Trio’s Journey: Second Chance

{Chapter Four}

"Academy Sparring!"

After months of foundational education, Iruka finally announced that the class would be testing their physical abilities and combat skills

The students buzzed with excitement, eager to showcase their progress

{The Physical Examination}

The first challenge was the physical endurance test

The students lined up as Iruka explained the rules: running laps, push-ups, and other standard exercises

From the start, the Uzumaki brothers dominated

Kyosuke, Kenji, and Shin performed with a level of precision and stamina far beyond the rest of the class

Their movements were fluid, their speed unmatched, and their form impeccable

Iruka's jaw nearly dropped

"This… this is far beyond their age level." Iruka thought as he watched them out run the entire class

Even Naruto, who had long been considered the class clown and dead last, impressed everyone by keeping up with his brothers for a significant portion of the exercises

Though he eventually collapsed from exhaustion, he had already outperformed most of the class— most notably Sasuke, whose clenched fists and furrowed brows revealed his frustration

"Naruto, great job!" Kyosuke encouraged as he helped his younger brother to his feet

"You almost kept up with us." Kenji added with a grin

Naruto smiled weakly but felt a spark of pride

The trio continued the exercises until Iruka, visibly astonished, told them to stop

"That's enough! You've far surpassed the requirements. Great work." Iruka said, his tone impressed

The rest of the class whispered in awe as Sasuke glared at the ground, his pride wounded

{Shurikenjutsu Test}

Next came the shurikenjutsu test

Sasuke stepped forward first, his stance confident. He threw each shuriken with precision, hitting the targets

"Eight out of ten!" Iruka announced

Sasuke smirked slightly, casting a smug glance at the rest of the class

Naruto was up next

He focused hard, his tongue sticking out as he threw his shuriken. Several hit the targets, but two missed completely

"Six out of ten," Iruka said, a hint of encouragement in his voice

Naruto scratched the back of his head and sighed, feeling disappointed

Sasuke's smirk widened

The other members of the Konoha 9 followed:

• Shikamaru: 4/10 (he yawned through the test)

• Choji: 5/10

• Ino: 7/10

• Kiba: 6/10

• Hinata: 6/10

• Shino: 8/10

• Sakura: 7/10

Finally, the Uzumaki brothers stepped forward

Kyosuke went first, his movements smooth and deliberate

Each shuriken hit the bullseye with pinpoint accuracy

"Ten out of ten!" Iruka announced, unable to hide his astonishment

The class erupted into whispers

"Whoa, did you see that?!" Kiba exclaimed

Kenji followed, replicating his brother's perfect score

The room grew louder with disbelief

Lastly, Shin stepped up, his shuriken flying true and precise. Another perfect score

"All three of them… ten out of ten," Iruka muttered, still stunned

Sasuke's face twisted in frustration as he stared at the Uzumaki trio

Kyosuke noticed but chose to ignore it, understanding the source of Sasuke's anger

In the back, Ino blushed faintly

"Kyosuke is… amazing." Ino muttered to herself quietly

{Sparring Matches}

The class buzzed with excitement as Iruka called the first match:

"Kyosuke Uzumaki versus Sasuke Uchiha!"

The two boys stepped into the sparring circle, their movements deliberate and steady

Sasuke's expression was sharp, his confidence radiating as the fan girls cheered for him

Kyosuke, on the other hand, remained calm, his posture relaxed but alert

Iruka raised his hand

"This will be a taijutsu-only spar. No weapons or jutsu. The match ends when one fighter concedes or is incapacitated. Begin!" Iruke shouted as he jumped backed

Sasuke wasted no time, charging forward with a fast jab aimed at Kyosuke's face

Kyosuke tilted his head slightly, the punch missing by a hair

Sasuke followed up with a low kick toward Kyosuke's legs, but Kyosuke hopped back, evading it with minimal effort

Kyosuke countered immediately, stepping forward with a palm strike aimed at Sasuke's chest

Sasuke blocked it with both arms but staggered slightly from the force

The class murmured in surprise, taken aback by Kyosuke's speed and precision

Sasuke gritted his teeth and lunged again, this time feinting with a high kick before transitioning into a spinning back kick aimed at Kyosuke's ribs

But Kyosuke saw through the feint. He ducked under the kick, closing the distance in an instant

With fluid precision, Kyosuke used an open-palm technique to push Sasuke off balance, then swept his leg in a low arc

Sasuke hit the ground hard but rolled to his feet, glaring at Kyosuke with a mix of frustration and disbelief

