The proctor called out the next match with a slight smirk, and I could already feel the tension in the air and it wasn't hard to see why.
"Next match—Senju Tomoe versus Uchiha Masaru," the proctor announced, his eyes gleaming with something like amusement.
The moment the names were spoken, the crowd fell silent, and I leaned forward slightly, curious. It wasn't like I knew these students personally—I barely knew anyone in the class not to mention the entire academy—but there was something about the mix of these two names that promised a good show.
This was a fucking Senju-Uchiha clash.
No way it was gonna be boring.
Senju Tomoe. I couldn't tell anything about her family techniques off the top of my head, but I knew the Senju were famous for having powerful chakra reserves and a knack for ninjutsu.
That wasn't a guarantee of anything spectacular, but it meant she was probably more than just average.
Uchiha Masaru, though? That name hit differently. The Uchihas were synonymous with the Sharingan, and while I didn't expect anything too outrageous from an Academy student, a one-tomoe Sharingan was enough to make anyone take notice.
And that was exactly what happened when the two stepped onto the field.
Tomoe stood tall and composed looking every bit the part of someone who was ready for this fight. She didn't look like the showy type, though, and that was kind of refreshing.
No excessive gestures or loud proclamations. Just a determined look, like she had something to prove.
Which, considering her opponent…she probably did.
Masaru, on the other hand, looked a little more… eager.
He was twitchy, almost like he couldn't wait to start—hands flexing at his sides, eyes darting between his opponent and the crowd, probably itching to show off his new Sharingan if the chakra pooling in his head was anything to go by.
You could see the glint in his eyes even from here. A one-tomoe Sharingan wasn't the pinnacle of Uchiha power, but it was certainly a hell of a tool when used right.
"Begin!" the proctor called, snapping me out of my thoughts.
Tomoe wasted no time as she darted forward aiming a quick low kick to Masaru's legs. The Uchiha barely dodged it, stepping back just enough to let it pass, but instead of closing in, he distanced himself.
Fast. Faster than I'd expected.
He was already forming hand seals, a little too quickly for comfort. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!".
A massive fireball erupted from his mouth, shooting straight toward Tomoe with all the ferocity of a small cannon.
But Tomoe was faster. I didn't know how she did it, but she was already in motion, sliding to the side and rolling out of the way, the fireball scorching the air where she'd been a split second before.
She was quick, and it was clear she had a good sense of timing.
Masaru, no doubt trying to take advantage of her position, threw a series of kunai as she rolled. The blades sliced through the air like they were guided by fate itself. But Tomoe was already on her feet, dodging each one with graceful, calculated movements.
"Impressive," I muttered under my breath, watching as the fight began to take shape.
Tomoe wasn't playing around.
She didn't seem to care much for the theatrics of flashy jutsu. Instead, she rapidly formed seals herself.
"Earth Style: Earth Pillar Jutsu!" she shouted, her hands pressing to the ground as large spires of rock erupted from the earth in front of her.
Masaru's eyes widened, and he instinctively jumped back to avoid the jagged spikes shooting up, narrowly missing getting skewered. His Sharingan flickered in his eyes, the one tomoe glowing faintly as his perception sharpened, and his chakra began to surge with a renewed focus.
"Interesting," I muttered to myself. "Now he's actually taking this seriously."
Masaru didn't waste time as he formed more hand seals—slightly slower this time, as if he was calculating his next move more carefully. "Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
This time, multiple streams of fire shot from his mouth in rapid succession, each one following a different path aimed at Tomoe.
But Tomoe wasn't about to be outdone. She summoned more earth beneath her, creating a low-lying wall of rock that blocked the incoming flames with a satisfying crash.
The fire licked the top of the wall but couldn't get through.
Masaru paused, calculating. His Sharingan spun once, then twice, as he tried to predict her next move.
I leaned back, smirking. He was reading her movements. But the real question was, how well would he do when she started playing her own game?
And sure enough, she did.
There was a reason the Senju were able to keep the Uchiha in line afterall.
In a fluid motion, Tomoe's hands blurred through seals. This time, she didn't chant. She just… released it.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive, roaring dragon made of water erupted from the ground in front of her, surging toward Masaru like it had a mind of its own. The water dragon was so large it nearly swallowed the entire area.
It was a C-Rank Jutsu indeed.
I could tell Masaru hadn't expected that though he reacted quickly, using his Sharingan predict and dodge the initial strike, but the water dragon was relentless, coiling and shifting like a living thing, keeping him on the move.
He barely managed to escape as it snapped at him, sending him tumbling backward.
He didn't stay down for long, though.
With a grimace, Masaru formed another seal. This time, it was different. His Sharingan spun faster as he channeled more chakra. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!" he roared, sending a massive fireball bigger than the earliest one directly at the water dragon.
The two techniques collided with a tremendous splash of steam, blocking Masaru from view.
For a moment, there was nothing but a cloud of smoke. The crowd shifted uneasily, waiting for the next move.
Then, through the mist, I saw Masaru standing, breathing heavily.
If the size of that fireball said anything, it was that he used a substantial amount of chakra to release it, and while the Senju Clan were blessed with an abundance of chakra, the Uchiha unfortunately weren't.
The water dragon was nowhere to be seen. But I couldn't shake the feeling that Tomoe had something else up her sleeve.
Sure enough, the ground beneath Masaru shifted.
Boom!
As I watched the battle unfold before me, I couldn't help but marvel at Tomoe's precision. Her movements were fluid. I noticed the moment before it happened—her hands moved through the familiar series of seals, swift and practiced
It was a subtle motion, but I knew what was coming.
Earth Style: Earth Hammer.
A B-Rank Earth Style Jutsu.
The technique was unmistakable. It was the telltale tremor that rippled through the ground right before she called upon the very earth beneath her.
A massive boulder surged from the ground, and with a swift motion, she directed it towards Masaru, and I could see the look of surprise in his eyes as the boulder crashed into his side, knocking him off balance.
It didn't matter how fast he was or how sharp his Sharingan was—there was no way he could have reacted in time.
The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, and I could tell from his struggle that he was having a hard time recovering.
I smirked.
Earth Hammer was a powerful move, but what impressed me was how effortlessly she used it. Most shinobi would've needed time to build up such an attack, but Tomoe had mastered the technique, making it seem almost second nature.
Fucking Senju and their bloodline.
I leaned back slightly, watching with interest. If this was how she could handle someone like Masaru, I could only imagine what she'd be capable of when she truly unleashed her full potential.
But considering she isn't known, she must've been assassinated before she could unleash it.
"Match over!" the proctor called, raising his hand.
I blinked, she could make for a good comrade if the opportunity presents itself. Hopefully, she doesn't too quickly.
I'll prefer her over Tsunade 11 times out of 10.
"Winner: Senju Tomoe," the proctor declared.
The crowd went silent for a moment before breaking into muted applause. Tomoe didn't even smile, just nodded in acknowledgment, while Masaru, breathing heavily, stood up slowly, rubbing his side where the boulder had hit him.
I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath.
"Yeah," I muttered, "not bad at all."
Renji looked over at me, eyebrow raised. "Not bad? That was a damn good fight."
I shrugged. "Sure, but the ending was too predictable. I could tell Tomoe had him from the second she landed that water dragon. No one with a one-tomoe Sharingan is ready for that much versatility."
Renji made a face, but I could tell he agreed.
Still, it was good to watch the competition heat up.
Next match—who would it be?