Hinata looked at Yakumo standing opposite her and fell into deep thought.
The most troublesome aspect of Yakumo was her ability to drag a target into genjutsu without any warning.
This was one of the innate powers of her Genjutsu type Kekkei Genkai—Terrifying Illusion.
The graduation exam was being held in the Konoha Arena.
The Konoha Arena was like an open playground; there was nowhere to hide from Yakumo's line of sight.
Under normal circumstances, there was only one way to avoid being caught by Terrifying Illusion—close one's eyes and avoid making eye contact with her.
But where there were normal circumstances, there were also special ones.
The essence of a battle between genjutsu specialists was ultimately a contest of Yin Release power.
In other words, if one possessed Yin Release power comparable to Yakumo's, they could either resist Terrifying Illusion entirely or dispel it in an instant.
Hinata subconsciously tightened her grip on the Moon Chasing Bow. She chose to use both methods at once.
Yin Release Chakra Mode!
The instant the battle began, she completed her transformation.
A vast surge of Yin Release power enveloped her, Chakra currents flowing violently as her long hair fluttered wildly in the air.
Yakumo frowned slightly. Facing Hinata with her eyes closed, she found herself momentarily unable to find an opening.
But fortunately, she was no longer who she once was. Even without using Terrifying Illusion, her overall strength would not be affected.
Moreover, with Hinata closing her eyes, it meant she could no longer use the Byakugan.
Activating the Byakugan required establishing a line of sight—there was no difference between having her eyes closed or open.
Without the Byakugan, Hinata's combat ability would be significantly reduced. In short, both sides had taken a hit.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata held the Moon Chasing Bow, yet did not draw it. Instead, nine Yin Release Arrows formed out of thin air.
After entering Yin Release Chakra Mode, she no longer needed the Moon Chasing Bow to fire arrows.
However, since her opponent was Yakumo, she had to keep hold of the Moon Chasing Bow at all times.
Because Satori was sealed within it, and Satori possessed the ability to sense emotions.
With her eyes closed, Hinata relied on Satori to determine Yakumo's position. Beyond that, Satori could also assist her in dispelling genjutsu.
After all, a Jinchūriki is not afraid of genjutsu unless both the Jinchūriki and the Tailed Beast are controlled at the same time.
Without Yin Release Chakra Mode, Yakumo could indeed have accomplished that.
Genjutsu: Creation!
Yakumo directly flung out a painted scroll.
Scorching heat spread through the air. A massive fireball slammed toward the nine Yin Release Arrows.
The two collided head-on, instantly entering a stalemate.
This fireball appeared to be Fire Release, but in truth, it was still Yin Release.
Yin Release clashed against Yin Release, resulting in an invisible explosion that sent both the fireball and the arrows scattering in all directions.
Super Beast Imitating Drawing!
After throwing the first scroll, Yakumo pulled out another.
An enormous eagle materialized out of thin air. It dove from above, sharp claws tearing through the air as it lunged at Hinata.
Hinata raised her hand.
Her Yin Release power mimicked Lightning Release: Chidori Senbon, transforming into a sky filled with senbon that pierced straight through the eagle.
Super Beast Imitating Drawing!
With a flick of her brush, Yakumo summoned countless venomous snakes from the ground, swarming toward Hinata.
Hinata swung her right hand downward. Yin Release power condensed rapidly, forming a mountain.
Boom!
The translucent mountain crashed down, obliterating the snakes and carving a deep crater into the arena floor.
Yet the snakes were not completely wiped out. The remnants leaped upward, shooting toward Hinata like sharp arrows.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata calmly summoned twenty-one Yin Release Arrows, piercing every remaining snake without exception.
Yakumo's gaze 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 clashing like this, it would be impossible to decide a winner in a short period of time.
Yakumo glanced at Hinata's closed eyes. Without the Byakugan, she had lost her three-hundred-and-sixty-degree field of vision.
Super Beast Imitating Drawing!
Yakumo mobilized a vast amount of Yin Release power without hesitation.
