"The winner is Naruto," Kitazawa announced the final result.
Neji and Sasuke had lost in much the same way. Against Naruto's combination of Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, Wind Release: Gale Palm, and a barrage of thrown ninja tools, they could only barely hold on.
The range of the storm was too wide; if they couldn't escape its area, they would inevitably be blown away.
"This practical exam is now concluded. Rest for a moment, and then the rankings will be announced."
After speaking, Kitazawa left to find Iruka.
"In the end, Naruto won," Tenten sighed.
Although she supported Hyuga Neji, she had to admit that Naruto's victory was absolutely fair.
"Who can beat Naruto now?" Kiba muttered helplessly.
With Naruto's current strength, he felt it would be difficult to surpass him even with ten more years of effort.
"There is no invincible ninjutsu." A calm voice cut in.
"Kosuke-sensei!" The students of the Genius Class greeted him one after another.
"Kosuke-sensei, how do you think we can defeat Naruto?" Kiba asked eagerly.
Sasuke, Neji, and the others all turned their attention to Kosuke. Even Naruto leaned in, curious to know what weaknesses his tactics had.
"The most direct method is defensive ninjutsu," Kosuke said unhurriedly.
"And Earth Release ninjutsu," Kakashi added.
"Exactly." Kosuke nodded in agreement.
The two discussed back and forth how to counter the storm created by Wind Release: Gale Palm.
Meanwhile, Kitazawa was compiling the rankings with Iruka. His gaze fell on three glowing lines of text before him:
[Current Mission: Help Uzumaki Naruto defeat Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Neji in the next Monthly Exam.]
[Mission Reward: One-fifth of chakra capacity limit.]
[Host has completed the mission. Reward issued.]
A dazed look crossed Kitazawa's face as a surge of chakra rushed into his body, filling him with power.
His chakra now reached an astonishing three and a half cards. In more practical terms, he could maintain Senju Chakra Mode for an additional half minute.
"The rankings are all sorted, Kitazawa-senpai," Iruka reminded him.
"Thank you for your hard work, Iruka." Kitazawa took the roster and added, "Go and bring over the students from other classes who want to challenge."
"Alright." Iruka smiled. "After losing all challenges in the last Monthly Exam, I don't expect too many challengers this time."
"That can't be helped. The Genius Class has too great a teaching advantage." Kitazawa glanced at the rankings, then continued, "But I plan to have the Genius Class students act as tutors in other classes this last month."
This was the tutor system he had previously mentioned to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
His students were constantly in special training, and over time, the pressure was immense. Acting as teaching assistants would allow them to relax, review old knowledge, and refresh their understanding of ninjutsu.
"Tutors?" Iruka's expression showed confusion.
"It means letting them teach ninjutsu to students in other classes, like the basic Three E-rank Techniques," Kitazawa explained.
"Won't this delay the Genius Class students' own learning?" Iruka asked after some thought. The tutor system was certainly beneficial for other classes.
"It won't, as long as it's arranged properly." Kitazawa paused, then said, "We'll discuss the details later in a meeting. For now, I'll go announce the rankings."
He stepped out before the Genius Class members. Kosuke and Kakashi, seeing this, stopped their conversation and stepped aside.
Sasuke and Neji looked reluctant; the advice Kosuke and Kakashi had just given was extremely valuable.
"I'll announce the theoretical exam rankings first." Kitazawa opened the roster and began to read.
"Shikamaru, you're controlling your score again!" Kiba complained as soon as he heard it.
"How am I controlling my score?" Shikamaru spread his hands with a smile. "This is my true level."
Everyone looked at him with disbelief. How could anyone repeatedly fluctuate between first and tenth place?
"I really don't get it," Naruto said, scratching his head, his brain struggling to keep up.
"You're one to talk," Ino huffed. "You and Shikamaru are both impossible to understand."
Naruto laughed awkwardly. He truly didn't understand why he had so much chakra either.
