Hyūga Neji's pale eyes suddenly narrowed.
The Chūnin instructor and the classmates watching from the sidelines had similar shocked expressions.
In an instant, Kazuki vanished, leaving only an afterimage before disappearing completely.
"What?!"
Everyone was stunned.
Even Neji, who was still poised in his Gentle Fist stance, was caught off guard.
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
Kazuki's figure reappeared—already behind Neji.
Even with the Byakugan's nearly 360-degree field of vision, Neji couldn't react in time.
Kazuki's speed was simply too fast!
Bang!!
A powerful kick struck Neji's spine.
Pain erupted through his body as he was sent crashing to the ground.
Before he could recover, he felt a weight on his back—Kazuki had already pinned him down. His arms were twisted together from behind, and Kazuki's foot pressed against his spine, completely immobilizing him.
The training ground fell silent.
The students who had been cheering for Neji just moments ago were frozen in shock.
The entire fight had turned around in mere seconds.
"The match is over! Kazuki wins!"
The Chūnin instructor wasted no time in announcing the results.
"Whoa, that was fast!"
"One move... Kazuki took down Hyūga Neji in a single move?!"
"No way! I didn't realize Kazuki was this strong!"
"Does this mean he's the top student of our year?"
The students murmured in amazement.
Many had assumed that Neji, the prodigy of the Hyūga Clan, was the strongest in their class.
But he had been defeated so effortlessly.
Some of the girls who had admired Neji for his noble heritage, strength, and good looks suddenly wavered in their affections.
"A fighter who's stronger... and more handsome?"
The Chūnin instructor, suppressing his own surprise, spoke again.
"Kazuki, get off Neji and perform the Seal of Reconciliation."
"Understood, sensei."
Kazuki stood up and extended his hand toward Neji, signaling for reconciliation.
The fight had seemed short and straightforward—Kazuki had overwhelmed Neji with raw strength.
However, Neji was by no means weak. As a Genin, his combat ability was already exceptional.
Defeating him in a single move was no simple feat.
Kazuki had planned every step of the battle.
Hyūga Neji's Byakugan could detect chakra flow, making it nearly impossible to deceive him with standard techniques like the Clone Jutsu.
Instead, Kazuki relied solely on pure taijutsu—eschewing kunai or trickery in favor of raw speed and power.
Against an opponent like Neji, elaborate tactics were unnecessary.
And, crucially, Kazuki had chosen to use Might Guy's signature technique—the Konoha Whirlwind.
This wasn't just to defeat Neji.
It was a deliberate move, meant to send a message.
Kazuki knew that after this match, his performance would draw attention.
By displaying a technique associated with Might Guy, he ensured that certain figures would take notice—people who could help him in the future.
After leaving the training ground, Kazuki was immediately approached by his friends.
"That was incredible!" Lee exclaimed. "I thought it would be a long fight, but you finished it in an instant! You keep getting stronger—I can't wait to fight you myself!"
"My big bro is the best!" Tenten added with a grin.
A voice, lower and more serious, interrupted them.
"How did you do it?"
Neji, still recovering, was standing with the support of a classmate. His face was calm, but his frustration was clear.
Kazuki tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Neji clenched his fists. "I mean… how did you move? You were inside my Eight Trigrams field. You shouldn't have been able to attack."
"Oh, this?" Kazuki said indifferently. "Because I'm stronger than you, your Gentle Fist technique and the Hyūga Clan's Eight Trigrams Formation can't restrict me."
"Stronger than me...?"
Hyūga Neji whispered, his expression shifting as if he had taken a heavy blow. His face tensed, his pride wounded.
"Stop acting like you're a destined genius," Kazuki continued. "Your strength still has a long way to go."
"There is no such thing as an unchangeable fate. As long as you put in the effort, things will always change."
Kazuki patted Rock Lee on the shoulder with a smile.
"Look at us. We're all hardworking geniuses!"
"Hardworking... genius?"
Neji stood frozen in place, his mind reeling. The words struck him like a powerful impact, shaking the belief he had clung to for so long.
Could hard work really surpass natural talent?
Could fate truly be changed?
For the first time in his life, doubt crept into Neji's heart.
After the Final Exam
As expected, Kazuki ranked first in the class. He was the undisputed top student of this year's graduates.
Lee and Tenten also performed exceptionally well, proving their strength.
No one in the class dared to underestimate the three of them anymore. Their abilities were clear for all to see—they were far from ordinary.
"Let's go out and celebrate our results after school!" Lee suggested enthusiastically.
"Barbecue! Barbecue! Barbecue!" Tenten chanted, rhythmically tapping the table.
"Sounds good to me," Kazuki agreed. "Meat is the best food in the world."
"Barbecue, huh..." Lee hesitated. The price of barbecue was high, and his pocket money was tight.
"I'll treat you today!" Kazuki said with a grin. "Eat as much as you want!"
"I couldn't possibly..." Lee started to protest. Kazuki had already helped him with training equipment, and he felt bad about accepting more.
"It's fine! My brother has a ton of pocket money—way more than me!"
"Yeah, Lee, don't worry about it," Kazuki reassured him. "If you really feel bad, you can just be my sister's sparring partner. Make sure she doesn't slack off in training."
"I do NOT slack off!" Tenten huffed, crossing her arms.
Laughing, the three of them left the academy and walked toward the barbecue restaurant together.
Meanwhile, at the Ninja Academy
A Chūnin instructor carefully compiled the results of the actual combat exam and set off for the Hokage's office beneath the Hokage Rock.
He thought to himself, The Third Hokage will definitely be surprised by today's report...
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at his desk, a pipe resting between his fingers as he reviewed official documents. He barely glanced up as the academy instructor delivered his report.
But then, something caught his attention.
"Hmm?" Hiruzen paused, his brows slightly raised. "The top student this year isn't from the Hyūga clan? Who is it?"
"It's Kazuki, the son of Takeshi, the owner of the ninja tool shop," the Chūnin reported.
"Oh?" A hint of curiosity flashed in Hiruzen's eyes.
A civilian child, surpassing the Hyūga Clan's prodigy?
"Bring me this boy's combat evaluation," Hiruzen ordered.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
The Chūnin quickly handed over the carefully organized documents.