The air in the training arena was thick with anticipation. The students lined up in neat rows as Fujimoto-sensei stepped forward, an open scroll in his hands.
"For the practical demonstration," he announced, "I will call each of you. You will perform the jutsu I assign you from those you have studied this year. You will be evaluated on precision of execution, chakra control, and overall effectiveness."
"Kaito Aoi," Fujimoto called. "Kawarimi no Jutsu."
Aoi stepped forward, focused. His execution was precise, the hand seals formed with methodical care, the replacement with the training trunk executed with perfect timing.
"Good chakra control," one of the examiners noted.
"Tsuki Jun'ko. Henge no Jutsu."
Jun'ko smiled, transforming into a perfect replica of Fujimoto-sensei, even reproducing his characteristic stern expression.
"Hōzuki Hiroshi. Suiton: Mizurappa."
Hiroshi's water projectile was powerful and controlled.
"Yuki Yukiko. Kawarimi no Jutsu."
Yukiko's substitution was elegant and fluid, executed with her trademark efficiency.
"Mizutani Ren."
Ren advanced with measured calm, maintaining a neutral expression.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu."
His seals were precise but deliberately not too fluid - a performance designed to appear competent but not exceptional. The mist that formed was dense but uneven in places, as one would expect from a first-year student still perfecting his technique.
Fujimoto-sensei stepped closer, observing the result. For a moment, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he had noticed something unusual in the way the mist was moving. But the moment passed quickly.
"A good basic check," one of the examiners commented. "He still has room for improvement, but the foundation is there."
When the fog cleared, he left behind nothing but the impression of a promising but still learning young student.
'I had to fight to maintain those imperfections,' Ren mused. 'Sparring will be even more difficult to calibrate.'
The demonstration continued with more students performing the basic techniques: Kawarimi, Henge, Mizurappa, and Kirigakure no Jutsu took turns in the arena, some executing them with proficiency, others with less success.
At the end of the session, Fujimoto-sensei approached the blackboard, where a provisional ranking had already been drawn up based on the results of the written exam and the practical demonstration.
"As you know," he began, "the top sixteen qualify for the sparring matches. The pairings were determined by crossing the positions: first against sixteenth, second against fifteenth, and so on."
He wrote the scores on the board:
1. Hozuki Hiroshi - 58/60
2. Kurushimi Misaki - 57/60
3. Yuki Yukiko - 57/60
4. Kaito Aoi - 57/60
5. Koshima Kurara - 56/60
6. Tsuki Jun'ko - 54/60
7. Karatachi Shinji - 53/60
8. Yuki Sora - 52/60
9. Mizutani Ren - 52/60
10. Mori Mizuchi - 51/60
11. Munashi Touma - 51/60
12. Kaguya Shin - 51/60
13. Terano Kaori - 51/60
14. Kenji Irame - 50/60
15. Rajino Koga - 50/60
16. Ishin Taki - 50/60
'Ninth, well, that might be enough but I'll win just one match to be sure.'
"Now I'll announce the pairings for the first round," Fujimoto-sensei declared, starting to draw a bracket on the board. "The matches will be held in this order:"
He turned to the class, chalk tapping rhythmically on the board as he listed:
"Karatachi Shinji (7th) vs. Munashi Touma (11th)"
"Hōzuki Hiroshi (1st) vs. Kenji Irame (14th)"
"Yuki Yukiko (3rd) vs. Mori Mizuchi (10th)"
"Mizutani Ren (9th) vs. Rajino Koga (15th)"
"Kaito Aoi (4th) vs. Kaguya Shin (12th)"
"Koshima Kurara (5th) vs. Terano Kaori (13th)"
"Kurushimi Misaki (2nd) vs. Ishin Taki (16th)"
"Tsuki Jun'ko (6th) vs. Yuki Sora (8th)"
"Prepare yourselves properly," Fujimoto-sensei concluded. "Tomorrow begins the real test of your abilities."
During lunch break, the usual group gathered, studying the bracket drawn on the board.
"Technically," Aoi muttered, nervously adjusting his glasses as he traced the tournament lines with her finger, "if I win against Shin... which is highly unlikely considering his kekkei genkai... I'd have to face the winner of Kurara or Kaori in the quarterfinals."
"Which probably means Kurara," Jun'ko added. "But hey, at least you don't have to face another ice user in the first round! Yuki Sora will be a tough nut to crack..."
Shinji yawned, absentmindedly forming small coral crystals between his fingers as he studied the bracket. "If I beat Touma... hmm... I'd be up against the winner of Hiroshi and Kenji in the quarterfinals. Which means..."
"Hiroshi," they all chimed in.
Aoi continued to stare at the board, his mind frantically analyzing every possible scenario. "The problem with Shin isn't so much avoiding his attacks," he muttered more to himself than to anyone else. "It's that one hit from his bones could—"
"Stop tormenting yourself," Jun'ko interrupted. "You have a day to prepare," And besides," she added with a sly smile, "I heard he's afraid of needles. You're good with those, aren't you?" "Technically, I have a night to prepare, but as for needles, I've never used syringes in combat."
Ren watched in silence, his gaze methodically studying the bracket. Koga seemed manageable in the first round, but after that... his eyes shifted to Misaki's name, who would probably be waiting for him in the quarterfinals.
As the students dispersed, Lui stood back for a moment, his gaze lost in the fog that still hung in the air.
'Tomorrow,' he thought, 'begins the real test of balance between showing and hiding.'