Sasuke came at him again, launching a flurry of punches and kicks

But Kyosuke moved like water, weaving through the attacks with ease

Each of Sasuke's strikes was met with a counter — a deflected punch, a sidestep, or a precise block that redirected the force harmlessly

Kyosuke wasn't just dodging; he was analyzing

With every exchange, he exploited Sasuke's weaknesses — his over reliance on speed and his growing frustration

The class watched in stunned silence

"He's completely overwhelming Sasuke." Shikamaru muttered, his usual bored tone replaced with mild astonishment

"How is he this good?" Kiba asked, his jaw slightly dropped

Naruto cheered loudly, pumping his fist in the air

"Yeah, Kyosuke! Show him what you've got!" Naruto cheered, anticipating to see Sasuke to receive a beat down

Meanwhile, Kenji and Shin stayed quiet, their faces stretched in identical grins as they leaned casually against the wall

The fan girls, however, were livid

"Stop hurting Sasuke!" one screamed, her voice shrill with anger

"You're just a showoff!" another yelled, her face red with frustration

Ino, sitting among the group, remained silent

Her hands fidgeted in her lap as conflicting emotions swirled in her chest

"I like Sasuke, but… Kyosuke was so nice to me yesterday." Ino thought as she was conflicted who to cheer for

Sasuke launched one final, desperate attack, jumping high to deliver a spinning heel kick

Kyosuke sidestepped, catching Sasuke's ankle mid-air with one hand

Using the momentum, he spun Sasuke mid-flight and released him, forcing Sasuke to land awkwardly on the ground

Before Sasuke could recover, Kyosuke closed the distance

A front kick to Sasuke's abdomen, forcing him to stumble back.

Following with a sweeping roundhouse that struck the side of Sasuke's leg, buckling his stance.

Finally, Kyosuke stepped into Sasuke's guard and executed a perfect hip throw, sending Sasuke crashing to the ground with a loud thud

Sasuke groaned, trying to rise, but Kyosuke was already above him, a firm fist poised just inches from Sasuke's face

"Enough! The match is over. Kyosuke Uzumaki wins!" Iruka's voice rang out, breaking the tension

The class erupted into a cacophony of disbelief

"Did you see that?!" Kiba shouted, his eyes wide

"No way… Sasuke didn't land a single hit," Sakura whispered, her usual adoration for Sasuke momentarily replaced with shock

Naruto's cheers were deafening

"That was awesome, Kyosuke!" Naruto cheered

Kenji and Shin exchanged knowing smirks, their pride evident

Sasuke lay on the ground, staring up at the sky with clenched fists

His pride was shattered, his mind racing with frustration and humiliation

Kyosuke offered Sasuke a hand, his expression neutral

"You've got potential, but you need to stop letting your anger control you." Kyosuke said

Sasuke slapped the hand away and stood on his own, storming off without a word

Kyosuke shrugged, turning back to the class

The fan girls glared daggers at him, but he ignored them, his calm demeanor unshaken

In the back, Ino's gaze lingered on Kyosuke, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and admiration

"He's incredible…" Ino thought

Iruka, still processing what he had just witnessed, cleared his throat

"Alright, let's move on to the next match!" Iruka announced

But the energy of the sparring session had already been set, and Kyosuke's victory was the talk of the class

As Kyosuke walked back to his brothers, Kenji greeted him with a smirk

"Show-off," Kenji teased, crossing his arms in mock disapproval

Shin snorted, shaking his head

"Yeah, way to hog the spotlight, Kyosuke. You're making us look lazy." Shin said

Kyosuke rolled his eyes, a small grin tugging at his lips

"You're just mad because I went first." Kyosuke said

Naruto ran up to them, his grin stretching ear to ear

"That was awesome, Kyosuke! You're definitely the strongest out of all of us!" Naruto claimed

Kenji gasped dramatically, clutching his chest

"The strongest? Naruto, you wound me! Have you even seen me fight yet?" Kenji said in a fake hurtful tone

Shin pretended to glare, feigning offense

"Yeah, Naruto, don't count us out already. Kyosuke's not the only Uzumaki here, you know." Shin said

"Okay, okay! I take it back! You're all strong, alright?" Naruto said as he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head

Their banter was interrupted by the shrill voices of Sasuke's fan girls, who had formed a small mob behind Kyosuke

"How dare you hurt Sasuke-kun like that!" one of them shouted

"Yeah! You didn't have to go that hard!" another chimed in

Kyosuke sighed, the headache already forming

He turned to face them, his calm demeanor dropping as he mouthed coldly:

"If you spent as much time training as you do fawning over him, maybe you wouldn't be so weak."

