Sharingan Evolution: Proficiency's Path

Time quickly passed, and it was now the morning of the second day.

After receiving treatment from the medical ninjas and resting overnight, the twenty-eight participants in the arena were in much better condition.

At that moment, the sound of a door creaking open echoed through the space.

Led by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, a group of around ten ninja entered the hall.

Among them were the proctors from the first and second exams, as well as many teachers of the participants present.

If Furukawa were still alive, he would have been here as well.

Unfortunately, he was dead.

However, Aome did spot a familiar face among the group.

Well... "familiar" might not be the right word.

It was Uchiha Jito, the Uchiha jonin who had once delivered his survivor's compensation and living expenses.

Their eyes met, and Aome nodded toward Jito.

In response, Uchiha Jito nodded back.

He was here on behalf of the Uchiha clan, providing support for both Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Aome.

There wasn't much to say about Uchiha Shisui, the acknowledged genius of the Uchiha clan, who had to be well protected.

As for Uchiha Aome...

Jito recalled that when he had been ordered by the Uchiha Elder to observe Aome, his conclusion was that Aome would likely never awaken the Sharingan.

Yet, a few months had passed, and not only had Aome awakened his Sharingan, but he had also progressed to two tomoe in each eye.

Jito could only marvel at the unpredictability of the world.

But he could understand it, too.

After all, within just a few months, two teammates and a teacher had died tragically. Awakening the Sharingan due to such emotional trauma wasn't unusual.

He just didn't understand why Aome hadn't awakened his Sharingan when he learned of his parents' deaths.

"Perhaps it was because he didn't witness it firsthand, so the shock wasn't strong enough?" Jito thought to himself, though he didn't show any outward sign of his musings.

After the group found their seats, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke for a while about various principles, before finally announcing the start of the third and final exam.

At once, a Leaf jonin stepped forward and began to explain the rules:

"The next exam will be under my supervision. Here are the specific rules."

At that, everyone perked up and listened closely.

"First, this round of the exam will be individual. You may choose to withdraw at any time if you wish.

Second, this exam will be a one-on-one combat match. Each time, two participants will be randomly selected to duel. The winner will advance to the next round, continuing until the final victor is determined.

Additionally, there are no restrictions on the methods used in battle. The match ends when one participant is either unable to fight, concedes, or dies."

Upon hearing the mention of death, a cold tension settled over the group.

"However..." the proctor's tone shifted. "To avoid unnecessary casualties, I will intervene if I believe the match is decided. At that point, you must immediately cease your attacks."

"Now... does anyone wish to withdraw?"

The hall was silent; no one stepped forward to quit.

The proctor scanned the group of twenty-eight and, satisfied, nodded. "Very well. Since no one is withdrawing, I hereby declare the exam has officially begun!"

With that, he signaled to a nearby chunin, who brought forward a wooden box.

The proctor reached into the box and pulled out two slips of paper. After glancing at the names, he announced, "Yoto! Akai Koju!"

Upon hearing their names, a tall and a short candidate stepped forward from the group.

The others moved to the second-floor balcony of the tower, where they could clearly watch the battle below.

"Begin!"

At the command, Yoto and Akai Koju immediately drew their kunai and clashed, their weapons ringing out as they engaged in close-quarters combat.

The sound of metal echoed as the two seemed evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand for some time.

In the end, Yoto emerged victorious by trading injuries to gain the upper hand. He swiftly retreated and used a skilled Earth Release jutsu, "Mud Binding Technique," to trap Akai Koju. Then, he launched several shuriken aimed at Akai's eyes and throat.

With his arms bound, Akai Koju had no choice but to concede defeat. The proctor stepped in to block the deadly shuriken.

This match could only be described as standard, without any standout moments. Yoto's determination to win, however, gave him the advantage by taking a calculated risk, which led to his victory.

Otherwise, the outcome could have gone either way.

"The first match goes to Yoto!" the proctor announced before sending both contestants back.

He then drew two more slips of paper from the box, opening them and reading aloud: "Takakura Shota... Uchiha Aome!"

Hearing his name, Aome was slightly surprised but calmly made his way toward the stairway.

He hadn't expected to be called so early, but it didn't really matter. Sooner or later, he would have to fight.

After all, strength was the key to everything.

With enough strength, there was no need to worry about people observing and analyzing him.

Arriving at the center of the hall, Aome sized up the boy in front of him—Takakura Shota, about fifteen or sixteen years old. It was clear the boy wasn't much of a prodigy, given that he was still only a genin at his age.

The proctor stood between them and asked, "Are you both ready?"

Both nodded.

With a sharp motion, the proctor raised his hand and then brought it down swiftly. "Begin!"

The proctor immediately leaped backward, giving the two combatants the space to begin their fight.

Aome noticed that Takakura Shota was adopting a defensive stance, clearly planning to counterattack.

Not one to waste time, Aome casually flipped his hand, producing several shuriken from his ninja pouch. Without even looking, he hurled them toward his opponent.

Though the move appeared simple, it was anything but.

The shuriken Aome threw expertly locked down all of Takakura's potential escape routes, forcing him to block head-on.

Just as Aome expected, Takakura raised his kunai, skillfully deflecting the incoming shuriken.

The metallic clinks echoed in the hall as all of Aome's shuriken were knocked away.

It was clear Takakura's fundamentals were solid.

But that alone wasn't enough.

In the moment Takakura was focused on deflecting the shuriken, Aome had already completed the hand seals for "Body Flicker Technique," instantly closing the distance between them.

Takakura reacted quickly, swinging his kunai toward Aome's throat in a swift counterattack.

However, while fast, his movements appeared sluggish in the eyes of Aome, who was now using his two-tomoe Sharingan.

The two-tomoe Sharingan granted Aome a much sharper perception, and before Takakura's kunai could even come close, Aome sidestepped the attack with ease. Taking advantage of the opening, he kneed Takakura in the stomach.

Takakura let out a pained grunt and was sent flying backward.

Despite the heavy blow, Takakura didn't give up. The moment he hit the ground, he rolled and sprang to his feet, ready to defend against Aome's next assault.

To his surprise, however, the anticipated follow-up never came.

Confused, Takakura looked toward Aome, only to be met with a pair of crimson, two-tomoe Sharingan eyes.

His vision blurred, and before he realized it, his consciousness slipped into darkness.

When Takakura came to, he felt cold steel against his throat.

Gulp

Feeling the sharp kunai pressed against his neck, Takakura swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he said, "I... I surrender."

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