"Third round, third match: Sasuke vs. Yamanaka Ino!"
Kitazawa snapped back to himself and raised his voice.
"Ino, good luck."
Sakura leaned over to look at Ino and spoke up.
"Why aren't you cheering for Sasuke?"
Ino stared at her, surprised. "Huh? Why not?"
"Because Sasuke-kun will definitely win. There's no need to cheer." Sakura said it flatly, without hesitation.
"..."
Ino was left speechless.
It did make sense—but it was incredibly irritating to hear.
"When did Sakura learn to reverse-cheer like that?" Kiba snorted, unable to hold back a laugh.
Sakura's lips twitched.
She really wasn't a jinx!
"The fact that Ino made it this far already puts her way above us," Shikamaru commented, hands laced behind his head.
"That's true." Ino shot Sakura a sidelong glance, then lifted her chin proudly. "At least I made it to the third round."
"..."
Sakura was so angry her chest hurt.
On the field, Sasuke and Ino took their positions.
Both of them were outwardly calm.
Sasuke was certain he would win. Ino was just as certain she would lose.
Super Beast Imitating Drawing!
Ino hesitated for a moment, then abandoned the idea of using standard genjutsu.
Against an Uchiha, conventional illusions were almost useless.
Two giant ink lions burst from her scroll, taking shape midair and lunging at Sasuke.
Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan spun to life.
He drew the thunder god sword and stepped in to meet them.
Effortlessly, he slipped past their strikes, the blade flashing as he split open their bellies with clean, precise cuts.
His gaze shifted back to Ino, and he swung his sword.
Brilliant lightning burst from the thunder god sword, cutting through the air toward her.
Ino dodged, fingers flying through hand seals.
Ninja Art: Mind Butterfly!
An invisible mental shockwave shot toward Sasuke.
"Too slow."
Sasuke's speed spiked; he slid past the attack as if he'd seen it coming a mile away.
Konoha Style: Willow!
Lightning danced around his right hand as the Thunder God Sword blurred, afterimages overlapping into a forest of phantom blades.
Ino's body went rigid as the genjutsu caught her.
Fortunately, her reaction was sharp; she broke the illusion almost immediately and used the Konoha Body Flicker Technique to retreat.
She reappeared at a safer distance, landed, and formed another set of seals—Darkness Genjutsu.
But Sasuke clearly saw every movement of her hands. The moment the pattern clicked in his eyes, his figure flickered and vanished.
Amenojitakara!
He reappeared behind Ino, sword already raised.
"I… I surrender."
Ino froze, then forced the words out decisively.
The gap between her and Sasuke was too vast. Super Beast Imitating Drawing and Darkness Genjutsu simply couldn't bridge it.
Sasuke nodded and sheathed the thunder god sword.
Beating Ino didn't give him any sense of accomplishment.
The real battles were still ahead.
At this stage of the graduation exam, everyone left was someone who could threaten him.
The greatest threat was naturally Naruto, followed by Yakumo, Neji, and Hinata.
"The winner: Sasuke!"
Kitazawa promptly announced the result.
Sasuke and Ino walked off the field.
"Third round, fourth match: Kurama Yakumo vs. Hyuga Hinata!"
Kitazawa called out the next pairing.
"Good luck, both of you!" Ino clenched her fist and cheered.
Before, she would have bet on Yakumo without hesitation. Now, she wasn't so sure.
Hinata's Yin Release Chakra Mode didn't seem any weaker than Yakumo's genjutsu-based Bloodline Limit.
"Thank you," Yakumo replied, expression even.
"Th-Thank you," Hinata echoed softly.
The two stepped onto the field.
"I wonder who'll win," someone murmured.
Shikaku smiled. "This one's really hard to call."
"I think Yakumo has a higher chance," Fugaku said after a moment's thought.
He knew very well how terrifying mangekyo-level ocular techniques were.
