Shortly after Mitsui-sensei finished discussing the upcoming assessments, the school bell rang right on time.
The students began packing up to head home. Unlike usual, the atmosphere was subdued; instead of the typical chatter, most quietly gathered their belongings and left the classroom in small groups.
Having studied together for over a month, these six-year-olds had formed strong bonds. The sudden announcement that some would be leaving the class next week left everyone feeling uneasy.
Those with average abilities, fearing elimination, were particularly anxious. They understood that leaving Class A meant stepping away from the "elite group" and possibly facing disappointment from their parents.
Even those confident in their standing worried about their new friends. If their close companions were moved to Class B, would their friendships fade away?
Hoshiyomi finished packing and was about to stand when he noticed Jiraiya still sitting, looking lost in thought. Understanding his friend's concern, Hoshiyomi patted his head reassuringly.
"Don't worry," he said. "With your current skills, you'll definitely stay in Class A."
Jiraiya clung to Hoshiyomi like a lifeline. "Really? Are you sure?"
Though Jiraiya often acted carefree, he harbored insecurities. Missing out on early education had left him feeling behind, especially with the upcoming combat assessments.
He had finally become friends with Hoshiyomi and Sakumo and didn't want to be separated from them.
Hoshiyomi playfully nudged his arm. "Look at you—you're built like you've been on steroids. Just based on physical strength, you're ahead of many in our class. And since the assessment focuses on combat, not written tests, you'll be fine."
At that moment, Sakumo approached and added, "You may not be a match for me, but you're not getting eliminated."
Jiraiya, feeling more at ease, sprang up, ready to challenge Sakumo. "Get lost! I might not surpass Hoshiyomi, but one day, I'll have you under my foot!"
Seeing Jiraiya back to his spirited self, Hoshiyomi and Sakumo exchanged amused glances.
After school, the trio engaged in their usual taijutsu sparring before heading home.
Upon returning, Hoshiyomi found his mother still at work. Instead of rushing out to train, he sat down to reflect on his progress over the past month.
He had made significant strides in weaponry, ninjutsu, and swordsmanship.
In weapon throwing, Hoshiyomi had always placed great importance. He believed that in the early stages of a shinobi's journey, precise shuriken techniques combined with creativity could lead to remarkable outcomes.
Moreover, the flashy shuriken techniques of Sasuke and Itachi in the original series had always captivated him, inspiring him to learn.
After all, while strength is temporary, style is eternal.
With the aid of his weapon mastery skill, Hoshiyomi quickly grasped various throwing techniques. It's no surprise that his proficiency in weapon throwing improved rapidly.
Now, he could take down fast-moving small animals with a kunai. Over the past month and a half, he and his friends often feasted on the game he caught.
With continued effort, he believed that in two years, he could master advanced techniques like curved shuriken throws.
In ninjutsu, Hoshiyomi had fully mastered the basic Three Techniques. He also effortlessly learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu he acquired from Mito.
While not particularly challenging, he mastered the Shadow Clone Jutsu in just a few days.
The first task he assigned his shadow clone was to train in swordsmanship alongside him.
After several trials, he discovered that training with shadow clones did provide additional experience, but only up to a limit—only two clones could offer extra experience.
This meant he could achieve a maximum of triple experience. Even if he summoned a hundred clones, the experience gained would be the same as training with two.
Currently, due to his young age and limited stamina, he could only maintain one shadow clone during regular training sessions. Attempting to use two clones had previously left him bedridden for two days.
He estimated that he wouldn't be able to train with two clones until he was at least twelve. Until then, pushing beyond his limits would only harm him.
Most importantly, his swordsmanship had seen remarkable improvement over the past month.
Daily sparring with Sakumo, combined with the experience boost from shadow clones, accelerated his progress.
In just a month and a half, his experience points had reached: Beginner Swordsmanship 70/100.
At this rate, he anticipated breaking through to Intermediate Swordsmanship shortly after the class assessments.
Considering these three skills, Hoshiyomi could now exhibit combat strength nearing that of a chunin in short battles.
However, his physical endurance remained a limitation. In prolonged fights, especially those exceeding three minutes, his performance could drop below that of a genin.
Addressing his stamina was crucial, but this could only improve with age and leveling up.
To reach true chunin-level strength in the short term, he needed to achieve Intermediate Swordsmanship, which would enhance both his physical attributes and chakra reserves.
He estimated that upon reaching Intermediate Swordsmanship, his physical condition would match that of an average genin. With genin-level stamina combined with his skills, he could confidently face a chunin.
If the skills unlocked at the Intermediate level were powerful enough, and paired with his Yin Release techniques, he might even challenge a special jonin.