Hayashi Ren's words weren't meant to mock Kiba Inuzuka.
But to Kiba, they absolutely sounded like mockery.
Fuming with rage, Kiba shouted,
"You're done for! I'm gonna show you just how powerful the great Kiba Inuzuka really is, you worthless benchwarmer!"
Ren just smiled without replying.
He wasn't actually twelve years old, and certainly wasn't going to waste energy arguing with someone like Kiba.
But the same couldn't be said for the girls on his team.
Naruko and the others were visibly fuming.
Their expressions darkened immediately. If it weren't for the rules of the match, they probably would've pinned Kiba to the ground and pummeled him a hundred times over.
Naruko was just about to clap back when the system's voice echoed through the space:
[Ding—All players, please select your two support abilities.]
[Available Support Skills: Smite, Flash, Ignite, Teleport, Mark, Haste, Heal, Clarity, Barrier, Cleanse, Exhaust.]
[Each player may choose two different support abilities.]
The moment the announcement ended, shinobi across the world instantly grasped the concept and functions of these support abilities.
The entire Shinobi World was stunned once again.
Support skills? Mobility, healing, energy replenishment, control… this battlefield is way more complex than expected!
But Hayashi Ren, who had previous knowledge of these abilities, wasn't the least bit surprised.
He casually picked Flash and Smite, then quickly locked in his choices without hesitation.
Naruko noticed and was just about to copy his setup when Ren turned to her and said:
"Naruko, you should take Flash and Ignite. It fits your style better."
"O-Okay!"
Naruko cheerfully complied, picking Flash and Ignite without a second thought.
Sasuko followed suit and chose the same setup—Flash and Ignite.
Hinata hesitated for a moment before thoughtfully selecting Heal and Clarity.
That gave Hayashi Ren pause. He turned to look at her, intrigued.
Heal restores health and grants speed... Clarity replenishes chakra. So she's not planning to go on the offensive at all.
When Hinata noticed him looking her way, her face flushed pink and she quickly lowered her head, her fingers nervously twiddling.
Ren chuckled softly to himself.
Still so shy. She's adorable.
He shifted his attention away from Hinata and glanced over at Shino.
Shino had chosen Teleport and Exhaust.
When he noticed Ren looking his way, he calmly adjusted his glasses and asked:
"Is something the matter, Ren?"
"No, I was just curious about your support skill choices," Ren replied with a warm smile.
"I plan to use them to support the team as best I can," Shino said matter-of-factly.
"Very smart," Ren nodded approvingly.
Typical Shino—always thoughtful. Even in the very first match, he's already thinking strategically about supporting the team.
Ren made a mental note of it and then looked across at their opponents—specifically, Shikamaru.
Although only the list of enemy players was visible and not their chosen skills, Ren couldn't help but wonder:
This is Shikamaru's first match too… I wonder how someone with an IQ of 200 is going to lead his team. How will he coordinate Ino and the others?
Before he could think on it further, the MOBA system voice rang out again:
[Ding—All players have selected their skills. Now entering the MOBA battlefield.]
A flash of light enveloped them as Ren and the rest were transported into the battle map.
Blue Team:
Top Lane: Shino
Mid Lane: Sasuko
Bot Lane: Naruko & Hinata
Jungle: Hayashi Ren
Red Team:
Top Lane: Kiba Inuzuka
Mid Lane: Shikamaru Nara
Bot Lane: Choji Akimichi & Ino Yamanaka
Jungle: Sakura Haruno