In the world of Naruto, in the Hidden Mist Village, at the ninja school, the midday sun seemed only to slightly disperse the mist over the training ground, unable to drive away the cold atmosphere at the scene. A group of boys, about 8 or 9 years old, were quietly listening to a Chunin teacher’s lecture in the training field. The ninja school system has been imitated by various ninja villages since the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, promoted it in the Leaf Village. However, due to the differing cultures of each ninja village, significant differences have emerged between the ninja schools. The Hidden Mist Village’s version of the ninja school is vastly different from the original. Since the Third Mizukage began implementing the Blood Mist policy, the strict hierarchy among ninjas and the disregard for life have become deeply ingrained in the hearts of every villager. Under this influence, even the students of the ninja school, who have not yet graduated, always carry a hint of shadow in their expressions.

“Midterm practical combat test, Group One, Kanagawa Tachibana vs. Ikaru Rujin.” As the Chunin teacher finished his lengthy lecture, he began reading from the roster, announcing the first pair of combatants, and the tense atmosphere among the students relaxed a little. “Where did Kanagawa Tachibana contract that summoning beast? I wonder if his combat ability has improved?” “Are you kidding? Rujin has consistently ranked in the top ten during our class's practical tests. What kind of combat power can a summoning beast that’s barely taller than his calves have?”

As the students whispered among themselves, a boy with black hair and black eyes, dressed in a blue short-sleeved shirt and black ninja pants, strode confidently to the center of the training ground with a bright smile. His handsome and sunny demeanor seemed somewhat out of place in the atmosphere of the Hidden Mist Village. However, what was most peculiar was the light blue frog perched on his shoulder. About 30 centimeters tall, it had surprisingly large eyes and a neck wrapped in a ring of cloud-like bubbles. The boy walking toward the center of the field seemed to be quietly communicating with the little frog.

Seeing his opponent still dawdling, the impatient Ikaru Rujin scoffed, “Hey, Kanagawa Tachibana! Put away your fake smile! Are you planning to bring that little summoning beast up here to send it to its death?” However, before Tachibana could respond to the taunt, the Chunin teacher shouted, “You two, prepare!” Tachibana also put away his smile, pulled out a kunai, and looked seriously at his opponent. In the Hidden Mist Village, there are no concepts of enemy signs or reconciliation signs. Once the test starts, any carelessness or hesitation could cost one their life. Each practical combat class for the senior students has a quota for deaths.

“Begin!” With the teacher’s command, the two shot forward like arrows released from a bow. However, despite both dashing, their styles were slightly different. Ikaru Rujin’s charge was incredibly fast, yet his steps were light and ghost-like. Meanwhile, he held his short knife in a reverse grip, always ready to attack, showcasing the distinct fighting style typical of Mist ninjas. Tachibana’s charge was somewhat ordinary. However, as he lunged forward, the blue frog on his shoulder nimbly leaped backward, subtly hiding behind Tachibana, clearly planning to coordinate with its master for a surprise attack.

Tachibana didn't give his opponent much time to think; he exploded with chakra in his legs, accelerating forward and using the kunai to block Rujin’s fierce upward slash with his short knife. Skillfully using the force from Rujin’s attack, he quickly sidestepped to the right, dodging a powerful kick that followed closely. As Tachibana evaded, the little frog that had been hiding behind him naturally revealed itself. “Blue, water gun!” “Ribbit! (ﾉ｀0′)ﾉ===3” A water column the size of an arm shot rapidly toward Ikaru Rujin, spinning as it flew. At the same time, Tachibana threw his kunai, aimed directly at Rujin’s face.

However, facing such a pincer attack, Rujin merely opened his right hand slightly, drawing a perfect semicircle with the short knife in his palm. With a swift motion, he switched from a reverse grip to a forward grip and executed a quick downward slash, effortlessly dispersing the rapidly approaching water column. His right hand instinctively lifted to block, successfully catching the kunai less than five centimeters from his cheek. With no time to think further, both fighters simultaneously lifted their feet to kick each other.

“Bang!” x2 After two muffled thuds, both combatants, kicked by each other, instinctively chose to create distance. Once separated, they rubbed the areas where they had been kicked, taking a moment to catch their breath. Tachibana remained relatively calm; although it was a pity that the pincer attack had failed, he was well aware of his physical technique’s disadvantages before the battle began. Blue had only recently been contracted and wasn’t yet at the stage of perfect coordination. It was already enough that they managed to gain a slight advantage in this attack.

On the other hand, Ikaru Rujin, after creating distance, felt a fine layer of cold sweat forming on the back of his neck. In fact, the series of actions he had just performed were instinctive. Whether it was the water column attack or the kunai aimed at his face, he hadn’t felt entirely confident he could stop them. Even though he had successfully evaded danger in the end, he had still accidentally cut his right palm while grabbing the kunai. That Kanagawa Tachibana!

“Is that it? The power of that summoning beast’s ninjutsu is even weaker than my punches. You’re just a guy who knows a few little tricks!!” Ikaru Rujin suppressed the tension in his heart, still attempting to appear tough. Tachibana looked at his opponent like this and instead showed his trademark smile without replying. He pulled another kunai from his ninja gear pouch. “Blue, let’s go!”

