Naruto: The Earthquake Shinobi

Yoru knew how stubborn boys could be, but Kushina's words carried an unexpected weight. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. If it's really not possible, then it's okay not to become a ninja. Living an ordinary life is fine too."

Hearing this, Yoru froze for a moment.

An ordinary life?

That thought had never crossed his mind.

Even before obtaining the Vibration Release Kekkei Genkai, when he was nothing more than a so-called failure who couldn't even perform basic ninjutsu, he had never considered giving up.

In his previous life, he had been a forgettable, average person who met an untimely end. Now, given a second chance in the Naruto world, the last thing he wanted was to remain ordinary.

And now that he had the Vibration Release Kekkei Genkai, that desire burned even brighter!

"I won't get hurt."

Taking a deep breath, Yoru responded with quiet determination.

Hearing his words, Kushina hesitated, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. Was what she said too harsh?

Still, in her heart, she truly believed that Yoru's lack of talent in ninjutsu made him unsuitable to be a ninja. If he ever chose to quit, she was already thinking of ways to protect him.

A short while later, their Chunin instructor entered the classroom, made a brief announcement, and then led all the students out to the training grounds.

There, the instructor pulled out a prearranged list and began calling names, pairing students for one-on-one sparring matches.

All the shuriken and kunai used in these matches were blunted training tools, reducing the chances of serious injury but not eliminating the possibility of cuts and bruises.

This was, after all, a ninja academy. The world of ninjas was brutal.

Even though Konoha's policies were much milder compared to Kirigakure's Bloody Mist policies, they still couldn't afford to raise sheltered, weak ninjas.

Among the students, there were many faces Yoru recognized.

Kushina, of course, was one of them.

Then there was Minato Namikaze, the undisputed genius of their class. And there was also Mikoto Uchiha, the future mother of Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha from the original timeline.

Of course, for now, they were just seven- or eight-year-old children.

Still, Minato's talent was undeniable. Not only was he the strongest in their class, but even among all the academy students in his year, no one could defeat him.

When Minato stepped onto the field, a group of girls immediately cheered for him. His handsome looks, combined with his strength and talent, made him extremely popular—just like Itachi and Sasuke would be in the future.

Physically, Yoru actually resembled Itachi Uchiha, except for his pale silver hair instead of black.

Back when he first joined the academy, Yoru had been just as popular as Minato. But as time passed and his talent in ninjutsu was exposed as mediocre at best, his reputation gradually faded.

When Minato effortlessly defeated his opponent in just three moves, the crowd erupted into cheers again.

Kushina, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but glance at Yoru and feel frustrated on his behalf.

In terms of hard work and determination, Yoru was no worse than Minato.

Yet, just because of his poor ninjutsu talent, the gap between them had grown so wide.

While she was lost in thought, the instructor's voice suddenly rang out.

"Next match: Yoru vs. Izumi Uchiha. Please step forward."

Kushina's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, why is he up against an Uchiha?! And not just any Uchiha, but Izumi Uchiha?!"

If Minato was the strongest student, then the second strongest was undoubtedly Izumi Uchiha.

Even against Minato, Izumi could hold his ground for several exchanges before losing. In terms of ability, he was the second-best in the entire academy year.

For Yoru to be paired against him…

The instructor clearly did this on purpose.

"This is unfair! Yoru, don't go up there! Just forfeit! Izumi Uchiha won't hold back—he'll—"

"It's fine."

Yoru gently patted Kushina's shoulder, cutting off her anxious protests. He gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry, I won't get hurt."

There was something in his tone—a quiet confidence that made Kushina freeze in place.

Without saying another word, Yoru turned and calmly stepped forward onto the field.

Of course, he knew exactly what was happening.

Their Chunin instructor had never treated him kindly.

To this instructor, Yoru would always be an outsider—a non-Konoha native. And in the ninja world, outsiders were viewed with suspicion, if not outright hostility.

Yoru's situation wasn't much better than Naruto Uzumaki's in the original timeline.

Not every teacher was like Iruka, who genuinely cared for his students.

This instructor had always wanted to get rid of Yoru. However, academy rules prevented him from outright expelling a student. Unless Yoru voluntarily quit, the instructor couldn't kick him out.

"Yoru, are you sure you don't want to just forfeit? If you get injured, it'll be your own fault."

The instructor's words were dripping with fake concern. He knew Yoru wouldn't back down in front of his peers. And when Izumi inevitably crushed him, Yoru might finally be forced to drop out.

Yoru didn't respond immediately. Instead, he calmly stared at the instructor.

His gaze was piercing.

For a split second, the instructor felt a chill down his spine.

That look…

So calm. So composed.

It was completely unlike that of a seven-year-old child.

"No need. Let's begin."

Yoru turned to face Izumi Uchiha.

From the sidelines, Kushina clenched her fists. "This is so unfair… Everyone treats Yoru horribly."

She wanted to rush up and stop the fight, but in the end, all she could do was watch anxiously.

On the field, Izumi Uchiha stood with his arms crossed, staring coldly at Yoru. When he realized Yoru wasn't going to forfeit, he let out a sneer.

"A failure like you actually thinks he can win?"

A loser who couldn't even perform ninjutsu dared to challenge an Uchiha?

If Yoru had the guts to fight, then Izumi would make sure he never dared to do it again.

"Very well. Let's begin!"

The instructor, still feeling unsettled from Yoru's earlier gaze, quickly gave the signal.

The moment the match started, Izumi flipped his hands, pulling out two stacks of shuriken and hurling them at Yoru in an instant.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, eight shuriken streaked through the air like black shadows.

Four aimed directly at Yoru's vitals, while the other four cut off all escape routes!