If Yoru's estimation was correct, once he unlocked the Second Gate, his chakra reserves would reach the level of a chunin.
At that point, he could further develop the power of his Shaking Release bloodline limit, and perhaps even begin practicing the Rasengan—or better yet, create a ninjutsu uniquely suited to himself.
With a clear goal in mind, Yoru threw himself into training once more.
Days passed in the blink of an eye.
His body had fully adapted to the power of his heart, and his control over the shaking force had grown even stronger.
BOOM!
With a single punch, a massive wooden training post shattered into dust.
Exhaling slowly, Yoru wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded in satisfaction.
Ordinary genin were no longer a match for him.
After finishing his training for the day, Yoru bid farewell to Might Duy and headed home.
What he didn't expect was—
At his doorstep, someone was waiting for him.
A figure who had seemingly been there for a long time.
It was Uzumaki Kushina.
Even though she had angrily declared that she would never care about him again, as time passed, her worry had only grown heavier.
And after hearing a certain piece of news, she couldn't hold back any longer and came looking for Yoru.
After not finding him at home, her unease intensified.
In the end, she gritted her teeth and stubbornly waited at his door—for almost an entire day!
Finally—when she saw Yoru returning—
The tension and worry on Kushina's face immediately melted away.
But the next second—her fiery temper flared up once more as she glared at him.
"Yoru! This time, you HAVE to listen to me!"
Yoru walked up to her and helplessly raised his hands.
"What is it now?"
Kushina took a deep breath, her face serious.
"Sign up for the upcoming Ninja Academy Combat Ranking Exam!"
Yoru blinked in slight confusion.
"Combat Ranking Exam?"
Before he could think further, Kushina grabbed his arm and continued.
"I know you're stubborn. I know you're proud. I know you hate relying on anyone else to survive… But this time—this is your chance to prove yourself!"
"The Combat Ranking Exam is a battle test for all students. It's not just a single match—each participant will repeatedly fight different opponents, and a full ranking list will be determined at the end!"
"And most importantly—Lord Third Hokage himself will be watching!"
"If you perform well and gain his recognition, the Uchiha clan won't dare lay a hand on you!"
At that moment, Kushina looked at Yoru, wanting to forcefully make him agree.
But—
Seeing Yoru's face, which seemed completely indifferent—
Her heart softened.
She was afraid that Yoru would refuse again.
The firm determination in her gaze began to fade—replaced by hesitation and unease.
Her voice turned gentle, almost pleading.
"Yoru… please listen to me… You don't even need to beat the genius, Minato Namikaze… If you just make it into the top three, the Hokage will definitely take notice of you…"
For the first time—there was a hint of desperation in her tone.
Yoru froze.
Was this really her? The usually fiery and headstrong girl?
No—this was the real Kushina.
The one who genuinely didn't want him to die.
The one who didn't want to lose him.
Only because of that did she show such a vulnerable side.
A small ripple stirred in Yoru's heart.
After a brief silence, he finally spoke.
"Alright. I'll do it."
Kushina was stunned for a moment—then her face lit up with joy.
For a split second, she looked like she might cry from happiness.
But the very next second—
Her fiery nature returned.
Blushing slightly, she clenched her fists and swung them wildly at Yoru, her face full of fake frustration.
"You idiot! You always make people worry! I should just beat you up! Beat you up! Beat you up!"
"Alright, alright."
Yoru chuckled and caught both of her small fists.
Kushina's face flushed deeper, and after struggling for a second, she stopped resisting.
She just let him hold her hands.
Yoru reached out and pinched her cheek gently, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Don't be mad. Since I'm participating, I'll take first place for you."
"Hmph."
Kushina snorted and turned her head away.
She knew Yoru was just saying that to cheer her up.
She believed he could get a good ranking if he worked hard, but first place?
That was impossible.
Because standing in his way—
Was an unshakable mountain.
Minato Namikaze.
She had heard that Minato had defeated an actual genin in a direct fight.
Not just the strongest student in school—but someone already qualified for early graduation.
Minato's strength wasn't on the same level as the other students at all.
The Next Day
Since Yoru had already agreed to Kushina's request, he seriously considered the situation.
If participating in the Combat Ranking Exam could catch the attention of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, then it was indeed worth doing.
After all—whether he won or lost against Uchiha Han, he was in danger.
If he lost—he would die.
If he won—he would humiliate the Uchiha clan and make even stronger enemies.
Without a powerful backer, the Uchiha could still find a way to get rid of him.
And in the entire Leaf Village, there was no bigger "mountain" than the Hokage himself.
So—
Yoru arrived at the Ninja Academy.
Today, the school was bustling with excitement—because there were no classes.
Ever since Yoru had defeated Uchiha Izumi, no one at school dared to provoke him anymore.
The mocking and disdainful gazes had been replaced by admiration and fear.
But today—those gazes were different once again.
"Did you hear? Yoru is going to have a life-or-death duel with Uchiha Han!"
One student glanced at Yoru, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
"Uchiha Han is a chunin! Yoru must be crazy!"
Another kid's eyes widened.
"Shh! Don't talk too much about it. That duel is still far away—today, the most important thing is the Combat Ranking Exam. Who do you think will win?"
"Of course, Minato Namikaze!"
"Yeah, Minato will definitely be first place."
A few students nodded as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.
"Other than Minato, the Hyuga prodigy, Hyuga Setsuna, is also really strong."
"Yeah, he even beat Uchiha Izumi before. I wonder if he's stronger than Yoru?"
"Probably! Yoru only uses taijutsu, and the Hyuga clan is the ultimate counter to taijutsu fighters."
All across the academy, students gathered in small groups, whispering excitedly.
When Yoru arrived, his chunin instructor, Kato No, looked at him with mild surprise.
He hadn't expected Yoru to sign up for the ranking battles.
In his mind, Yoru's days were numbered—he should be enjoying life instead.
Still, without questioning anything, Kato added Yoru's name to the roster.
There were no objections. No barriers.
Just like that—
Yoru officially entered the competition.