The moment Susanoo appeared, a commotion instantly erupted. The vast majority of the Ninjas present had never seen Susanoo before.
Not having seen it was one thing, but the real issue was that Susanoo itself looked both sinister and overwhelmingly powerful.
Uchiha Fugaku forcefully suppressed the urge to burst out laughing. Under the gazes of Hyuga Hiashi and the others, he briefly explained what Susanoo was.
They had already heard Jiraiya mention the Mangekyo Sharingan earlier, and now, upon learning about Susanoo as well, they were left utterly stunned.
The Uchiha Clan's Sharingan was simply too outrageous.
Hyuga Hiashi felt especially bitter.
Why didn't the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan have an evolution as well? Despite the Hyuga Clan being just as famous as the Uchiha Clan.
Kitazawa shook his head slightly. With Sasuke's strength, he could have defeated Kiba even without using Susanoo.
Most likely, Sasuke had deliberately used Susanoo to steal the spotlight.
After all, Ino, Choji, and Yakumo had all delivered outstanding performances earlier, and he clearly didn't want to be overshadowed.
By using Susanoo, he not only ended the fight quickly but also created a massive sensation.
Without a doubt, Sasuke's plan succeeded—he walked off the field with an extremely arrogant swagger.
"Second round, fifth match." After drawing the lots, Kitazawa announced, "Uzumaki Naruto versus Aburame Shino!"
Shino subconsciously adjusted his glasses. Without a doubt, this was a battle with virtually no chance of victory.
"Shino, you're just as unlucky as I am," Kiba said, patting him on the shoulder.
"Woof, woof, woof!" Akamaru barked in agreement.
In the previous match, before it could even react, it had been pinned down by Susanoo and completely unable to move, leaving a lasting psychological shadow on its canine life.
"Winning or losing doesn't matter. What matters is the youth of giving it your all!" Naruto said with a bright smile, giving a thumbs-up.
Shino nodded calmly. He truly didn't care much about winning or losing.
The two of them stepped onto the field.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto formed hand seals, and in an instant, more than a thousand Shadow Clones filled the arena.
The audience immediately burst into exclamations.
Even those who had seen it before were still shocked every single time by Naruto's terrifying Chakra reserves.
"Summoning Technique!" Shino summoned the Queen Bee.
"Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken!" Naruto shouted, and every Shadow Clone pulled out shuriken.
The wind roared as the sky was suddenly filled with spinning blades.
This scene was even more spectacular than when Tenten had used the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.
Shino shook his head helplessly. He commanded the Queen Bee to throw out a beehive to block in front of him.
But in the very next second, the beehive was pierced through by shuriken infused with Wind Release Chakra, instantly riddled with holes.
"Insect Wall Technique!"
Shino barely managed to control the Kikaichu to form a thick wall around himself.
The moment it formed, it was met with an overwhelming barrage of shuriken. In an instant, the wall was on the verge of collapse.
Seeing this, Shino leaped upward, riding the Queen Bee into mid-air.
He quickly formed hand seals and looked down.
"Honey Technique!" A massive swarm of Bees poured downward.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!" Naruto took one look and immediately shouted.
His Shadow Clones formed hand seals together, unleashing powerful gusts of wind toward the sky.
Shino's heart sank.
His original intention was to use beeswax to bind Naruto—but he hadn't expected Naruto to instantly switch from Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken to Wind Release: Gale Palm.
The Bees were blown apart by the violent winds, bursting mid-air.
Golden beeswax splattered everywhere, but instead of falling downward, it was blown straight back toward Shino.
Shino hurriedly maneuvered the Queen Bee to dodge.
"Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken!" Naruto and his Shadow Clones hurled another wave of shuriken.
Although the Queen Bee was fast, there were simply too many Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken.
It could only evade a portion of them. The rest were forcibly blocked by Shino using the Secret Technique: Insect Wall Technique.
However, just as before, the sheer number of Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken was overwhelming.
"I forfeit!" After holding out for a short while, Shino made the decisive call.
Naruto, still unsatisfied, dispelled the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
"Naruto's strength is getting more and more terrifying," Kiba remarked.