"Next are the practical exam rankings," Kitazawa interrupted, drawing everyone's attention.
Compared to the theoretical rankings, the students were far more concerned about these results.
"First place, Naruto," Kitazawa announced with a smile.
"I'm finally first again!" Naruto cheered, unable to contain his excitement even though he had expected it.
"Don't get too cocky! Kosuke-sensei and Kakashi-sensei already told us many ways to deal with you!" Kiba clenched his fists, irritated by Naruto's smugness.
"You won't take first place so easily in the next Monthly Exam," Sasuke said expressionlessly.
"Indeed," Neji agreed, for once.
Having been in the Genius Class for some time now, even he had come to enjoy this sense of competition. The feeling of chasing and catching up drove him to improve faster.
"Youth is about accepting all challenges!" Naruto declared with fiery spirit. "I'll be waiting for you all!"
"So passionate," Shikamaru muttered, shaking his head. "I don't know why you all insist on fighting for first place."
"This is the charm of youth!" Rock Lee shouted with a thumbs-up.
"Don't drag youth into everything," Tenten groaned.
"Second place, Kurama Yakumo. Third place, Sasuke. Fourth place, Hyuga Neji. Fifth place, Hyuga Hinata."
Kitazawa raised his hand to quiet them before continuing. "Sixth place, Shino Aburame. Seventh place, Ino Yamanaka."
Aside from Naruto's rise, the top seven were essentially unchanged from the previous practical exam.
Everyone had improved, but Naruto's growth was the most astonishing, which placed him firmly in first.
"Eighth place, Sakura Haruno. Ninth place, Inuzuka Hana. Tenth place, Tenten. Eleventh place, Kiba."
Kitazawa paused briefly before reading on: "Twelfth place, Nara Shikamaru. Thirteenth place, Rock Lee. Fourteenth place, Akimichi Choji—"
"I'm actually eighth place?" Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, her expression shifting quickly to delight.
Last time, Ino had shown the greatest progress; this time, it was her. She had leapt from thirteenth place to eighth.
This was the advantage of mastering an additional B-rank Water Release ninjutsu. In the Academy, such a technique was already something most students could never dream of reaching.
"But you're still one spot below me," Ino said, brushing a golden strand of hair from her forehead.
"Hmph, just you wait!" Sakura shot back, unwilling to lose.
"The Genius Class really has too much competition," Tenten sighed.
Only a month had passed, and she had dropped from eighth to tenth place. Even though her strength had improved significantly—she had learned the Shadow Clone Technique—Sakura and Hana had progressed even further.
If this were still the old Second Year Class A, rankings would never fluctuate so much.
"It's over!" Kiba groaned, clutching his head. "I've fallen out of the top ten!"
"It's okay," Inuzuka Hana smiled, patting his shoulder. "Your sister made it into the top ten."
"Is that the same thing?" Kiba muttered with a pained expression.
"Twelfth place? A slight miscalculation." Shikamaru frowned.
His theoretical exam ranking had been tenth, and his practical ranking was twelfth. That meant his overall rank would drop out of the top ten.
He had originally planned to land exactly in tenth place, but he hadn't accounted for Sakura and Hana's sudden surge in strength over just one month.
Troublesome. He already had a headache thinking about how to explain this to his mother, Nara Yoshino, once he got home.
Kitazawa was about to continue announcing the rankings when his expression suddenly shifted. His eyes turned toward the Academy entrance.
A figure appeared in the distance before landing lightly in front of them.
Naruto and Neji looked over curiously. The man wore a gray vest.
Sasuke recognized it immediately—it was an Anbu ninja. He knew because he had seen his brother Itachi wear one.
"Kitazawa-sama. Kakashi-senpai." The Anbu spoke crisply. "Hokage-sama requests that you both report to the Hokage Building conference room immediately for a Jonin meeting."
Kitazawa's heart tightened.
