Naruto: Snow Cold

Clap.

Sora clapped his hands together, the sharp sound cutting through the tension-filled air. Everyone watching froze, and their confusion grew further. What the hell was he doing? Why wasn't he running away? The flames roared toward him, heat rippling through the arena.

'Yes, yes, yes! Just fall, you arrogant prick!' Yuuma thought, his lips twitching into a victorious sneer. He was certain he had already won this fight, even if unfairly. But he didn't care about fairness—only the outcome mattered.

The flames surged forward, licking at the air with a ferocious intensity, ready to consume everything in their path.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, Sora disappeared. The most unusual thing being that there was no smoke at all.

The flames crashed into the ground where the amber-eyed boy had stood at before, scorching the arena. Everyone watched expectantly, and once the flames cleared... It revealed nothing more than charred dirt, and what seemed to be a kunai on the ground.

'W-What? What the hell? Where did he-'

Yuuma's frantic thoughts were abruptly silenced by a heavy kick to the side of his face. The force of the blow sent him sprawling to the ground, his vision blurring as pain exploded across his cheek. He felt everything around him going dark, and all the noise shutting off.

His body refused to respond, and every ounce of strength drained from him. Finally, he lost what was left of his consciousness and fell. The world around him blurred into darkness, but not before one final image burned into his mind—the figure of the boy with messy black hair and piercing amber eyes, standing tall above him. He looked down on him, the faintest trace of a smirk on his face, as if silently acknowledging his victory.

Most of the students stared in awe. He had just used the substitution jutsu, with no hand seals. Not only that, but he swapped places with an object that wasn't even a quarter his own weight, something that seemed almost impossible! They had never seen this jutsu being used in such a manner before, and even the stoic Suzume couldn't suppress the surprise that flickered across her face.

It was simply too bad that this boy had connections already, otherwise, he would've already been recruited. You didn't even need to be a genius to recognize this kind of talent. His ability to perform such a technique with no hand seals, his quick reflexes, and his poise under pressure—all of it spoke volumes.

'Is this why you've been training the Body Replacement Jutsu so much, Sora?' thought Amai, her gaze fixed on her best friend. How much else has he been doing? Exactly how far is he getting ahead of her? Either way, she wouldn't let this drag her down. After all, she had the edge in one crucial area.

Being a weeb had helped for once.

She couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. Years of anime marathons, manga binges, and nerdy internet discussions might not have seemed useful in her old life, but now? It was practically a cheat code. Every bit of information she'd absorbed, every trope, and every tactic could be used to her advantage. And the best part?

She hadn't told Sora even a quarter of it, which meant she could still catch up—or even surpass him in the future.

"...The match may have gotten out of hand," Kenjiro's voice hesitantly echoed through the area, "But the winner is Sora Shiraishi. You have done more than well, but I have a few things to say. First and foremost, never bring your weights into battle."

Everyone paused, the murmurs and whispers among the students fading into silence as they listened intently to their sensei's words. Sora's face remained impassive, but there was still a flicker of faint acknowledgement in his eyes as he nodded.

"It will only be a detriment, even more so in long-term missions. What would you do if one of your squad mates are in danger? You wouldn't get the chance to take them off either."

Sora's gaze lowered slightly, the weight of Kenjiro's words settling in. He knew his sensei was right—bringing the weights into battle was reckless. But to be frank? It felt good. Crushing his opponent, especially one from a prestigious clan, was a satisfaction that couldn't be denied.

"This applies to all of you," the sensei continued, this time gazing at the crowd of students. "Training is meant to push you, yes, but do not mistake pushing yourselves for handicapping yourselves. In real combat, every advantage, every card, every second matters. Remember that."

The students exchanged uncertain glances, Kenjiro's words striking a chord. The gravity of his tone left no room for argument. It wasn't just a lecture—it was a warning and a hard truth of what awaited them once their ninja life began.