"Even without using Tailed Beast power, Naruto can still rank within the top three of the Genius Class," Shikamaru said calmly.
"Indeed." Ino nodded in agreement.
Sakura and the others followed suit, nodding one after another.
Sasuke felt a trace of regret.
Although Aburame Shino already possessed Jonin-level strength, he was no longer a match for Naruto.
From beginning to end, he hadn't forced Naruto to reveal his true power.
"Second round, sixth match." After announcing Naruto's victory, Kitazawa continued, "Hyuga Hinata versus Kimimaro!"
Kimimaro's eyes narrowed slightly. For him, this was bound to be a difficult battle.
His Shikotsumyaku countered taijutsu specialists extremely well—but Hinata was not a pure taijutsu Ninja.
She was also proficient in Bow Ninjutsu. The more Kimimaro thought about it, the more troublesome the match felt.
But since things had come to this point, he could only face it head-on. After all, forfeiting was not an option.
"Kimimaro, be careful," Jugo reminded him.
"Hinata, good luck!" Ino smiled as she encouraged Hinata.
Although Hinata was stronger, defeating Kimimaro would not be easy.
Neji remained calm.
Both he and Hinata had learned Yin Release Chakra Mode. He didn't believe Kimimaro stood a chance.
Hinata and Kimimaro stepped onto the battlefield.
"This battle is definitely going to be exciting," Nara Shikaku said as he watched.
"Shikotsumyaku and Byakugan are both extremely famous Bloodline Limits in the Ninja World," Jiraiya said with a grin. "If I remember correctly, the Hyuga Clan and the Kaguya Clan are actually related."
"Before the Kaguya Clan was wiped out, we did indeed have ties with them," Hyuga Hiashi admitted.
This wasn't much of a secret among Konoha's high-ranking officials.
"Who do you think will win?" Aburame Shibi asked curiously.
"Based on previous performances, Hinata holds a slight edge," Sarutobi Hiruzen paused before continuing, "But today, it's hard to say. Many students have already exceeded expectations."
"Old man, let's make a bet. I think Hinata will win," Tsunade said, lips curling faintly.
"Forget the bet. Winning or losing doesn't matter," Sarutobi Hiruzen refused without hesitation.
In truth, he also believed Hinata would prevail.
"Begin the battle!" Kitazawa's voice cut through the conversation.
Everyone's gaze locked onto the battlefield.
Shikotsumyaku: Ten Fingers Shooting Bullet!
Kimimaro raised both hands, and ten finger bones shot forward like white streaks. At the same time, he suddenly accelerated, charging straight toward Hinata.
Multiple Arrows! Hinata released the bowstring without hesitation.
A Yin Release Arrow flew out—and in the next instant split into ten Yin Release Arrows.
They precisely knocked away the ten finger bones, then sealed off the space around Kimimaro.
Kimimaro was forced to halt his advance.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Camellia!
He drew a bone blade from his body and slashed forward, cleaving through the Yin Release Arrows blocking his path.
Explosive Arrow!
Just as Kimimaro attempted to close the distance again, another Yin Release Arrow shot toward him.
Before it could even reach his body, it detonated.
Boom! An invisible spiritual shockwave rippled outward.
Kimimaro froze in place, dizziness washing over him, his senses momentarily thrown into chaos.
But his reactions were far from slow.
Cursed Seal of Earth: Stage Two!
He forcefully shook off the lingering effects of the Explosive Arrow and, in the blink of an eye, appeared directly in front of Hinata.
A flash of white blade light erupted. The bone blade in his hand slashed dozens of times in an instant.
Clang! Hinata raised the Moon Chasing Bow and barely managed to block the attack.
Spiral Arrow! She pulled the bowstring back in one smooth motion.
Kimimaro's heart skipped a beat. At such close range, even if he blocked it with his bones, the impact would be unbearable.
Body Flicker Technique!
Kimimaro dodged to the left. A spinning Yin Release Arrow flew past, grazing him by a hair's breadth.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata drew the bow once more. Nine Yin Release Arrows shot forth.