Jonin meetings were usually announced days in advance. For one to be called so suddenly could only mean that Konoha was facing serious trouble.
"I understand. I'll head there now." Kitazawa nodded.
The Anbu vanished instantly.
"Kosuke-senpai," Kitazawa said, handing over the roster. "I'll leave the rest to you, including the challenge segment."
"No problem." Kosuke accepted without hesitation.
Though not a Jonin himself, he was familiar with the Jonin council system. He understood immediately that something significant must have happened.
Kitazawa glanced at Kakashi. The two exchanged looks before heading toward the Hokage Building.
As Kitazawa walked, his mind drifted back to the original timeline.
In the story he remembered, nothing major had happened that year—except for the Uchiha Clan Massacre. But with his butterfly effect, that event would no longer occur.
That left only one possibility. Uchiha Obito.
Kitazawa and Kakashi soon arrived at the Hokage Building's meeting room. Many people were already seated.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, in particular, sat at the head of the table. Kitazawa guessed that Hiruzen must have received the news first, which explained this sudden council meeting.
Besides Hiruzen, Danzo—who hadn't attended the previous Jonin council—was also present.
"Over here," Tsunade waved, beckoning him over.
"Kakashi, I'll go first." After greeting Kakashi, Kitazawa sat beside Tsunade.
"It's a declaration of war from the Hidden Mist Village," Tsunade leaned in and whispered.
"The reason isn't the Lightning Blade: Kiba, is it?" Kitazawa asked, his expression tightening.
"You guessed it. That's exactly the reason." Tsunade gave him a playful look. "You've made your mark in Konoha's history—single-handedly starting a war with the Hidden Mist."
"Lady Tsunade, is this really the time for jokes?" Kitazawa couldn't help retorting.
But in his heart, he already understood the truth. The real reason was indeed Obito.
Gravely wounded and consumed with rage, Obito had simply ordered Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage under his control, to declare war on Konoha—nothing more than a move of spite.
To Obito, the Mist Village meant little. Even if they lost, even if Yagura's control broke, it would hardly matter. His real goal was the Akatsuki and the Eye of the Moon Plan.
"Don't worry, the Old Man won't blame you," Tsunade reassured him with a faint smile. "Anyone with sense can see the Mist isn't declaring war over a single sword."
Lightning Blade: Kiba was precious, yes, but not priceless. And once war broke out, the Mist's losses would far outweigh the value of a sword.
Kitazawa nodded slightly. Still, deep down, he knew the cause of this war traced back to him—and perhaps to Kakashi as well.
"The only one you need to watch out for is Danzo," Tsunade warned. "He'll definitely use this matter against you."
"Given his nature, he certainly will," Kitazawa agreed. "And he'll probably drag you into it too."
Danzo's ambition had always been to become Hokage. And Tsunade was the largest obstacle in his way.
Now, with Kitazawa at fault and closely tied to Tsunade, Danzo would seize the opportunity to strike.
"Mm." Tsunade had already expected this, and she wasn't surprised.
"But simple troublemaking isn't his goal," Kitazawa continued, stroking his chin. "He might try to seize power with this opportunity."
War was both a risk and an opportunity. If Danzo were appointed commander of this war, he would return to the very peak of influence.
"The Old Man won't let him succeed." Tsunade shook her head and said, "Danzo is too old; he's not suitable to be a commander."
"What about you?" Kitazawa lightly coughed and asked.
"..." Tsunade immediately fell silent.
There was probably no one in the entire Konoha Village more suitable to be the commander of this war than her.
Among the middle-aged and younger generation of ninja, her strength and status were paramount. Others were either too old, like Danzo, or too young, like Kakashi.
Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku could also be considered, but they were clan heads first and Konoha ninja second. Sarutobi Hiruzen would never fully trust them.
No matter how one looked at it, Tsunade became the only candidate.
