Shock!
That was the reaction of everyone present. Even powerhouses like Tsunade and Jiraiya were wide-eyed, their faces filled with astonishment.
They knew Shinji was strong, but they never imagined he could be this strong.
Especially since Shinji hadn't even used any powerful ninjutsu or secret techniques—just simple taijutsu and genjutsu to instantly defeat the three Hidden Sound shinobi.
...
Among the Onlookers.
"Uh…"
Kurotsuchi opened her mouth but couldn't find words.
The remarks she'd prepared in support of Shinji felt utterly redundant in the face of his performance!
Temari's lips trembled. "So strong!"
"Mm!"
Gaara nodded, his expression grave.
He was confident in his speed, but in that fleeting moment, he doubted he could've blocked Shinji's ambush even if he were in the Hidden Sound shinobi's place. Even the sand in his gourd might not have kept up with Shinji's attack.
The Hidden Mist group exchanged glances.
Even the fearless Ringo Ameyuri showed a rare hint of wariness.
As a master of Lightning Release, she, like most Lightning Release shinobi, excelled in speed. But after witnessing Shinji's movements, she realized her prized speed seemed almost ordinary compared to his.
As for the Hidden Leaf ninja academy students, after a brief moment of shock, their faces lit up with a "just as expected" expression.
As always, Shinji, the First Chair of the academy, had never let them down.
...
On the Field.
Sakon and Ukon, who had been sent crashing into a tree by Shinji, struggled to their feet.
Their faces flushed red, wanting to say something, but as soon as Sakon opened his mouth, he coughed up a large spurt of blood with a pfft.
Shinji glanced at him and said calmly, "I suggest you head straight to the cardiopulmonary department on the second floor of the hospital. Find Dr. Kusa Inaba—she's a lung specialist."
"Damn it!"
Sakon and Ukon's faces twisted in humiliation.
But they knew Shinji was right. Their lungs were injured, and even simple breathing caused sharp waves of pain, let alone fighting.
This also made them realize that Shinji wasn't just ridiculously strong in taijutsu—he had an intimate knowledge of human anatomy, able to strike vital points with precision. He was a terrifying opponent!
Jirobo, meanwhile, clambered up from the ground, half-crouching and panting heavily.
His condition was similar to Sakon and Ukon's. Though it seemed he'd only taken one hit from Shinji, the blow had damaged his core respiratory system, temporarily robbing him of his combat ability.
Jirobo looked up at Sakon and Ukon with a questioning gaze.
Sakon and Ukon understood his meaning.
Not only had they mastered the Cursed Seal, but they'd also endured the brutal transformation process of Orochimaru's modification liquid, granting them far greater control over their bodies than ordinary shinobi. Their current injuries would incapacitate most shinobi, but for them, activating the Cursed Seal and entering Gear Two could turn things around.
"Should we activate the Cursed Seal?"
Sakon and Ukon hesitated.
Activating the Cursed Seal would indeed alleviate their injuries significantly, but with the Chunin Exams still ahead, revealing their trump card now seemed premature.
Then they glanced at Tayuya, still trapped in genjutsu, and their hearts sank.
Tayuya was out of commission for now, leaving only the two of them to fight. After assessing the gap in strength, they realized that even if they activated the Cursed Seal while injured, they might not defeat Shinji.
After weighing their options, Sakon and Ukon shook their heads at Jirobo.
"Damn it!"
Understanding their decision, Jirobo slammed a fist into the ground in frustration.
Seeing the Hidden Sound shinobi seemingly abandon the idea of continuing the fight, Shinji withdrew his gaze and slowly walked toward the grove where Naruto and Kidomaru were clashing.
He knew the Sound Four were likely endowed with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal, capable of tapping into natural energy to enter Gear One or Gear Two. They might even possess unknown techniques, given their assignment to Hidden Leaf for the Chunin Exams.
But so what?
A trump card that couldn't be played was meaningless!
In the face of the Twelve Palaces, as long as Shinji outclassed them in speed, perception, and strength, they'd be mercilessly crushed!
Of course.
Without activating his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Shinji wasn't actually as overwhelmingly dominant as he appeared.
The reason he gave that impression was entirely due to the unique nature of the Twelve Palaces.
In terms of explosive power, the Twelve Palaces didn't match the Eight Gates, but it had its own advantages.
It allowed Shinji to maintain a near-constant state akin to opening the sixth gate, the Gate of View, or even the seventh gate, the Gate of Wonder, of the Eight Gates.
More importantly, because the Twelve Palaces balanced and regulated the body's organs, its activation wasn't as flashy or imposing as the Eight Gates. This made it hard for opponents to detect and prepare for, giving Shinji a deceptive edge.
It was this deceptive quality of the Twelve Palaces that made Shinji nearly invincible when launching surprise attacks!
Soon, Shinji's figure vanished into the grove.
Among the onlookers, those with keen insight noticed that Sakon and Ukon and Jirobo, after taking just one hit from Shinji, gave up fighting further—coughing blood or gasping for air. It was clear Shinji's strike wasn't simple; he'd likely hit their vital points.
Compared to a shinobi's destructive power, their bodies were far more fragile.
A critical blow like that often meant the fight was over.
Thus, the anticipated scene of the Hidden Sound shinobi ganging up on Shinji didn't materialize. The once-arrogant Sound shinobi now looked like frost-bitten eggplants, thoroughly wilted.
...
In the Grove.
With piercing whistles, sharp arrows shot out from the dense canopy, precisely striking the Narutos below.
Poof! Poof! Poof! In an instant, the Narutos hit by the arrows turned into white mist and dissipated.
After eliminating many decoys, Kidomaru narrowed down his targets. Finally, he locked onto one Naruto and thought, That's the real one!
Sensing something amiss, Naruto glanced around, searching for his enemy.
Whoosh! At that moment, a sharp arrow shot out, flying toward Naruto's true body.
Despite his alertness, Kidomaru's arrow was too cunning. By the time Naruto noticed, it was too late to dodge, and he could only watch as the arrow hurtled toward him…