The Chunin locked eyes with him, their gazes tense. With a quick shift, Masaki aimed a powerful kick toward the Chunin's lower body, the force of it creating a whirring sound as it cut through the air. Height might be a disadvantage, but Masaki was determined to make it work. The Chunin’s eyes widened as he recognized the unorthodox move, instinctively shifting his leg to intercept and pin down Masaki’s right foot with his knee, blocking the kick just in time.

With their movements locked, Masaki quickly twisted his dagger to deflect the Chunin’s kunai, forcing the Chunin to retreat. As intended, the Chunin took a step back, loosening his grip on Masaki’s foot, allowing him the chance to pull away and regain his footing.

‘He’s tough,’ Masaki thought, his muscles aching from the intensity of the clash. Despite his effort, it was clear his strength was no match for the seasoned Chunin. The Chunin pressed forward again, relentless in his assault, forcing Masaki further back with each strike. He managed to parry a few more blows, but his defense was becoming increasingly desperate, his rhythm thrown completely off.

Then, the Chunin paused, gripping his kunai tightly, a hint of confusion flickering across his face. Those watching the fight noticed his abrupt stop, exchanging puzzled glances. The Chunin, who had been so fierce moments ago, seemed unsettled. “What’s going on?” he muttered, frowning as he noticed a strange tingling sensation spreading through his hands and arms.

Watching the Chunin carefully, Masaki allowed a slight smirk to form, relaxing his defensive stance and raising his dagger at an angle. In the sunlight, faint, thin wires of chakra occasionally flickered along the blade’s edge, glowing with a subtle intensity.

‘Has he figured it out?’ Masaki thought, watching the realization dawn on his opponent. The Chunin’s eyes widened, recognizing the crackling, faintly visible aura of lightning chakra emanating from Masaki’s blade. He could feel its numbing effect subtly spreading across his limbs, each strike layering a small shock that accumulated over time.

‘What a monster,’ the Chunin thought, feeling a slight tremor in his hand as he struggled against the numbing effect spreading through his arm. But Masaki wasn’t about to give him a chance to recover. With a strong push, he closed the gap between them, his dagger slicing down in a powerful arc. His blade struck only a tree branch—the Chunin had used the Substitution Technique just in time to dodge.

Masaki stayed on the attack, not allowing a moment's rest. Each step, each swing of his dagger pushed the Chunin further back. He followed up with another Fireball Jutsu; while the Chunin managed to dodge, his clothes were now singed, and his movements were slowing down. Masaki pressed his advantage, noticing the Chunin’s body struggling against the lingering effects of his lightning chakra. Just as Masaki prepared to strike again, the Chunin raised his hand in surrender.

“All right! I concede!” the Chunin called out to the examiner, a hint of reluctance in his voice. “This kid… he’s something else.”

The onlookers stared in shock. Few had anticipated such a result—a Chunin surrendering to a young student. The examiner stepped forward, barely hiding his surprise.

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“Masaki Uchiha, pass!” he announced, his words ringing across the training field. As the two exchanged a formal seal of reconciliation, Masaki nodded respectfully at the Chunin. He knew full well that if his opponent had been serious from the start, he would have struggled to keep up.

As Masaki walked back to join Shisui, murmurs echoed around the training grounds. “It seems the Uchiha clan has produced yet another prodigy.”

The Chunin examiner offered a tired smile, shifting his limbs as he spoke. His body still felt numb, and the discomfort from the sparring session hadn’t fully worn off. Masaki and Shisui, however, had successfully completed their graduation exams.

After exchanging a few words with the examiners about when they could pick up their forehead protectors, they left the training grounds. The examiners, having seen enough, gathered their notes and prepared to report back.

“All of them passed?” Kawashima asked in disbelief, eyebrows raised. “It was a ten-minute battle with Chunin-level opponents!”

“Yes,” the examiner nodded. He relayed every detail to Kawashima without holding anything back.

“I see… I’ll have to report this to Hokage-sama. You’re dismissed.” Kawashima realized the importance of this news.

Meanwhile on their way back, Shisui glanced sideways at Masaki, his curiosity getting the better of him. “How did you manage that, Masaki?”

“Paralyzing that Chunin’s body, you mean?” Masaki replied, feigning innocence.

“What else would I mean?” Shisui shot back, an amused look crossing his face.

With a small grin, Masaki raised his right hand. “It’s the result of my training—the Thunder Chakra Nature Transformation. I’m still not fully skilled with it, though,” he admitted, showing Shisui his hand, which was scorched black from overuse.

Shisui’s eyes widened in concern. “Masaki! For something like this, you should be asking experienced clan members for guidance!”

“I will, I will,” Masaki reassured, hearing the worry in Shisui’s tone.

He hadn’t planned to use the Thunder Nature Transformation in combat, but the intensity of the exam pushed him to reveal his Sharingan or his lightning abilities. At least, he thought, it would only make people see him as a talented lightning user and not suspect anything more. The injury on his hand was minor; a few days’ rest would heal it.

The two continued to walk side by side, their silhouettes cast long by the setting sun. After their official graduation, they’d be reserve members of the Uchiha Police Force. Masaki hoped the attention he’d drawn today wouldn’t catch the wrong eyes, especially with the ominous signs of the looming Third Shinobi War. The world was on edge, and Konoha was vulnerable, being rich in resources and surrounded by hostile territories.

The Three Great shinobi Wars were likely to begin any day now, with the catalyst being the death of the Third Kazekage. The Sunagakure had accused Konoha of the assassination, rallying their forces along the border. It was clear that, given their barren desert homeland, they hoped to claim Konoha’s fertile lands. Other villages would surely follow suit, waiting for the first spark to ignite a full-scale war.

Once Masaki reached home, he sat down to analyze the unfolding events with memories from his past life, piecing together the tense state of the shinobi world. After dinner, he sat in the yard, where Ayame had already retired to her room for the night.

Just then, he heard a quiet creak as the door opened. In walked Setsuna Uchiha, someone he’d only recently met. Dressed casually in Uchiha robes, Setsuna looked at Masaki and smiled. “I heard you passed the graduation exam today.”

Setsuna took a seat beside him. “After a few days of rest, come to report for duty. Shisui knows the location. Make sure you’re mentally prepared,” Sen said with a serious look, a hint of expectation in his eyes.

Masaki nodded. “Understood. I’ve been looking forward to this day.”

“Rinka went to speak with Shisui as well,” Setsuna added before he stood up. He didn’t linger, leaving shortly after delivering his message, as he and Masaki didn’t know each other well enough to make small talk.