasuke remained motionless, prompting the examiner to urge him.

"Actually, I've already started!" Sasuke smirked slightly, reaching toward his chest with his right hand.

"What is that?" Some spectators gasped as they noticed something connected to Sasuke's hand, reflecting faint light under the sun.

Then, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. Three shuriken flew toward the examiner from different angles.

"Shuriken? When did he throw them?!"

The Chunin examiner only realized Sasuke had attacked when he heard the whistling of the incoming projectiles. Quickly adjusting his position, he pulled out a kunai and prepared to deflect them.

However, just as the three shuriken neared him, their trajectories suddenly changed in an unexpected manner. All three altered their landing points drastically, catching the examiner off guard. Before he could react, the shuriken struck him simultaneously.

To make matters worse, the moment the shuriken made contact, he felt his body tighten—his arms and legs were restrained at the same time.

"What is this?" The examiner looked down to find his body bound tightly by thin wires. The wires were so fine that they were nearly imperceptible unless one looked closely. The shuriken Sasuke had thrown were attached to these wires, and their strange flight patterns were the result of Sasuke's precise manipulation.

"Teacher, you lost!" Sasuke, gripping the wires in both hands, pulled them taut. The examiner, who had been restrained, found himself forced into an awkward position, his limbs spread out like an "I" shape. He stared at Sasuke in surprise.

"Impressive shuriken technique!"

Watching from the stands, Might Guy couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. He hadn't expected Sasuke to achieve such mastery over shuriken throwing. Even he, along with most Chunin and Jonin, would struggle to execute this level of precision with shuriken techniques.

This level of control was only possible with relentless training. Guy, who had always respected hard work, couldn't help but change his view of Sasuke. Though their paths were different, he recognized the boy's dedication and had no reason to look down on him.

In the arena, Sasuke believed he had secured victory, a triumphant smile forming on his face. However, in the next instant, his expression stiffened—the examiner, who had been tightly bound, suddenly disappeared in a puff of white smoke, leaving a wooden log in his place.

Upon seeing this, Sasuke released the wires in his hands and scanned his surroundings for the examiner. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find a trace of him.

"Where is he hiding?" Sasuke calmed himself, remaining vigilant for an impending attack.

"The shuriken technique is remarkable, but his perception still needs improvement."

One of the judges shook his head slightly, offering a critique. Meanwhile, Uchiha Fugaku, observing his son's assessment from the stands, remained silent with a stern expression. His face displayed clear dissatisfaction.

"Sasuke, you've got a bit of real spirit!"

"Hahaha!"

Suddenly, the wooden log left on the ground far from Sasuke erupted in smoke. From within it, the examiner emerged, laughing heartily.

It was then that Sasuke realized he had been tricked. From the very beginning, the examiner had not escaped his restraints at all. Sasuke had assumed that the examiner had used the Substitution Technique to evade, prompting him to release his wires. However, the reality was different—the examiner had used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself as the wooden log, deceiving Sasuke into letting go of his hold!

Humiliated, Sasuke's face turned red as he glared at the examiner with burning intensity.

Yet, he did not allow his anger to cloud his judgment. Instead, he swiftly formed hand seals.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

His seal speed was commendable, and within seconds, a massive fireball erupted from his mouth, hurtling toward the examiner. Simultaneously, two small gray balls slipped from Sasuke's sleeve, rolling onto the ground.

Upon impact, the balls released a thick gray-black smoke that engulfed Sasuke entirely.

In response, the examiner immediately formed an Earth Release hand seal, summoning an earth wall to block the flames. However, as the flames dissipated, Sasuke had vanished into the thick smoke.

"Arena battles differ from real battles. Here, the ground is flat, with no obstacles to hide behind."

"In this environment, smoke bombs lose much of their effectiveness. Using them to conceal one's movements is useless in this setting!"

The examiner called out toward the smoke, but his words were met with a barrage of shuriken flying toward him. Though they emerged from the fog, the experienced Chunin blocked them with ease. Smirking, he assumed Sasuke had exhausted his options and would soon surrender.

However, before he could react, gasps erupted from the audience. The examiner looked around but saw nothing unusual.

Then, without warning, a weight pressed down on his back, slamming him into the ground. His face hit the floor, and a sharp kunai stabbed into the ground beside him.

"Teacher, I won this time, right?" A clear voice came from behind him. Turning his head slightly, he saw Uchiha Sasuke standing over him.

"What…?"

"I see!"

The examiner was momentarily stunned before quickly realizing that Uchiha Sasuke's plan had been to attack from above from the very start. His powerful Fireball Technique, smoke bombs, and the dozens of shuriken cutting through the thick fog were all feints—their true purpose was to divert attention so that he wouldn't notice Sasuke leaping into the air for his actual attack.

This move made the examiner recognize Sasuke's keen combat instincts. In ninja battles, understanding the opponent's mindset is crucial, and an unexpected attack method like this could often yield impressive results.