The fan girls gasped, their faces turning red with a mix of anger and embarrassment

Before they could retort, Kyosuke ignored them entirely and returned to his seat

As he sat down, Ino hesitated before approaching him

Her usual confident stride was slightly muted as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear

"Hey, Kyosuke, that was… impressive. I didn't think anyone could beat Sasuke like that." She said, her voice light but genuine

Kyosuke looked up, offering her a small smile

"Thanks, Ino. Want to sit next to me?" Kyosuke asked

Ino blinked, momentarily stunned

She wasn't used to being asked things so directly, especially by boys who weren't Sasuke

"Oh, uh… sure!" Ino stuttered as she sat down beside him

She quickly slid into the seat beside him, her usual confidence returning as she flipped her hair over her shoulder

"You know, if you ever need tips on how to handle all that attention, I could give you some advice. I am pretty popular, after all." Ino said confidently

Kyosuke chuckled softly

"I'll keep that in mind." Kyosuke said

Iruka's voice rang out again

"Next match: Kenji Uzumaki versus Kiba Inuzuka!"

Kenji stood up, stretching his arms casually as he walked to the sparring circle

Kiba was already there, grinning with his usual cocky demeanor

"You're going down, Uzumaki, I bet you're all talk, just like your brother." Kiba said, cracking his knuckles

Kenji raised an eyebrow, his grin unfaltering

"You sure you want to test that theory, dog boy?" Kenji said unaffected from his comment

Kiba's smirk widened

"Oh, I'm more than sure. I'll show everyone here why I'm the top dog in this class!" Kiba said confidently

Shin, watching from the sidelines, frowned slightly

"He's a little too cocky for his own good." Shin muttered

"Kenji will humble him." Kyosuke said as he leaned back, smirking

Iruka's hand shot up

"Begin!" Iruke shouted as he jumped back

Kiba lunged first, coming in with a fast, wide punch aimed at Kenji's jaw. Kenji easily sidestepped, grabbing Kiba's wrist mid-swing

With a quick twist, he spun Kiba around and pushed him off balance

Kiba stumbled but recovered quickly, his grin faltering

"Lucky shot!" he growled, charging again

Kenji let him come, his body loose and relaxed

Kiba unleashed a flurry of punches, but Kenji dodged each one with precision, his movements fluid and controlled

When Kiba aimed a kick at his ribs, Kenji caught it with both hands, pushing Kiba back and forcing him to retreat a few steps

"That all you got?" Kenji asked, his tone light but challenging

Kiba growled, rushing forward with a spinning back kick

Kenji ducked under it and countered with a quick palm strike to Kiba's chest, sending him skidding back

The class murmured in awe

"Kenji's just toying with him." Shikamaru muttered, with his usual bored tone

"How are they all this strong?" Choji asked, his eyes wide

Naruto and Kyosuke cheered loudly, while Shin simply nodded in satisfaction

Kiba, now visibly frustrated, tried one last desperate move

He lunged forward, faking a punch before dropping low for a sweeping kick

Kenji saw it coming

He jumped over the kick and landed a quick jab to Kiba's shoulder, forcing him to stumble

Without missing a beat, Kenji closed the distance

He delivered a precise front kick to Kiba's abdomen, forcing the air out of his lungs

As Kiba doubled over, Kenji stepped in and delivered an uppercut that sent him sprawling

Before Kiba could recover, Kenji executed a spinning roundhouse kick, striking Kiba in the side and sending him crashing to the ground

Kenji stood over him, his stance relaxed but commanding

Iruka raised his hand

"Kenji Uzumaki wins!" Iruka announced

The class erupted into a mix of disbelief and awe

"How are they so strong?" Sakura whispered, her voice trembling

"They're monsters." one student muttered, staring at Kenji like he wasn't human

Even Sasuke, still seething from his own loss, couldn't hide the unease in his eyes as he watched Kenji return to his seat

Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his temples

"If Shin is anywhere near as strong as those two, we're all doomed." Shikamaru said

"Way to go, Kenji!" Naruto cheered loudly

Kyosuke grinned, giving his brother a thumbs-up

"Told you he'd humble him." Kyosuke said

Kenji shrugged, sitting back down with an easy smile

"That was fun. Who's next?" Kenji asked curiously

The class, however, looked visibly shaken, each student quietly dreading the possibility of facing Shin in the next round

As Kenji returned to his brothers, Kyosuke smirked and gave him a pat on the back

"Nice work, Kenji. That was clean," Kyosuke said

"Thanks, I just hope Shin can keep up the streak." Kenji replied, adjusting his headband

Naruto grinned and pumped his fist

"He's gonna crush it! Just like you guys!" Naruto said with enthusiasm

Iruka called for the next match, his voice steady

"Shin Uzumaki versus Shino Aburame! Taijutsu only!"

