By the time the other seven first-year classes arrived, the spectator stands of the Ninja Duel Arena were filled with a crowd of six- and seven-year-old children.
A masked Kirigakure ninja stepped into the center of the arena. Judging by his stance, he was likely the proctor for this graduation exam.
Mei Terumi and her two teammates stood in formation, each escorted by a Kirigakure ninja. They formed a loose triangle on the outer edge of the arena's center.
The exam was about to begin.
"Now, we commence the Ninja Academy graduation exam for Mei Terumi!"
"The rules are as follows: Mei Terumi and her teammates, Kaguya Seiki and Kizuki Tamaji, will engage in a free-for-all battle. The last one standing will earn early graduation and become a Genin!"
Yagura Karatachi listened and quickly grasped the situation.
It wasn't just Mei who had a chance at early graduation—her two teammates did as well. If she were to fall in battle, the last surviving member of their team would still qualify to graduate.
From the looks of it, Mei's teammates had already formed a private alliance.
Both of them kept a wary eye on Mei, barely sparing each other a glance.
Moreover, their surnames were noteworthy.
"Kaguya—Shikotsumyaku."
Yagura tapped his fingers rhythmically on his knee, watching Mei's opponents with keen interest.
"Kizuki—Dark Release. Both come from bloodline limit clans."
Grouping children from prestigious clans into the same team was nothing new. It was the same arrangement that had placed him alongside Mangetsu Hōzuki and Kaede Onime.
No matter who won or lost today, at least two clans would suffer the loss of a talented heir.
Still, compared to these two lesser-known figures, Yagura naturally hoped that Mei would emerge unscathed and graduate successfully.
The proctor checked his watch and, seeing the time was right, announced, "Then, let the graduation exam—begin!"
In the next instant, the proctor and three assisting examiners vanished from the arena using the Body Flicker Technique.
Mei stood motionless, watching her opponents with a calm gaze.
Meanwhile, Kaguya Seiki and Kizuki Tamaji moved into position, one in front of the other.
Seiki took the lead, speaking in a low voice, "Let's stick to the plan. I'll close the distance, and you cover me with your bloodline limit."
Tamaji, the bulkier of the two, broke into a nervous sweat under Mei's sharp, killing-intent-filled stare.
He didn't want to die.
Gritting his teeth, he nodded. "Got it!"
"So, you two have already made your decision?"
Mei had given her teammates—her so-called friends of the past two years—plenty of time and opportunities.
She raised her hands and began forming hand seals.
Seiki knew he couldn't allow Mei to complete her jutsu. It had to be a swift battle. He swung his hands forward with force. "Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets!"
Shikotsumyaku—the Dead Bone Pulse. Those who possessed this bloodline limit could weaponize their own bones, which would rapidly regenerate and grow under chakra influence.
Ten sharp finger bones fired from Seiki's hands like shuriken, hurtling straight toward Mei at high speed.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique."
Mei completed her final seal, exhaling a dense, corrosive mist that enveloped her entire body.
The hardened bone bullets disintegrated upon entering the acid mist, melting into white liquid before they even reached her.
This was one of Mei Terumi's two bloodline limits—Boil Release.
The mist thickened as she infused it with more chakra, rapidly expanding toward her opponents.
"Tch, acid mist!"
Seiki clicked his tongue and quickly pulled a bone sword from his forearm. He crouched and charged straight at Mei.
"Tamaji!"
"Y-yeah!"
Tamaji, trembling under Mei's killing intent, hesitated for only a moment before following Seiki's lead. He spread his arms wide, and two small black voids formed in his palms.
Mei's chakra-infused mist was drawn into the voids, dissipating at a visible rate.
Using Dark Release to absorb chakra and weaken the acid mist, followed by a close-quarters attack with Shikotsumyaku.
Mei saw through their strategy instantly. It was exactly as she had expected.
If she were in their position—facing an opponent with Lava Release or Boil Release—she would've devised the same plan.
Which was why she had already prepared a countermeasure.
As Seiki's bone sword slashed toward her, Mei swiftly sidestepped and ducked, delivering a powerful kick to his stomach to create distance.
"Water Release: Water Trumpet!"
Capitalizing on the opening, she leaped backward and shot a pressurized stream of water at Seiki.
He dodged with ease, and Tamaji quickly stepped forward, absorbing the water jutsu with Dark Release.
Seiki sneered. "What's wrong? Resorting to Water Release? Running out of chakra already?"
Mei didn't bother responding to a dead man's words. "Earth Release: Earth-Flow Wall!"
The moment her hand seals were completed, a solid earthen wall erupted from the ground, cutting Seiki and Tamaji off from each other.
"What?!"
Neither of them had ever seen Mei use Earth Release before, and for a brief moment, they hesitated.
Their strategy had no countermeasures for this.
Not using a jutsu didn't mean she couldn't use it.
Mei's chakra nature included Water, Fire, and Earth.
Most of the time, her Lava Release and Boil Release were enough to handle her enemies.
Not giving them any time to react, she unleashed another mist. "Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
"Aaaaahhh!!"
Seiki moved quickly to retreat, but at such close range, the acid mist still managed to engulf him.
The moment it touched his clothes and skin, they began to melt away, exposing raw, burning flesh.
Boom!
The Earth Wall crumbled into blackened mud as its chakra was absorbed by Tamaji.
But the sight of Seiki's acid-scorched body drained the color from Tamaji's face. He frantically absorbed more of the mist, trying to create a safe zone.
Seiki stumbled backward behind him, his entire body covered in burns. The second he felt he was in a safe zone, his knees buckled, and he collapsed.
Pain. It felt like his entire body was being devoured by fire ants.
He couldn't move.
With Seiki incapacitated, Mei no longer had to worry about close combat.
Now, she could rely on her most effective strategy—
Jutsu suppression.
As Tamaji absorbed more and more mist, his hands trembled. His fingers turned white, then twitched involuntarily.
"Seiki! Are you okay?!"
His chakra was nearly depleted. If Seiki couldn't fight anymore…
Clink. Clink.
Seiki tried multiple times to push himself up using his bone sword, but his body refused to cooperate.
Their loss had been decided the moment Mei unveiled her Earth Release.
Finally, Tamaji's chakra ran dry.
The two black voids in his palms flickered and disappeared.
Without Dark Release suppressing it, the acid mist spread once more.
As Mei's silhouette faded into the fog, Tamaji fell to his knees in despair.
"No, Mei! Please! We're teammates! We've been together for two years—ahhh! Ahhhhhh!"
The mist swallowed them whole.
"The exam is over! Mei Terumi is victorious!"
Not sparing another glance at the fate of her teammates, Mei turned and walked out of the arena.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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