Hiro stood in the clearing, his fingers tightening around the wooden kunai in his hands. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint rustle of leaves in the distance. Across from him, Kaya stood with her arms crossed, watching him with a measured gaze.

  "Today is a big step in your training," she told him. "You're going to have your first sparring session with someone your age."

  Hiro straightened at her words, his mind already running through possible opponents. He had trained alone for so long—who exactly did she have in mind?

  "You’re banned from using your summons," Kaya continued, cutting off his thoughts before he could ask. "This is preparation for the academy entrance exam. You need to be able to stand on your own. You can use your battle whips and the wooden ninja tools I gave you, but nothing else."

  Hiro nodded, rolling his shoulders as he mentally prepared. He wasn’t sure how strong his opponent would be, but he was determined to hold his own.

  Kaya’s lips curved slightly. "To start, you’ll need to st five minutes against an ambush attack. You must stay in this clearing."

  Before Hiro could respond, Kaya flickered out of sight.

  His heart pounded. This was happening now.

  "Ready yourself," came her voice from somewhere in the trees.

  Before Hiro could fully adjust his stance, a sharp thud struck the back of his thigh.

  Pain fred through his leg, and he sucked in a breath, stumbling slightly. His fingers brushed against the impact site—a blunt wooden kunai y on the ground where it had struck him.

  "A ninja must always be prepared for an attack from any direction!" Kaya’s voice rang out from the treeline. "Ready yourself, because your opponent isn't going to give you this kind of break again!"

  Gritting his teeth, Hiro forced himself to move.

  He sprinted toward the center of the clearing, wooden kunai in both hands. His eyes darted around, scanning for movement, but all he could see were the swaying branches overhead.

  Then—a blur.

  A flurry of wooden shuriken cut through the air, aiming straight for him.

  Hiro reacted on instinct. He ducked low, twisting his body as he deflected one with his kunai and sidestepped another.

  A third whizzed past, barely missing his shoulder.

  His heart pounded, but he felt a surge of confidence. He could do this.

  By the third minute, his breath was coming harder.

  Another attack came, and Hiro barely dodged in time, his muscles burning from the effort. He was fast, but his opponent was faster.

  Then, a sharp sting erupted in his leg. Again. Same spot.

  Hiro gritted his teeth, staggering slightly. That wasn’t luck. His opponent was intentionally targeting the same area.

  He forced himself to push forward, adjusting his stance. If he kept moving, they wouldn’t be able to nd another hit in the same pce.

  Or so he thought.

  The fifth and final minute was closing in when another kunai struck him—again in the exact same pce.

  Hiro hissed in frustration. Whoever was throwing these was skilled.

  He dove into a roll, trying to gain space—

  —but another kunai collided mid-air with the first one, knocking it slightly off course and sending it straight into his forehead.

  Pain fred, and Hiro tumbled to the ground, groaning.

  "Time!" Kaya’s voice cut through the clearing.

  Hiro y still for a moment, rubbing his forehead, now red from the st impact.

  Footsteps approached, and a hand rested gently on his shoulder.

  "You only got hit four times," Kaya said, her voice even.

  Hiro didn’t understand. He had barely managed to keep up. Why didn’t she sound disappointed?

  Kaya must have noticed his confusion. "Your opponent was always going to be more skilled than you. This was about learning what it’s like to face someone with more experience."

  Hiro slowly sat up, still pressing his fingers against his sore forehead. "Who was it?"

  A small set of footsteps echoed from the trees.

  Hiro turned, expecting to see an older student.

  Instead, a girl just barely five years old walked into the clearing.

  She wore a traditional ninja training outfit, her blonde braided ponytails swinging wildly as she grinned ear to ear.

  Hiro stared, his mouth slightly open.

  "Natsume?!" he blurted out in shock.