Kimimaro frowned. No matter where he landed, there was no way to escape their coverage.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Larch!
He made a decisive choice. Dozens of white bones erupted from his body in an instant.
He stopped retreating, turned around, and charged straight at Hinata.
The nine Yin Release Arrows struck him head-on—but all of them were blocked by the dense forest of bones covering his body.
Spiral Arrow! Hinata was startled, and another spinning Yin Release Arrow flew out.
Boom!
Kimimaro's momentum faltered, his body shuddering twice in succession.
Yet even the impressively powerful Spiral Arrow failed to leave a mark on his bones.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
Seeing this, Hinata put away the Moon Chasing Bow and surged forward, striking with both palms.
But the moment her first palm connected with Kimimaro's bones, she felt something terribly wrong.
A fierce counterforce surged back, numbing her arm instantly.
Kimimaro felt a brief sense of relief and immediately swung his bone blade toward her.
Hinata was forced to bring the Moon Chasing Bow back out. Her body jolted as she rapidly retreated.
Kimimaro pressed the advantage, relentlessly pursuing her.
"Is Hinata going to lose?" Disbelief crept onto Sakura's face.
"The hardness of those bones is terrifying." Ino immediately grasped the crux of the issue.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Larch was unquestionably the bane of all taijutsu specialists.
Kimimaro had used it in the first round as well, but because his opponent was Karin, the shock hadn't been as pronounced.
Now, facing Hinata—who consistently ranked among the top five of the Genius Class—the sheer terror of Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Larch was fully revealed.
"Shikotsumyaku's counter against taijutsu Ninjas is just too strong."
Shikamaru analyzed calmly. "Hinata's Bow Ninjutsu can't break through its defense either, which led to this situation."
"I didn't expect Kimimaro to have grown this much stronger, too," Kiba muttered.
"Can Hinata still win?" Tenten asked, watching Hinata fall into a clear disadvantage.
"From the current situation, it's difficult." Shino adjusted his glasses. "Unless Hinata is also hiding her strength… or perhaps she's learned a new Secret Technique."
"How could there be so many—" Sakura stopped mid-sentence, her eyes suddenly widening.
A somber aura surged skyward.
Sasuke, who had remained expressionless until now, raised an eyebrow.
His gaze instinctively snapped toward the source—Hinata. Terrifying Yin Release power erupted from the Moon Chasing Bow in her hand.
Kimimaro's breathing hitched as the surrounding temperature plummeted.
That wave of Yin Release Chakra quickly enveloped Hinata. Streams of air spiraled around her, accelerating rapidly.
Her short, bluish black hair fluttered violently—and in the next moment, turned jet black and grew long.
The Yin Release Chakra did not disperse; instead, it condensed into a hazy, veil-like layer coating her entire body.
In an instant, Hinata transformed—from a short-haired girl into a long-haired, mature woman, her entire presence radiating a cold, mysterious authority.
The entire Konoha Arena fell deathly silent.
"H-Hinata was really hiding her strength?" Ino asked in shock.
Sakura instinctively covered her mouth.
"The current Hinata… she carries the bearing of a true powerhouse." Karin couldn't help but comment.
Normally, Hinata gave off an impression of gentleness—but the Hinata before them now felt overwhelmingly powerful.
"This is just despair-inducing," Kiba complained bitterly. "How did all of you get this strong?"
"This is Yin Release Chakra Mode," Neji spoke calmly. "Simply put, it's a partial Tailed Beast transformation."
"Partial Tailed Beast transformation?" Shikamaru's thoughts raced. "Is she using Satori, sealed within the Moon Chasing Bow, as a Tailed Beast?"
"Then that means you've learned Yin Release Chakra Mode as well?" Tenten asked curiously.
"Yes." Neji nodded without hesitation.
Sasuke frowned. This Yin Release Chakra Mode gave him a faint sense of threat.
After all, he understood better than anyone how terrifying a partial Tailed Beast transformation could be.
Of course, Naruto's version would be on an entirely different level—with the Nine-Tails inside him.
In the spectator stands, the silence was finally shattered as voices erupted again.
"What kind of Ninjutsu is this?" Hyuga Hiashi asked instinctively.