With the battle reaching this point, Sasuke's assessment was officially over.

Whether it was his precise shuriken skills at the beginning, his ability to quickly regain composure after being outmaneuvered, or his strategic approach to securing victory, everything demonstrated that Sasuke was already a competent ninja. His Fire Release ninjutsu also left a strong impression on the audience.

By this stage of the ninja academy's graduation assessment, very few students had showcased ninjutsu beyond the basic Three Techniques. Uchiha Sasuke was one of those few.

So far, aside from Senju Karin, who had defeated the examiner using Wood Release, only Sasuke had managed to defeat his opponent and claim victory. The examiner found Sasuke's fighting style particularly commendable. After all, Wood Release relied on a powerful bloodline ability, so it was unsurprising that Karin had won due to her inherited advantage.

Everyone expected someone who had mastered Wood Release to be strong. Their surprise wasn't at Karin herself, but rather at the power of Wood Release.

However, Sasuke's battle was different. His victory did not depend on the Uchiha clan's Bloodline Limit but rather on his fundamental skills and tactical decision-making. That kind of win carried true merit—one that displayed a unique combat aesthetic.

"That's it, examinee Sasuke, your exam is over."

After recording Sasuke's results, the judges on the sidelines announced the final scores. Several judges unanimously gave Sasuke high marks—his intelligence and talent had left a strong impression on them.

It was only at this moment that Uchiha Fugaku, watching from the stands, allowed a small smile to form on his face. However, the expression quickly faded, replaced by his usual serious demeanor.

Uchiha Mikoto, sitting beside him, noticed his change in expression and couldn't help but comment.

"Fugaku, you're too strict with Sasuke."

"Sasuke performed very well in this battle. He's an excellent fighter. When we get home, you should praise him more."

Fugaku sighed but did not respond immediately. After a moment, he said flatly, "He still has a long way to go. As a ninja, he made a serious mistake today."

"If this had been a battlefield, he and his teammates could have died because of his carelessness."

"If it were Itachi, he wouldn't have made such a mistake."

"Being a ninja isn't just about clever tricks. His mindset will get him killed."

"That's my view."

Fugaku's tone was harsh. Though his words were meant to push Sasuke to improve, his blunt delivery made Mikoto roll her eyes.

"Alright, alright, stop with all that. I'm telling you now—whatever you say, don't give our son that cold stare when we get home."

"Sasuke is going to be a ninja now. We should celebrate tonight."

Fugaku was about to continue speaking, but Mikoto cut him off impatiently. This time, he didn't argue back. Instead, he quietly observed the remaining students' assessments. A faint smirk played on his lips.

Looking over the candidates, he saw very few who could match his son's level. Only Senju Karin had caught his attention—the others were nothing more than insignificant challengers.

Following the assessments of Senju Karin and Uchiha Sasuke, many other students stepped up for their exams. However, after witnessing the outstanding performances of those two, the rest of the assessments felt dull in comparison. The once-enthusiastic crowd gradually lost interest as more than ten rounds of testing went by.

Spectators began leaving the auditorium one after another. Some students who had completed their exams, along with their parents, left early before the full assessment was over. Ordinary matches failed to hold the audience's excitement, and many who had initially come for the spectacle departed as well.

However, one name spoken by the examiner managed to keep some of the departing audience members in their seats.

"Candidate Naruto Uzumaki, report to Examination Room No. 3 for assessment!"

"Candidate Naruto Uzumaki, report to Examination Room No. 3 for assessment!"

The examiner called Naruto Uzumaki's name twice, instantly drawing the attention of the remaining spectators toward Examination Room No. 3.

"Uzumaki? Oh, it's the Fifth Hokage's dumb son!"

"Yeah, yeah, the kid who ranked dead last on the written test. But I heard he's pretty good in actual combat."

"Let's watch and see how strong the Hokage's son really is!"

Some spectators who had been about to leave returned to their seats, shifting their focus to the upcoming battle. Under the weight of everyone's expectant gazes, Naruto Uzumaki slowly stepped into the examination room—silent and composed.

From the stands, Uzumaki Raiden turned his attention to Naruto. Something about him seemed… different.

Normally, Naruto was loud and boisterous. Even in an exam setting, he might have done something foolish or attention-grabbing. But today, he was strangely quiet. That unusual stillness made Raiden feel uneasy.

"What is this feeling?"

"Why am I sensing an unfamiliar chakra from him?"

Raiden narrowed his eyes, carefully observing Naruto. His brows furrowed. There was an odd chakra emanating from the boy—one that Raiden had never encountered before. One thing was certain: this was not Naruto's own chakra.

"What an overwhelming force… Who is interfering right under my nose?"

Raiden's expression darkened as he sat up straighter. What should have been a simple graduation assessment had suddenly taken a strange turn.

(End of this chapter)