Figures blurred across the arena, steel flashing repeatedly as metallic clangs rang nonstop through the air.
The once windless battlefield now swirled with sand and gusts stirred up by the two fighters. Ordinary spectators could no longer distinguish the combatants' movements—only ninja could barely track their fleeting shadows, relying on brief sparks in midair to judge their positions.
Shuriken after shuriken and fireballs one by one slammed into her body, generating waves of distortion that left the audience stunned speechless!
"Hey, what's going on? Where did they go?"
"I can't see a thing! Is this really a Jonin-level match?"
"This is unbelievable! Are they even human anymore?"
"..."
Villagers watching the fight gawked in awe—it moved faster than the eye could follow.
Other observing ninja also wore expressions of shock.
"So this is the power of the Uchiha? Two seemingly unknown ninja possessing such strength!"
"It's ridiculous! Although these two are the guards of the director and vice-director, it's still understandable for them to be stronger than average."
"Understand my ass! It's not like there's only one guard!"
"That's right—and you think all other squad leaders are just loafing around doing nothing?"
"..."
If the first round showcased the Uchiha's numbers among Jonin, this one was displaying their true caliber.
At a corner of the stands, Hiashi Hyuga and Hizashi Hyuga—two Jonin from the Hyūga clan—activated their Byakugan, observing Shin and Ryoichi's ongoing clash.
Frowning, Hizashi said, "Clan Leader, these two must already rank among elite Jonin."
Hiashi nodded slowly, then replied solemnly, "Indeed. The Uchiha demonstrate superiority not only numerically but qualitatively among Jonin ranks. If it weren't for the Caged Bird Seal..."
A heavy feeling settled in Hiashi's heart. Belonging to another top-tier bloodline limit, he never considered the Byakugan inherently inferior to the Sharingan.
But every member outside the Main Family bore the Caged Bird Seal.
Once branded, how many still had the drive left?
Perhaps that was why the Hyūga's experts consistently lagged behind the Uchiha both quantitatively and qualitatively.
While everyone else watched in intense focus, Aozora stayed surprisingly calm, chatting with Shisui about the fighters' skills.
"Brother, what do you think about Shin and Ryoichi's strength? What level would you place them at?"
"They're extremely strong!" Shisui replied. "They should stand among elite Jonin."
"Elite Jonin?"
Aozora murmured thoughtfully before curiously asking, "How exactly do you determine someone's strength? Is there some classification system—like Jonin, Elite Jonin, Kage-level...?"
In reality, the standard classification in the Ninja World has always been Genin, Chūnin, Special-Jonin, Jonin, and Kage. These titles were awarded based on comprehensive ability, achievements, and contributions rather than directly reflecting pure combat strength.
"Uh—"
Shisui hesitated briefly before replying after some consideration, "There isn't any official breakdown, but I do have a rough personal classification."
Upon hearing this, Aozora's eyes lit up excitedly. "Quick, tell me all about it!"
Aozora's strength improved rapidly, but the boundaries in the ninja world were unclear. He struggled to determine his own limits, leaving him uncertain about the direction of his efforts. So, he had no choice but to keep improving his chakra reserves and mastering various ninjutsu.
"There are many factors that affect a ninja's strength—ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, secret techniques, kekkei, among others. That's why the Ninja World lacks precise tier classifications."
After briefly explaining how strength was categorized within the ninja world, Shisui began teaching Aozora his insights.
"Orochimaru once said that a ninja's talent depends on whether they can perfectly master all varieties of ninjutsu. Though it might seem biased for judging talent, it's still a valid way to measure actual combat strength."
Saying that, Shisui tested Aozora by asking, "Do you know how ninjutsu ranks are classified?"
"Of course!" Aozora gave a knowing nod. "From E to S according to learning difficulty, there are six total grades."
Shisui replied, "Exactly. These six levels not only show the difficulty of the technique but also match up with ninja ranks.
E-ranked ninjutsu are meant for students, mainly used to practice hand seals—they're rarely useful in real battles.
D-ranked ninjutsu matches genin. It doesn't demand large amounts of chakra but requires some degree of control.
C-ranked ninjutsu corresponds to chunin, requiring both chakra reserves and control.
B-ranked ninjutsu suits jonin. Techniques at this level involve either nature transformation or shape manipulation of chakra, or place high demands on the ninja's chakra capacity.
A-ranked ninjutsu is also called Ultimate Art. These are techniques mastered only by elite jonin or Kage-level individuals.
S-ranked ninjutsu is also known as Ultimate Art. Compared to A-ranked techniques, these carry far greater destructive power but at enormous cost—most are Kinjutsu. Anyone who masters an S-ranked technique usually possesses Kage-level strength.
So generally speaking, we can estimate someone's approximate strength by observing the ninjutsu they display in battle.
Of course, rank alone isn't everything. For example, if someone uses a C-ranked technique but its power and effects exceed standard C-tier by a large margin, we can infer their chakra capacity or transformation ability surpasses that of a regular jonin, thus roughly estimating their strength at the Kage level.
Additionally, if their chakra reserves far exceed those of a jonin, they're likely either a Kage-level expert or a jinchuriki."
After listening to Shisui's explanation, Aozora gave a knowing nod. This classification method was indeed simple and clear—determining the strongest ninjutsu someone could use gave you a good idea of their overall strength.
Aozora glanced sideways and asked curiously, "Then what about bloodline users?"
Shisui considered for a moment before replying, "Generally speaking, kekkei techniques are more powerful than normal elemental releases. Their effectiveness should be considered one level higher."
He paused before continuing, "That's exactly why most members of our Uchiha clan become elite jonin almost immediately after unlocking the Three Tomoe Sharingan! The Dojutsu techniques enabled by the Three Tomoe Sharingan are technically B-ranked but possess power equivalent to A-ranked genjutsu."
Though Shisui didn't mention the Mangekyou, Aozora already understood.
Why does awakening the Mangekyou instantly make one a Kage-level fighter?
Because awakening the Mangekyou means gaining mastery over three S-ranked Kinjutsu!
Shisui's explanation wasn't entirely accurate, as the relationship between different ninjutsu ranks and actual combat effectiveness wasn't strictly proportional.
Still, Shisui's words greatly inspired Aozora, helping him gain a clearer understanding of his own strength.
Aozora had previously believed himself to be at the elite jonin level, but now he realized he stood among its top tier.
According to Shisui's criteria for classifying strength, if mastering an A-ranked ninjutsu meant entering the elite jonin realm, then Aozora possessed multiple skills that reached this level—such as B-ranked Fire Release techniques enhanced by Yakton chakra, Dojutsu strengthened by Three Tomoe, and [Flying Dagger Capable of Slaying Immortals] empowered through Yu Qi cultivation.
At the same time, Aozora also clarified his next goal—mastering an S-ranked ninjutsu.
In fact, for members of the Uchiha clan, there was another shortcut to achieving Kage-level power—awakening the Mangekyou.
However, Aozora didn't dare to hope for this possibility. He suspected that obtaining the Mangekyou required more than just training.
Mastering S-ranked techniques wasn't particularly difficult for him, though. After all, with Yakton chakra enhancement, his B-ranked techniques already possessed the power of A-ranked ones.
Therefore, once he mastered [Fire Release: Samadhi Fire], it would surely count as acquiring an S-ranked technique.
Of course, during this process, refining his chakra couldn't be neglected, since chakra was ultimately the foundation of all ninjutsu.
As Aozora and Shisui spoke in hushed tones, the match on the arena finally entered its closing stages.
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