"I've noticed that ever since I met you, nothing good has happened." Tsunade rubbed her temples, clearly annoyed. She had a premonition she wouldn't be able to avoid it this time.
"My fault," Kitazawa said seriously. "After the war ends, I'll accompany Lady Tsunade to the casino."
"How can a war end so easily?" Tsunade rolled her eyes at him.
"The Hidden Mist Village is far inferior to us. As long as we figure out why they started the war, we can end it quickly." Kitazawa replied.
"That's true." Tsunade nodded slightly. Still, she couldn't think of a logical reason for the Hidden Mist Village to start a war.
If she were in their position, there was no way she'd pick a fight with a stronger village—certainly not over a single ninja blade.
"Alright, everyone's here. Let's start the meeting now." Sarutobi Hiruzen clapped the table and said, "I just received a message from Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage. He has declared war on our Konoha Village."
As soon as these words were spoken, the meeting room fell into a stunned silence.
"Didn't they just negotiate with us? Why would they suddenly declare war?"
"How could their attitude change so quickly?"
"With the Mist's strength, they dare wage war against us? They're simply overestimating themselves!"
The Jonin began to murmur, many expressing disbelief.
"Hiruzen, why don't you explain the specific reason for the Hidden Mist Village's declaration of war?" Danzo suddenly spoke up.
"The Fourth Mizukage said it's because we won't hand over Lightning Blade: Kiba," Sarutobi Hiruzen said after a pause. "Clearly, this is just an absurd excuse."
He shared Tsunade's opinion: there had to be another reason.
"Why absurd?" Danzo snorted coldly. "This matter was caused by Kitazawa. His appropriation of war spoils led to this conflict."
"Kitazawa killed Kurosuki Raiga. Lightning Blade: Kiba should belong to him. How is that appropriation?" Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.
"That may be so, but once war breaks out, how much will Konoha lose because of his selfish interests?" Danzo shifted the argument, then pointedly accused: "I think Tsunade is also at fault for not teaching him well."
"Danzo!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's tone grew displeased. "You're being unreasonable!"
Hiashi, Fugaku, and others exchanged glances but stayed silent.
To them, this was clearly a power struggle among Konoha's higher-ups—a battle between Tsunade and Danzo for the Hokage seat.
"Kitazawa acted according to Konoha's rules. What's wrong with that?" Tsunade's expression remained calm.
"It's a fact that he provoked the war," Danzo countered, sidestepping the real point.
"Then how about this: let him end the war," Tsunade replied indifferently.
"He ends it?" Danzo asked with disdain. "Does he have the ability?"
"What if he and I do it together?" Tsunade raised her head, looking directly at him.
Danzo's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, he realized something was wrong. He had attended this council specifically to secure the commander's seat.
No matter what, it couldn't be given to Tsunade. If she led Konoha to victory, she would have undeniable grounds to become the Fifth Hokage.
"Excellent!" Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart swelled with joy. He chuckled, "Let's appoint him right now."
He had expected resistance in appointing Tsunade as commander, but to his surprise, she proposed it herself. Ironically, Danzo had just helped pave the way.
"Wait!" Danzo quickly interrupted. "I disagree!"
"What do you disagree with?" Sarutobi Hiruzen asked sharply.
"Kitazawa made a mistake, and Tsunade, as his teacher, is also at fault. How can people at fault serve as frontline commanders?"
So that was your intention. All at once, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Tsunade, and Kitazawa understood.
"This was an unintentional mistake," Sarutobi Hiruzen said firmly. "Since you think she's at fault, then let her end this war and atone for it."
"My meaning is—" Danzo's eyes widened. He immediately grew anxious. What was happening here?
"Do any of you have objections?" Sarutobi Hiruzen raised his hand, cutting him off, and turned to Hyuga Hiashi and the others.
"No." Many Jonin answered in unison.
Hearing this, Danzo felt his body stiffen. A chill ran through him, leaving him cold even in broad daylight.