"Second, despite everything... You've shown great skill in Taijutsu, and a greater display of the Body Replacement Jutsu. I don't think I've ever seen a student perform it that well before, and with no seals at that," Kenjiro said, his voice holding a hint of genuine admiration. "You're gonna go far, kid. I can tell." He stretched his fist out to Sora.

In response, Sora smiled and bumped Kenjiro's fist, a casual gesture of respect. Right after that, he returned to his spot with Amai.

The students were still processing the words of their sensei. Meanwhile, Amai whispered to Sora, her voice low but teasing. "Hey, bud. Partner. Amigo. Fella. Pal. Comrade. You didn't tell me you practiced martial arts before," she continued. "Good job, though. That kick was pretty nice."

Sora shot a side glance at her, and shrugged, "What can I say? I'm just good like that."

"Yeah, how about teaching me those moves next time?"

"Maybe, but you'd have to start paying me. It's already enough with the guitar, heh."

Kenjiro had a half smile on his face, clearly hearing their exchange despite being afar. He raised his voice once more, shifting the focus back to the class. "Okay, next pair! Amai Hashimoto and Suzume, step up!"

The students shifted, and their attention immediately turned to Amai and Suzume. It was as if fate wanted Amai to have her rematch with the one who had made her experience failure for the very first time. Which, of course, it was!

'What the hell was that? Am I hearing my own demons?' thought Amai, exasperated by the sudden voice that somehow spoke in her head.

Nope, you heard nothing. Carry on.

The white-haired girl blinked and shook her head, trying to push the weird thought away. She focused on Suzume instead, who stood across from her, as calm and stoic as always. Today, she'd triumph and prove that she wasn't weak. That she wouldn't lose to a single blow again.

Her fists clenched at her sides, muscles coiled with determination. The spinning hook kick that once knocked her out... She'd make sure to win this time, for sure.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Every muscle in her body was tensed, ready to react to Suzume's next move. Of course, she didn't try to enhance her senses, because it was just not suitable for combat yet. She had literally started yesterday, damn it, and her brain wasn't used to the information input or the focus she had to have to keep these improvements active.

Suzume simply stretched her hand out, and executed the seal of confrontation. "Let's have a good match." the stoic girl said, almost dismissive.

Amai frowned at that but still mirrored the seal nonetheless. Her eyes narrowed slightly, annoyance flickering in her gaze. One could be nonchalant, sure, but there was a limit to that. She never understood those quiet, analytical characters back in her world—those who stayed calm, cold, and detached, as if nothing ever ruffled them.

Kenjiro's shout broke the tension.

"...COMMENCE!" His arm swung downward, signaling the start of the match.

The two girls collided in an instant, their forearms connecting with a sharp crack as they faced each other. Amai felt the shock reverberate up her arm, but her resolve hardened. They pushed each other away, and immediately clashed once more. The stoic girl directed a palm strike at Amai's face, and was dodged by tilting her head to the side, and deflecting it with her left forearm.

Amai used this moment to respond by throwing a cross punch at her face, and Suzume crouched down to evade. However, the icy girl did not let up, and followed it up by another cross aimed at her head, homing in from above. Suzume stepped back, spun around into a backfist, blocked by Amai's forearm yet again.

Their speed was impressive, at least for senior students at the academy. They still had a way to go before reaching the level of your average Genin, after all.

As the match wore on, Amai could feel the sweat beginning to bead on her forehead, her focus narrowing in on each of Suzume's movements.

'This girl... Countering must be her specialty,' Amai thought, gritting her teeth as she blocked another one of Suzume's blows with her forearm. The white-haired girl took the opportunity to deliver an uppercut, but it was blocked by Suzume using her palm. Suzume then jumped up, using Amai's arms to propel herself into the air, aiming a swift kick down at Amai's head.

Amai barely managed to tilt her head just enough to avoid the full force, but the heel of Suzume's foot grazed the side of her cheek, sending a sharp sting through her. Tch, she scoffed, before backing off and delivering a swift roundhouse kick of her own aimed at Suzume's side.

