Ishimori Haneda—a civilian-born Shinobi.
Unlike most students of the S-class, who either had powerful bloodlines or influential clans backing them, Haneda came from a pure non-Shinobi family.
Before getting admitted to the Central Ninja Academy, he had no connection with Shinobi-related things.
No chakra extraction technique. No Ninjutsu. No Taijutsu technique. No manual to help him with chakra control.
He had none of them.
Even his ancestors were nothing but merchants.
The only thing he and his family members had was a robust physique.
However, everything changed when he came to enroll in the Ninja Academy.
Thanks to Konoha's founding and Tobirama's vision, Haneda and many other civilian children got the chance to become Shinobi.
During the Warring States Period, he or any other civilian family wouldn't even think about learning Shinobi arts.
However, the establishment of Konoha Ninja Academy, an institution that welcomed all talented youths regardless of their backgrounds, gave them a chance to wield the supernatural powers of a Shinobi.
Ishimori Haneda always wanted to become a Shinobi. He wanted to wield the world-shaping powers and protect his family.
After all, in this world, without power, you're nothing. Your life won't amount to anything.
So, he participated in the admission test.
And luck would have it, he actually had the talent to become a Shinobi.
He wasn't just talented. He was a prodigy with 5 innate chakra natures.
It meant that he wouldn't have to waste years painstakingly developing a new chakra nature.
He had all five elementary chakra natures, so he just had to master them one by one.
This talent, coupled with his naturally robust physique, landed him a spot in the class 1-S.
When his admission was confirmed, he was so happy that he almost cried on the spot.
Since then, he had trained diligently.
He fully utilized the abundant resources, medicinal baths, and advanced techniques he acquired as a student of the S-class to enhance his strength.
No matter how hard and grueling the training became, he never complained. He just gritted his teeth and kept going.
And his hard work bore fruit.
His strength surpassed many clan prodigies and students with special bloodlines.
He became one of the top students of the entire S-class, even though he had no powerful family backing him.
Now, his overall raw strength had already entered the threshold of an Elite Chunin.
And Seimei, his classmate, had witnessed it all.
Elite Chunin is just the beginning.
If this guy doesn't lose his drive and he keeps working hard, he can cross the threshold of an S-rank Shinobi and reach the Kage level.
Haneda is way better than many clan Shinobi with powerful bloodlines and Kekkei Genkai, who are arrogant beyond belief.
Most of them get complacent, only to never cross the threshold of an Elite Jonin in their lifetime.
Come on, Haneda! Show me what you have got!
As Seimei was immersed in his inner monologue from his hiding place, Haneda's opponent finally showed up in front of him.
So, he put a stop to his random thoughts and focused on the scene in front of him.
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Haneda was alert and ready to respond to any situation.
He didn't have to wait long before finally seeing the silhouette of his opponent.
His opponent was a rather tall boy with dark brown hair and olive skin. And Haneda knew exactly who this boy was.
It was Yamamoto Fuji from the Class 4-S team.
According to the intel he got from Shikamo, the Yamamoto clan was one of the 2nd-class clans during the Warring States Era, specializing in Earth Release techniques.
And this boy here, Yamamoto Fuji, was the young heir of this clan.
Yamamoto Fuji also noticed Haneda and tensed up a bit.
He said, "Yo! Didn't expect to meet an opponent this soon!"
Haneda replied, "I didn't either."
Fuji responded, "Since it's still very early, let's not fight. How about we part ways?"
Haneda nodded, "You're right. This forest is already brimming with Chakra Beasts. Fighting each other this soon will do us no good."
Fuji smiled, "Right? I'm happy you can see that."
"Since that's the case, I will be leaving. Goodbye!"
Haneda also flashed a knowing smile, "Bye!"
They were about to turn away and go different ways, but…
Suddenly, both of them threw multiple shurikens at each other.
The shurikens cut through the air at breakneck speed.
Swish~ Swish~ Ding~ Ding~ Ding~
Multiple shurikens hit each other midair, while the remaining shurikens traveled toward Haneda and Fuji without interruption.
However, both of them were top prodigies, so they easily dodged the incoming shurikens with ease before cursing at each other.
Fuji asked angrily, "Hey bastard, weren't you going to leave just a moment ago? Why did you attack all of a sudden?"
Haneda retorted, "Shut up, you two-faced scoundrel. Weren't you the one who suggested going separate ways?"
"No fucking moral principles at all"
Although they cursed at each other, they didn't stop forming hand seals.
Haneda was the first to complete his hand seals. Blue bolts of lightning flickered around him.
Lightning Release: Lightning Rat Violent Quake
Bolts of lightning chakra condensed in front of his hand before they released 8 purple discs of lightning at quick succession.
Eight discs of lightning quickly moved toward Fuji, who suddenly adjusted his hand seals mid-formation, crouched down, and slammed his hands on the ground.
Earth Release: Earth-style Wall
The ground started to change shape and quickly formed a 5-meter-tall and 8-meter-wide solid earth wall in front of Fuji, blocking the lightning disks.
Boom~ Boom~ Boom~ Crack~
The electric disks crashed into the wall with loud bangs, causing several cracks to appear on the thick earth wall.
But the wall still stood tall.
However, Fuji didn't have time to rejoice.
Because a massive fireball of 3-meter diameter suddenly hit the wall and exploded, blowing away countless rock fragments into the air.
Fuji's pupils contracted. He quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to move out of the way before the shockwave of the explosion and the flying rock fragments could hit him.
There was no doubt. Haneda, his opponent, must have used the Great Fireball Technique.
"Damn it. I was careless," muttered Fuji.
He was about to look for Haneda and launch an attack on him when he suddenly felt an intense sense of danger.
Swish~
The sound of something sharp cutting through the air sounded from his left. Fuji instantly brandished a kunai and instinctively moved it to his left to block the attack.
Clang~
The sound of metal hitting metal reverberated, sending sparks flying into the air.
Fuji finally saw Haneda on his left, holding a kunai.
"Tsk~"
Haneda clicked his tongue after he saw his sudden attack fail.
However, he didn't mind too much.
Instead, he slashed his kunai again at Fuji's left shoulder.
Clang~
And Fuji blocked it with his own kunai again before sending a roundhouse toward Haneda.
Haneda swiftly ducked and dodged the kick before he sprang out like a tensed spring, stabbing his kunai at Fuji's stomach.
But Fuji put strength on his left leg and jumped backward to avoid the kunai stab and create distance.
Haneda's kunai missed as Fuji successfully created a distance of 10 meters between them.
Seeing this, Haneda taunted, "Do you only know how to run away?"
Hearing this, Fuji's face darkened immediately.
He wanted to retort, but he couldn't. His vocabulary wasn't that large yet.
His face was grim.
Yamamoto Fuji didn't expect that he would have this much trouble dealing with Ishimori Haneda, a civilian-born Shinobi.
Meanwhile, Haneda's mind was also racing.
He, too, wanted to finish this fight fast before their confrontation could attract other opponents or Chakra Beasts.
That would be troublesome!
Haneda exhaled slowly, and his eyes became sharper.
The atmosphere between them became even more tense.
Both of them were staring at each other intently, looking for an opening to strike and deal a decisive blow.
The final confrontation was about to begin.
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