"You don't know?" Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help but ask in return.
"…" Hyuga Hiashi was rendered momentarily speechless.
Logically speaking, Hinata was his daughter—he should have known. But this technique clearly didn't originate from the Hyuga Clan.
It was something taught by Kitazawa.
"It looks like a partial Tailed Beast transformation." Jiraiya observed carefully before speaking.
Everyone froze for a brief moment—then realization dawned.
"As expected of Kitazawa." Sarutobi Hiruzen praised sincerely.
Although in theory, the Satori sealed within the Moon Chasing Bow could be treated like a Tailed Beast, it wasn't one in the true sense.
For an ordinary Ninja, modifying it to the point where Hinata could achieve a partial Tailed Beast transformation would be extraordinarily difficult.
Tsunade chuckled softly but said nothing.
Jiraiya suddenly thought of the Child of Prophecy.
If the Great Toad Sage hadn't already declared that child to be his student, he might have suspected that Kitazawa himself was the Child of Prophecy.
Hyūga Hiashi grew visibly excited.
If Hinata could use a partial Tailed Beast transformation, then Hyūga Neji could as well.
With their talent combined with a partial Tailed Beast transformation, it was highly likely that both of them would possess Kage-level strength in the future.
In that case, the future of the Hyūga Clan was nothing short of limitless.
The battle in the arena continued.
After regaining his composure, Kimimaro launched another attack without hesitation.
Holding a bone blade in each hand and coordinating with the bones protruding from his entire body, he lunged toward Hinata like a living mass of spikes.
Hinata put away the Moon Chasing Bow. With a casual wave of her hand, nine Yin Release Arrows appeared out of thin air.
Kimimaro charged straight into them, just as he had before. But the moment of collision caused his expression to change drastically.
Terrifying power erupted from the Yin Release Arrows.
His entire body was forced backward.
Hinata waved her hand once more. Visible Yin Release power manifested in front of her.
Air currents spiraled wildly, rapidly forming a massive Rasengan-like sphere.
"Rasengan?" Kimimaro was stunned for a moment and instinctively dodged.
The sphere slammed into the ground, instantly blasting out a deep crater.
"What's going on? When did Hinata learn the Rasengan?" Kiba stared at the scene, completely bewildered.
"That's not the Rasengan." Naruto shook his head and said, "It just looks like one."
"Hinata is currently covered in Yin Release." Sasuke added, "This is Yin Release: Creation of All Things from Nothingness."
"Simply put, it's imitation and creation." Yakumo continued, "It's somewhat similar to my Genjutsu: Creation."
"This is practically invincible!" Ino exclaimed.
Even if it was only an imitation, with sufficient brute force and Yin Release power, it could easily surpass the original.
"She even has Wood Release?" Kiba's eyes widened in shock.
After dodging the imitation Rasengan, Kimimaro immediately accelerated, thrusting both bone blades toward Hinata.
Hinata clapped her hands together. A giant tree instantly rose up, blocking her front.
The massive tree trembled as thick branches shot out, reaching for Kimimaro.
Kimimaro reacted swiftly. His bone blades hacked through the branches, shattering them one after another.
Hinata casually waved her hand again.
Explosive Arrow!
Four Yin Release Arrows appeared in midair and detonated instantly.
Kimimaro froze in place, dizziness and disorientation washing over him.
Hinata did not press the attack. Instead, she raised both hands.
She mobilized the majority of the Yin Release power within her body.
The wind roared.
An immense surge of Yin Release power erupted outward, forming a Wood Dragon in the blink of an eye.
"What?!" Kimimaro had just regained his senses when he saw the familiar Wood Dragon charging straight at him.
His first thought was that Hinata had learned Kitazawa's Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique.
But upon closer inspection, he realized it wasn't true Wood Release—it was merely a construct formed entirely from pure Yin Release power.
Even so, it was more than troublesome enough.
Boom! Kimimaro was blasted backward by the Wood Dragon's impact.
Fortunately, his bones acted as a buffer, preventing any serious injury.
He scrambled to his feet and immediately began to run.
