On the training field, Yūhi Kurenai struggled for quite some time before finally giving up on trying to understand what Hagoromo had said.
"What you said might be true… or it might just be a way to confuse me," she said coldly. "But that doesn't matter anymore. Since you want to experience my genjutsu, then as you wish—I'll defeat you with my strongest one."
Kurenai stopped throwing shuriken. She also abandoned taijutsu feints.
She knew very well that against the opponent in front of her, she had no advantage in either of those areas. So instead, she chose what she excelled at most—
Genjutsu.
Her hands began forming seals at high speed.
"Ninja Art: Demonic Illusion – Tree Binding Death!"
This was a B-rank genjutsu, and also the highest-level illusion Kurenai was currently capable of using.
Her body vanished on the spot, as if evaporating. Behind Hagoromo, a large tree silently grew into existence. Branches extended outward, binding his limbs tightly. Then, Kurenai would emerge from within the tree itself to deliver a finishing blow.
A B-rank genjutsu was something academy students were absolutely incapable of handling.
If executed perfectly, even a chūnin instructor might not be able to defend against it.
"Not good!"
Instructor Aizawa shouted in alarm. He wanted to stop her—but it was already too late.
Tree Binding Death was undeniably powerful.
But genjutsu only worked if the target was actually affected.
As Kurenai cautiously approached Hagoromo and saw no reaction from him, she assumed her illusion had succeeded. Just as a smile of victory was about to appear on her face—
Hagoromo suddenly moved.
Just as he had predicted, the genjutsu had failed.
At that moment, his head flickered like a computer monitor struck by interference—faint blue arcs of lightning crackled intermittently around him. This was how he had defended himself against a B-rank genjutsu.
His right hand shot out and twisted Kurenai's wrist, the one holding her kunai.
Then—his fingers tightened.
Her wrist felt as though it had been clamped by iron. A sharp pain surged through her arm, and the kunai fell to the ground with a clang.
Hagoromo raised his left hand, straightened his fingers into a knife shape, and lightly struck the back of her neck.
Kurenai collapsed unconscious.
"Match over! Winner—Kamishiro Hagoromo!"
Instructor Aizawa announced loudly.
To be honest, when Kurenai had unleashed a B-rank genjutsu, he had assumed Hagoromo was finished. He never imagined Hagoromo would be completely unaffected.
Even now, as a chūnin, Aizawa still couldn't understand how Hagoromo had resisted that genjutsu. Under surprise conditions, even he himself wouldn't have been able to block it.
Kurenai's unconscious body slumped softly against Hagoromo. After the instructor declared the match over, two medical-nin rushed over and carried her away.
The first victory hadn't been difficult—but Hagoromo was still pleased.
If he could defend against something like that, then ordinary genjutsu would pose no threat to him at all.
After Kurenai was taken away, Hagoromo also exited the field.
To be honest, every time he looked into Kurenai's red eyes, what came to mind wasn't the Uchiha's Sharingan—
But Kurapika, forever.
Following the medical team out, Hagoromo noticed that the students' discussions hadn't died down at all. No one had expected him to defeat an honor student like Yūhi Kurenai—and in just a few moves, no less.
By the time Hagoromo returned to the sidelines, the next match had already begun.
Uchiha Obito vs. Mitarashi Anko.
The highlight of this battle was—
There was no highlight.
As expected, Uchiha Obito didn't last more than three seconds before being instantly defeated by Mitarashi Anko.
After the first round concluded, aside from the deeply entrenched bottom-ranker Uchiha Obito, Kamishiro Hagoromo, Might Guy, and Nohara Rin all successfully advanced into the top fifteen.
Unlike Obito, Might Guy truly was second-to-last in academic ranking—but only because he scored poorly in everything except taijutsu. When it came to taijutsu and actual combat, he was unquestionably among the top tier of the class.
"Now," Instructor Aizawa announced, "the second round begins. I will announce the matchups."
"First match—Might Guy vs. Kamishiro Hagoromo!"
"Yes! Hagoromo—let's settle this!" Guy shouted excitedly.
Before he even fully registered his opponent's name, Guy had already charged into the center of the training field.
Once he realized who he was facing, he immediately began yelling enthusiastically.
Hagoromo followed him in without delay. If he moved too slowly, Guy would just keep shouting.
Still, he didn't feel particularly excited about this fight.
Guy trained obsessively, yes—but due to his age, his taijutsu was far from mature. At this point, he couldn't possibly use the Eight Gates, nor even jutsus like the Primary Lotus.
"Begin!"
"Leaf Hurricane!"
The moment the instructor announced the start, Guy launched a ferocious attack.
He leapt high into the air and swung a horizontal kick toward Hagoromo's head.
Without a clear speed or strength advantage, this kind of airborne attack was ill-advised.
Before Guy's kick could connect, Hagoromo caught his ankle with one hand.
Stepping back with his right leg, Hagoromo spun and used Guy's own momentum to throw him away.
"Damn it—again!"
Guy hit the ground hard, but sprang back up immediately as if he felt no pain at all, charging again.
Hagoromo blocked Guy's punch with an open palm, then kicked Guy's calf with his right foot, sending him tumbling once more.
Guy charged again.
And was thrown again.
A fourth time.
A fifth time.
A sixth time.
Might Guy might normally act ridiculous, but someone who worked this hard and refused to give up was difficult to dislike.
So Hagoromo decided—
He would defeat him using his true strength.
"Guy, be careful," Hagoromo warned calmly. "I'm getting serious now."
"Exactly what I wanted!" Guy's fighting spirit surged.
Hagoromo slowly closed his eyes—then snapped them open.
No hand seals.
Lightning Release chakra surged through his chakra pathways, blue arcs crackling across his body.
When Guy charged once more, Hagoromo didn't throw him away.
He tilted his head, dodging Guy's punch—
Then drove a fist into Guy's chin.
Before Guy could even react, Hagoromo's right knee slammed upward violently!
Guy's body folded, his feet leaving the ground as the sudden force launched him over a meter into the air.
It wasn't over.
During the brief fraction of a second Guy was airborne, Hagoromo tucked his body and leapt, channeling chakra into his right leg—
Kaboom!
Another kick slammed into Guy's abdomen, sending him flying even higher.
Both of them were now in midair—but after taking two heavy blows, Guy was completely unable to resist.
Hagoromo spun rapidly in the air and delivered a third devastating kick with his left leg!
Guy was struck for the third time.
As Hagoromo used the recoil to land smoothly on the ground, Guy was already flying more than six meters into the air.
Chakra surged violently into Hagoromo's legs.
With his lower body pushed near its limit, he leapt again—instantly reaching a height even above Guy.
From above—
Hagoromo's right leg came crashing down onto Guy's head!
"Lion's Barrage!!!"
BOOM!
Guy plummeted like a falling meteor, smashing violently into the ground!
When the dust cleared, a shallow crater riddled with cracks had formed in the training field.
At its center, Might Guy lay unconscious.
For three full minutes—
There wasn't a single sound.
At that moment, Yūhi Kurenai, who had just regained consciousness, happened to witness the scene.
She silently thanked fate that she hadn't chosen to compete with Hagoromo in taijutsu.