The instructor called the next pair before the dust from the previous match had fully settled.
Students moved in and out of the sparring circle with less noise now than earlier in the morning. The excitement that had filled the field at the start of the evaluation had shifted into something quieter and more focused. Most of the weaker students had already been eliminated, and those still standing watched the matches with sharper attention.
Two boys stepped forward.
The exchange lasted longer than the earlier fights. Neither rushed in blindly. One tested distance with cautious strikes while the other circled, waiting for a mistake. When it finally came, the counter was immediate a quick step inside the guard and a sweep that sent the opponent sliding across the packed dirt.
The instructor raised a hand and called the result.
Another pair followed.
Their fight carried the same tension. Every movement felt measured now, every step taken with care. The gap between students had narrowed, and victories were earned rather than stumbled into.
Then the instructor looked down at the clipboard again.
"Uchiha Renji."
A taller boy stepped forward from the line of students.
Renji moved with a confidence that drew quiet attention from the watching class. His dark hair shifted slightly as he rolled his shoulders loose, eyes already fixed on the boy stepping into the circle across from him.
His opponent was older as well a broad-shouldered sixth-year civilian student who had already won two matches that morning.
The signal was given.
The civilian boy struck first, stepping forward with a sharp kick meant to force Renji back.
Renji didn't retreat.
He slipped just outside the line of the kick, his body turning with the motion before answering with a quick strike that knocked the other boy's balance off center. The civilian student recovered immediately and pushed forward again, this time throwing a combination of punches that carried real force.
Renji met him head-on.
Their exchange moved quickly, arms colliding and feet shifting across the dirt as they tried to break each other's rhythm. For several seconds neither gained a clear advantage. Then Renji suddenly changed the angle of the fight, stepping past the boy's guard and driving a shoulder into his chest while sweeping his leg from under him.
The civilian student hit the ground hard.
The instructor stepped forward before the boy could scramble back up.
"Winner: Uchiha Renji."
A few murmurs spread through the watching students as Renji stepped out of the circle without looking particularly impressed.
Another fight followed soon after.
"Aburame Shiro."
The boy who entered the circle carried himself with quiet discipline. His opponent attacked aggressively, trying to overwhelm him with speed, but Shiro held his ground patiently. Each strike was deflected or redirected until the attacker overextended himself. When that moment came, Shiro stepped forward and brought the match to the ground with a controlled takedown that ended the fight.
The instructor nodded once.
"Winner: Aburame."
The pace of the matches continued to rise.
Then the instructor spoke again.
"Uchiha Itachi."
The reaction from the students was immediate.
Several voices quieted as Itachi stepped forward.
He entered the sparring circle calmly, his posture relaxed but perfectly balanced. Across from him stood a third-year student who had won his earlier match with clear effort.
The signal was given.
The older student attacked first, pushing forward with a strong punch meant to overwhelm the younger boy.
Itachi moved a fraction to the side.
The punch missed.
In the same moment Itachi stepped inside the opening, redirecting the boy's arm while shifting his weight forward. The movement was so clean it barely seemed like a counter at all. The older student lost his balance and hit the ground before he fully understood what had happened.
The instructor ended the match immediately.
"Winner: Uchiha Itachi."
The whispers returned as Itachi stepped out of the circle and returned to the line without looking around.
The instructor scanned the clipboard once more.
"Roen Shinra."
Roen stepped forward.
Across from him stood a fifth-year student with the Uchiha crest on his back.
"Tatsuya," someone in the crowd muttered quietly.
Tatsuya entered the circle with open contempt in his expression. He had already heard the story the first-year who had taken on three sixth-years by himself in the park. Judging by the way he looked at Roen, he had no intention of letting the rumor survive the afternoon.
The signal was given.
Tatsuya attacked quickly, his opening strike aimed straight for Roen's shoulder.
Roen moved forward instead of back.
Their arms collided as the distance closed, Roen driving the pace immediately. He pressed into Tatsuya's guard with short, sharp movements that forced the older boy to react rather than plan.
Tatsuya answered with a strong counter, twisting out of Roen's pressure and launching a kick that nearly caught him across the ribs. Roen shifted just enough for it to glance past him before stepping back in again.
The tempo increased.
Their movements became sharper, faster, dust kicking up around their feet as the exchange continued. Tatsuya tried to slow the fight down, but Roen refused to give him the space.
Finally the opening appeared.
Roen stepped inside a punch, caught the arm at the elbow, and turned his body sharply.
Tatsuya lost his balance.
A moment later he was on the ground.
The instructor raised his hand.
"Winner: Shinra."
A louder wave of whispers spread through the watching students this time.
Tatsuya stood quickly, frustration clear in his expression.
"What's wrong with these first-year kids?" he muttered angrily as he stepped out of the circle.
Roen didn't respond.
He simply returned to the line.
A few more matches were completed before the instructor finally stepped forward again.
"That concludes today's matches."
Students straightened immediately.
"The remaining twenty students will continue the evaluation tomorrow."
An assistant carried a wooden board forward and fixed a list of names to it.
Students crowded closer.
Roen stepped forward just enough to read the board.
The names were arranged in two columns.
Uchiha Itachi.
Shinra Roen.
Uchiha Renji.
Hyūga Kazuma.
Aburame Shiro.
Several other names followed beneath them.
The strongest students of the academy.
Roen glanced across the field.
Itachi stood near the board as well, reading the list in silence.
For a brief moment their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
But both understood the same thing.
Sooner or later, the evaluation would narrow again.
And when it did they would face each other.