Chapter 12: One Punch

The classroom was empty.

There wasn’t a single person around—only the soft scratching of a pencil as Sakura Haruno worked on her test. Iruka and Mizuki sat at the front, watching her write at a steady, unwavering pace.

Sakura tackled the questions without hesitation, her eyes scanning over them before swiftly putting down her answers. Not once did she pause or show any sign of difficulty.

Iruka observed her rapid progress with a calm expression, unfazed in the slightest.

He had been paying close attention to Sakura’s behavior in recent days. Given her already exceptional academic performance, it was no surprise that the written portion of the exam was effortless for her.

---

“Sensei, I’m done.”

Fifty minutes had passed when Sakura finally set her pencil down. She looked at her completed test with satisfaction.

“Alright. This afternoon will be the physical exam and sparring session. Make sure not to eat too much beforehand.”

---

*Whoosh!*

A perfect bullseye.

*Whoosh!*

Another perfect bullseye.

Iruka recorded Sakura’s shuriken-throwing results while letting out a quiet sigh as he glanced at the girl effortlessly hitting every target.

Becoming a ninja wasn’t as glamorous as people imagined.

The moment a child donned their forehead protector, their hands would inevitably be stained with blood. If they weren’t willing to spill blood… then their own would end up on someone else’s hands.

---

Inside the teachers’ office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat back, puffing on his pipe while watching the young girl take her advancement exam.

Unlike Iruka, he viewed the situation differently.

Konoha needed fresh blood. Just like in the previous Great Ninja Wars, the younger generation required a shining figure—someone who could stand out and lead.

After the Third Great Ninja War and the Nine-Tails’ attack, Konoha was facing a severe talent gap.

Right now, only an old man like him was left to hold the village together…

Before his retirement, he wanted to cultivate someone who could bear the weight of the village’s future.

---

“Shuriken-throwing exam—perfect score.”

Iruka put down the results sheet. To be honest, her accuracy was already at the level of a graduation exam.

“Next event: obstacle course run.”

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“Perfect score.”

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“Next event: 500-meter sprint.”

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“Perfect score.”

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“Next event: 10-kilometer endurance run.”

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“Perfect score.”

---

Sakura stood at the sparring grounds, taking deep breaths as she steadied herself.

Her opponent had long black hair, a forehead protector wrapped in bandages, and strikingly pale eyes that remained calm and unreadable.

Neji Hyuga.

A prodigy of the Hyuga Clan.

Wait… was the first-year advancement exam always this difficult?

“Form the Seal of Confrontation.”

At Iruka’s command, both Sakura and Neji raised their hands, pressing their fingers into the traditional sign of acknowledgment before a battle.

With that, the match officially began.

“You’re already exhausted. There’s no way you can beat me.”

Neji’s voice was steady, his tone filled with certainty as he observed his opponent.

Truthfully, when Iruka had asked him to participate, he had been confused.

A first-year student trying to advance early to the second year?

Why him?

Any second-year student should have sufficed.

Did they think so little of him? Or was the academy just trying to make sure this first-year didn’t pass?

Iruka hadn’t given him much explanation—just a simple instruction.

“Defeat her.”

---

“Are you sure I’m not your match?”

Sakura pulled a red ribbon from her pocket and tied up her slightly long pink hair, her eyes locking onto Neji with determination.

Then, she motioned for him to begin.

Was she… letting him take the first move?

Neji felt a surge of irritation.

Since when did first-years get so arrogant?

Without another word, he charged.

---

Neji was on the ground.

Lying flat on his back, staring up at the bright blue sky, he struggled to process what had just happened.

He had rushed forward, preparing to use his Byakugan to unleash a precise barrage of Gentle Fist strikes.

But before he could land the first hit—

She dodged.

Then she punched him in the chest.

And that was it.

He had been sent flying with a single punch.

How was that even possible?

Was this really the strength of a six-year-old girl?

At least… at least she hadn’t completely broken him with that punch.

---

Sakura looked down at her fist with lingering nerves.

Out of respect for Neji’s talent, she had used her chakra-enhanced strength.

But she hadn’t expected him to be so… fragile.

One punch had sent him flying.

If she hadn’t held back at the last second, she wasn’t sure if he’d still be in one piece.

The entire training ground was dead silent.

No one could believe what they had just witnessed.

The Hyuga Clan’s prodigy… was defeated in a single blow.

---

Back in the teachers’ office, Hiruzen rubbed his eyes.

Did he just see what he thought he saw?

For a moment, he had a flashback to a younger version of one of his former students.

The resemblance was uncanny.

She was like a miniature Tsunade.

The thought made the 63-year-old Hokage reminisce about the days when that reckless little girl used to climb walls for fun.

---

“Winner: Sakura Haruno!”

As Iruka announced the result, Sakura walked over to Neji and offered him a hand.

“Thanks for the match, senpai.”

Neji stared at her for a moment before silently taking her hand.

Sakura pulled him up effortlessly, then turned to Iruka with eager eyes.

“Iruka-sensei! Does this mean I’ve passed?”

Iruka let out a resigned sigh, ruffling her hair.

“Your physical and combat scores are perfect. But for the written exam… we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for the results.”

Looking at the bright-eyed girl before him, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

I can’t stop this, Lord Hokage…  

---

Seasons passed, and before anyone knew it, a year had flown by.

It had been a full year since Sakura had skipped from first grade to second grade.

Now seven years old, she had already reached the fourth-year curriculum.

Despite this, Iruka had kept her in her original class.

From the second year onward, she had been entirely self-taught, only seeking Iruka’s help when she encountered something she didn’t understand.

With no effort to hide her talents, her reputation as a prodigy had steadily spread.

---

“Winner: Sasuke Uchiha!”

The moment Iruka announced the result, a wave of cheers erupted from the girls watching the match.

“Sasuke is so cool!”

“Sasuke-sama is invincible!”

“Sasuke, look at me!!”

Meanwhile, the blond boy who had just lost pouted in frustration, glaring at the dark-haired victor.

“You just wait! One day, I’m gonna beat you!”

But Sasuke ignored the defeated Naruto, as well as the fangirls swooning over him.

His gaze drifted toward the classroom.

He knew there was someone inside—

A girl quietly reading a book, entirely uninterested in the commotion.

She had long since stopped participating in these practice matches.

Because no one was a worthy opponent.

The only time she showed up… was during physical training.

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*(End of Chapter)*