'TRASH… PURE SHIT!'
Yagura remained motionless, but his face reflected his mood—a mixture of contained fury and a disturbing darkness in his expression. His fists were clenched over the arms of his seat, and although he tried to maintain composure, his gaze burned with an unmistakable thirst for blood.
His eyes were fixed on Gen.
The battle that had just unfolded in the arena had only reaffirmed his fears. Like the Third Raikage, Yagura could not ignore the potential he had just witnessed.
Gen was not only powerful but also young and still growing—a combination that, over time, could become a threat to anyone unprepared to face him.
But more than fear, what he felt was contempt. He could not accept an outcome like this.
Amid the thunderous uproar, Dodai finally reacted. Until that moment, he had been paralyzed by the impression left on him by the brutality and precision of the fight. But realizing it was his responsibility to give the verdict, he hurried forward, announcing that the battle had been won by Gen.
The system of the final test of the Chūnin Exam allowed for two ways to determine the victor: either the opponent was rendered unable to continue, as had happened in this case, or the fighter himself admitted defeat before reaching that point.
And Gen never gave Kisame that option.
It wasn't because he considered Kisame fast enough to force him to use the "Flaming Lotus Step" but simply because he wasn't going to allow him to surrender.
Kuu's death still weighed on him. It didn't matter whether it had been his direct responsibility or a matter of honor for his clan. What mattered was that Kisame had to pay.
Once the battle was over, he left the arena and returned to the waiting area through the designated passage for participants.
Upon arrival, he immediately felt the tension.
Six pairs of eyes were on him, and though no one said anything, the fear in their gazes was evident. The difference between them and Touwo was clear—while the others watched him with absolute fear, Touwo looked at him with a different kind of interest.
Sometimes, the simplest abilities are the most terrifying.
The Flaming Lotus Step and the Strength Jutsu were techniques that, on their own, were already devastating. But when combined, they achieved something more than simply adding extreme speed to extreme strength.
Without paying attention to the terrified candidates, Gen sat back in his place and casually conversed with Touwo, who was interested in befriending him.
It was natural that he wanted to befriend Gen.
Even without considering the Uchiha clan, Gen alone was enough for many people to want to form a friendship with him.
Likewise, Gen had no objections to befriending Touwo.
His strength was considerable, and he was also a genius of the Akamichi clan, which naturally made him a target of interest.
After a brief pause to allow the crowd to process the intensity of the previous battle, Dodai's voice once again resonated throughout the arena, announcing the start of the second match.
The contenders for this round were Maiko Kurokawa and Rin, two kunoichi.
The crowd fell silent for a moment as both made their entrance into the arena.
Puppet masters originated in Sunagakure and were created by the Second Kazekage. Therefore, in Sunagakure, puppeteers formed a large group.
Upon reaching the center of the field, Maiko unrolled two scrolls in a swift motion. With a flash of smoke, two puppets appeared—one in the shape of a tiger and the other in the shape of a hawk.
On the other hand, Rin made no visible preparations. She remained motionless, her arms relaxed at her sides and her expression impassive, patiently waiting for her opponent's first move.
The "Ice Release" of her Yuki Clan, even among the many Kekkei Genkai, ranks among the best.
Knowing that Rin belonged to the Yuki Clan was reason enough not to let one's guard down. For this reason, Maiko made thorough preparations before the battle.
Just like in the previous fight, Dodai immediately announced the start of the match as soon as both took their positions and then withdrew to the edge of the field in the blink of an eye.
Maiko moved first.
Her fingers moved in a strange manner, and her puppets responded instantly.
'Ice Release: Crystal Wall'
As the tiger lunged at Rin, her hands moved quickly, forming a precise sequence of seals.
Boom
The tiger struck with all its might, its claws furiously tearing at the ice's surface but failing to break through completely. The wall only cracked but did not give way.
However, Maiko did not rely on a single attack.
She moved the fingers of her other hand, activating the hawk that had gained altitude. From its beak, a rain of poisoned needles shot straight toward Rin, who retreated hastily.
One of the main combat methods of puppeteers is to coat their weapons with poison, which is why many ninjas lose and die when facing them.
But Rin's reaction was quick. At the last moment, just as the rain of needles was about to reach her, she spun on herself and abruptly changed direction, completely evading the attack.
The needles struck the ground behind her, sinking into the earth. Immediately, the poison began to seep into the surface, staining the sand with a strange bluish-purple hue that sent chills down anyone's spine.
Barely after dodging the poisoned needles, Rin used the momentum of her movement to spin again, this time forming more seals with speed.
Several ice spears began to form around her, floating for a second before shooting forward with devastating speed toward Maiko.
Maiko, who was still controlling her puppets, reacted quickly, withdrawing the mechanical tiger with a single hand movement.
The mechanism in the tiger's head activated, and in an instant, the puppet transformed into a defensive shield.
The ice spears struck the barrier with great force. One after another, they clashed against the surface, generating a sharp sound and a vibration that resonated throughout the arena.
But the shield held.
'Ice Body Flicker'
With a glint in Rin's eyes, she became a flash of freezing cold, her body gliding over the ground as if the winter breeze itself was pushing her forward.
The greatest weakness of a puppeteer is that they concentrate all their power into their puppets, limiting their personal combat abilities.
Therefore, to defeat a puppeteer, there are two options: destroy their puppets or attack their core—that is, target the puppeteer directly.
Rin's combat method was the latter.
However, Maiko obviously knew this as well, so she did not give her the chance to get close. With her exceptional skill in puppet manipulation, the two she controlled remained in constant motion, preventing Rin from approaching.
Although this fight did not have the brutality of Gen and Kisame's clash, its dynamism and level of strategy made it even more exciting.
While the previous battle had been a one-sided crush, where Gen overwhelmed Kisame without giving him a chance to react, this duel was much more balanced.
In terms of strength, neither Maiko nor Rin posed a threat to Gen, yet he still observed the fight with great attention.
So far, the opponents he had faced were relatively few, and both the puppeteer and the one with the "Ice Release" Kekkei Genkai had abilities worth knowing. Even without directly participating in the battle, watching it was enough to broaden his knowledge.
Moreover, there are many factors in a fight, and strength is only the foundation. The understanding of intelligence and abilities also plays a crucial role.
Only with sufficient knowledge could Gen make better judgments and responses when encountering puppeteers or the Yuki Clan in the future.
The fierce battle continued, and the fight between Maiko and Rin was so intense that it lasted nearly an hour before finally coming to an end.
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