The classroom was still buzzing with heated discussion, but Nagi couldn't be bothered.
With max-level Wood Release at his fingertips, was there really any need to get excited over some beginner sparring?
But the same couldn't be said for the girls beside him—Sakura and Ino.
"Nagi, be careful during the combat exam, okay? Don't get hurt!"
Sakura's voice was full of genuine concern.
"What's that supposed to mean, Sakura? Are you saying Nagi can't beat anyone else?"
Ino immediately jumped on the wording, catching a flaw in Sakura's phrasing.
"No, no, that's not what I meant—!"
Sakura panicked instantly. That wasn't what she had intended to say.
She shot an angry glare at Ino, who was clearly enjoying herself.
"I'm just worried about Nagi, that's all!"
As always, the two girls were arguing over Nagi again.
And Nagi didn't stop them.
If anything, he should be grateful to them.
Because without Sakura and Ino staking their claims, there'd probably be even more girls crowding around him.
Fortunately, the scene didn't last much longer.
Soon, the entire class followed Iruka-sensei to the outdoor training grounds.
Their large group quickly caught the attention of people nearby.
Not far away, Lee, Tenten, and Neji were watching.
"What's going on over there?" Tenten, as curious and lively as ever, was instantly drawn in.
"Looks like the graduating class is having a combat exam," Lee replied after a glance.
What he didn't expect was to spot the same Nagi he'd seen at the gear shop yesterday.
"Combat training!"
Tenten's eyes lit up.
"Let's go check it out!"
"Sure," Lee agreed. "Didn't you want a strong opponent, Neji? You might find one there."
Lee's thoughts had been on Nagi, but Neji misunderstood.
"Uchiha Sasuke, huh… he might do."
Neji didn't show much expression. While not as stoic as Sasuke, he wasn't exactly chatty either.
Soon, the field was set up—just a marked area drawn out for combat.
"Alright, class. I'll now begin randomly selecting matchups!"
Once everything was ready, Iruka began assigning opponents.
"First up: Nagi… versus… Uchiha Sasuke?"
Even Iruka was a bit surprised at the draw.
Then again, it made sense. These two had never faced each other in any previous sparring matches.
"Whaaa?!"
The classroom exploded with shock.
Even Ino looked worried as she turned to Nagi. Not even she was confident he could win this match.
"Nagi, maybe… maybe you should just forfeit?"
She suggested cautiously. As far as she knew, Sasuke's strength had long surpassed the level of a typical genin.
"No need."
Nagi replied calmly, unfazed.
What surprised him more was that Ino was still trying to protect him at a time like this.
When the match was announced, many of the girls began to worry for Nagi.
Teenage girls could be shallow sometimes.
But for them, Nagi was simply too handsome. They didn't want to see someone that good-looking lose.
After that, the rest of the matchups didn't matter.
No one was paying attention—every eye was locked on the upcoming battle between Nagi and Uchiha Sasuke.
Meanwhile, Nagi was having a dilemma of his own.
Should he use 1% of his power… or just 0.1%?
"…Better stick with 0.1%."
He was worried that using even 1% might kill Sasuke.
This was just a school sparring match—no need to go all-out.
With max-level Wood Release, even 0.1% could be dangerous.
"Alright, both of you—get ready!"
"You got this, Nagi!"
"We believe in you!"
A chorus of girls cheered loudly for Nagi.
This made Sasuke visibly irritated. He was supposed to be the strongest, after all.
"You got this, Sasuke!"
Amid the shouts, one awkward voice stood out completely.
Every head turned to look at the speaker.
"…Uh."
Naruto broke out in a cold sweat under the weight of dozens of stares.
It wasn't against the rules to cheer for Sasuke…
But still—this was classic Naruto and Sasuke. The bond no one else really understood.
Do you have a bond like that?
"I've had enough. As an Uchiha, there's no way I'm losing here!"
Sasuke's Sharingan spun rapidly—two tomoe in each eye.
"Uchiha Sasuke's got this in the bag."
On the sidelines, Neji declared with absolute confidence.
"Yeah, I think Sasuke's going to win too."
Tenten nodded in agreement. Even though she had been instantly drawn to Nagi's looks, Sasuke's strength couldn't be ignored.
"…No. I believe Nagi will win."
Only Lee, who had witnessed the scene at the gear shop, knew just how terrifying Nagi really was.
"Oh?"
Neji and Tenten both looked at him in surprise.
What made Lee believe that this quiet, unremarkable student could defeat the Uchiha clan's prodigy?
Their curiosity was piqued—and their eyes returned to the battlefield.
[End of Chapter]