It has also become a taboo in the village, never to be mentioned again.
But this alone proves that age is not a measure of a person's strength.
"It turns out that the one taking the test himself is Yamato, the captain of the Anbu Special Assassination and Tactical Squad! Now this is getting interesting!"
"I don't think this kid is ordinary at all. Just look at him—does he even seem the least bit nervous? That kind of composure is rare, especially for a twelve-year-old!"
"If this kid can last even five minutes against Captain Yamato, that alone will be enough for him to brag about for years! Hahaha!"
The murmurs among the gathered shinobi continued, but Kazuki ignored the attention.
Following Yamato, he stepped into the center of the training ground, focusing his mind and adjusting his stance.
"Let's begin."
Yamato's voice was calm and measured as he assumed a combat-ready stance.
Kazuki nodded. Lowering his head slightly, a dark gleam flashed in his eyes as he undid the weight-bearing sandbags strapped to his ankles, letting them fall into the ring with a heavy thud.
Then, in the next instant—
He held nothing back.
His body blurred into motion, transforming into a white whirlwind as he shot toward Yamato.
"Strong Konoha Whirlwind!"
A brilliant blue chakra enveloped his calf and foot in an instant.
With a sharp whistle through the air, Kazuki unleashed a ferocious kick toward Yamato.
From the very start, he put his full strength into the attack.
Facing an elite-level ninja like Yamato, any hesitation or underestimation would be the same as inviting death.
Kazuki had already made up his mind—this was his moment to prove himself. He would go all out.
Gasps erupted from the watching crowd.
Even the Anbu present, all hardened warriors, found it difficult to track Kazuki's movements. To their eyes, he had become a mere afterimage, moving with impossible speed!
His velocity in this moment surpassed even Rock Lee's performance during the Chunin Exams—when Lee had removed his training weights to fight Gaara.
In fact, Kazuki's speed now was nearly on par with Lee after opening the First Gate of the Eight Inner Gates!
He had trained in taijutsu since the age of five.
Seven years of relentless discipline had forged his body into a weapon.
Now, that strength and speed were on full display, leaving the audience momentarily breathless.
A silent realization dawned upon them.
Could any of them match this speed?
No.
Even among the experienced Anbu, not a single one of them could confidently say they could move faster than this twelve-year-old boy.
"So fast!"
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd never believe a twelve-year-old could move like that!"
"Wait… isn't that Guy-sensei's signature taijutsu move? Did this kid actually learn it?! What's his connection to Might Guy?"
"To be handpicked by the Hokage himself for Anbu… this kid is no ordinary recruit."
Even among the spectators, Kakashi—who was overseeing the evaluation—felt a flicker of surprise.
Such speed…
This level of movement was something only an elite jonin could typically achieve.
For a twelve-year-old to reach this stage… only one person in the entire village came to mind—Might Guy.
Kakashi had already known that Kazuki had trained under Guy for some years,
but he hadn't expected him to master techniques like the Strong Konoha Whirlwind so completely.
It seems he inherited Guy's teachings in full…
A slight pang of regret surfaced in Kakashi's mind as he reconsidered his previous underestimation of Kazuki.
His gaze grew more serious.
In the center of the training ground, Yamato himself was just as stunned by Kazuki's sheer speed.
But as an elite jonin, his reflexes were razor-sharp.
The moment Kazuki's right leg came hurtling toward him—
His hands completed a rapid series of seals.
Boom!
A loud impact echoed through the training grounds.
Yamato was sent flying.
In an instant, the wooden stake burst apart midair, splintering into countless shards that scattered in all directions.
"Substitution!"
From a distance, Yamato's voice rang out. His figure reappeared at a new location, hands forming seals in rapid succession.
"Wood Release: Silent Strangulation Technique!"
As soon as his voice fell, the once-flat ground of the training field rumbled. Cracks formed, and thick wooden trunks erupted from below, twisting and expanding at an alarming speed—shooting straight toward Kazuki.
"It's the Captain's Wood Release jutsu!"
"He used his Wood Release right from the start? He must be taking this kid seriously!"
"To see Captain Yamato use the legendary jutsu once wielded by the First Hokage… This is a rare sight!"
A murmur of awe spread through the onlookers, but Kazuki remained unfazed. Without looking back, he calmly raised an elbow.
"Leaf Rock Uprising Fist!"
Crack!
The moment Kazuki's elbow struck the advancing wooden trunk, fractures spread across its surface like a spiderweb.
"Break!"
With a thunderous boom, the massive trunk shattered into countless splinters, exploding outward in all directions.
"What?!"
Yamato's eyes widened in shock. His Wood Release had been demolished—not by ninjutsu, but by raw taijutsu alone.
As realization sank in, Yamato's expression grew serious. He had expected Kazuki to be strong, but not to this extent. Against power-type opponents, Wood Release was usually a solid counter. However, Kazuki wasn't just strong—he was fast, far faster than Yamato had anticipated. Most power-based fighters relied on brute force, often sacrificing speed. But Kazuki exhibited both in perfect harmony, making him a uniquely formidable opponent.
Beneath his mask, Yamato frowned. A direct confrontation won't work… I need a new strategy.
For the first time, Yamato found himself disregarding Kazuki's age. The boy was no longer just a young shinobi—he was a true threat, one that required Yamato's full effort to overcome.
"This isn't good," Yamato muttered to himself. "I can't match him in close combat… I need to shift the battlefield!"
Weaving new seals, Yamato prepared his next move.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
A technique once wielded by the legendary First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. As Yamato channeled his chakra, the ground split open, and massive tree trunks surged skyward. In mere seconds, the training field had transformed into a dense forest.
"That's… the First Hokage's jutsu?!"
"Unbelievable! Captain Yamato can even use this technique?"
"It's over. No one escapes this jutsu! That kid is finished!"
The towering trees enveloped the entire battlefield, their vines and branches reaching for Kazuki like relentless predators.
Kazuki moved swiftly, navigating the dense jungle with rapid leaps and calculated steps. But the ever-growing branches pursued him without mercy, seeking to entangle him at every turn.
Whoosh!
A thick vine suddenly shot forward—impaling Kazuki's body.
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