Bang bang bang...
The sounds of flesh colliding rang out continuously.
The scene shifted from the bustling streets to a rarely visited forest.
A training ground abandoned for many years, with dilapidated wooden dummies and overgrown weeds.
A boy and a girl, two children, were engaging in a Taijutsu duel that was extremely intense for their age, on a clearing they had specifically cleared out.
Without any gender reservations or modesty, the two constantly used their physical fitness and wits to fight. Once one gained an advantage, they would unleash a storm of attacks on the other, looking as if they wanted to beat the opponent black and blue.
These two children were none other than Gojo Yoru and Uzumaki Kushina.
Between the two, naturally, Uzumaki Kushina had the most injuries. Her cute round face was covered in bruises, and her hair and clothes were stained with dust and footprints.
In contrast, Gojo Yoru opposite her only had some dust on his clothes, without a single bruise on his face.
But looking closely, one would find that Gojo Yoru's expression was incredibly serious at this moment.
His body was tense, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Opposite him, Uzumaki Kushina had entered a berserk mode, freely displaying the talent of the Uzumaki clan. She withstood Gojo Yoru's attacks head-on, intent on trading injury for injury.
Facing Uzumaki Kushina's wild swings and bull-like charges, Gojo Yoru retreated repeatedly, dodging constantly.
He had to dodge!
Last time, Gojo Yoru, who had underestimated his opponent, took an angry punch from Uzumaki Kushina head-on and was nearly beaten until he threw up his dinner from the night before.
If he used the Body Flicker Technique, Gojo Yoru could toy with Uzumaki Kushina however he wanted.
Even without the Body Flicker Technique, Gojo Yoru could still suppress Uzumaki Kushina with his powerful reaction ability.
But when Uzumaki Kushina stopped caring about pain, the situation would reverse, and it would be Gojo Yoru's turn to be suppressed.
This was the gap in talent!
Senju, Uzumaki, Kaguya, Hyuga, Uchiha... The talents of these five clans related to the Otsutsuki were truly enviable.
As long as they awakened their clan bloodline, they could easily become geniuses in Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Sealing Jutsu, Sensing, or Medical Ninjutsu.
If they fully realized their potential, they would become masters in these categories.
Currently, although Uzumaki Kushina had not yet awakened the unique abilities of the Uzumaki clan, she had already shown the potential to become a master of the Strong Fist style.
However, this future Strong Fist master was currently frustrated.
"Ahhh... Can you stop dodging? If you have the guts, let me punch you once!" Uzumaki Kushina was so angry that her hair defied gravity and rose up as she bared her teeth at Gojo Yoru.
Gojo Yoru sneered, "If you can't hit me, it means you're too weak. Go back and practice more."
Seeing Gojo Yoru's mocking face, Uzumaki Kushina gritted her teeth again.
But soon, as if thinking of something, she suddenly crossed her arms and sneered, "Just keep being arrogant while you can. You'll be crying later."
Gojo Yoru frowned slightly, beckoned to Uzumaki Kushina, and said with a worried expression, "Quick, come let me check. Sorry... it's all my fault for hitting too hard just now; I must have damaged your brain."
"Gojo Yoru, you bastard!"
Uzumaki Kushina rushed towards Gojo Yoru in anger, only to have her head held down by Gojo Yoru's "long arm," her small hands unable to reach him no matter how hard she tried.
After some roughhousing, Gojo Yoru treated Uzumaki Kushina.
Uzumaki Kushina's cooperation and familiarity during the process showed that it had been a long time since their first duel.
"Tomorrow is the final exam. How do you plan to spend the vacation?"
On the way back, Uzumaki Kushina asked Gojo Yoru.
The anticipation on her face seemed to be giving a hint.
Gojo Yoru turned a blind eye and calmly spat out one word: "Training."
"You training maniac, you only know how to train all day long." Uzumaki Kushina couldn't help but complain, but she still added, "Count me in."
Gojo Yoru remained cool and silent.
Having figured out his personality, Uzumaki Kushina knew this meant tacit approval.
Thus, Uzumaki Kushina was filled with anticipation for the arrival of the vacation, as well as motivation to become stronger.
Noticing her change, Gojo Yoru smiled secretly.
This way of interaction was intentional on Gojo Yoru's part. Besides showing the higher-ups his change, the main purpose was to stimulate Uzumaki Kushina to become stronger.
As a transmigrator, no one knew better than Gojo Yoru that after the Second Great Ninja War ended, the next new era should be named "Uzumaki."
Because in this era, there were two seedlings with Super Kage level potential, both descendants of the Uzumaki clan.
These two seedlings were Nagato and Uzumaki Kushina.
One transplanted the Rinnegan, and the other became the complete Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
If not for the fact that both of them were willing to become appendages to someone else and suffered severe weakening, the protagonists of the Third Great Ninja War would not have been Namikaze Minato and the AB Combo.
A healthy Nagato, mastering at least six nature transformations, wouldn't need to split his power into six parts. He alone could use the power of the Six Paths of Pain, summon the Gedo Statue, and unleash the Chakra Dragon that kills upon contact.
Aside from Sealing Jutsu and space-time abilities, no ability could counter him.
Uzumaki Kushina, residing with the Senju Clan, had the qualifications to practice the secret techniques of the Senju Clan, as well as the inheritance of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu. In the future, she would be a master of Strong Fist and Sealing Jutsu.
If she could awaken the Heal Bite ability, she would be a medical sage even more powerful than Tsunade, capable of saving anyone as long as they had a breath left.
Possessing the Adamantine Sealing Chains, which specialized in countering Tailed Beasts, becoming a Perfect Jinchuriki was also a certainty.
Uzumaki Naruto with half of the Nine-Tails plus Sage Mode was a Super Kage level contender.
Uzumaki Kushina as a complete Nine-Tails Jinchuriki would only be stronger.
If she could also learn Sage Mode, Uzumaki Kushina's upper limit would be an enhanced version of Uzumaki Mito.
With such potential, how could Gojo Yoru let Uzumaki Kushina be a mere vase?
He wanted to cultivate Uzumaki Kushina into a super powerhouse, his strongest deputy.
...
Konoha Year 33, December 23rd.
This day was another special day for the Ninja Academy.
Because today was the last day of the second semester.
Grades one through six also welcomed the final exams for this semester.
The morning was still academic exams.
In the afternoon, it was combat classes.
The Ninja Academy's combat classes were divided into three stages.
Grades one and two were the first stage.
Combat classes at this stage only consisted of shuriken throwing and Taijutsu duels. For the former, real props were only distributed during final exams; usually, stones were used instead.
Grades three and four were the second stage.
At this stage, in addition to survival exercises, throwing and Taijutsu duels were upgraded.
Shuriken throwing now included kunai throwing.
Taijutsu duels became pseudo-no-rules duels, infinitely close to the third stage.
What is a no-rules duel?
It means anything goes: Three Body Technique, Five Elements Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Body Flicker Technique, Kekkei Genkai, kunai, and other props... as long as you have it, you can use it.
This was the strictest and most unfair exam in the Ninja Academy, designed to simulate life-and-death battles on the battlefield.
For Taijutsu duels, only an ordinary medical ninja was present.
For no-rules duels, in addition to the teacher acting as referee, two medical ninjas mastering the Mystical Palm Technique must be present.
However, this was an exam only for fifth and sixth grades. The pseudo-no-rules duels for third and fourth grades still prohibited the use of weapons and Five Elements Ninjutsu.