"That's not necessarily true," Tsunade replied calmly. "With Yin Release Chakra Mode, Hinata has the qualifications to contend with Yakumo."
Hiashi had been about to speak up for his daughter, but with Tsunade saying it first, there was no need to add more.
"Besides, Hinata has the Moon-Chasing Bow," Hiruzen added with a small chuckle. "A Jinchuriki is very difficult to keep trapped in genjutsu."
The implication clicked for everyone.
Yin Release Chakra Mode was an imitation of Partial Tailed Beast Transformation.
Satori could help Hinata break out of any illusion.
Hinata stared at Yakumo across from her, sinking into deep thought.
The most troublesome thing about Yakumo was that she could drag her target into a genjutsu without any warning.
It was one of the abilities of her Genjutsu Kekkei Genkai, Horror Illusion.
The graduation exam was being held at the Konoha Arena.
The arena was wide open like a giant playground; there was nowhere to hide from Yakumo's line of sight.
Under normal circumstances, there was only one way to avoid falling into Horror Illusion: close your eyes and avoid her gaze.
And if there were "normal" circumstances, then there were also special ones.
The essence of a battle between genjutsu users was to see whose Yin Release power was stronger.
In other words, if someone's Yin Release Power could match Yakumo's, they could either resist being dragged into Horror Illusion or break free from it quickly.
Hinata unconsciously tightened her grip on the Moon Chasing Bow.
She chose to use both methods at once.
Yin Release Chakra Mode!
The moment the battle began, she completed her transformation.
A massive surge of Yin Release power wrapped around her, chakra currents whipping her long hair into a wild dance.
Yakumo frowned slightly.
Facing the eye‑closed Hinata, she found herself unable to find an opening for an instant.
But fortunately, she was no longer who she used to be.
Even without using Horror Illusion, her overall strength wouldn't be affected much.
And with Hinata keeping her eyes shut, she couldn't use her Byakugan.
Once the Byakugan was activated, a line of sight would be established; in terms of genjutsu, it was no different from opening her eyes.
Without her Byakugan, Hinata's combat power dropped significantly.
In short, both sides had taken a hit.
"Multiple Arrows!"
Hinata held the Moon Chasing Bow, but instead of drawing it, she conjured nine Yin Release Arrows out of thin air.
After entering Yin Release Chakra Mode, she no longer actually needed the bow.
However, because her opponent was Yakumo, she had to keep holding it.
Satori was sealed within the Moon Chasing Bow.
Satori possessed the ability to sense a target's emotions.
With her eyes closed, Hinata needed Satori's power to lock onto Yakumo's position.
On top of that, Satori could also help her dispel genjutsu.
After all, a Jinchuriki had no fear of genjutsu—
Unless both the Jinchuriki and the Tailed Beast were caught in the illusion at the same time.
Without Yin Release Chakra Mode, Yakumo might really have been able to do that.
"Illusion Technique: True Life!"
Yakumo flung out a painting scroll.
A wave of scorching heat spread through the air.
A massive fireball roared forth, smashing into the nine Yin Release Arrows.
The impact threw them into an immediate stalemate.
The fireball looked like Fire Release, but in truth, it was still Yin Release.
Yin Release clashed with Yin Release, and in the end there was only an invisible explosion. The fireball and the Yin release arrows shattered and scattered in all directions.
"Super Beast Imitating Drawing!"
Right after tossing out the first scroll, Yakumo unfurled a second.
A gigantic eagle tore its way out of the ink, appearing in mid‑air.
It dived with a shriek, its razor‑sharp claws reaching for Hinata.
Hinata raised her hand.
Her Yin Release power mimicked Lightning Release: Chidori Senbon, transforming into a sky full of needles that riddled the eagle's body.
"Super Beast Imitating Drawing!"
With a flick of her brush, Yakumo sent countless venomous snakes surging across the ground toward Hinata like a living tide.
Hinata brought her right hand down.
