Renji wiped the blood from his forehead as he stared at me. And Sora was still recovering from the impact of the wooden stakes. But neither of them looked ready to give up.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked, knowing the answer was obvious.

"Shut up, Senju," Renji replied, briefly sheathed his sword.

It was the signal I needed.

"Just wanted to make sure." I grinned.

[Updated Analysis]

[Renji: minor injuries, but stable. Sora: limited by multiple injuries, but still dangerous.]

The battlefield, which had previously looked orderly, was now in chaos. The smoke from Sora's explosions and the fragments of wood scattered across the ground created a desolate landscape.

It was time to change the pace.

"Mokuton: Wood Prison!"

From the ground, several wooden vines rose to envelop Renji. He jumped back, dodging with precision, but one of them snagged his leg.

"Damn!"

I took advantage of the opening and advanced, pretending to launch a direct attack.

Renji raised his sword to block, but my right hand went to the ground.

"Doton: Rising Pillar!"

The pillar of earth rose under Renji, catapulting him upward.

"Sora, now!" I shouted.

She didn't waste any time. She threw two explosive kunai at Renji, who was still in the air. He used Fuuton chakra to stabilize himself, dodging the kunai, but the explosion created a dense cloud of smoke.

I was already prepared.

"Mokuton: Restrained Roots!"

From the smoke, several roots emerged, trapping Renji by the arms. He tried to break free, but the bonds were too strong. However, that didn't mean he was out of the game.

"You forgot about me, Riku!" Sora shouted.

"Never," I replied, smirking.

She was approaching quickly, using her speed as an ally. I knew that if she reached me, I would be in trouble. Her explosive seals could cause serious damage.

But I had already planned everything.

"Wood Clone."

The moment she reached me, her punch went through my clone, causing a small explosion on impact.

"What?" She turned around, trying to locate me, but it was too late.

Behind her, I stepped firmly on the ground.

"Doton: Moving Platform!"

The ground beneath Sora rose rapidly, creating a sloping ramp. She lost her balance and slid straight toward the edge of the arena.

"Ahh! Riku, you cheater!"

Before she could react, a set of wooden stakes appeared behind her, blocking any chance of retreat.

"End of the line, Sora."

With one last push of chakra, I made the ground tilt even further, throwing her out of the arena.

"Great use of the environment," Tetsu-sensei commented, watching everything.

Sora fell sitting on the ground outside the arena, panting.

"I won't forgive you for this, Senju!"

"Noted." I grinned, turning my attention back to Renji.

He had managed to free himself from the roots and was already running towards me. His speed had increased, probably due to the use of Fuuton chakra on his feet.

"No tricks now. Just you and me," he said.

"Fair." I nodded.

We ran towards each other. He came at me with his sword in his hands, and I took that opportunity to test the jutsu I had been training with our sensei — dark, twisted wood covered my fists, forming gloves with spikes on each of my fingers. The clash was intense. Each of his blows forced me to defend with full concentration.

"Fuuton: Spiral Blade!"

He spun his sword, creating a small cyclone that threw me backwards. I rolled across the ground, getting up immediately, but he was already in front of me.

"Time to end this."

"I agree."

I ran to the side, dodging his attack, and began to circle the arena. Renji followed me, suspicious.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing much. Just distracting you." I smirked.

"Doton: Mud Floor!"

Under his feet, the ground turned into mud, making it difficult for him to move.

He briefly lost his balance — just long enough for me to act.

I punched him so hard that he flew toward the edge of the arena.

He tried to dig his sword into the ground to steady himself, but I had already anticipated it.

"Wood Clone: Detonation!"

The clone I had created minutes earlier, hidden behind a rock, exploded, sending shards of wood flying toward him. The impact was so strong that it threw him out of the arena for good.

"Victory: Riku Senju," Tetsu-sensei announced.

I took a deep breath, exhaustion washing over me.

Sora walked over to Renji and helped him up.

"He fooled you good," she said, laughing.

"Shut up," Renji muttered, but smiled.

I walked over to them.

"It was a good fight," I said.

Renji nodded.

"Yeah. But next time, it won't be that easy."

"I'm counting on it," I replied.

With that, we wrapped up the day's training. But something told me the Chunin Exam would be far more challenging. I had to be ready.

[Training Reward: +200 EXP]

*

The sound of Tetsu-sensei's footsteps echoed across the training ground, breaking the silence after our battle.

"All right, now that you've beaten each other up enough, gather around. We've got a message from the Hokage," he said, crossing his arms.

The mention of the Hokage made Sora and Renji immediately stand at attention. I tensed up, wondering if it was a problem related to the so-called "Madara," whom I knew was actually Obito.

"The Hokage, sensei? What's going on?" I asked.

Tetsu-sensei pulled a scroll from his vest and tossed it to me. I caught it midair and unrolled it.

[Official Order: Team 11 has been selected for a reconnaissance mission in the Twilight Forest. Reports indicate renegade ninja activity in the area. The mission will serve as final preparation before the Chunin Exam.]

"What do you all think?" Tetsu asked.

"I'm in!" Sora said without hesitation.

Renji gave a nod of agreement.

I took a steadying breath.

"Let's get this over with."

"Perfect. We leave at dawn. Get some rest — you'll need it," Tetsu said with a grin.

*

The next morning, fog blanketed the entrance to the Twilight Forest. The air felt heavy — this wasn't training anymore. One mistake could be fatal.

Tetsu came to a stop and turned to face us.

"This mission isn't training. It's the real thing. You three are in charge. I'll be nearby, but I won't step in unless things spiral out of control."

I exchanged a glance with Sora and Renji. None of us spoke, but we understood: from that moment on, we were more than just genin. This was our true test before the Chunin Exam.

[Mission Started: Reconnaissance and Neutralization | Twilight Forest]

"Let's move," I said, stepping forward

*

[System Activated: Character Information]

[Basic Information]

Name: Senju Riku

Age: 13

Innate Ability: Mokuton

Ninja Rank: Genin

Level: 14

[Attributes]

Strength: 22

Agility: 21

Intelligence: 27

Endurance: 24

Chakra Control: 30

Chakra: 420/420

Stamina: 340/340

HP: 340/340

EXP: 6200/7000

Available Attribute Points: 0

Technique Points: 0

[Active Techniques]

Mokuton: Contained Root

Mokuton: Wooden Stakes

Mokuton: Wooden Prison

Mokuton: Defensive Sprout

Mokuton: Great Forest Technique

Mokuton: Wooden Clone

Mokuton: Birth of the World of Trees

Mokuton: Root Sensing Technique

Mokuton: Curved Spear

Suiton: Water Palm

Suiton: Water Arrows

Suiton: Spiral Current

Doton: Stone Skin

[New Technique Obtained!]

Mokuton: Curved Spear

Description: A technique that shapes a flexible wooden spear which curves upon impact, bypassing predictable defenses and piercing blocks from unexpected angles.

....

Did you like my novel and want to help me continue writing?

Consider supporting me on that other place!

patreon . com / rekaiz

See you in the next chapter!

Oh, and if you have any suggestions or ideas I could follow, feel free to send them to me!