Shin rose calmly, his movements measured and confident. He walked to the sparring circle, his face neutral but his posture radiating focus

Shino stepped forward as well, nodding respectfully at Shin

Shin returned the nod

"Let's give them a good show." Shin said

"Begin!" Iruka announced

Shino assumed a defensive stance, his arms raised to protect his torso while he gauged Shin's movements

Shin, in contrast, kept a relaxed posture, his hands low but ready

Shino made the first move, stepping forward with a quick jab aimed at Shin's chest

Shin tilted his body slightly, letting the punch glide past him before delivering a sharp counterpunch to Shino's shoulder

The precision of the strike sent Shino stumbling back slightly, his balance momentarily disrupted

Shino recovered and attempted a low sweeping kick, but Shin read the move instantly

He jumped lightly, avoiding the sweep, and followed with a downward strike— a fast palm aimed at Shino's upper back

Shino rolled to the side just in time, but Shin was already moving again, pressing his advantage

Shin feinted a punch toward Shino's face, causing him to raise his guard

In a fluid motion, Shin shifted his weight and delivered a powerful knee strike to Shino's ribs

As Shino staggered, Shin spun around him, delivering a precise elbow strike to Shino's back

The class gasped as Shino struggled to stay on his feet

"He's not just strong, he's controlled." Sakura whispered

"Every move has a purpose." Shikamaru added, his voice tinged with reluctant admiration

Shino gritted his teeth and rushed forward, aiming a series of quick punches at Shin

Shin dodged with minimal effort, his movements economical yet elegant

He caught one of Shino's strikes and twisted Shino's arm slightly, forcing him off balance

"Too predictable," Shin muttered softly, releasing Shino and stepping back to allow him to recover

Shino attempted one final charge, this time aiming a high kick at Shin's head

Shin ducked smoothly, closing the distance in an instant

He started with a low kick to Shino's shin, destabilizing him.

He followed up with a spinning back fist, grazing Shino's shoulder and forcing him to stumble further.

Finally, Shin stepped in close, grabbing Shino's arm and flipping him over with a clean shoulder throw

Shino hit the ground, but Shin controlled the move, ensuring it wasn't too harsh

He stood over Shino and extended a hand to help him up

"Good match," Shin said simply

Iruka raised his hand

"Shin Uzumaki wins!" Iruka Announced

Naruto jumped to his feet, cheering loudly

"That's my brother! Shin, you're amazing!" Naruto shouted

Kyosuke nodded approvingly

"Textbook Shin. Calm, precise, and devastating." Kyosuke said

Kenji grinned, crossing his arms

"Guess we're three for three today." Kenji said

The rest of the class sat in stunned silence

"They're monsters." Kiba muttered, his confidence visibly shaken

"All three of them are unreal," Sakura whispered, her eyes darting between the brothers

"I don't even want to spar anymore," one student murmured, their voice trembling

Even Sasuke, who had been sulking since his match with Kyosuke, looked unnerved as he watched Shin return to his brothers with a calm, almost detached demeanor

Shin took his seat beside Kyosuke and Kenji

"Not bad." Shin said with a faint smirk

"Not bad? You crushed him." Kenji teased

Naruto grinned

"You guys are the best! I'm gonna work even harder so I can be like you!" Naruto boasted in confidence

Shin ruffled Naruto's hair slightly

"Keep at it, Naruto. You'll get there." Shin said, a genuine smile showing

The trio sat together, their quiet confidence and camaraderie leaving the rest of the class in awe — and just a little fearful

…

..

…

..