Her Yin release power condensed, manifesting as a towering mountain.
Boom!
The translucent mountain slammed into the ground, crushing the snakes and gouging out a deep crater.
But the swarm wasn't completely annihilated; the surviving snakes sprang out of the debris, shooting toward Hinata like arrows.
"Multiple Arrows!"
Unhurried, Hinata summoned twenty‑one Yin Release Arrows, each one finding its mark and skewering a snake.
Yakumo's eyes narrowed.
She had confirmed one thing.
In Yin Release Chakra Mode, Hinata's Yin Release Power was on par with her own.
If they continued to clash like this, it wouldn't be easy to determine a winner in a short time.
Yakumo glanced at Hinata's closed eyes.
Without her Byakugan, she had lost her 360‑degree field of vision.
"Super Beast Imitating Drawing!"
Yakumo gathered a massive amount of Yin Release Power without hesitation.
Animals burst into existence with Yakumo as the center point, flooding the arena in an instant.
The Konoha Arena became cramped and chaotic.
With a single thought from Yakumo, the beasts surged toward Hyuga Hinata from every direction.
While Hinata was distracted by the charging animals, her figure scattered into a swirl of leaves and vanished.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata raised her hand.
Countless Yin Release arrows materialized around her, filling the air like a black storm.
They shot out together, cutting down the beasts in the lead one after another.
But the ones behind didn't stop. They trampled over the fallen and kept charging.
In the blink of an eye, they were already upon her.
At the critical moment, Hinata mimicked Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave.
Her Yin Release power erupted like a surging tide, sweeping out in all directions and engulfing the onrushing animals.
At that same moment, Yakumo appeared behind her.
She ripped open a painting scroll, and countless sharp arrows poured out, forming a rain of projectiles that swallowed Hinata's figure.
"Did it work?"
Yakumo's eyes narrowed on instinct.
But an instant later, a massive hole blasted open in the rain of arrows.
A spiraling current of chakra spun into her field of vision.
Eight Trigrams Palms: Revolving Heaven.
Yakumo immediately hurled out a second scroll.
The air around them heated up.
Waves of flame erupted from the scroll, surging toward Hinata like a living inferno.
Hinata cut off Revolving Heaven at once. Her Yin Release power gushed out, reshaping itself into a massive Wood Dragon.
The dragon coiled protectively around her, its huge body taking the brunt of the flames.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata drew a breath and instantly formed nine Yin Release arrows, not pausing for even a heartbeat.
Shadow Exchange Jutsu!
Yakumo vanished from sight—more precisely, she slipped into the surrounding shadows.
The nine Yin Release arrows crashed uselessly into the ground, failing to inflict any real damage.
Yakumo quietly exhaled.
Then she suddenly remembered: Satori was sealed within Hinata's moon chasing bow.
Satori could sense emotions. That was why her earlier sneak attack had failed.
Yakumo hadn't thought of it sooner because Hinata hadn't used that emotion-sensing ability in a long time.
The last time had been when the moon chasing bow first appeared.
With that realization, Yakumo forced herself to steady her breathing and calm her heart, slipping into a state of complete stillness.
Almost immediately, Hinata felt Yakumo's presence blur and fade.
'So she's figured it out.'
Hinata formed hand seals without hesitation.
Shadow Clone Technique!
Smoke flashed and cleared, leaving two Shadow Clones standing at her left and right.
Using her clones as extra sets of eyes, Hinata quickly pinpointed Yakumo's location.
With a casual sweep of her hand, she sent the Wood Dragon lunging forward.
The ground shook with its movement.
Yakumo hurriedly released the Shadow Exchange Jutsu.
Horror Illusion!
She instantly dragged Hinata's two Shadow Clones into a genjutsu.
At the same time, her hand tightened around her brush.
Super Beast Imitating Drawing!
An enormous tiger sprang out of the scroll, its body no less massive than the Wood Dragon's, and it crashed into the dragon head-on.
