Sharingan Evolution: Proficiency's Path

After locking eyes for a moment, Qingming withdrew his gaze, forcibly suppressing the surge of excitement within and calmly waited for the first round of battles to conclude.

A few minutes later, the fourteenth match of the first round ended.

The fourteen winners were randomly reassigned for the second round of battles.

It was unclear whether it was luck or if Hiruzen Sarutobi intentionally wanted to save the most exciting battle for last, but in this second round, Qingming and Shisui Uchiha still didn't face each other.

Both of them, unsurprisingly, easily defeated their opponents.

By now, anyone with a keen eye could see that Qingming and Shisui Uchiha were leagues above the other participants.

The final champion could only be one of these two.

Thankfully, the Chūnin exam was judged on the overall performance across all three tests, not just the rank from this particular battle.

Otherwise, the other candidates might have already given up entirely.

Time passed minute by minute.

An hour and a half later...

The second round of the third battle was over.

The seven remaining contestants were divided again, but since there was an odd number of participants, one would get a free pass.

Qingming, who never had much faith in his luck, was somewhat surprised when it was announced that he would be the one to sit this round out.

However, after hearing this news, he only paused for a moment before returning to his calm demeanor.

The reason he remained so composed was due to his absolute confidence in his own abilities.

Qingming believed that whether he sat out this round or not, it wouldn't change the fact that he would advance.

That's why he didn't care much about this result.

However, the other participants couldn't help but look at Qingming with a hint of envy.

But no matter what they thought, the exam had to go on.

As the third round approached, the contestants that remained were all quite capable, so each battle took a little longer.

In total, it took nearly an hour to finish all three matches.

Without any break, the fourth round of matches began.

Once again, Qingming and Shisui didn't face each other and were instead paired with other contestants.

Qingming's opponent this time was a 13-year-old boy named Tenno Kai, who was skilled in close combat and had proficiency in lightning-release ninjutsu. His overall strength was not bad.

But "not bad" wasn't enough.

Against anyone else, he might have stood a chance, but against Qingming, he was out of his league.

Moreover, Qingming had already observed his abilities from the viewing area and had a clear understanding of his skills.

When they finally clashed, it felt like taking a written exam for Qingming—completely effortless.

Tenno's decent close-combat abilities were nothing in the face of Qingming's Konoha-ryū Kenjutsu at level 4.

As for Tenno's lightning-release jutsu...

He didn't even get a chance to use it.

In the end, Qingming deliberately exposed a weak point, enticing Tenno into counterattacking.

Sure enough, Tenno took the bait, and Qingming seized the opportunity to end the battle with a swift Genjutsu: Sharingan.

By the time Tenno snapped out of the illusion, the proctor was already standing in front of him, intercepting a flying kunai and announcing Qingming as the victor.

After finishing what could barely be called a warm-up, Qingming returned to the second-floor corridor and leaned on the railing, waiting patiently for the final showdown.

He didn't have to wait long. Just a few minutes later, Shisui Uchiha had also finished his battle with another contestant.

At that moment, the proctor's voice rang out: "Final match—Uchiha Qingming versus Uchiha Shisui!"

Upon hearing this, the eliminated contestants on the second-floor corridor showed excited expressions.

Everyone knew by now that Qingming and Shisui Uchiha were the strongest in this Chūnin Exam. So, who would come out on top?

The contestants weren't the only ones eager to know the answer. The jōnin watching were just as curious.

As a result, not only were the contestants extremely excited, but the jōnin themselves also displayed expressions of interest.

As for Uchiha Chihito, he was practically giddy with excitement.

The fact that the Chūnin Exam champion would be decided between two Uchiha clan members was a testament to the clan's strength, after all.

Influenced by the atmosphere around him, Qingming decided not to take the stairs. He placed his right hand on the railing and vaulted over it.

Landing gracefully, he cushioned the impact with his knees and stood steadily in front of Shisui Uchiha.

The proctor glanced at the two of them and asked, "Are you ready?"

Qingming didn't immediately respond but instead looked at Shisui and calmly asked, "Do you need a rest?"

Shisui seemed surprised, as if he hadn't expected Qingming to say such a thing.

Based on his observations over the past few days, Shisui had the impression that Qingming wasn't the type to engage in idle talk.

Qingming's offer wasn't out of arrogance or pity. This was, after all, a friendly competition, not a life-and-death struggle. There was no need to take advantage of the situation.

That was why Qingming had asked.

If this had been a life-or-death battle, he would have struck immediately.

Giving his opponent time to rest? That would have been a dream!

However, Shisui didn't follow Qingming's lead. Instead, he shook his head and said, "No need."

Hearing their brief exchange, the proctor wasted no time. He waved his hand downward and quickly retreated as he shouted, "Begin!"

In the next instant, a sharp "clang" rang out.

At the moment the proctor's voice fell, Qingming and Shisui simultaneously drew their short swords, charging at each other and clashing fiercely.

Qingming gripped his sword with both hands, applying pressure, while Shisui did the same, struggling to hold his ground.

But in the end, Qingming was two years older and had undergone several improvements to his physical strength, giving him a slight advantage over Shisui.

After a brief standoff, Shisui chose to retreat.

And in that retreat, he lost the initiative.

Qingming seized the opportunity and unleashed a flurry of attacks with his Konoha-ryū Kenjutsu. Shisui was forced onto the defensive.

The sound of clashing swords echoed continuously, filling the air with sparks from the intense battle.

Shisui could feel the pressure mounting. He had attempted several times to counterattack and regain control of the fight, but each attempt was swiftly interrupted by Qingming.

It seemed as though Qingming was incredibly familiar with his sword techniques, able to disrupt him at every critical moment, making the battle increasingly frustrating for Shisui.

After thinking for a while, Shisui suddenly realized: Qingming was also a Uchiha.

And to have honed Konoha-ryū Kenjutsu to this level, his talent in swordsmanship was undoubtedly high.

Moreover, Qingming had already awakened his Sharingan, so it made no sense for him not to have learned the Uchiha-ryū Kenjutsu, which pairs perfectly with the Sharingan.

It was highly likely that Qingming's proficiency in Uchiha-ryū Kenjutsu surpassed his own.

That would explain why Qingming could so precisely interrupt his attacks every time.

"That's it! That must be it!" Shisui thought to himself.

The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

At the same time, he realized that in close combat, he probably wouldn't be able to win against Qingming.

"I need to change my approach..." Shisui silently contemplated as he continued to parry Qingming's relentless attacks.

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