7 Chapter 7: Ryujiro vs. Sasuke

What?!

100 points!

How is that possible!

Sasuke and Neji both wore expressions of disbelief, checking each target thoroughly.

It's true!

All of them hit dead center!

This guy wasn't just throwing them randomly!

Sasuke clenched his fists, unwilling to accept it, as he looked at Ryujiro.

The esteemed Uchiha heir was actually weaker than a commoner in kunai throwing!

Their classmates were all shocked, looking at Ryujiro in disbelief.

Could it be that Sasuke's position as the top student was about to change hands?

It was too early to say that, as there was still the main test to come.

Unlike the previous two tests, the sparring was a combat assessment, a true test of combat between the two sides.

Sasuke looked at Ryujiro.

He must win against him in this fight, otherwise, he would feel unworthy of being an Uchiha.

Seeing Sasuke's burning gaze, Ryujiro couldn't help but smile.

Just because he scored 100 points, Sasuke was feeling so challenged.

The upcoming fight would also showcase his training results. With one hand resting on his wooden sword, Ryujiro's eyes flashed with rare excitement.

Even Naruto scored 84 points in kunai throwing, reaching an above-average level.

Iruka was incredibly shocked by Naruto's progress.

Was it because of this kid, Ryujiro?

It seemed like Naruto had made good friends.

A faint smile tugged at Iruka's lips.

Many felt utterly dejected; previously, with Naruto around, even if their scores were poor, they wouldn't end up at the bottom. 

But now that Naruto had reached an above-average level, they lost that sense of superiority.

"Let's begin the practical assessment!"

"Who's up first?"

Iruka scanned the crowd, and except for Sasuke, Neji and Ryujiro, everyone else took a step back.

Obviously, they didn't want to confront strong opponents like Sasuke, Ryujiro, and Neji.

Sasuke stepped forward, his intense gaze fixed on Ryujiro, as he spoke to Iruka, "Iruka-sensei, I challenge Ryujiro!"

"A head-to-head showdown right off the bat?!"

Everyone was incredibly curious about Ryujiro's strength and wondered if he could use Shadow Clones, making him comparable to Sasuke and Neji.

A thick tension filled the air.

Everyone looked at Ryujiro, wondering if he would accept Sasuke's challenge.

"Ryujiro, do you accept?" Iruka asked, with some concern in his heart; after all, Sasuke was from the Uchiha clan.

Moreover, Sasuke had already mastered the C-rank Ninjutsu, Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu. Sasuke's strength was probably close to that of a Genin now.

"I accept."

Ryujiro accepted straightforwardly.

As for Sasuke and Ryujiro...

Ryujiro's strength had always been a mystery, and what puzzled them even more was why Ryujiro had a wooden sword at his waist. A wooden sword had no killing power for a ninja.

"Are you ready?" Iruka asked solemnly.

Both Ryujiro and Sasuke nodded without any objections.

"Then, let's start by forming the Seal of Confrontation."

Ryujiro and Sasuke formed the seal facing each other.

Iruka glanced at both of them.

"Start!"

As soon as the word fell, Sasuke dove towards Ryujiro without hesitation, feinting an attack towards Ryujiro's upper body, but his real target was Ryujiro's lower body.

Ryujiro remained calm, having already seen through Sasuke's small trick.

Sasuke threw a punch, a smirk playing on his lips.

"He got him!"

"Boom!"

But in the next moment, Sasuke froze. 

The Ryujiro in front of him turned into a wooden stump, and at that moment, a wooden sword was pressed against Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke's eyes widened, a look of disbelief crossing his face, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Substitution Jutsu!"

Iruka exclaimed in astonishment.

Could it be that Ryujiro had already mastered the Substitution Jutsu so proficiently?!

Ryujiro's parents were former ninjas, and he had mastered some of the basic ninjutsu from the few remaining ninja scrolls.

The Substitution Jutsu was just the most basic ninjutsu, and from the very beginning, Ryujiro's goal in training was to master it proficiently.

Sasuke lowered his head in disappointment. "I lost."

Silence fell over the surroundings; everyone looked at Ryujiro, their mouths agape, their eyes filled with shock.

"Was it over just like that?!

Has Ryujiro already mastered all the basic ninjutsu, including the Substitution Jutsu?!"

They even suspected whether Ryujiro had come to the ninja school just to challenge them. Even the usually indifferent Shikamaru stared wide-eyed at Ryujiro.

"The fight is over! Ryujiro wins! Both of you, perform Seal of Reconciliation and make peace."

Sasuke lowered his head and made the seal with Ryujiro in peace, then returned to the crowd dejectedly.

Sasuke had always been the top student, but now Ryujiro, who suddenly appeared, shattered his pride as a member of the Uchiha clan.

As the son of the Uchiha clan leader, he actually lost to a commoner!

"Wow! He actually defeated Sasuke so easily!"

"It's the first time I've seen Sasuke beaten!"

"So amazing."

"It ended in just a moment."

"Is Ryujiro really the same age as us? He's a true genius."

Ryujiro's quick victory elicited exclamations from everyone, their faces filled with admiration as they looked at him.

"Ryujiro-kun."

Hinata, who had been standing on the sidelines, handed Ryujiro a water glass.

Ryujiro looked at Hinata, then placed a hand on her head.

"Thank you, Hinata."

Instantly, Hinata froze, her entire body stiffening, her face turning red as she involuntarily lowered her head.

Seeing the shy Hinata, Ryujiro smiled faintly.

As for Neji, who was watching from the side, he couldn't help but feel resentful as he looked at Ryujiro and Hinata.

Neji hadn't expected Ryujiro to defeat Sasuke so quickly. Ryujiro, who could proficiently use the Substitution Jutsu, already stood at a different level from them.

Moreover, Neji had observed Ryujiro's chakra movements during the match.

Ryujiro had even concealed his true strength in this match.

He was simply no match for Ryujiro.

And after interacting with Hinata, Hinata's personality had also changed.

As the talented member of the Hyuga clan, Hinata's talents were gradually being revealed. Hinata possessed talents that were not inferior to Neji's.

It wouldn't be long before even Hinata would surpass him.

Was the fate of the branch family always predetermined...

In the subsequent practical tests, although Naruto lost to Shikamaru, Shikamaru didn't win easily. If it weren't for the Shadow Bind Jutsu...

Perhaps Shikamaru would have lost to Naruto.

It's hard to imagine that Naruto, who used to be the class's bottom, had progressed so quickly!