After Yoru's battle with Hyūga Setsuna ended, the proctor immediately announced the next matchups.
Coincidentally, one of the participants was Namikaze Minato.
Once Minato stepped onto the stage, he didn't dominate his opponent with sheer brute force like Yoru had, but his victory was just as swift and decisive.
With a simple Substitution Jutsu and a C-rank Wind Release technique, he ended the fight in an instant.
His seamless use of ninjutsu earned a nod of approval from Yoru.
Not only that, but Minato's chakra reserves were clearly beyond those of an average genin. Even after performing a C-rank jutsu, he looked completely unaffected. His chakra capacity was definitely not at a mere genin level.
He might not have reached chūnin-level reserves yet, but he was certainly close.
While he still fell short of prodigies like Hatake Kakashi—who would become a chūnin at just six years old—Minato was undoubtedly among the top of his generation.
As the battles continued, an Aburame clan member easily secured victory using their insects.
Then, a young prodigy from the Senju clan utterly crushed his opponent.
Before long, the five matches of the first round were over, leaving ten victors.
The matches in the main arena were different from those in the side arenas.
Side arena battles tested not just combat ability but also endurance, decision-making, and battlefield control, requiring four consecutive wins to qualify.
Maintaining stamina and power through four straight fights was no easy feat.
In contrast, the main arena battles were purely about raw strength and talent.
Because of this, competitors were given ample rest time between fights to recover to peak condition.
And with Tsunade—Konoha's greatest medical ninja—present, even broken bones could be easily treated.
Once the first round was completed, the five who had lost—including Hyūga Setsuna—retreated to rest and heal. They would continue their battles in the side arena.
Only the victors remained in the main arena.
After a lunch break of about two hours—long enough for some of the side arena fights to finish—the second round of matches resumed.
By chance, since there were five contestants left, one would receive a bye.
That person was Yoru.
The four who would fight were Namikaze Minato, Aburame Shibi, Kazama Hira, and Senju Shinra.
At this time, the Senju clan had not yet declined to the point of near extinction, where only Tsunade remained.
Among Yoru's peers, there were still several Senju clan members, including one with a particularly familiar name—Senju Nawaki.
Tsunade's younger brother.
And also Yoru's classmate, though he had ranked even lower than Yoru before Yoru awakened his Shatter Release bloodline limit.
The next match: Namikaze Minato vs. Senju Shinra.
This time, the fight wasn't as one-sided. However, Minato once again took control of the battlefield with flawless use of clones and substitution techniques.
In the end, he secured victory with a well-placed Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu.
It was as if Minato had complete foresight, knowing exactly how to fight and win from the start.
All the while, he remained unnervingly calm, as if the battle had already been decided before it even began.
Seated at the highest viewing area, Hiruzen Sarutobi watched with admiration.
For someone as young as Minato to possess such intelligence and combat talent, his future potential was immeasurable.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, was growing more and more fond of Minato. He was practically waiting for the day Minato graduated from the Academy so he could take him as his apprentice.
At that moment, Danzo, who had been silently observing Minato, suddenly took a sip of tea and spoke in an even tone.
"This boy is exceptionally mature for his age. He would be well-suited for the work of the Anbu. I believe he should be placed under my Root division for training."
"Absolutely not!"
Danzo's words nearly made Jiraiya jump out of his seat.
Hiruzen frowned and reprimanded him, "Jiraiya, stand down."
Then, turning back to Danzo, Hiruzen said indifferently, "A child like Minato has the qualities of a future Kage. He should not be trained as a mere assassin."
At these words, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
There was no doubt that Hiruzen was referring to the title of Hokage—the highest position in the village.
This statement alone was enough to make Danzo momentarily lose his composure.
With a sharp thud, he set his tea cup down forcefully and spoke in a low, displeased voice.
"Hmph! And where does that leave Orochimaru?"
Compared to Minato—who had yet to reach his full potential—Orochimaru was clearly a more qualified candidate for the role of Hokage.
Orochimaru, who had been listening quietly, remained expressionless, as if the discussion had nothing to do with him.
"Hokage's successor is a decision that doesn't need to be made now," Hiruzen replied coolly. "I am far from old."
His words carried a warning.
He was still the Hokage, at the peak of his strength.
Whatever thoughts Danzo had, he needed to suppress them.
Danzo, of course, understood the underlying message. His expression darkened, but in the end, he only let out a cold snort and said nothing more.
—
With Minato's victory over Senju Shinra, and Aburame Shibi's victory over Kazama Hira, the final three contestants were now confirmed.
Yoru, Namikaze Minato, and Aburame Shibi.
Yoru glanced at Shibi with mild curiosity.
If he remembered correctly, this man was the future clan head of the Aburame and the father of Aburame Shino—one of the Twelve Konoha Genin.
That timing seemed about right.
Now, the top three contenders were locked in.
Another two-hour break was given before the semifinals.
By this time, the side arena battles had all concluded, as those rounds had only short ten-minute rests.
Most of the other students were too exhausted to stay and had already left.
Only a handful remained—those who still had energy and were curious about the main event.
No one stopped them from watching, as main arena matches were always open for spectators.
To no one's surprise, Uzumaki Kushina had also arrived.
As a member of the Uzumaki clan, her stamina was exceptional.
Even though she had not yet become the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, she recovered from exhaustion faster than most.
Besides, even if Kushina had been completely drained, she probably wouldn't have rested until she saw Yoru's fight with her own eyes.
"The top three! That's amazing!"
Noticing that only Yoru, Minato, and Shibi remained in the arena, Kushina's face lit up with joy.
Completely ignoring the stunned stares of those around her, she ran up to Yoru and threw her arms around him in an enthusiastic hug.
The soft, faint fragrance of the young girl filled Yoru's senses, sending subtle ripples through his heart.