NARUTO: SECOND GOD OF SHINOBI

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As Seita's voice echoed through the training grounds, the next group of students stepped forward.

Among them were some of the most notable names in the Academy, including Tsunade Senju, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Sakumo Hatake.

These names alone were enough to stir excitement and murmurs among the gathered crowd of students.

The moment Sakumo and Tsunade made their way to the front, the hushed conversations grew louder. The tension was palpable.

Everyone knew this test wasn't just about passing; it was about proving themselves—especially when names like Senju, Hatake, and Uchiha were involved.

"Who do you think will win, Hatake Sakumo or Tsunade Senju?" whispered one student, his voice barely audible but charged with curiosity.

Another student replied confidently, "Obviously Tsunade. She's the granddaughter of the First Hokage, and she's from the Senju clan. Sakumo might be strong, but he doesn't stand a chance against her."

A third chimed in, shaking his head. "You don't know anything. Sakumo's already been scouted by Hokage-sama himself. He must be incredibly strong for the Hokage to show interest in him. If you think he's weaker than Tsunade, you're wrong."

The first student, feeling cornered, shot back, "I'm just saying Tsunade is a Senju! Do you think the Hokage wouldn't favor his own student over some Hatake?"

"That's enough!" another student interrupted, clearly frustrated. "Do you think you know more than the Hokage? If Hokage-sama sees potential in Sakumo, then there's more to him than you realize. Stop underestimating him."

As the debate raged on, the conversation naturally reached the ears of both Sakumo and Tsunade.

Sakumo, ever the calm and composed young shinobi, simply shrugged and let out a soft chuckle, pretending to be unaffected by the discussion. His eyes, however, showed a slight amusement at the situation.

Tsunade, on the other hand, was less composed. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

The thought of being compared to Sakumo—and worse, the idea that some students thought he could be stronger than her—made her blood boil.

She snorted coldly, her pride as a Senju burning fiercely. "Just wait," she thought, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at Sakumo.

"I'll beat him in this exam and prove to everyone, especially the Hokage, that I'm the strongest."

Meanwhile, Jiraiya, standing nearby, was fuming for entirely different reasons. While the others were focused on strength and skills, Jiraiya was lost in his own fantasy.

"Fools," he muttered under his breath. "None of them—neither Orochimaru, Tsunade, nor Sakumo—will be able to challenge me in the future. After all, I'm destined to become the most loved man in Konoha... by all the women."

He let out a low, creepy chuckle, his mind wandering to his daydreams.

Tsunade and Orochimaru, both keenly aware of Jiraiya's antics, exchanged exasperated glances.

Orochimaru thought, "Even in the middle of an exam, this idiot can't take anything seriously." Tsunade, equally irritated, silently agreed, her annoyance barely concealed.

Seita's authoritative voice cut through the chatter, snapping everyone back to attention. "Line up!" he barked. "First up, the clone jutsu. Begin!"

The students immediately formed the necessary hand seals, each one focused and determined. 

"Bunshin no Jutsu!" they called out in unison, producing their clones.

Seita's eyes moved methodically from student to student, checking each clone for accuracy and stability.

He took his time, making sure every detail was perfect before finally nodding in approval. "Passed," he announced, and the tension among the students slightly eased.

"Next, the transformation jutsu. Begin!"

Without missing a beat, the students moved through the hand seals, transforming into various figures.

Tsunade transformed into her grandfather, the First Hokage, while Sakumo transformed into a white wolf, a nod to his clan's legacy.

Orochimaru, ever mysterious, took on the form of a large serpent, while Jiraiya, with a mischievous grin, transformed into a comically exaggerated version of himself.

Seita, maintaining his usual stoic expression, meticulously checked each transformation before finally giving his verdict.

"Passed," he declared once again, and a murmur of relief spread through the group.

"Substitution jutsu, begin!"

The students executed their substitutions, each one disappearing in a puff of smoke, only to reappear where a log had previously stood.

Seita nodded approvingly as each student completed the jutsu successfully. "Passed!"

At this point, the students had passed the first three tests with relative ease. But the final basic jutsu, the body flicker, was known to be the most difficult.

In the crowd, the whispers began again. "Do you think they'll all pass the body flicker jutsu?" one student asked.

"I don't know," another replied, glancing nervously at the students. "Tsunade, Sakumo, and Naito Uchiha will definitely pass. Orochimaru might too. But the others? No way. And that Jiraiya… he's going to fail spectacularly."

A third student nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Jiraiya doesn't stand a chance. He'll probably fall flat on his face."

As if on cue, Seita's voice rang out once more. "Body flicker jutsu. Begin!"

The students performed the complex hand seals and executed the jutsu, their forms flickering and vanishing with speed.

Seita watched them closely, analyzing each flicker with precision. After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

"No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… passed. The rest, failed."

A collective gasp of disbelief rippled through the crowd. The students couldn't hide their shock, especially at one particular name that had passed. Jiraiya.

"How is that possible?" one student shouted in disbelief. "Orochimaru passed, sure. But Jiraiya? Are we under some genjutsu? Alert the village—this might be an enemy attack!"

Another voice joined the uproar. "This has to be a mistake! There's no way Jiraiya passed the body flicker jutsu. We must be under a genjutsu! Seita-sensei, we are under attack?"

The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on Tsunade, Sakumo, or Orochimaru, who all struggled to suppress their laughter.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, was frozen in shock. He couldn't believe it either, but as the reality set in, his surprise quickly turned into fury.

His face turned red with anger, steam practically shooting from his ears.

Seita's expression darkened, his voice cutting through the commotion like a blade. "Shut up!" he growled, his chakra flaring slightly, sending a wave of pressure through the crowd.

"This is no genjutsu. How dare you call yourselves shinobi with such disgraceful behavior!"

The hall fell into a tense silence, no one daring to speak further under Seita's fierce gaze.

After a moment, Seita regained his composure and continued in a calmer but authoritative voice. "All ten of you, proceed to the next round of taijutsu combat."

The students obeyed, making their way to a large training ground, where several genin and chunin awaited them.

Seita's shadow clone stood at the forefront, greeting the students as they arrived.

"I am Seita's shadow clone," the clone announced. "In this round, you will engage in taijutsu combat with a genin for five minutes. If you can hold your own for the full duration, you will pass. No weapons or jutsu are allowed—only taijutsu. Violate these rules, and there will be consequences."

As the shadow clone finished speaking, ten genin stepped forward to face the students. Tsunade found herself paired with a young genin, who nervously scratched the back of his head as he faced her.

"Nice to meet you, Princess Tsunade," the genin said awkwardly. "I'll do my best, but I'll try not to go too hard on you."

Tsunade's eyes flashed with anger. "Do you think I'm weak?" she snapped. "Do you think I can't handle you?"

The genin's face turned red as he stammered, "N-no, I just don't want to accidentally hurt you… You know, because of the Senju clan and all."

Tsunade's expression hardened. "You don't have to worry about that. Just don't hold back."

With that, she lunged at him, her fist connecting with his face in a brutal punch.

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