As the two engaged again, the students watching from the sidelines began discussing animatedly. “Tachibana’s summoning beast looks somewhat useful.” “Not just the summoning beast; don’t you think Tachibana’s attacks are much sharper than before?” “That’s likely; many people have seen this guy training alone after school over the past month.” As the students around them commented, the battle on the field became increasingly intense. In a short period, both sides had exchanged blows several times. Although it seemed evenly matched at the moment, Tachibana knew that even with Blue in the distance distracting his opponent, he still couldn’t take down Ikaru Rujin.

A few times during the evasions, he had even been grazed by Rujin’s sharp knife. ‘It seems I need to stick to the plan.’ With that thought, Tachibana stopped hesitating, pushed off with his legs once more, and suddenly created distance. At the same time, he reached into his ninja gear pouch as if intending to throw shurikens to distract his opponent. Naturally, Ikaru Rujin wouldn’t sit by and let his opponent attack; he quickly threw three shurikens with even greater speed. He used his feet to propel himself forward, intending to close the distance and exploit his close-combat advantage.

Seeing the three shurikens coming in a slight arc, forming a “T,” blocking the escape routes, Tachibana appeared to be caught off guard and was hit by one of the shurikens. Yet, before Ikaru Rujin could show any signs of joy, the impacted Tachibana exploded in a puff of white smoke. When the smoke quickly dissipated, it was not Tachibana’s figure that appeared. A short wooden stump, with shurikens embedded in it, abruptly appeared in mid-air. “Substitution Jutsu?! When did that happen?” Ikaru Rujin looked around in slight shock.

After all, the ordinary substitution technique is just one of the basic three-body techniques. It requires hand signs to release the ninjutsu and prior preparation of a substitute object to predict the attack, essentially a rudimentary illusion. Typically, such a technique could only be used seamlessly when there is a massive disparity in strength between opponents, allowing the stronger to toy with the weaker. How did I not notice when Tachibana used hand signs to perform the substitution?

Just then, a gust of wind rushed in from behind. “From behind?” Ikaru Rujin had no time to think further. He planted his right foot, using his waist to generate force, and executed a standard upper-body turning slash, aiming to strike the neck of the ambusher to force them back. At the same time, his left leg followed suit, ready to kick. However, Ikaru Rujin’s short knife did not hit the intended target as he had imagined. The one ambushing him was actually the little frog that had been spraying water from the side since the start!

The blue frog extended its little white hand, which was no larger than a cat’s paw, ready to slap at him. At that moment, having misjudged the target due to not hearing the water sounds, the response of the short knife had already missed its mark. It was too late to change tactics. Ikaru Rujin could only forcibly adjust the angle of his kick. Due to the last-minute change, the little frog was merely kicked lightly and sent flying. However, none of this mattered anymore. A sharp kunai had silently been placed against Ikaru Rujin’s neck from behind. The arm holding the kunai also had a bloodied shuriken embedded in it.

“Practical test, Group One, winner: Kanagawa Tachibana.”

【Ding! First victory over a ninja school student, achievement unlocked: “Lollipop? Hand it over!”】 Tachibana naturally ignored the system prompt. He nodded at the Chunin teacher who spoke, then sheathed his kunai and walked over to his little frog that had been kicked away. Seeing that the Chunin teacher had announced the result, Ikaru Rujin dared not refute. In the end, he could only glare at Tachibana with resentment before awkwardly returning to his class’s lineup.

This outcome was clearly unexpected for the observing students. The students watching immediately erupted in chatter. They had just seen it clearly. When Ikaru Rujin turned to attack the little blue frog that had ambushed him, the wooden stump that had fallen to the ground behind him had suddenly transformed back into Tachibana. That stump was not a substitution technique but rather a transformation technique. The little frog had followed the agreed-upon strategy before the match; upon seeing Tachibana use the transformation technique, it immediately attacked to draw the enemy’s attention. Finally, after dispelling the transformation, Tachibana, ignoring the shuriken still embedded in his hand, quickly charged forward, using the kunai to subdue Ikaru Rujin and secure the ultimate victory.

“Kanagawa Tachibana actually defeated Ikaru Rujin? That summoning beast that looks so weak was that useful?” “Pfft~ Is that your understanding? No wonder your grades are so poor! Tachibana’s summoning beast is merely distracting; how strong does it need to be?” “Is that the point? By the way, throwing hand signs with one hand in the gear pouch is too outrageous, right?” Tachibana paid no attention to his classmates’ discussions and comforted the little frog that had just been hurt from the kick. “Blue, your timing for the slap was perfect; thanks to you!”

After saying this, Tachibana placed the frog back on his shoulder, his face once again breaking into a sunny smile as he walked back to his group. “Tachibana, how did you perform that transformation technique at the end?” A classmate he was on good terms with approached him as soon as he returned. Tachibana didn’t keep it a secret; he pulled out a bomb wrapped in bandages from his ninja gear pouch for the other to see. “Just a few little tricks that aren’t worth mentioning. It was a failed smoke bomb from the ninja tool class, and later I found the explosion effect was just right and looked a bit like the smoke from the three-body technique.”

“So earlier, I detonated the smoke bomb, then used hand signs to perform the transformation technique in the smoke.” “What? A failed smoke bomb? So it was just luck?” Tachibana looked at the other person and smiled back, saying nothing more. He then took out bandages and began to wrap his injured arm. Although his arm was hurt, Tachibana had no intention of going to the infirmary to rest. After a simple bandaging, he was prepared to continue watching the upcoming battles. After all, while he had achieved victory, now was not the time to relax. “Midterm practical combat test, Group Two: Momochi Zabuza vs. Nobi Kawa.”