Naruto: Ant King Reborn

The tension in the air was thick. The academy event had already produced some intense battles, but after S's performance, the atmosphere had shifted. Eyes narrowed, some in awe, others in curiosity, all locked onto the boy who had just finished his match. But S did not care for their opinions, he only sought one person's approval.

Naruto.

Naruto, who had remained silent, finally spoke. "Adequate. Your movements were calculated, yet lacked refinement. Work on it."

S stiffened before a slow, pleased smile crept onto his face. He wasn't sure why Naruto's praise meant so much to him, but the satisfaction it brought was undeniable.

Hiruzen, made a note to question S later. His actions, his demeanor, and that odd sense of loyalty to Naruto, it all warranted further investigation. But for now, the event continued.

---

Next up was M versus Omoi.

The two boys stepped onto the field, standing a few feet apart. M was tall for his age, his broad frame and composed stance giving him an intimidating presence. Omoi, however, wasn't fazed. He was already lost in thought, analyzing every possible scenario.

He's big, so he's probably got a lot of power. If I let him get close, I'm done. But what if he's fast too? I could try a feint, no, wait, what if he's expecting that? Ugh, I should have brought more gum.

Karui, watching from the sidelines, rolled her eyes. "Omoi, stop overthinking and just fight."

Omoi sighed, gripping his wooden sword tightly. The proctor stepped forward, raising his hand. "Begin!"

The moment the command was given, Omoi jumped back, holding his weapon in front of him defensively. A spark of chakra flickered along the blade, his Lightning Release was already active. He wasn't going to take any chances.

M remained still, his sharp eyes locked onto his opponent. His instincts screamed at him to move, to attack, to dominate, but something inside urged patience. Then, his arms twitched.

A ripple ran through his skin. His arms thickened slightly, muscles surging as his body subtly began to shift. His fingers flexed, elongating just slightly, and for a moment, additional lumps seemed to form beneath his sleeves before receding.

Hiruzen's sharp eyes caught the changes instantly. This must be investigated further.

Omoi charged, closing the distance in an instant. He slashed downward, lightning crackling along his wooden blade. M's arm snapped up to block

The wooden sword struck his forearm but didn't push him back. Instead, M's arm stretched, his skin shifting unnaturally as it absorbed the impact. The force traveled through his body, his form momentarily shifting like liquid before solidifying again.

Omoi's eyes widened. "What the?"

M moved.

A second set of arms burst from his sides, tentacle-like in nature, stretching outwards. The crowd gasped as M swiped with both his real and additional limbs in a brutal counterattack. Omoi barely ducked under the assault, rolling away as the extended arms retracted back into M's body.

Iruka's jaw tightened. That's not normal. That's… something else entirely.

Omoi jumped back again, breathing hard. Okay, okay, so he can change his body. That's, no, wait, how do I counter that? Can I even? Maybe if I—no, wait, bad idea...

M didn't give him time to finish his thought. His flesh twisted, his muscles swelling as his legs expanded, propelling him forward like a launched kunai.

Omoi swung again, but the strike barely grazed M's shifting body. Another set of arms emerged from his shoulders, grabbing Omoi's blade mid-swing. Before Omoi could react, M, flung him across the arena.

Omoi twisted mid-air, flipping just in time to land in a crouch. He grimaced, feeling the force still radiating through his arms. Damn. That hurt

From the sidelines, N, watched intently, her feline-like eyes narrowing. Something about M's fighting style felt… familiar. Primal. Instinctive. Dangerous.

Naruto, arms crossed, observed without a word. His sharp gaze flickered with something akin to recognition. M's ability to change his body on the fly… it stirred something deep within him.

S, standing just a few steps away, barely suppressed a smirk. "He's finally getting serious."

M exhaled sharply, his body shifting back to normal. He glanced down at his hands, flexing them as he felt a strange satisfaction bubbling inside him. Fighting like this, changing, adapting, overpowering, it felt natural.

Omoi wiped sweat from his forehead. "Okay, yeah. That's a problem." He steadied himself. He wasn't done yet.

And neither was M.