Hinata dispelled the Shadow Clone Technique.
The two clones vanished, taking Yakumo's illusion with them.
"It seems it'll ultimately come down to who has more Yin Release power."
Yakumo looked at Hinata and spoke slowly.
As soon as she finished, she used Super Beast Imitating Drawing again.
A dense pack of beasts leaped out from the scroll and charged Hinata in a wave.
Hinata raised her hand in response.
Her Yin Release power mimicked all kinds of Ninjutsu, cutting down the summoned beasts one after another.
For a time, the two of them were like opposing turrets, bombarding each other without pause.
Yakumo watched Hinata closely, her suspicions gradually solidifying.
Their Yin Release power might be comparable, but Hinata would be the first to hit her limit.
Her Yin Release came from Satori sealed within the moon chasing bow, not from her own reserves.
As time passed, it would place a heavy burden on her body.
In that sense, it wasn't so different from being a Jinchuriki.
Yakumo was different.
Her Yin Release power was her own, so the strain on her body was far lighter.
"The situation is a bit unfavorable for Hinata."
Hiruzen had noticed the same thing.
"Under normal circumstances, this minor drawback wouldn't matter much," Jiraiya said slowly, "But when you're up against an opponent of equal strength, that drawback becomes the deciding factor between victory and defeat."
Hiashi's brows knit together as he tried to think of a countermeasure.
Nothing came to mind.
At this point, Hinata's strength had already surpassed his own.
Trying to find a solution within the limits of the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist and Byakugan was, naturally, pointless.
"Hinata has already done very well," Shikaku sighed. "It's just that Yakumo's genjutsu Kekkei Genkai is too strong."
Fugaku couldn't help but nod.
To be born with genjutsu on par with the Mangekyo Sharingan—this Kekkei Genkai was, in some ways, even more outrageous than the Sharingan itself.
Fortunately, it was extremely difficult to awaken, and there were no gradual stages of evolution.
That was why the Kurama Clan had declined.
The Uchiha Clan, on the other hand, could still produce many powerful shinobi through the regular Sharingan, even without the Mangekyo.
"If this continues, Hinata will lose," Shibi said after a brief pause. "Unless she's mastered some new ninjutsu."
Hiashi's heart sank at his words.
He, too, felt that Hinata had almost no chance of turning this around.
Thinking it over, the Byakugan and Gentle Fist that the Hyuga Clan prided themselves on had contributed almost nothing in this fight.
Hiashi let out a quiet sigh.
Compared to the Uchiha, the Hyuga clan lacked peak-level experts who could contend with the Mangekyo Sharingan.
On the field, Hinata's breathing grew rapid.
Maintaining the Yin Release Chakra Mode for so long was taking a toll on her body.
She knew she couldn't drag this out any further.
Aside from the World-Ending Arrow, she had no other ninjutsu that could shift the flow of battle.
But the power of the World-Ending Arrow was too great.
One concern was that it might seriously injure Yakumo. The other was that it might fail to achieve the desired effect.
If that happened, she would no longer be able to use the moon-chasing bow or maintain the Yin Release Chakra Mode.
Hinata's gaze drifted subconsciously toward Kitazawa.
Should she just surrender?
Yet she felt she hadn't truly gone all out.
If she gave up here, she would be letting Kitazawa down.
Then, a thought flashed through her mind.
In Yin Release Chakra Mode, she could freely manipulate Satori's Yin Release power.
In that case… could she create a weaker version of the World-Ending Arrow?
She only needed enough power to wipe out all the animals Yakumo had summoned in a single strike.
That would create an opening for a surprise attack.
With that in mind, Hinata immediately drew her bow and set an arrow to the string.
The chakra coating her body began to surge, and currents of air, like gathering wind, flowed toward the moon-chasing bow.
"…What's going on?" Yakumo felt a sudden unease.
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