In an instant, all kinds of animals appeared around her. The Konoha Arena suddenly became densely packed.
With a single thought from Yakumo, all the summoned beasts surged toward Hinata from every direction.
Konoha-Style Body Flicker Technique!
As the beasts closed in, Hinata transformed into leaves and vanished from her position.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata raised her hand. A sky filled with Yin Release Arrows appeared around her.
The arrows shot out simultaneously, dropping the front ranks of beasts one after another.
Yet those behind them continued 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 surged outward like a tidal flood, drowning the charging beasts.
Just then, Yakumo appeared behind her.
She tore open another scroll, and countless sharp arrows poured down like a torrential rain, instantly enveloping Hinata.
"Did it work?" Yakumo's eyes narrowed instinctively.
But in the next instant, a massive hole was blasted through the rain of arrows.
A rotating current of Chakra entered Yakumo's vision—Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.
Yakumo threw out yet another scroll without hesitation.
The surrounding temperature spiked. Flames spread continuously, sweeping toward Hinata.
Hinata immediately halted the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.
Her Yin Release power erupted once more, transforming into a Wood Dragon.
The Wood Dragon coiled tightly, its massive body blocking the oncoming flames.
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata took a steady breath and immediately formed nine Yin Release Arrows without pause.
Shadow Replacement Jutsu!
Yakumo vanished from her position. More precisely, she merged into the shadows themselves.
The nine Yin Release Arrows struck the ground one after another, failing to inflict any real damage.
Yakumo exhaled softly.
She suddenly remembered something. Satori was sealed within Hinata's Moon Chasing Bow.
Satori possessed the ability to sense emotions. That was why her sneak attack had failed just now.
The only reason Yakumo had overlooked this was that Hinata had not used that ability for a very long time.
The last time had been when the Moon Chasing Bow first appeared.
Realizing this, Yakumo forcibly calmed her emotions, entering a state of complete tranquility.
Hinata immediately sensed that Yakumo's position had become blurred. It seemed Yakumo had figured it out.
Hinata formed hand seals without hesitation. Shadow Clone Technique!
Smoke billowed and dispersed as two Shadow Clones appeared to her left and right.
Using the Shadow Clones as her eyes, Hinata instantly pinpointed Yakumo's location. With a casual wave of her hand, the Wood Dragon surged forward.
The ground trembled violently.
Yakumo hurriedly released Shadow Replacement Jutsu once more.
Terrifying Illusion! Yakumo instantly pulled Hinata's two Shadow Clones into the genjutsu.
At the same time, she tightened her grip on the paintbrush. Super Beast Imitating Drawing!
An equally massive tiger materialized out of thin air, roaring as it collided head-on with Hinata's Wood Dragon, the two enormous constructs entangling in midair.
Hinata decisively dispelled the Shadow Clone Technique.
The two Shadow Clones vanished at once, slipping free from Yakumo's illusion.
"It seems this will ultimately come down to who has more Yin Release power," Yakumo said slowly, her gaze fixed on Hinata.
The moment she finished speaking, she once again activated Super Beast Imitating Drawing.
A dense swarm of beasts burst forth from the scroll, surging toward Hinata in an overwhelming tide.
Hinata raised her hand in response.
Her Yin Release power flowed freely as she mimicked various Ninjutsu, annihilating the charging beasts one after another.
For a moment, the two of them were like living fortresses, bombarding each other relentlessly.
Yakumo continued to watch Hinata closely, gradually confirming her judgment.
Although their Yin Release power was roughly equal, Hinata would be the first to reach her limit.
Because her Yin Release power originated from Satori sealed within the Moon Chasing Bow, not from her own body.
Over time, this would place an immense burden on her. In this regard, it was similar to being a Jinchūriki.
Yakumo, however, was different. Her Yin Release power belonged entirely to herself, and the strain it caused was far smaller.
"The situation is becoming unfavorable for Hinata," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, having noticed the issue.
"Under normal circumstances, this flaw wouldn't matter much," Jiraiya spoke slowly, "but when facing an opponent of equal strength, this weakness becomes the deciding factor."
