This was a shuriken-throwing technique of the Uchiha clan. Among the entire class, only Minato Namikaze could rival it.
It was nearly impossible to dodge all the incoming shuriken.
But if it's hard to hide—then don't hide!
Facing eight flying shuriken, Shigure suddenly clenched his fists. A glint of light flashed in his eyes. He tilted his head slightly, bent his arm, and suddenly punched straight at the incoming projectiles.
"Is he insane?!"
"He's going to catch the shuriken with his bare hands?!"
The sight left the students wide-eyed in disbelief.
Even the Chunin instructor was stunned for a moment, then sneered.
Even if the shuriken were dulled practice weapons, they could still cause injury.
But it was Shigure's own fault. Even if he got seriously hurt, the school would only bear minimal responsibility.
However, in the very next second, as Shigure's punch hit empty air, everyone's expression froze.
Crack!
A faint white light shimmered, then suddenly exploded outward.
Though Shigure's punch struck nothing, it was as if he had hit an invisible mirror.
Cracks spiderwebbed outward in the air itself, and suddenly, space shattered.
The eight incoming shuriken suddenly felt like they were moving through a swamp—slowing down drastically as if some unseen force was dragging them down.
In the end, none of them even touched Shigure. They fell helplessly to the ground.
"This is impossible!"
"How can a punch deflect shuriken? Wait... he used ninjutsu! But what kind? I didn't see any hand seals!"
The room erupted.
All the students' eyes bulged in disbelief.
Even Kushina gasped and covered her mouth. She hadn't expected Shigure to possess such strength.
On the other side, Minato Namikaze—who hadn't paid much attention to the duel at first—narrowed his eyes slightly. A spark of curiosity lit up in him.
He was clearly surprised, and intrigued, by Shigure's power.
"What… did you just do?!"
Uchiha Izumi, standing on the field, was just as stunned. He hadn't expected his shuriken to be completely neutralized with no effect whatsoever.
Shigure didn't answer.
Instead, he suddenly drew a kunai and rushed toward Izumi.
Seeing this, Izumi's expression twisted into frustration.
This guy didn't even bother responding—just charged straight in!
"You think you can beat me just because you've got a weird trick? How arrogant! I'll show you the power of the Uchiha!"
As Shigure closed in, Izumi wasn't afraid. He drew his kunai and lunged forward as well.
At that moment, Shigure tightened his grip.
Buzz!
A faint white aura shimmered and wrapped around the tip of his kunai as he slashed down toward Izumi.
Izumi's pupils contracted as he sensed danger, but he held firm and blocked with his own kunai.
The blades met.
Strangely, there was no sound of metal clashing—
Instead, it sounded like glass breaking.
Crack!
Cracks spread out from the point of contact.
In that instant, Izumi felt a numbing shock surge through his hands.
An overwhelming force he couldn't resist slammed into him.
It was as if a shockwave had burst through his whole body.
Clang!
Izumi's kunai was knocked away. He stumbled backward as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. There was a flicker of fear in his eyes.
What… was that white aura?! What kind of force is that?!
No one could answer him.
The entire class—including the Chunin instructor—was in utter shock.
The field was silent.
Shigure didn't pause.
He kept pressing forward, kunai in hand, charging at Izumi again.
Having been injured once, Izumi dared not face him directly and awkwardly dodged away.
He was clearly being overwhelmed.
He backed away further, waiting for the numbness in his hands to fade, and fury crept onto his face.
I'm actually being pushed this far… by Shigure, the lowest-ranked student?!
He glanced at the Chunin instructor nearby and clenched his teeth.
"You asked for this. Don't blame me if you die."
Suddenly, Izumi stopped retreating.
His hands flew through a series of seals.
But before he could finish, Shigure hurled a flurry of shuriken with his left hand.
Whoosh!
All the shuriken hit their target—
But Izumi's body transformed into a log.
Substitution Jutsu!
Seeing that, Shigure's eyes lit up.
So he finally used ninjutsu.
But just as that thought formed, a wave of heat surged behind him. Even before the flames touched him, the air grew scorching and tense.
"Fire Style! Great Fireball Technique!"
The eruption of ninjutsu caused an uproar.
It was a C-Rank technique!
Cold sweat trickled down Izumi's brow.
Using the jutsu had drained almost all his chakra.
The Great Fireball roared toward Shigure.
Izumi sneered inwardly.
No matter how strong Shigure was, he couldn't withstand this.
Boom!
The explosion rocked the entire training ground.
Students instinctively backed away, their hair singed by the heat.
"Holy crap, Izumi can use a jutsu like that?!"
"Is he even a student like us?"
Gasps of disbelief echoed everywhere.
"Shigure!!"
Kushina cried out, terrified.
If that jutsu hit, it wouldn't just leave injuries—it could kill.
Even the Chunin instructor hadn't expected Izumi to use a C-Rank jutsu like the Great Fireball.
He'd instinctively wanted to intervene—but stopped himself.
Accidents during sparring are… normal, aren't they?
On the field, facing the incoming inferno, Shigure's heart also tightened.
He had suspected Izumi would try something from behind after using Substitution Jutsu.
But he hadn't expected a C-Rank Great Fireball.
Ninjutsu was categorized by rank: S, A, B, C, D, and E.
E-Rank was taught in the Academy.
D-Rank was standard for Genin.
C-Rank… was usually reserved for Chunin.
Only particularly talented Genin could wield such power.
"As expected of an Uchiha... they should never be underestimated."