Chapter 2 Two Hundred Thousand Taels, I'm Sure!
Third Hokage's long speech finally came to an end.
A teacher from the Ninja Academy took his place on stage.
"This assessment is extremely important. It not only determines whether you can graduate but also affects your team placement after graduation."
"In addition, to encourage everyone, Lord Hokage himself will evaluate your performance during the battles."
"The student who ranks first will receive a reward of 200,000 ryō from the village!"
"Hmph! I'll make sure Lord Hokage sees my strength!" Kushina declared, her fighting spirit igniting instantly.
Since her goal was to become the next Hokage, gaining Third Hokage's approval was a top priority.
Minato, in contrast, remained calm. With his gentle personality, he never seemed eager to compete for anything. Yet, it was precisely that trait that reassured those around him.
Meanwhile, Simu, who had always been indifferent, suddenly opened his eyes.
Two hundred thousand ryō?
If he remembered correctly, that was the standard reward for an A-rank mission!
With that much money...
Wouldn't he be able to slack off for months?
After a brief moment of thought, Simu made his decision—he was going to win this!
Minato glanced at Simu in surprise.
Wasn't this guy acting lifeless just a moment ago? Why the sudden change?
Kushina also shot him a look.
"Hmph! So you finally want to show off in front of Lord Hokage?"
Simu shook his head. "I'm just in it for the money."
Minato frowned slightly but, recalling Simu's upbringing in the orphanage, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of sympathy.
"I understand."
Kushina also seemed to realize something and scratched her head awkwardly.
Simu had a feeling they were misunderstanding his intentions, but he didn't care. His only goal today was to win first place!
The first match began with Kushina.
Though she was a girl, she carried the blood of the Uzumaki Clan.
Her punches were on par with Tsunade's.
Her fighting style? Simple—just swing her fists and smash anything in her way!
Her opponent was a male student from their class.
When Kushina had first transferred to the academy, he used to mock her red hair.
But after getting beaten up by her multiple times, he no longer dared to provoke her.
As soon as the match started, his legs trembled.
Seconds later, Kushina knocked him out with a single punch.
"Next match: Namikaze Minato vs. Hyūga Tenichi."
Simu raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses.
He was curious to see how the future Yellow Flash performed in his youth.
Minato did not disappoint.
Or rather, he never disappointed anyone who had high hopes for him.
Even against a Hyūga Clan genius, he held the upper hand in taijutsu.
"Is this guy really not from some special bloodline?" Simu muttered, rubbing his chin.
In this world, bloodline limits determined power. Civilian geniuses like Minato were a rare breed.
Take Hyūga Tenichi, for example—against any other commoner, his Byakugan alone would give him a massive advantage.
With its enhanced dynamic vision, he could read an opponent's movements before they even happened.
How was Minato countering that?
The answer was simple—his speed was beyond anything Tenichi could keep up with.
Even if the Hyūga could see Minato's next move, he still couldn't react in time.
"It's over," Simu suddenly said.
Kushina glanced at him in confusion.
In the arena, Tenichi struck with a powerful palm thrust.
Minato dodged, flipping backward.
Then, planting both hands on the ground, he kicked off with explosive force—his feet crashing straight into Tenichi's chest!
The Hyūga prodigy grunted in pain.
It felt like he had been hit by a charging bull!
He was sent flying, landing heavily on the ground.
The teacher overseeing the match rushed forward to check on Tenichi before announcing the result:
"Namikaze Minato wins!"
"Minato is amazing!"
"Minato-kun is the best!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Handsome, strong, and talented—Minato instantly won the admiration of his classmates, especially the girls.
After confirming Tenichi's injuries weren't serious, the teacher read the next names.
"Hanyū Simu vs. Uchiha Hanabi."
Kushina tensed up.
"Simu, that guy from the Uchiha Clan isn't easy to deal with…"
Before she could finish warning him, Simu had already stood up.
His long white coat with the kanji for "Justice" fluttered behind him as he stepped forward.
As he walked past Minato, the latter whispered, "Good luck."
Simu casually shoved his hands into his pockets and strolled onto the stage.
An Uchiha, huh?
That worked out perfectly.
Uchiha prodigies were the best opponents to put on a show.
Two hundred thousand ryō—he was definitely getting that prize!
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