Hyuga Hiashi frowned deeply, searching for a solution. But no matter how he thought about it, nothing came to mind.
In truth, Hinata's current strength had already surpassed his own.
Trying to find an answer through the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist and Byakugan was clearly futile.
"Hinata has already done extremely well," Nara Shikaku sighed. "It's just that Yakumo's Genjutsu Kekkei Genkai is too overwhelming."
Uchiha Fugaku nodded in agreement.
To be born with a genjutsu ability on the level of the Mangekyō Sharingan, this Kekkei Genkai was even more abnormal than the Sharingan itself.
Fortunately, the difficulty of awakening it was extremely high, and it lacked intermediate stages.
That was precisely why the Kurama Clan had declined.
By contrast, even without awakening the Mangekyō, the Uchiha Clan could still grow powerful through the Sharingan.
"If this continues, Hinata will lose," Aburame Shibi said after a pause. "Unless she has mastered some new technique."
Hearing this, Hyuga Hiashi's heart sank. He also felt that Hinata no longer had much chance of victory.
Looking back, the Byakugan and Gentle Fist—sources of pride for the Hyuga Clan—had played almost no role in this battle.
Hyuga Hiashi let out a quiet sigh.
Compared to the Uchiha Clan, the Hyuga Clan truly lacked top-tier power capable of standing against the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Hinata's breathing grew rapid.
Maintaining Yin Release Chakra Mode for so long was beginning to cause intense discomfort throughout her body.
She knew she couldn't drag this out any longer. But aside from the World-Extinction Arrow, she had no technique capable of turning the tide.
Yet the World-Extinction Arrow was far too powerful.
One concern was injuring Yakumo. The other was that it might fail to achieve the desired result.
If that happened, she would lose both the Moon Chasing Bow and Yin Release Chakra Mode altogether.
Hinata subconsciously glanced toward Kitazawa.
Should she concede? But she felt she still hadn't gone all out.
If she gave up now, she would be disappointing Kitazawa.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. In Yin Release Chakra Mode, she could directly control Satori's Yin Release power.
So, could she create a weakened version of the World-Extinction Arrow?
She didn't need to defeat Yakumo outright. She only needed to erase all the summoned beasts at once.
That would give her a window to launch a decisive sneak attack.
Having made up her mind, Hinata immediately drew her bow and nocked an arrow.
The Chakra surrounding her body surged violently, wind-like currents gathering around the Moon Chasing Bow.
"What's this…?" Yakumo felt a surge of unease.
Without hesitation, she clenched her brush, mobilized all of her Chakra, and painted a colossal tiger that towered into the sky.
The enormous beast stood directly in front of her, shielding her completely.
Kitazawa had originally intended to stop Hinata. But he quickly realized this was the perfect opportunity for her to make a name for herself.
After all, the graduation exam had an enormous audience. Not only ordinary villagers, but also many Jōnin were present.
Kitazawa had already told Tsunade to announce Konoha's New Three Sannin after the team assignments.
But if Hinata unleashed the World-Extinction Arrow here, the impact would be even greater.
Moreover, she wasn't using the full-power version.
And most importantly, with Kitazawa present, he could fully protect everyone in the arena.
Shadow Clone Technique! Kitazawa clapped his hands together.
Three Shadow Clones appeared at three separate points around the Konoha Arena.
Four Violet Flames Formation! Kitazawa and his clones formed seals in unison.
In an instant, a second purple barrier rose, overlapping with the original one.
World-Extinction Arrow! Hinata released the bowstring.
Yin Release power spread like raging flames, engulfing the entire Konoha Arena in a heartbeat.
Boom! Before the stunned eyes of the crowd, the World-Extinction Arrow detonated.
The annihilating force instantly erased the summoned beasts and surged toward the massive tiger guarding Yakumo.
The tiger's colossal body shuddered violently—but did not collapse at once.
After all, this was not the full-power World-Extinction Arrow. Hinata had only used one-third of Satori's Yin Release power.
Even so, the devastation was overwhelming. Chaotic Chakra currents roared skyward as the entire arena trembled.