Hinata remained where she was, expressionless, calmly directing the Wood Dragon.
The Wood Dragon moved like a life-harvesting Shinigami, relentlessly pursuing Kimimaro.
"This can't go on!"
Kimimaro glanced around, gritted his teeth, and used Dance of the Clematis: Vine, a technique he had yet to fully master.
He bent forward, and his spine shot out like a chain, attempting to bind Hinata.
Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven! Hinata spun in place, knocking the spine aside with ease.
And because Kimimaro had paused to activate Shikotsumyaku: Iron Tree Dance, he was immediately ensnared by the Wood Dragon.
He struggled desperately, but it was completely futile.
"I forfeit." Feeling the increasingly terrifying constriction, Kimimaro finally spoke.
No matter how hard his bones were, he was still flesh and blood.
"The winner, Hyūga Hinata!" Kitazawa announced immediately.
"The current Hinata is terrifyingly strong!" Sakura watched the scene, completely dazed.
"She really is powerful." Yakumo nodded.
After activating Yin Release Chakra Mode, Hinata's strength was no longer inferior to hers.
Of course, that was only in terms of Yin Release power and Chakra. With her Illusion Bloodline Limit, Yakumo still held the advantage.
"It's a good thing I'm graduating soon." Kiba sighed. "If I stayed in the Genius Class any longer, I'd lose all my confidence."
Tayuya bit her lip. She had thought that obtaining the Cursed Seal of Earth would improve her ranking in the Genius Class.
Instead, reality proved the opposite. Forget moving up—just maintaining her current position was already a stroke of luck.
Sasuke felt a trace of vigilance.
Judging by Hinata's performance, defeating her without going all out would not be easy.
However, while she was a threat, she still hadn't reached the level where he found her unmanageable.
"This is only the second round." Sakura said self-consciously, "There's a high chance I won't make it to the third round."
Six matches had already been completed in the second round. Only three people remained to fight.
Herself, Rock Lee, and Hyūga Neji.
Rock Lee possessed the Eight Gates.
Hyūga Neji had the Yin Release Chakra Mode.
Even though she had learned Chakra Enhanced Strength, she was still powerless to change the outcome.
"It's fine." Ino comforted her. "Even though I made it to the third round, it's not much different from not making it at all."
In terms of strength, she was among the weaker ones of those who advanced.
"Second round, seventh match: Hyūga Neji versus Sakura!" Kitazawa paused before adding, "Rock Lee gets a bye!"
"What must come will come," Sakura said, looking utterly resigned.
Sasuke glanced at her, unsure of what to say. If she couldn't win, she couldn't win—no words would change that.
"You're a Medical Ninja." Ino smiled. "It doesn't matter if you lose."
"That's true." Sakura encouraged herself and walked into the arena.
Neji stood opposite her and took out the Fate-Breaking Bow.
Once the battle began, Sakura was immediately placed in a difficult position. She couldn't close the distance at all.
Even when she used Water Release Ninjutsu to counterattack, Neji effortlessly dodged.
After all, he possessed the Byakugan. Unless Sakura's speed was overwhelming, he would always be able to react.
After a brief exchange, Sakura took the initiative to forfeit, bringing the second round to an end.
"The students advancing to the third round are Ino, Chōji, Yakumo, Sasuke, and Naruto." Kitazawa stood in the arena and read slowly, "Hinata, Neji, and Rock Lee."
"All eight of these students possess at least Jonin-level strength."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said with deep emotion. "This has never happened since the founding of Konoha Village."
"It truly is astonishing." Jiraiya agreed.
"Their future achievements will inevitably surpass our own." Yamanaka Inoichi said with great satisfaction.
After all, his daughter, Ino, was among them.
Although she wasn't as outstanding as some of the others, she had already surpassed the vast majority of her peers.
"This is all thanks to Kitazawa." Tsunade reminded them.
Everyone froze for a moment—then nodded in unison. However, there was no jealousy.
First, because this situation truly existed because of Kitazawa.
Second, because Kitazawa was about to become the Sixth Hokage.
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Read the complete novel on P@treon: P@treon / Arvinstorm
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