44 Chapter 44: Ninjutsu Talent
"Very good, thanks to the performance of contestant number one with the Clone Jutsu. His score is eight points."
"Next, we invite contestant number two to perform on stage."
"Yumi-sensei, why bother watching this kind of competition? It feels like a waste of time, and such competitions are rare even for formal Ninjas, right?"
Asuma, arriving at the scene, immediately saw the clumsy Clone Jutsu performance on stage and asked in confusion.
Mutsuki, with a smiling expression, said, "Asuma, have you forgotten about your last battle with Shisui? Never underestimate anyone."
Asuma was suddenly at a loss for words. If it weren't for Mutsuki's timely comfort during the battle with Uchiha Shisui, he might have ended up in a state of self-isolation.
"Getting to know the strength of peers in the village is beneficial and harmless," Mutsuki casually remarked.
Mainly, he was worried that Obito might mess up, so he would feel more at ease by being present at the scene.
Asuma looked around and felt like he recognized some people.
"Kakashi is here too. Could he be participating as well? That would be a bit unfair." Asuma quickly spotted Kakashi and his group.
He and Kakashi were friends, and Asuma knew how much of a freak Kakashi was – graduating at the age of five, becoming a Chunin at six, and possessing terrifying talents.
While others were still practicing hand seals and the Three Basic Jutsu, Kakashi had already begun various Ninjutsu training, delving into Nature Transformation.
Not only Kakashi, but Asuma also saw Uchiha Shisui, the one who had defeated him before.
Asuma was actually looking forward to a showdown between Uchiha Shisui and Kakashi – let the two big freaks entertain him.
"Let's welcome contestant number two, Hagane Kotetsu, to the stage!" The host enthusiastically called out the name of the second contestant.
Hagane Kotetsu immediately walked onto the stage upon hearing his name.
"Kotetsu, go for it!" Kamizuki Izumo cheered on his good brother.
Feeling that his own training wasn't up to par, Izumo chose not to participate in the competition.
Anko was indeed interested in participating, but she had something to attend to today, so she couldn't join the competition.
"Hagane Kotetsu, may I ask which Ninjutsu you would like to perform?" The host bent down with a smile and asked.
"I'm going to demonstrate the Confusion Jutsu that my friend and I developed together!" Hagane Kotetsu said proudly.
Kamizuki Izumo in the audience displayed a proud smile; after all, he had played a role in developing this Ninjutsu.
"You really can't underestimate the new generation nowadays. Despite Hagane Kotetsu being young, he has already started developing new Ninjutsu," the host couldn't help but praise.
"May I ask, Hagane Kotetsu, what grade are you in at the Academy?" the host inquired.
Hagane Kotetsu honestly replied, "First grade."
"Incredible," the host was very surprised. First-grade students typically haven't studied for more than two months, and being able to use Three Basic Jutsu is already considered impressive.
The audience below also found it unbelievable, especially the students in the second and third grades, feeling like they were falling behind in their studies.
Mutsuki had already vaguely guessed what Ninjutsu Hagane Kotetsu would perform but didn't know how elaborate it would be.
The host stepped back a bit and said, "Now, let's all enjoy Hagane Kotetsu's Confusion Jutsu!"
Hagane Kotetsu quickly formed hand seals, guided his chakra, and with a whoosh, a white smoke flashed, revealing a chair on the stage even taller than Hagane Kotetsu.
Silence fell over the venue.
Everyone wore a puzzled expression, looking at the chair beside Hagane Kotetsu that was even taller than him, wondering what was going on.
The host, who had been hosting competitions for five years and thought he wouldn't be confused by any Ninjutsu, found himself defeated. He stood in place, stunned for a moment, not immediately going up on stage.
"Cough, cough, Hagane Kotetsu, this... your Ninjutsu..." The host didn't know how to ask for a moment.
"Isn't Clone Jutsu used to confuse enemies? My Ninjutsu mainly combines Clone Jutsu with Transformation Jutsu, achieving a more effective confusing effect," explained Hagane Kotetsu, revealing the original intention behind developing the Ninjutsu.
"Why a chair, then?" The host couldn't help but ask. He didn't know if the enemy would be confused, but surely teammates would be scratching their heads.
"Because chairs are easy to transform. I haven't mastered transforming into other things yet," Hagane Kotetsu honestly replied.
"Hahaha..." Laughter erupted from the audience, thinking they had a genius on their hands, only to find out he was a bit silly.
"This kid is truly something."
Asuma's mouth twitched; just a moment ago, he was underestimating the abundance of geniuses nowadays, with a first-grader developing Ninjutsu. Was this the reincarnation of Lord Second Hokage? Yet, in the blink of an eye, it turned out differently.
"Yumi-sensei, are all ninja academy students like this now?" Asuma couldn't help but comment.
Mutsuki was also a bit speechless. Starting with mastering chairs, how did it end up being only able to transform into a chair?
"In terms of mastery, having this level of Clone Jutsu and Transformation Jutsu in the first grade is quite good," Mutsuki objectively evaluated, considering the student was from his own class.
Upon hearing Mutsuki's words, Asuma finally realized that Hagane Kotetsu was just a first-grade student, not a ninja. To have this level of skill was already considered excellent.
"You're impressive, Yumi-sensei, for not being misled by appearances," Asuma said, looking around at the laughing crowd, suddenly feeling a sense of superiority.
Kamizuki Izumo became quiet after the laughter, feeling relieved that he hadn't participated. With so many fellow students witnessing this, it would surely become the talk of the entire school, potentially marking the end of his student career.
"Let's see the scores from the judges, a total of twelve points. Actually, the original intent behind this Ninjutsu is commendable. With further refinement, it could potentially earn higher scores," the host remarked.
"I will continue to work hard, collaborating with my good brothers Kamizuki Izumo and Mitarashi Anko to enhance this Ninjutsu we developed together," Hagane Kotetsu said with a smile, deliberately mentioning their full names.
"So, the other two are named Kamizuki Izumo and Mitarashi Anko. I wonder if they are present in the audience," the host wondered aloud.
Hearing the discussions around him, Kamizuki Izumo's face turned pale. If this reputation spread, how was he supposed to find a girlfriend?
"Next, we invite contestant number three, Uchiha Tekka, to the stage for his performance."
"Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Uchiha Tekka, a man of few words, directly showcased his expertise by swiftly forming hand seals and unleashing a fireball towering over a person's height.
"Truly worthy of the Uchiha Clan's youth. To already master such a powerful Ninjutsu before graduating is impressive!" exclaimed the host in amazement.
"For a student to master this kind of Ninjutsu is quite remarkable," remarked one judge, immediately awarding a high score.
The other judges nodded in agreement, also giving high scores.
"Twenty-six points! Uchiha Tekka takes the lead with a high score of twenty-six!" the host proclaimed.
With his five years of hosting experience, the host knew that no exceptionally talented contestant had appeared, and a score of twenty-six would secure the first position.
Uchiha Tekka calmly descended from the stage. If it weren't for the prize money, he wouldn't have been interested in participating in this kind of competition.
"Shisui, how do you think my Great Fireball just now was?" Uchiha Tekka asked.
"It's evident, Tekka, that you've been training with dedication," Shisui commented. In truth, he had planned to meet up with Obito, but on the way, he encountered fellow Uchihas like Uchiha Tekka and decided to join them.
Although Uchiha Tekka's Great Fireball proficiency was decent, Shisui didn't believe he could secure the first place because he had seen Obito's Great Fireball.
"Now, let's welcome contestant number four, Uchiha Obito, to the stage for his performance."
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