Chapter 25: FIGHT!!!!!!

Words : 1641 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 25 - FIGHT!!!!!! Ren returned home from his morning training to find his father already seated at the table, breakfast prepared. As usual, Juichi was efficient—his one arm didn't slow him down in the slightest. As Ren sat down, Juichi casually asked, "So, you ready for the exam?" Ren grinned confidently. "Of course." Juichi nodded approvingly, then added, "The first exam is usually more important. Many people will be paying attention, so you need to do well. If you impress them, you'll get a good reward." Ren was already aware of this, but hearing it from his father reinforced its importance. Then, Juichi asked "By the way, have you decided what you want?" Ren didn't hesitate. "Yes, I want this." He pulled out the scroll containing his weapon design and handed it over. Juichi unrolled the scroll and studied it carefully. His sharp shinobi instincts allowed him to immediately grasp its practical advantages. "A blade-type weapon pairs well with Wind Style jutsu. Since the claws are retractable, they won't interfere with Earth jutsu either. You've thought this through well." Ren smiled as he took back the scroll. Juichi then added, "When you submit this, ask Utakata to meet me." Ren was surprised to hear his father refer to his instructor so casually. "You know each other?" Juichi chuckled. "Of course. We were teammates in our genin and chunin days. Even completed some missions together as jonin." Ren blinked in surprise. "Sensei is a jonin? I thought academy instructors were all chunin." After all, his Observe Panel still couldn't read Utakata's level, meaning the man had to be higher than Level 45. Juichi nodded, confirming his suspicion. "Yes, Utakata is a jonin. And a strong one, too. After the Nine-Tails attack, he was assigned to the academy just in case something happened. But I doubt he'll stay here for more than a year." Ren processed the information. "So, Konoha assigned a jonin-level instructor just to oversee our class?" It made sense. The village was unstable, and with Orochimaru's defection, they needed to keep a close eye on the younger generation. With this in mind, Ren finished his breakfast, grabbed his scroll, and left for the academy. Today was going to be a big day. (Location- Academy) The academy looked the same as usual—students moving around, conversations filling the air, nothing visibly different. But Ren knew better. As soon as he entered the premises, his Observe Panel picked up at least ten hidden presences, all marked with question marks instead of levels. He didn't stare too long—no need to draw attention to himself. Instead, he walked straight to his classroom, taking his usual seat beside Eiji. At exactly 9 AM, Utakata appeared at the front of the classroom, holding a stack of papers in his hand. His expression remained as unreadable as ever, his tone calm and controlled as he spoke. "Good morning. As I told you yesterday, the exam will consist of two parts—written and practical. You will have two hours for the written exam, and the practical exam will last as long as needed." With that, he began distributing the exam sheets. As soon as the clock hit 9:05, his voice rang out— "Begin." The classroom fell into immediate silence. Ren flipped over the paper and began scanning the questions. They were definitely harder than the ones in the entrance exam—a mix of tactical scenarios, basic ninjutsu theory, mathematical problems for resource allocation questions about Konoha's political and military structure and ofcourse the will of fire. Despite the difficulty increase, none of the questions were challenging enough for Ren to need his information-gathering skill (cheating). He simply answered one after another, moving at a steady pace. Time ticked forward, and soon it was 11:05 AM. Utakata's voice cut through the silence. "Stop. Pencils down, or you fail." Every student immediately obeyed. Without hesitation, Utakata collected the papers one by one, stacking them neatly before turning back to the class. His next words were simple. "You have 25 minutes of break time. Meet me at the academy training ground at 11:30 sharp." Then, in a swift flicker, he vanished. The students, finally free from the written portion, emptied the classroom in an orderly manner. For most of them, the real challenge was still ahead. And Ren couldn't wait. (Location- Academy training ground) By 11:30, nearly all the students had already gathered at the training ground. Nobody wanted to risk being late under the watchful eyes of the invisible observers. Even though they couldn't see anyone, the heavy atmosphere made it clear—they were being watched. Some of the more perceptive students even felt a faint prickling sensation at their backs. Standing beside Ren, Eiji furrowed his brows, muttering in a low voice, "I feel like so many people