Qian's performance exceeded everyone's expectations. Not only did her opponent, Fuchen, underestimate her, but even Daimaru was a bit surprised. Qian's weapon was a unique fan, often assumed to be purely for her genjutsu. The beautiful, feathered fan gave the impression that she was solely a genjutsu-type ninja, but it held more secrets.
The fan wasn't just a tool for illusions. Its frame was crafted from a rare alloy, making it durable, and the edges of the fan's bones were razor-sharp. Not only did the fan aid in performing illusions, but it also served as a close-combat weapon. While her taijutsu wasn't extraordinary, Qian could hold her own in a fight. Her fan, combined with a fluid fighting style, kept Fuchen on his toes. Her skillful strikes, complemented by intermittent illusions, made it impossible for her opponent to stay focused.
"Interesting!" Daimaru mused. The world of ninjas is vast, and among the countless shinobi, some are bound to stand out with unique talents. Combining ninjutsu and taijutsu is a technique known by senior ninjas, like the Raikage's chakra-enhanced combat style or Iwagakure's Lava Release from the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. Though Qian was far from those levels of power, her unorthodox combat style caught Daimaru's attention.
Under Daimaru's watchful eyes, Fuchen struggled to break free from Qian's relentless assault. One careless moment led to a deep wound in his shoulder from Qian's fan. Before he could react, her knee struck his chin, knocking him unconscious.
"Winner: Qian!" the proctor announced as Fuchen was carried away.
The next opponent entered—Mochen, with his striking appearance, dark eye shadow, and a chain and sickle weapon in hand. Daimaru's concern grew; Mochen's mid-range weapon mastery made him a formidable opponent.
"My name's Mochen," he said, eyeing Qian cautiously. "I'm not as reckless as Fuchen. Your tricks won't work on me."
Daimaru knew what was coming. Qian had exhausted a lot of her energy in the first match. Though she fought valiantly, she eventually succumbed to Mochen's relentless attacks and fell to the ground, defeated.
Next up was Nighteye, less physically powerful than Qian but possessing incredible eyesight. Her agility made her difficult to pin down. Every kunai or shuriken thrown at her was effortlessly dodged or deflected. Despite Mochen's mid-range prowess, Nighteye's superior reaction time allowed her to land several strikes of her own.
"She's buying time," Mochen muttered to himself. "Are you stalling for a draw?"
Ignoring Mochen's taunts, Nighteye stayed focused. Frustrated, Mochen made his move.
"Earth Release: Sand Whirlwind!"
A powerful gust of sand whipped around the arena, clouding Nighteye's vision. Using this opportunity, Mochen struck, hitting her with a barrage of shuriken followed by a powerful kick. Nighteye, unaccustomed to taking such heavy hits, fell in defeat.
"You should be honored I had to use this much chakra to beat you," Mochen smirked, clearly proud of his victory.
Daimaru stepped forward, checking on Nighteye's condition. She wasn't seriously injured, but it was his turn now. Calmly, he addressed the proctor.
"Shall we start?"
The battle commenced, but Mochen's confidence irked Daimaru. "Are you angry because I hurt your teammates?" Mochen sneered.
"No," Daimaru responded, cracking his knuckles. "I just don't like your smug face. Let's fix that."
In an instant, Daimaru moved, sending a wave of sand surging toward Mochen. Though Mochen managed to raise a sand wall in defense, Daimaru smashed through it with ease. His fist connected with Mochen's jaw, dislocating it, and sending him flying backward. Mochen barely had time to process what had happened before he blacked out.
"Winner: Daimaru!" the proctor declared, stunned by the speed of Daimaru's victory.
The final opponent stepped forward, a broad-shouldered genin with thick eyebrows and a confident demeanor.
"Don't lump me in with those two weaklings," the genin growled. "The one who's going to beat you is named Shachen—"
"Too much talking," Daimaru interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Shachen, huh? Funny, they call me Red Shachen. Maybe it's you who should change your name."