Among the crowd, one black haired boy stood out in particular. Julian White.
His chakra reserves were ordinary, his build unremarkable, yet his running form was textbook perfect. Three steps to inhale, two to exhale.
Every stride was steady and grounded. In his deep eyes burned a stubborn fire, fierce and almost fanatical.
Whenever someone sprinted past him, Julian never panicked. He simply adjusted his breathing, calm and resolute, fixing his gaze on the figure ahead and refusing to let go.
This was the complete opposite of Shizune.
Shizune charged forward like a hunting leopard, reckless and explosive, caring nothing for how quickly her stamina burned away.
With the combined bloodlines of the Uzumaki and Senju, her endurance flowed like a spring that never ran dry. She left nearly everyone far behind, with only one exception. The man running beside her, dressed in a tight green jumpsuit.
After the first lap, the gap became painfully clear. The leading group maintained a steady rhythm, while many ordinary children turned pale, their steps growing unsteady.
Some collapsed heavily onto the ground. Silent tears soaked into the dust as their chests heaved like broken bellows, yet still they could not draw in enough air.
They could only lie there, eyes wide open, watching one pair of feet after another pass by.
Yet that black haired boy, Julian White, fought his way up from the very back through sheer stubborn will, climbing into the middle ranks.
Sweat drenched his hair and plastered it to his forehead. Every breath tore through his lungs, ragged and sharp, but his pace never slowed.
Strangely, each time his lungs and limbs seemed on the verge of collapse, it was as if he were reborn. Fresh strength surged out from deep within him.
Beyond the track, parents and villagers could not help but gasp and cheer.
"That kid started dead last. Look at him now. Incredible."
Julian carved a smooth arc along the track, overtaking several runners in one burst as he charged toward the leading group. A thunderous roar erupted from beyond the fence.
"Go."
"Push him through."
Those voices merged into an invisible hand at his back, driving him forward.
After all, if you watched a racehorse like Gold Ship casually crush fifteen opponents, you would shout just as loudly.
On the viewing platform, the Third Hokage's lips curved upward slightly. What he saw was not merely a race, but a contest of will.
He saw the Inuzuka boy unconsciously mimicking the breathing and rhythm of a hunting dog as he sprinted through the mud.
He saw the Hyuga child using the Byakugan to read opponents' stamina and distribute his own strength with precision.
And he had seen boys like Julian White before. No monstrous body, no overwhelming talent, only the purest and most unyielding spirit of a shinobi. No matter how wide the gap in strength, they never gave up.
Naturally, he ignored the look of sheer disbelief on Shizune's face.
On the final straight, Julian roared and poured out everything he had. He crossed the finish line in third place, a result that pushed his body beyond its limits.
He braced his hands on his knees, gasping for breath as sweat poured down like rain. When he lifted his head toward the platform, his eyes shone brightly.
As if they were saying, not bad, right?
He offered the Third Hokage a quiet gesture of respect, then slipped subtly into the old man's field of view, like a rookie gangster paying respects to the boss.
Simple, yet effective.
Sunlight broke through the clouds and baked the field without mercy.
The Third Hokage slowly drew in a breath. The air was thick with sweat and dust, yet laced with the scent of hope.
"Where leaves fall, the fire endures," he murmured.
These boys, running, gasping, burning, were the future of the village. Flames meant to light the endless night.
"Julian, when did you get this strong?" Shizune asked, staring at him in disbelief.
She grabbed his shoulders and shook him back and forth like a rag doll.
Thinking back on the frightening moment just now, cold sweat crept down her spine.
She had almost been caught by the kid she had left far behind, without warning, without any logic at all.
"What, I'm not allowed to improve?" Julian flashed that infuriating grin.
Inside, he let out a quiet sigh. I thought 'Please Do Not Die' would be enough to get her through. Looks like it upgraded her too.
Yes. Throughout the entire run, he had been forcibly guiding his chakra. Each time he neared collapse, the technique triggered, granting him a renewed body and the will to keep going.
Brutal, but effective.
"You little…" Shizune punched his shoulder, then laughed softly, genuinely happy for him.
"Victory barbecue. My treat."
Her house was expensive, but after an exam like this, a little indulgence felt right.
"Not yet," Julian said seriously. "Remember this. I swore I'd stand out today."
"Grandma said the upperclassmen are facing a major test. I asked around and gathered some information."
"Any confident first year can join. It's a mixed grade free for all."
"If I don't get selected…"
"Another exam? Really?" Shizune's eyes lit up.
There was no fear, only excitement. This was exactly the kind of high risk battle she craved.
She needed a war to announce her existence to the shinobi world.
She turned to head toward the academy, but Julian grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
"Idiot. Let me finish," Julian said, rolling his eyes. Without him, she would be hopeless.
"Three person teams on an expanded forest platform. Use the trees, and your chances go way up."
"First, we need a third teammate."
"How about the guy in the green jumpsuit?" Shizune asked. That performance was burned into her memory.
Julian nodded.
He knew who that man was. The one who would one day open the Eight Gates and kick the Seven Swordsmen into history during the Second War.
Might Duy.