Seiji, Victory

"Uchiha Seiji actually won?"

"That strong… after just a few days?"

A hush fell over the training ground—only to be broken moments later by a rush of hushed murmurs, disbelief, and bets gone wrong.

"Wait wait wait—our bet doesn't count! That was a fluke!"

"You serious? You owe me your stash of adult magazines."

A defeated sigh followed.

Qingsi's win wasn't just surprising—it was unsettling.

This wasn't a case of defeating the bottom of the class. It was something deeper.

Seiji had only recently begun chakra training.

Just days of practice—and he was already overpowering students who had trained for years.

The implications hung heavily in the air. The students began whispering a new label for him:

A physical prodigy.

And worse, rumor had it that Seiji had already awakened his Sharingan.

With the Uchiha clan known for their talent in Fire Style and visual prowess, no one could guess how deep Seiji's capabilities really went.

"Didn't expect that guy to be decent," Sarutobi Asuma muttered.

"Mm…" Kurenai Yuhi nodded, eyes locked on Seiji. Her long black hair fluttered in the breeze, partly covering her face.

"I wonder... how strong is his genjutsu?" she whispered.

"Huh?" Asuma blinked. "What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Obito, red-faced and frustrated, clenched his fists.

"Tch! I just… wasn't feeling it today!"

Instructor Kaino approached and offered a few comforting words.

"Don't worry, Obito. You've got plenty of time to improve."

"You tried your best," Rin added with a warm smile.

Obito's face softened immediately. "Heh… y-yeah."

On the sidelines, Might Guy looked like a kicked puppy.

"Agh! What a shame Seiji won't join me in my Flames of Youth Taijutsu Special Training! We'd've made a perfect team!"

"You mean you would've traumatized him," Kakashi replied dryly, eyes half-lidded."Imagine an Uchiha in green tights…"

He shuddered.

Still, Kakashi's sharp gaze lingered on Seiji.

"He's improving too fast," he thought."If he keeps this pace, maybe... we could graduate together."

Back in the crowd, Qingsi quietly adjusted his sleeves and ignored the stares.

The battle just now had revealed something useful.

"Lightning Release: Iron Block."

Though only partially mastered, it already made a difference.

He could feel the effect—his reflexes quicker, his body more agile than the day before.

"It's working."

By stimulating the fast-twitch muscle fibers with electrical pulses from chakra, this jutsu enhanced strength and speed by encouraging rapid muscle growth.

It wasn't perfect. It didn't strengthen internal organs or bones. But it hardened skin and increased resilience—and that was enough for now.

Seiji hadn't even activated his Sharingan.

And yet, he felt stronger than when he first arrived in Konoha just a month ago.

Dusk. Third Training Ground.

Along the edge of a quiet river, the remaining students continued their chakra control training.

"Today we're working on water-walking," Nohara Rin announced cheerfully.

Seiji stood by her side, eyes calm. Kakashi and Obito were there too—though Obito had moved suspiciously closer to Rin than usual.

Kakashi remained unreadable behind his mask. He already knew this lesson.

But what caught his interest wasn't the water—it was Seiji.

"He's getting stronger... daily. Almost unnatural," Kakashi thought.

He had seen too many students plateau, no matter how hard they worked.

But Seiji wasn't just working hard—he was improving.

"Let's see how he handles this."

"Walking on trees is one thing," Rin explained."But water walking is harder. You need to constantly regulate your chakra output in real time. One mistake, and you sink."

Obito frowned. That sounded… complicated.

"When you're climbing a tree, you just keep your chakra steady. The surface doesn't move."

"But water shifts," Rin continued."So you have to keep adjusting. Continuously."

Kakashi nodded subtly. She was right.

Water-walking demanded real chakra mastery.

Obito squirmed. Rin's explanation had gone on for a while—and most of it had gone over his head.

He glanced at Kakashi. Calm.

Then at Seiji. Still… focused?

"Am I the only one confused here?!"

Obito groaned internally.

"Time to start studying more. After dinner. Maybe."

"I'll demonstrate," Rin said.

She removed her shoes, stepped delicately onto the flowing river, and walked a few steps. Ripples spread around her feet, but she remained stable.

"It's easier barefoot. You don't have to worry about chakra flow being disrupted by your shoes."

Seiji nodded.

He removed his long outer robe, left only in a long-sleeved underlayer.

Then, after forming a quick seal, he gathered chakra to the soles of his feet—and stepped forward.

One foot… then another.

No splash.

No ripple.

Just the soft sound of still water.