are watching me." Ren gave a soft hum in response. "They are. Sensei told us about the observers. Just do your best and impress them. Have you thought about what you want if asked?" Eiji nodded, his expression still tense. "Yeah. I'll ask for money since I don't really want anything right now." Ren was momentarily speechless. But after a second, he understood. Eiji wasn't interested in weapons, so asking for one would be pointless. He also couldn't use higher-ranked jutsu yet—even Body Flicker was difficult for him. So, asking for money was actually a practical decision. Ren's thoughts were cut short as Utakata flickered into the training ground. His calm, unreadable voice echoed through the field. "We will do this like our normal sparring classes. I will call you in pairs, and you will fight. First match—Eiji Nakamura vs. Takeda Uchiha. Step forward." Ren turned to Eiji and smirked. "Good luck." Eiji grinned and stepped forward excitedly, while Takeda Uchiha sneered, clearly considering Eiji beneath him. However, he kept his mouth shut, clearly mindful of Utakata's presence. "Do the seal of confrontation." They joined hands, forming the traditional half-Tiger seal. Utakata's next words were sharp and clear. "Severe injuries and killing are not allowed. Begin!" The moment the fight started, Eiji dashed forward first. Takeda met him head-on, raising his fists expecting a standard exchange of blows. But he was wrong. Eiji's attack patterns were completely unpredictable. One moment, his punches and kicks were rapid and aggressive, and the next, he was twisting his body in unnatural ways to dodge and counterattack. It was chaotic yet precise. Takeda struggled to land a clean hit while Eiji's attacks kept forcing him on the defensive. The students watching were clearly surprised. The great Uchiha was getting pushed back by a civilian-born shinobi. Ren simply watched, arms crossed. 'Eiji's movements are wild, but they work. Takeda can't keep up.' Realizing he was losing in close combat, Takeda quickly leaped back, creating distance. His hands blurred into hand signs. Eiji's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't panic. Takeda took a deep breath and shouted— "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" A large ball of flames erupted from his mouth, rushing toward Eiji with deadly heat. But Takeda's execution was far from perfect. The fireball was slower than it should have been, and the hand signs were too deliberate. Eiji had enough time to react. At the last second, he replaced himself with a log, using Substitution Jutsu to escape the attack. The fireball crashed into the ground, scorching the dirt and sending heat waves through the air. Takeda landed, his breath heavy, clearly feeling the chakra drain. But Eiji was already behind him. The moment Takeda turned around, Eiji was already mid-sprint. A set of kunai flew from his hands, aimed straight for Takeda. Takeda dodged quickly, but one grazed his cheek, leaving a thin line of blood. For a brief second, he froze. That was all Eiji needed. In that instant, he closed the distance and placed a kunai against Takeda's throat. Takeda's eyes widened in shock and humiliation. He had lost. His body tensed, and his pride screamed at him to keep fighting but the sharp, cold steel against his skin told him otherwise. His jaw clenched. Then, through gritted teeth, he muttered— "I surrender." Silence fell over the field as Utakata nodded in acknowledgment. "Winner—Eiji Nakamura." Eiji grinned, stepping back as he lowered his kunai. Meanwhile, Takeda's face twisted in frustration, but he didn't argue. The fight was over. Ren smirked, watching from the sidelines. "A predictable outcome." During these six months, Eiji had reached Level 16, while Takeda was still stuck at Level 13. The difference in strength was clear. Before Ren could deliberate more about the outcome Utakata Sensei ha already called out the next name "Ren Takahashi and Itachi Uchiha step forward." Ren grinned as he moved towards the centre 'Lets see how this goes.' He was very excited the difference between his and Itachi's level had narrowed when they had their first fight they had a difference of 12 level and Ren had struggled to maintain the tie but now their level difference was 8 levels. Itachi had reached level 33 in this time, clearly his growth had slowed down somewhat, this was the chance for Ren to catch up with him and this fight would prove that all his efforts were not in vain. {A/N:- Ren vs Itachi would be the only other fight I would be writing in detail about otherwise the academy arc would become too long.} {So what do you think, can Ren win against Itachi as he is now or would he need more time, comment what you think and we only need 5 more reviews till we get to 10 reviews so write what you think}

Chapter 25: FIGHT!!!!!!

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