…

The lunch bell rang, signaling a much-needed break after the intense sparring matches

The Uzumaki brothers, as was their tradition, walked together to their favorite spot under a large tree on the edge of the training grounds

Their conversation was lively, filled with laughter and playful banter as they unpacked their lunches

"Kenji, I think you almost gave poor Kiba a heart attack earlier. Did you have to taunt him so much during the match?" Kyosuke said with a smirk

Kenji shrugged, grinning mischievously

"Hey, I was just having a little fun. Besides, he started it." Kenji said

Shin chuckled softly, shaking his head

"You two are like oil and fire. It's a wonder you didn't burn the whole training ground down with your egos." Shin said

Before Kenji could respond, they noticed a group approaching

To their surprise, it was Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Sakura, and Ino — all of the Konoha 7 minus Sasuke, who was conspicuously absent

Naruto, already sitting with his brothers, perked up when he saw the group

Kiba stopped a few feet away, looking slightly awkward

"Uh, hey. Mind if we join you guys?" Kiba asked nervously

Kyosuke, ever welcoming, smiled and nodded

"Of course. There's plenty of room." Kyosuke said, his tone filled with warmth and welcoming

The others quickly agreed, and the group sat down together, though there was an initial tension as they settled in

"So, Kyosuke, you think you're pretty tough, huh? That move you used on Sasuke earlier— what do you call it? Showing off?" Kiba spoke as he crossed his arms

Kenji immediately leaned forward, grinning.

"Oh, come on, Kiba. You're just jealous because Kyosuke's got actual moves, unlike your wild flailing." Kenji taunted

Kiba narrowed his eyes, sitting up straighter

"Flailing? I don't flail! My moves are precise!" Kiba claimed

"Sure they are." Kenji said, his tone dripping with sarcasm

Naruto burst out laughing, slapping his knee

"Kenji's right, Kiba! You looked like Akamaru trying to chase his tail!" Naruto said out loud in between laughs

Kiba turned red, glaring at Naruto

"Whose side are you on, Naruto?" Kiba asked

Meanwhile, Hinata, sitting quietly beside Kiba, glanced nervously at Naruto

She fidgeted with her lunchbox, her cheeks flushing pink

"N-Naruto-kun… um… y-you were amazing too…" she said softly

Naruto blinked, then gave her a wide grin

"Thanks, Hinata! I've been training hard with my brothers. They're the best!" Naruto said with a big smile

Hinata nodded shyly, hiding her face behind her hands as her blush deepened

On the other side of the group, Sakura was, as usual, singing Sasuke's praises

"Sasuke-kun doesn't need to spar to prove he's the best. Everyone knows he's the strongest in the class. He's probably training right now, getting even better." Sakura praised with stats in her eyes

"He lost today." Shino spoke calmly, as he adjusted his glasses

"That doesn't count! Kyosuke just got lucky!" Sakura shouted as she glared at him

At the mention of Kyosuke, Ino, who had been unusually quiet, glanced at him from the corner of her eye

She quickly looked away when she noticed Sakura watching her with a sly grin

"You're awfully quiet today, Ino-pig. Don't tell me you're impressed by someone other than Sasuke-kun?" Sakura teased, leaning closer

"What are you talking about, Forehead? I'm just eating my lunch." Ino huffed, trying to play it cool

"Uh-huh, you've been glancing at Kyosuke every five seconds. Should I tell Sasuke about this?" Sakura said, smirking knowingly

"Mind your own business, Forehead," Ino snapped, though her cheeks turned pink

Kyosuke, oblivious to the exchange, was busy explaining a funny mishap during one of their training sessions

The group burst out laughing as he mimicked Kenji's exaggerated reaction to falling face-first into the mud

"That's nothing! One time, Shin accidentally stepped on a branch and sent a whole swarm of bees after us! We ran for miles!" Naruto exclaimed

Even the usually stoic Shino cracked a small smile at the image of the Uzumaki brothers being chased by bees

The longer they sat together, the more the group's initial awkwardness melted away

Kiba and Kenji continued to exchange playful jabs, Hinata quietly enjoyed the company of Naruto, and even Shino chimed in occasionally with his calm observations

By the time the lunch bell rang again, signaling the end of their break, the group had grown a little closer

"We should do this again," Kiba said as they stood up to head back to class

"Same spot tomorrow?" Kyosuke suggested, smiling warmly

The others nodded, even Shino offering a subtle nod of agreement

As they walked back to class, Sakura lingered behind, nudging Ino with her elbow

"So, should I tell Kyosuke about your little crush, or do you want to do it yourself?" she said, smirking

Ino glared at her

"I don't know what you're talking about, Forehead!" Ino shouted as she was flustered

Sakura laughed, her teasing echoing through the hall as the group returned to their seats

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with the students focusing on their lessons.

Yet the bond formed during lunch lingered, a small but significant step toward the friendships that would shape their futures