The innermost purple barrier maintained by the Sealing Squad cracked visibly.
Fortunately, Kitazawa's Four Violet Flames Formation stood firm like an unshakable mountain.
Under the crushing pressure, Yakumo's face turned pale.
She could only pour every ounce of Yin Release power she had into the tiger, desperately shielding herself from the blast.
But outside her awareness, Hinata activated the Konoha-Style Body Flicker Technique and vanished.
She opened her Byakugan and instantly locked onto Yakumo.
Hinata reappeared at Yakumo's left side.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
She struck without hesitation.
Yakumo was fully focused on sustaining the tiger and had no time to react, collapsing to the ground in an instant.
Kitazawa appeared immediately, extracting both of them from the battlefield.
"…What kind of Secret Technique was that?" Kiba asked after standing there dazed for a long time.
"World-Extinction Arrow," Neji answered. "It's a technique Teacher Kitazawa created by imitating the Tailed Beast Ball."
"You know it too?" Sasuke asked, his heart tightening.
"Yeah." Neji nodded.
"That's completely insane," Tayuya couldn't help but complain.
"The consumption is enormous," Neji explained. "Under normal circumstances, it can only be used once."
His gaze fell upon Hinata.
Hinata's weakened version of the World-Extinction Arrow had undoubtedly resolved their problem of insufficient firepower.
From being able to use it only once to being able to unleash it three times, her overall strength could be said to have skyrocketed.
After all, for most Ninjas, there was no real difference between a one-third World-Extinction Arrow and a full-power one—either way, they would be dead.
"Too strong!" Naruto exclaimed in amazement.
"You're a Jinchūriki. You can do it too." Neji glanced at him and spoke calmly.
Naruto scratched his head at those words.
He did indeed know the Tailed Beast Ball. It wasn't taught by Kitazawa, but by Uzumaki Kushina.
Reminded by Hyuga Neji, the corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched. Jinchūriki were truly ridiculous existences.
Fortunately, he had Tenjōtōtsuki and wasn't afraid of the Tailed Beast Ball. When the Tailed Beast Ball detonated, he could simply teleport to the spectator stands.
After all, his Tenjōtōtsuki could mark five targets, allowing him to teleport freely among those five points.
In a sense, this was a cheating method. But the problem was that the Tailed Beast Ball itself was an even greater cheat.
A moment later, the Konoha Arena gradually returned to calm.
However, the originally flat ground had become riddled with craters and uneven terrain, not a single intact spot remaining.
The faces of the audience were filled with shock, and a deathly silence hung in the air.
"The winner, Hyuga Hinata!" Kitazawa's voice finally broke the silence.
From the crowd's reaction, he understood one thing: his plan to establish Konoha's New Three Sannin would be completed very soon, at most within a week.
Because once the graduation exam ended, Hinata's reputation would skyrocket.
"Who would have thought this was just a graduation exam?" Jiraiya shook his head and sighed.
"It's quite reasonable," Tsunade laughed softly, "for a Partial Tailed Beast Transformation–level Yin Release Chakra Mode to use a World-Extinction Arrow similar to a Tailed Beast Ball."
"It seems you knew this all along," Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at her, somewhat surprised.
After all, even he hadn't known about this.
"Kitazawa told me," Tsunade explained. "The reason for keeping it secret was that it carried strategic significance. But now, there's no longer a need for secrecy."
Konoha Village's greatest crisis now came from the Akatsuki Organization.
Revealing the World-Extinction Arrow could instead bolster the confidence of everyone in Konoha Village.
Of course, that was only the explanation she gave to Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others.
The real reason was simple: she trusted Kitazawa.
"The students entering the fourth round are Naruto, Sasuke, Hyuga Neji, and Hinata." Kitazawa announced. "The fourth round will begin after a fifteen-minute break."
After speaking, he immediately instructed the Anbu to restore the Konoha Arena.
However, Kitazawa did not cancel the Four Violet Flames Formation. Because the upcoming battles would be even more intense.
Kitazawa returned to the spectator stands.
