Hokage, no one knows better than me how to cultivate talent.

Name: Yamanaka Ino

Chakra: 800

Quality: A

Sakura Haruno is a whole grade higher than Ino Yamanaka.

Qiu Shui knew that she was becoming Tsunade's apprentice and undergoing her strict training to learn the Super Strength Fist and the Hundred Healings Technique in order to unleash her potential. But that would be several years later. Right now, Haruno Sakura was just a commoner student with solid theoretical knowledge, but she had neither family inheritance nor a lot of practical experience.

Yamanaka Ino, on the other hand, comes from the Yamanaka clan.

Although her future growth potential may not be as high as Sakura Haruno's, for now, the ninja bloodline flowing through her veins and the family atmosphere she has been immersed in since childhood are real advantages.

Akisui had already made a judgment in his mind: Ino had a greater chance of winning this match.

"start."

His words had barely faded when action began to take place in the arena.

Almost simultaneously, Yamanaka Ino reached into her ninja tool pouch, took out a kunai, and with a flick of her wrist, threw it toward Haruno Sakura's thigh.

The kunai used in the school's competition had its tip worn down so that even if it hit, it would only leave a bruise, not draw blood.

At almost the same moment, Sakura Haruno also moved.

Her movements were equally swift; she too drew a kunai from her ninja tool pouch, aiming for Ino's calf.

The two kunai crossed in mid-air, neither of them hitting their target, and both fell to the ground with two crisp collisions.

Without pausing, Ino unleashed four more shuriken in a flurry of motion, striking Sakura Haruno's shoulder, waist, leg, and knee.

Sakura Haruno was equally unyielding, retaliating with her own shuriken, her movements quite impressive.

But this time, the result was clear.

Ino threw a shuriken that struck Sakura Haruno's calf with precision, while Ino dodged all of Sakura Haruno's retaliatory attacks.

Sakura Haruno groaned, the pain in her calf causing her to involuntarily hunch slightly.

The girls who supported Sakura Haruno showed a hint of nervousness, while those who supported Ino Yamanaka looked delighted.

Yamanaka Ino's eyes lit up.

How could she possibly miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

She pushed off with her feet, her body suddenly pressing forward, instantly closing the distance with Haruno Sakura and engaging in close combat.

She clenched her fist and punched Sakura Haruno in the face.

Sakura Haruno raised her arms to block.

Yamanaka Ino raised her leg and kicked Haruno Sakura in the stomach.

Sakura Haruno jumped back two steps, narrowly avoiding the attack.

But Sakura Haruno wasn't just going to passively take the hits. Before Ino's next attack could begin, she steadied herself, clenched her fists, and charged forward.

The two became entangled in a fight.

Punches and kicks flew, hair flew, and at first glance it seemed intense, but Qiu Shui just watched calmly, her heart unmoved. In terms of actual technique and strength, this fight was not even as good as the previous groups of boys who had performed so poorly.

Time passed by, second by second.

Fifteen minutes later, the two finally separated, each taking a few steps back, bending over and panting heavily, sweat streaming down their faces, their chests heaving like bellows.

But anyone with eyes could see the difference: Yamanaka Ino's breathing rate and the color of her face were much better than Haruno Sakura's.

On the sidelines, Choji Akimichi, stuffing potato chips into his mouth, mumbled to his teammate beside him, "Shikamaru, who do you think will win between the two of them?"

Nara Shikamaru, with his hands behind his head, lazily glanced at the field and said confidently, "It should be Ino, she has better stamina than Sakura."

His judgment was correct.

Yamanaka Ino also sensed her physical advantage. She calmed her breathing slightly and prepared to press forward again—

However, after taking only two steps, an intense hunger surged up from his stomach without warning, rushing straight to the top of his head. The world before him suddenly spun, his legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

On the other side, Sakura Haruno saw her rushing towards her and gritted her teeth, preparing to meet her. But after only two steps, the same dizziness suddenly struck her, and her body could no longer hold on.

The two fell to the ground in the center of the field, one after the other.

Seeing this, Qiu Shui's lips twitched slightly, and he calmly announced, "Neither of them can continue fighting. It's a draw."

Several figures rushed to the sidelines, and the two girls' friends rushed into the field to help their friends off to rest.

Yamanaka Ino took the water her companion handed her, drank a few sips, and the dizziness gradually subsided, but the regret in her heart slowly welled up.

She should have listened to her father and eaten more in the morning.

If she has enough stamina, she will definitely win this match. Not only will she win, but she will also be able to make a good impression on Sasuke.

But now, she glanced at Sakura Haruno, who was also being helped up not far away, and felt a mix of emotions.

Sakura Haruno leaned against her companion, breathing weakly, but a faint smile of relief unconsciously appeared on her lips.

She had already sensed that she had very little strength left, and if she continued fighting, she would definitely not be a match for Ino.

Ino's sudden fall is truly a case of the Sage of Six Paths being on my side!

The pace of the next match suddenly quickened.

When it was Shino Aburame's turn to go on stage, his opponent turned pale as soon as he saw the swarm of black insects crawling out from under his collar.

The tiny parasitic insects hovered around Shino, making a soft flapping sound. They were so dense and numerous that they made one's scalp tingle. The student raised his hand almost without hesitation—to admit defeat.

Shino silently retracted the insect, his expression unchanged, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

Kiba Inuzuka's battle was much more exciting.

He and Akamaru worked together seamlessly, dodging and weaving on the field. When the opportunity arose, Akamaru suddenly raised one leg and launched a "jet" attack, hitting his opponent squarely in the face.

The student staggered back a few steps, and before he could regain his footing, Kiba Inuzuka's kunai was placed against his neck.

After the competition ended, he looked down and sniffed his own scent, and his face instantly fell.

When it was Nara Shikamaru's turn, he simply glanced lazily at his opponent, yawned, and raised his hand to indicate that he had given up.

"It's too much trouble," he said.

This is his reason, and also his style.

Choji Akimichi, on the other hand, presented a completely different picture.

His opponent was rather thin and threw punches and kicks at Choji with all his might, but Choji's years of hard work had paid off. The fat that had made him so fat in the past, which had been ridiculed, now acted like an invisible armor, and the attacks were like mud oxen sinking into the sea, causing no damage whatsoever.

Choji didn't even frown; he just slowly took a breath and then thrust his large stomach forward.

Once, twice, three times.

The opponent staggered backward, finally losing his balance after the third attack and falling to the ground with a thud.

The students watching looked at each other, unsure how to evaluate the fight.

"The winner is Choji Akimichi," Akisui announced.