As the battle commenced, Might Guy surged forward at incredible speed, launching a flying kick straight at Asuma Sarutobi.
Asuma, unfazed, raised both arms to block the attack.
However, he had underestimated Might Guy's strength.
Unable to fully withstand the force, Asuma was pushed back three steps, a dull ache spreading through his forearms.
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
Having seized the advantage, Might Guy pressed on relentlessly, closing the distance and aiming a fierce spinning kick at Asuma's head.
He wasn't holding back.
Still reeling from the earlier exchange, Asuma knew better than to meet Guy's raw power head-on. Ducking low, he immediately began forming hand seals.
Catching the movement from the corner of his eye, Guy twisted midair and sent another kick at the crouching Asuma.
But this time, his attack found no purchase—Asuma had already vanished, leaving only a shadow clone in his place.
"Where is he?"
Guy landed, shattering the clone with a single strike, then scanned his surroundings for the real Asuma.
"Above!"
Suddenly, Guy noticed the sunlight above him had dimmed. He instinctively looked up to see Asuma descending from the sky.
If Asuma had mastered even the weakest of the Five Elemental Ninjutsu, this would have been Guy's defeat.
But despite being the son of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Asuma had yet to learn a single elemental technique. That left him with only one option—close combat.
Meanwhile, for reasons unknown, Might Guy—despite the obvious disadvantage—chose not to evade.
Any normal fighter would recognize that the airborne attacker held the advantage. The logical move would be to dodge first, then counterattack once Asuma landed.
But Guy had no intention of following convention.
He charged straight in.
Or rather—he met the challenge head-on!
Summoning every ounce of his strength, Guy pushed off the ground with both legs and rocketed upward.
"BOOM!"
"This is the power of youth—AHHH!"
For a brief moment, they clashed midair, muscles straining, before Guy let out a battle cry that seemed to awaken something deep within him. A sudden surge of energy coursed through his body, amplifying his strength.
"BANG! BANG!"
Both fighters crashed onto the ground, momentarily losing the ability to continue.
Seeing this, the instructor, Kaoru Iwabe, immediately stepped forward.
"Might Guy versus Asuma Sarutobi—draw."
"You both pass."
With the results declared, Asuma gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand. His arms throbbed with pain, and his right leg ached from the impact. He glared at the still-grounded Might Guy and growled, "Guy, were you trying to kill me?!"
Ordinarily, Asuma and Guy got along well—one was rebellious, the other an idiot. Somehow, they had become friends.
There was always a bit of rivalry between them.
Though Asuma's outburst seemed like anger, in truth, he was simply stunned by the sheer strength of the usually foolish Guy.
Still lying on the ground, Guy was in no state to respond. Having pushed his body to its limits, it was a miracle he hadn't passed out. His sheer endurance—and thick-skinned nature—were likely the only reasons he remained conscious.
Instead of speaking, he simply flashed Asuma a wide, toothy grin.
I, Might Guy, never speak softly.
Kaoru Iwabe knelt beside Guy and examined him, quickly diagnosing muscle strain and complete exhaustion.
Without hesitation, he called for the medical ninja stationed at the academy to begin treatment.
Meanwhile, the rest of the class buzzed with discussion.
"I never knew Guy's taijutsu was this strong. I'd have lost to Asuma for sure."
"If not for today's match, we wouldn't have realized how much he's improved."
"Tch, he's just a muscle-headed taijutsu freak."
Among the murmuring voices, there were those who were astonished, those who scoffed, and those—like Veigar Koshima—who had seen this coming.
For now, Might Guy was the center of attention.
"Clap. Clap."
Kaoru Iwabe clapped his hands, drawing the class's focus back to him.
"Next, the final match of the day—Veigar Koshima versus Obito Uchiha."
With Guy being carried off for treatment, Kaoru wasted no time calling up the next pair.
Stepping onto the battlefield, Obito Uchiha beamed with excitement, his confidence radiating as he faced Veigar.
"Veigar, you're about to witness my true strength!"
"Victory is mine!"
Veigar merely smiled calmly and replied, "Alright, do your best."
Though Veigar remained composed, the rest of the class was far less tolerant of Obito's bravado.
"Ha! Obito, you're way too cocky."
"A dead-last like you has no business being this confident. I'd surrender if I were you."
"Who gave this idiot the nerve to claim he could beat Veigar?"
"Does he have a death wish? Obito, you fool!"
Their laughter echoed through the training grounds.
Compared to Obito, they saw themselves as stronger, yet none of them dared challenge Veigar.
And yet, Obito had the audacity to declare victory?
It felt like a slap in the face.
"Is he mocking us for not having the guts to fight Veigar?"
Their frustration turned into mockery directed solely at Obito.
"Damn it! You're all looking down on me!"
Obito clenched his fists, his face burning with humiliation.
Even worse, Veigar showed no reaction—just that same calm smile. The ridicule from his classmates stung even more.
"Both fighters, perform the Seal of Confrontation."
Despite his simmering frustration, Obito obediently formed the traditional seal alongside Veigar, following academy protocol.
"Begin!"
The instant Iwabe signaled the start, Obito dashed forward with all his might, determination blazing in his eyes.
"I'll defeat Veigar! I'll show them my true power!"
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