The stands were still buzzing with excitement, the shock from the World-Extinction Arrow yet to fade.
"Tsunade-sensei," Kitazawa sat down beside her and reminded her, "Once the team assignments are finished, remember to mention Konoha's New Three Sannin."
"I've noticed you're very concerned about this matter," Tsunade paused and asked, "Are you paving the way for them in advance?"
Kitazawa was slightly stunned, realizing she had misunderstood.
But it was natural for her to think that way. Becoming Hokage required immense prestige.
If Konoha's New Three Sannin were acknowledged by everyone, they would have the potential to become Hokage at any time.
Just like Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—no one would object to any of them taking the Hokage seat.
In fact, that had always been the case.
In the original course of history, the position of Fifth Hokage was only given to Tsunade because Jiraiya declined it.
And if not for Minato Namikaze's sudden rise, Orochimaru would have long since become the Fourth Hokage.
"I learned this from you," Kitazawa blinked and said lightly, "retiring early."
"You're already thinking about retirement before you've even become Hokage?" Tsunade couldn't help but laugh. "In that regard, you really are my student."
"Even if I wanted to retire early, it wouldn't be easy," Kitazawa said casually. "There's still a long time before they reach adulthood. At the very least, I'll have to serve as Hokage for six years."
"Six years isn't long," Tsunade glanced at Hiruzen and said. "The Old Man was Hokage for over twenty years."
"Then why didn't you stay in office a few more years?" Kitazawa complained.
"I'm different," Tsunade's lips curled slightly as she shot back. "Besides, isn't it because of you?"
"Then you'll have to compensate me properly," Kitazawa hinted calmly.
"We'll see when the time comes," Tsunade brushed it off and changed the subject. "You should pay attention to the Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan in the future."
The meaning behind Konoha's New Three Sannin was obvious.
The Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan would certainly pave the way for Hinata and Sasuke, or rather, compete fiercely with one another for the Hokage position.
"I know," Kitazawa replied indifferently.
As long as he possessed absolute strength, no matter how much the Hyuga Clan and Uchiha Clan schemed, they wouldn't dare defy him.
"When do you plan to become Hokage?" Tsunade nodded and asked again.
"Anytime works for me," Kitazawa said after a moment's thought.
At this point, a few days earlier or later made no real difference.
"Good. Then next week it is," Tsunade decided immediately. "I'll send someone to invite the Fire Daimyō once today's graduation exam ends."
"You really can't wait," Kitazawa chuckled.
The fifteen-minute break soon came to an end.
The crowd gradually recovered from the shock of the World-Extinction Arrow and turned their attention back to the arena.
After all, the battle between Hinata and Yakumo had not been the final match.
The upcoming fights might feature Ninjutsu even more astonishing than the World-Extinction Arrow.
Kitazawa reached into the Lottery Box and drew two small slips of paper.
He glanced at them and nodded slightly. In a sense, this pairing was the most fitting outcome for this graduation exam.
"Fourth round, first match: Uzumaki Naruto versus Hyuga Neji!"
Kitazawa announced.
With only four students remaining, deciding the first match also determined the second.
And the winners of these two matches would advance to the fifth round for the final showdown.
Sasuke subconsciously clenched his fists. All he needed was to defeat Hinata, and then he could compete with Naruto for first place.
Though he had lost countless times before, as long as he won this time, all those past defeats would vanish into thin air.
Naruto didn't think too deeply about it. As long as he could fight, that was enough.
Neji's thoughts were similar to Sasuke's.
He wanted to win this match and reach the very end, even if the path ahead was extremely difficult.
Hinata, however, no longer held much hope.
She had already used the World-Extinction Arrow in the previous battle, leaving her with only one-third of Satori's Chakra.
And even if Satori's Chakra were at full capacity, defeating Sasuke would still be exceedingly difficult.
--
--
Read the complete novel on P@treon: P@treon / Arvinstorm
Check out my other novels:
-->Harry Potter: The White Devil Who Grows Stronger with Reputation
-->Naruto: I Have a Time-Space Room That Connects to the Past