Ninja World: Power through Bonds

Training Ground No. 47.

Hyuga Hizashi and Yuhi Kurenai stepped to the sidelines, leaving the clearing open for Denji and Uzuki Yugao.

Ordinarily, the first post-graduation test might involve something like snatching bells, but with both Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao already at Chūnin rank, that kind of exercise seemed pointless. As for Shimura Denji, well, even if he failed a test, who would dare send him back to the Academy? No one wanted to risk root shinobi showing up at their doorstep in the middle of the night.

Instead, the test was structured as a round-robin sparring match. Each team member would face off against the other two.

The first match pitted Uzuki Yugao against Shimura Denji.

"Hold it!" Hyuga Hizashi called from the sidelines. "No exploding tags or poison attacks!"

Denji shot him a skeptical look. He suspected Hizashi had done his homework and was setting these limits just for him.

"Strictly swordsmanship—what do you say?" Denji offered.

"Fine," Uzuki Yugao replied, raising her blade in a defensive stance. It was clear she wanted Denji to make the first move.

Without hesitation, Denji drew his sword.

The moment the hilt was in his hand, the atmosphere changed. He no longer seemed like a cute, unassuming boy. The shift was subtle but unmistakable—his posture, his grip, even the look in his eyes. It was as though the sword was an extension of himself, and that shared sharpness radiated from his entire being.

Uzuki Yugao's eyes narrowed at the gleam of the blade.

"Is that...a Kusanagi sword?"

"Yes," Denji replied. "A birthday present from my grandfather when I turned six. He got it from Orochimaru at my request."

Uzuki Yugao felt a pang of jealousy.

A Kusanagi sword. As a sixth birthday gift.

The thought made her stomach churn. To a ninja who specialized in swordsmanship, the Kusanagi blade was practically a sacred relic—a legendary weapon every swordsman dreamed of wielding.

And here Denji was, so nonchalant about it.

"I hope your skills don't disgrace that sword's reputation," she said, forcing the words out. Even as she spoke, her grip on her own blade tightened, her stance sharpening. She wasn't about to hold back.

The defensive stance Uzuki Yugao had taken was more for show than anything else, but the moment Denji drew his blade, she realized that this was no child. He was an opponent who demanded her full focus.

"Get ready. I'm coming," Denji warned, dashing forward with his sword at the ready. He moved quickly—faster than most would expect—but still short of the lightning-fast Body Flicker Technique. This was, after all, a swordsmanship match, and he wouldn't rely on speed enhancements to gain an unfair edge.

Their blades met in a flurry of sparks, each clash ringing out sharply. Uzuki Yugao's heart raced as she planted her foot firmly into the ground and pushed herself back to create space. But Denji didn't let up. He pressed forward, delivering a series of strikes that targeted the most awkward angles for her to defend. 

It felt as though every time she attempted a counter, Denji anticipated it. His strikes disrupted her flow, exploiting weaknesses before she even realized they were there. She couldn't shake the feeling she was fighting a Uchiha with their Sharingan active, reading her every move before she made it.

On the sidelines, Yuhi Kurenai watched with wide eyes. She had heard stories of Denji's talent, but seeing it firsthand was something else. "Is this what a genius looks like? He's matching Yugao blow for blow, and he's barely out of the Academy. It's like watching another Kakashi."

"A tie?" Hyuga Hizashi chuckled quietly. "This isn't a tie…"

With his trained eyes, Hizashi could see the subtle shifts in the match. Uzuki Yugao was struggling—not just to keep up, but to hold her ground at all. She wasn't just losing; she was being systematically dismantled.

A sudden, powerful clash of steel sent Uzuki Yugao skidding backward more than ten meters before she managed to steady herself. Denji's strength, even at his age, was impressive. His chakra control allowed him to channel bursts of power that, while not quite on Tsunade's level, still gave his strikes a crushing weight.

"Not bad," Denji remarked, lowering his sword slightly. "But Konoha-style swordsmanship… it's too basic. It's solid, sure, but it lacks flexibility. The upper limit is just too low."

Uzuki Yugao clenched her teeth, her frustration bubbling to the surface. She knew her swordsmanship was sound, but his words stung. Yet, she wasn't the type to let her temper get the best of her. Words wouldn't prove anything—only actions would.

"I'm not done yet," she muttered, determination flaring in her eyes. Her hands formed a quick seal, and in an instant, two Shadow Clones sprang to life. Without missing a beat, the three Yugao launched themselves at Denji, each attacking from a different angle—above, left, and right—aiming for vital points with a precision honed by years of training.

"Konoha Style: Crescent Moon Dance!"

Denji scoffed, his sharp gaze fixed on the figure rushing in from the left. With a silver flash of his blade, the other two attackers burst into harmless puffs of smoke.

When Uzuki Yugao realized what had happened, the edge of Denji's Kusanagi blade was already resting at her throat. A fraction deeper, and she wouldn't be standing.

But Denji pulled the blade away, his tone dripping with scorn. "You dare to use a technique you haven't even mastered?"

Uzuki Yugao stood frozen for a moment before blurting out her question, the frustration evident in her voice. "How did you know which one was me?"

"Your Shadow Clone technique is sloppy. The timing is off, the original moves faster, and it's noisier. I could tell in an instant," Denji replied coolly. "If I couldn't spot something so obvious, I wouldn't deserve to be called a ninja."

Her face turned crimson, and she instinctively lowered her head, embarrassed. She had thought her Crescent Moon Dance was well-practiced, but now she realized just how many flaws it had.

"Alright, that's enough," Hyuga Hizashi said, stepping in before Denji's words could cut any deeper. Uzuki Yugao trudged off, disheartened by the outcome. It wasn't easy accepting that her swordsmanship had been thoroughly dismantled by a seven-year-old.

Hizashi cleared his throat. "Kurenai, it's your turn now."

"Ah? Oh!" Yuhi Kurenai replied nervously, shuffling into position across from Denji. She felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her chest.

What am I going to do? He's so fast… I'm going to be sliced up for sure!

Determined not to be humiliated, Kurenai decided to strike first. She took a deep breath and made her move.