The girl was quick to react, ducking under the kick smoothly, her movements calculated as she placed her palms on the ground, and brought her leg up in a powerful mule kick aimed at Amai's midsection.

The icy girl's eyes widened, and she instinctively brought her arms up to block. The impact hit her arms with a solid thud, knocking her back and causing her to gasp in pain. The force of the kick left a dull ache in her muscles, but she quickly shook it off, focusing on her opponent once more.

'How the hell should I even defeat her?! I'm willing to bet my life that she's in ROOT, because there's absolutely no way an orphan can be this skilled!' Amai's thoughts raced, frustration building. Suzume's calm, measured approach to every move left her little room to land a decisive blow.

Suzume was exposing an opening. Was it intentional? Should she go for it? No, she'd get countered and beaten like last time. What kind of move should she use? Maybe she should pull out whatever martial arts move she could think of? Again, she's inexperienced with those, not to mention she's way too used to the academy style. Then, what—

No.

Stop it.

HOW STUPID AM I?! Overthinking this is slowing me down!

Stop thinking. Just feel it. Just sense it and move, goddamn it! Believe.

All her skills... All her nerve threads... All of her senses!

In this moment, she would channel everything into her instincts!

She quickly charged in with that thought in mind, and feinted a rising knee aimed at Suzume's chest. In retaliation, the stoic girl raised her arms to block, her expression unwavering. However, by the time she had realized, it was too late.

Suzume's eyes widened as her guard was broken due to Amai's punt kick, her arms going up in the air.

'GOT YOU, GENIUS!' Amai's thoughts screamed in triumph as she cupped her fist, the world around her slowing to a crawl. Her eyes locked with Suzume's, who stood in stunned disbelief.

The moment seemed to stretch, each heartbeat louder than the last, the weight of the punch hanging in the air like an inevitable storm.

Amai's fist moved forward, and it felt like time had slowed down for them.

Finally, her fist made contact, striking Suzume's abdomen with a force that seemed to vibrate through the very air. Her eyes widened once more as the air was knocked from her lungs, her body lifting off the ground before crashing back down.

The stoic girl gasped for air, and while she could get back up and keep fighting... She deliberately chose not to.

The seconds passed, and she suddenly spoke up.

"I forfeit. Amai has won."

'...What? Shouldn't she just have kept getting back up? Was she really done? No, more importantly... I have finally won my first match against her.' Amai's heart pounded in her chest, disbelief mixing with a flood of relief and pride. It was over. She had won.

"I see. Good job, the two of you. Splendid Taijutsu," Kenjiro's voice rang out, his hands clapping, "Especially you, Amai. That was an excellent feint." He shot a thumbs-up at her, and she grinned at that, her chest swelling with pride.

"Now, do the Seal of Reconciliation, to show that you still consider each other comrades after the fight." Kenjiro instructed. 'Surely they wouldn't start fighting between themselves, right? They must have common sense, unlike some certain kids.' He thought, glancing at them, his eyes narrowing.

Much to Amai's surprise, Suzume had gotten up and taken the initiative, offering her index and middle fingers despite her indifferent stare.

"You are quite skilled, I must say," Suzume stated, as if the fight had been nothing more than a routine spar.

Amai blinked, unsure for a moment. Hesitating briefly, she reached out and locked fingers with the girl.

"T-Thank you. You are good, too," Amai stuttered, still in disbelief. Her voice carried a mix of nervousness and pride, the realization of her victory still sinking in.

The dispassionate girl gave a small nod, and continued. "Next time, I'll win..." Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she added, low enough for only Amai to hear, "...Amai Yuki."

Amai's heart skipped a beat. Oh. She knew about her clan. Definitely ROOT.

They're not gonna touch her either way. What mattered was that she had finally gotten her rematch.

And this time, she had been the victor.