Naruto: Evolution

"Not yet...! No, that's not it..." Shizune denied with her hands hastily, "Gen is not my boyfriend, we were just training together and then he brought me back, that's all."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms with an amused smile.

"He hasn't become your boyfriend yet, really?" she asked skeptically. "But look at you, so nervous... I'm not blaming you, you know? If you like him, just go after him. I'm quite open about these things."

Shizune blinked in surprise, her expression changing for an instant.

"Really?"

But as soon as the words left her mouth, Tsunade's eyes shone intensely.

"Ha... got you."

A mocking smile appeared on her face. "Shizune, you really like that boy."

!

Shizune froze for a second, realizing her mistake too late.

"I won't say anything else, I'm going to my room!"

Her face turned even redder, and embarrassment completely took over her. She stomped the ground in frustration before turning on her heels and running to her room.

Tsunade laughed amusedly as she watched her disappear inside the house.

But as soon as the door closed, her expression changed slightly.

Her gaze shifted toward the direction where Gen had left moments before.

"Uchiha... Gen, huh?"

.....

Every six months, Konoha holds the Chūnin Exams. As one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, the final test takes place in a huge open-air arena, specifically designed for battles, with a rather extensive area.

The next day.

Gen arrived at the Chūnin Exam arena, as agreed with Orochimaru.

The coliseum was very impressive, with stair-like stands surrounding a battlefield built to simulate a natural environment.

In the center of the combat area, Orochimaru was already waiting. At his side, standing with a calm expression, was a young man with black hair tied in a ponytail.

Gen advanced calmly and gave a slight bow. Orochimaru responded with an inscrutable smile before briefly introducing the young man beside him.

"Gen, allow me to introduce you to someone," said Orochimaru, watching him enter. "This is my subordinate, Ono Yohito, an elite Chūnin of the village. Your test will be to defeat him to prove your ability. What do you think? Do you have any problem with that?"

Upon hearing those words, Gen's eyes shone as he analyzed this Ono Yohito.

Yesterday, during his conversation with Orochimaru, he had been told about the evaluation method, but he did not expect to have to face an elite Chūnin.

Although both had the same rank, an elite Chūnin was in a completely different category. They were the pinnacle of their level, just one step below a Jōnin.

However, that single difference represented a huge gap, far greater than the one separating a Genin from a Chūnin.

In his graduation exam, Gen had achieved a crushing victory in real combat, but his level was still within the standard of an ordinary Chūnin.

Now, Orochimaru was demanding that he defeat an elite Chūnin to pass the test. It was no trivial matter, and that made him think about many things.

"Lord Orochimaru, you've really put me in a tough spot... I just barely graduated as a Genin, and now I have to fight an elite Chūnin. I'm not very sure I can win..."

That thought crossed his mind in an instant, but on the surface, Gen adopted a worried expression.

Orochimaru smiled calmly at his concern.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Gen. I have great expectations for you, and I know you won't disappoint me."

Gen exhaled softly and nodded with apparent resignation.

"Alright... then I'll try my best."

Orochimaru nodded before giving a few brief instructions. Without wasting any more time, he disappeared with a swift movement, relocating to the stands to leave the battlefield open.

"Please, guide me."

With Orochimaru out of the scene, only Gen and Ono remained in the arena. The elite Chūnin spoke in a firm voice before jumping back, increasing the distance between them by about five or six meters. Then, he formed the "Combat" seal with his hands.

"I also ask for your guidance," Gen replied without hesitation, replicating the seal with seriousness.

As soon as the seal was completed, the battle officially began.

Whoosh

Lowering his hands after making the seal, Ono's gaze sharpened, and without hesitation, he propelled himself forward with a powerful stomp. His body shot out like an arrow, closing the distance in an instant.

As he advanced, he pulled a kunai from his tool pouch and brandished it with a clean slash.

Although the attack seemed simple, the difference in level between an average Chūnin and an elite one became evident immediately. Ono's speed was devilish, his movement left barely a trail of dust, and the trajectory of his kunai strike was as fast as lightning.

!

With no time to react, Gen was caught off guard. The blade of the kunai slashed directly at his throat.

Ono, whether by Orochimaru's instructions or his own combat style, did not hesitate to target a vital point from the very first move.

Slash

The sound of the cut echoed through the arena... but something was off. There was no blood.

Instead, Gen's body vanished in an instant, leaving behind nothing but a simple wooden log with a kunai mark on it.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

From a distance, a series of shuriken flew at high speed, heading directly toward Ono, who, upon seeing the log appear after the substitution, changed his expression and quickly retreated.

The shuriken were not only fast but carried enough force to pierce a human body with ease.

In an instant, they tore through Ono's body as he withdrew, leaving several holes in his wake.

Bang

Just as had happened with Gen before, Ono's body exploded into a cloud of smoke, revealing a log riddled with projectiles.

About seven or eight meters away, Ono reappeared after executing his own Substitution Technique. However, just at that moment, an agile figure lunged at him at an even greater speed, attacking from his blind spot.

________

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