Although Izayoi felt a bit disappointed that the Sage Body didn't manifest, he was still incredibly lucky to have awakened the Uzumaki Bloodline.
This bloodline, much like those of the Senju Clan, the Uchiha Clan, and the Kaguya Clan, is a branch of the Otsutsuki Clan.
As descendants of the Sage Body, both the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan possess immense vitality and astonishing amounts of Chakra.
Moreover, the Uzumaki Clan, in addition to their expertise in Sealing Techniques, also possesses three powerful unique abilities.
These three abilities are: the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, the Adamantine Sealing Chains, and Physical Stamina Healing.
The Mind's Eye of the Kagura is one of the strongest sensory techniques in the Shinobi World.
The Adamantine Sealing Chains are both offensive and defensive, capable of creating barriers and performing Sealing Techniques. Even Tailed Beasts find it difficult to break free once bound by them.
Physical Stamina Healing allows the user to consume Chakra to heal their own or others' injuries, with remarkably potent effects.
These three abilities are all top-tier support skills.
However, just as not every member of the Uchiha Clan awakens the Sharingan, not every member of the Uzumaki Clan awakens these unique abilities.
In the original story, Uzumaki Naruto didn't awaken any of these abilities before gaining Kurama's recognition.
After gaining Kurama's recognition, he did acquire the same ability to sense good and evil as Uzumaki Mito.
The fact that he didn't awaken the other abilities could either be due to the overwhelming strength of the original Sage Body or the author's decision not to give him too many advantages.
Nevertheless, it's undeniable that Naruto not only possesses the Uzumaki Bloodline but also has a high purity of this bloodline as the reincarnation of Asura Chakra.
Now, having extracted the Uzumaki Bloodline from Naruto, Izayoi might, with a bit of luck, awaken one of the three unique abilities.
If he were to awaken all three abilities like Karin, he would become a top-tier existence in the Shinobi World, whether in sensing, sealing, or healing.
Even if he didn't awaken any of the unique abilities, he would still inherit the immense vitality of the Sage Body, which would still be a significant gain.
Feeling pleased, Izayoi closed the screen and turned his attention to the ongoing duels.
As the rounds of duels concluded one after another, the Taijutsu Duel quickly came to an end.
Next was the final exam: the newly added Survival Exercise.
However, before the Survival Exercise began, Umino Iruka took the students to the infirmary to have their injuries treated by the medical staff.
Afterward, he led them to the equipment room, where Izayoi and the others were allowed to pick their tools.
These tools were essential for using the Invisibility Technique.
Unlike the bell-stealing exercise for Genin, the Survival Exercise at the ninja academy was mostly a game of hide-and-seek, primarily testing the students' proficiency in the Invisibility Technique, the Body Flicker Technique, and the Three Body Technique.
Those who performed well would receive high scores or even full marks.
If someone performed poorly, they would be given a chance, much like in the Chunin Exams. However, if their performance remained unacceptable, they would be caught and removed from the exercise.
For Izayoi, who had already mastered the Three Body Technique, this exam was naturally no challenge at all.
He effortlessly lasted until the end of the time limit, once again securing a perfect score.
Although the results wouldn't be announced until the new semester in April, the title of Top Student was already firmly within Izayoi's grasp.
"Hinata, see you at the usual spot tomorrow."
"Mm!"
After school, Izayoi and Hinata parted ways at an intersection, making their usual promise.
Even though Izayoi wouldn't take Hinata to the abandoned training ground before the fall of the Uchiha Clan, he still hadn't stopped training with her.
The only difference was that the training location had shifted from the abandoned training ground to the school playground or the courtyard of Izayoi's house.
The Nine-Tails' rampage hadn't destroyed Izayoi's home.
His parents, both ninjas, had left him a legacy that included a two-story house with a small courtyard.
Compared to Uzumaki Naruto, whose entire inheritance had been confiscated—even the scarf left by Uzumaki Kushina had been thrown into a storage room to gather dust—Izayoi's situation was incredibly fortunate.
Thankfully, his parents in this life were ordinary ninjas, so the village hadn't been too harsh.
…
The ninja school had three terms a year, with only the summer vacation being relatively long. In the blink of an eye, it was already April 1st.
The ninja school began a new academic year.
The sixth graders had already graduated, and the Genin who had been acknowledged by their Jonin Instructors had already started taking on missions.
Those Genin who hadn't been acknowledged had either returned to school to repeat their training, been recruited by other departments, or, after failing multiple times, had decided they didn't have what it took to be ninjas and had dropped out to live as ordinary civilians.
Grades one through five moved up a level and began relocating to their new classrooms.
The vacant first-grade classrooms welcomed new students who had passed the entrance exams.
On this day, the bulletin board was crowded with students.
The first-grade newcomers were checking their classroom assignments.
Students from other grades were looking at their final exam results.
"Hey, Izayoi-kun, have you checked your grades on the bulletin board yet?"
"Amazing, Izayoi! You're the top of our grade!"
"As expected of Izayoi, even Sasuke couldn't beat you."
"Izayoi is first, and Hinata is second. You two desk mates took the top two spots—you're so strong!"
"…"
As soon as Izayoi arrived at the new classroom, he was surrounded by classmates, both male and female.
Izayoi didn't seem annoyed. Instead, he stood there, smiling, and chatted with them for a while.
From their conversations, it was clear that Izayoi was the top student, and the second place wasn't Uchiha Sasuke but Hinata.
Izayoi wasn't surprised by this.
Hinata's academic performance had always been among the best.
In the original Chunin Exams' first test, among the four girls of the twelve rookies, only she and Haruno Sakura hadn't needed to cheat.
With his help, Hinata had learned Tree Climbing and Water Walking in the first grade, had become less introverted, and no longer hesitated in battle, acting decisively. If she could still lose to Uchiha Sasuke, Izayoi might as well find a block of tofu to crash into.
Uchiha Sasuke should be grateful he hadn't faced Hinata in a Taijutsu duel; otherwise, he wouldn't have even kept his third place.
After all, Aburame Shino wasn't someone to be underestimated.
Izayoi chatted with his classmates until it was almost time for class, then finally returned to his seat.
"Good morning, Izayoi-kun."
"Morning, Hinata."
Hinata, as usual, had arrived earlier than Izayoi.
After exchanging greetings, the two began to chat casually.
"Izayoi-kun, congratulations on becoming the top student."
Hinata had clearly also checked the results on the notice board.
Izayoi smiled and said, "Congratulations on securing second place. Now your father will have even less reason to stop you from going out."
"Yes, yes..."
Hinata nodded repeatedly, a happy smile spreading across her face.
It was evident that she too had realized that their plan had been seen through by her father long ago.
But Hinata hadn't been grounded; instead, she was allowed to go out freely, which meant that her interactions with Izayoi had received her father's tacit approval.
Recalling how she had been caught practicing Water Walking at home multiple times without being questioned, Hinata felt it must be related to her progress.
Now that she had achieved second place in her grade, and Izayoi, who had been teaching her, was the top student, her father would surely approve of Izayoi even more if he knew.
Thinking of this, Hinata couldn't help but feel a surge of joy in her heart.
(End of Chapter)