At the same time, Konoha shinobi monitoring the screens felt deeply irritated by the Cloud ninja's remarks and immediately snapped back in defiance.
"Don't underestimate the Konoha! That so-called Killer Bee you keep boasting about—he's nothing special. When he loses, don't come crying."
"Exactly! All you Cloud ninja ever do is brag!"
Even though this was a time of peace after war, past grudges weren't so easily erased. In just a few exchanges, the atmosphere in the room turned tense, like a powder keg on the verge of ignition.
However, none of the shinobi present were reckless rookies. Though clearly angry, none of them lost their heads or did anything impulsive.
Besides, there were also Hidden Sand shinobi in the room—they certainly didn't want to make fools of themselves in front of outsiders.
"You're all talk," one Cloud ninja sneered. "Killer Bee will shut you up real soon."
"Likewise. Don't forget Kushina isn't someone you can look down on either."
The Konoha ninja placed their faith in Kushina—after all, they knew she had been raised by Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade.
Moreover, her infamous nickname, the "Red Hot-Blooded Habanero," was known to any shinobi with even a little experience.
As for Aoshi, very few people were aware of his strength yet. It was perfectly understandable that he lacked notoriety.
---
Now, back to Aoshi's point of view.
Faced with Motoi's provocation, Aoshi didn't even acknowledge him. Instead, he turned to Killer Bee and asked the question that mattered most: "What kind of scroll are you carrying?"
Prioritizing the mission was most important.
Aoshi's calm reaction infuriated Motoi. He was considered a top-tier ninja even in the Hidden Cloud. And now, during a joint Chunin Exam, a no-name, Leaf genin had the nerve to ignore him?
He trembled with irritation. Initially, he had been willing to give Aoshi some leeway. There wasn't any serious grudge between them, and had Aoshi just surrendered, Motoi might have let him off the hook.
But now—he couldn't hold back. In a flash, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and shot toward Aoshi like a bolt of lightning.
Today, he was determined to teach this arrogant old guy a lesson.
Bang! In the next instant, Motoi was sent flying backward by a single punch before he even reached Aoshi.
It had happened so quickly that he had no idea what had hit him. For a moment, his entire mind was blank. What just happened? Was it that old guy?
Confused, Motoi was full of questions. Only when Killer Bee caught him mid-air and helped him regain his footing did he realize it was Kushina who'd thrown the punch.
Upon realizing it wasn't Aoshi, Motoi felt marginally better. He couldn't accept being sent flying by an old genin—it would have been far too humiliating.
At least Kushina was their target—the very reason they were in Konoha. Her punch had also proven she was no ordinary girl. Clearly, her strength justified the mission's high priority.
What Motoi didn't know was that of the five people present, Aoshi was actually the strongest of them all.
Motoi's belief that he could teach Aoshi a lesson was pure delusion.
Kushina, of course, knew Motoi wasn't capable of hurting Aoshi. The reason she stepped in was simple—she had decided long ago that she would shine during the second exam and carry Aoshi to victory.
Back in the surveillance room, the Konoha shinobi burst into cheers after seeing what had happened.
"See that? The moment Kushina makes a move, you Cloud ninja crumble like leaves!"
"Tch. It was just one punch to Motoi. The strongest among us—Killer Bee—hasn't even started fighting yet. Don't get cocky."
Of course, Killer Bee had no idea what was being said in the surveillance room. Right now, he looked at Kushina with genuine interest on his face.
"Not bad. I hope you're strong enough to give me a real fight."
Just as Aoshi had ignored Motoi earlier, Killer Bee now ignored Aoshi's question entirely.
After all, they hadn't come here just to steal a scroll. But if they did end up acquiring the Heaven Scroll in the process? All the better.
Before he finished speaking, Killer Bee had already drawn his blade and lunged forward. His strength far surpassed Motoi's—in speed alone, the two couldn't even be compared.
In the blink of an eye, Killer Bee was already in front of Kushina. His sword flashed into a white blur as he struck with explosive speed.
Kushina was stunned by the suddenness of the attack. Without a moment's hesitation, she used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge.
In the same movement, she reappeared behind Killer Bee, a kunai already in hand as she slashed downward.
Clang! Killer Bee spun and blocked the kunai with his blade.
In this first clash, neither side gained the upper hand.
Kushina was shocked. Among her peers, she had rarely met anyone who could match her in combat. Even Minato Namikaze—often praised as a civilian-born genius—had never truly earned her respect.
But now, this Cloud ninja had not only matched her, but seemed younger as well. Clearly, he was a genius in his own right.
Yet rather than feeling intimidated, Kushina's fighting spirit only burned brighter.
Killer Bee felt the same way. He had no worthy rivals among his peers in the Cloud Village. If not for the fact that he was still growing, his strength would've already surpassed many jonin.
And so, the battle between Kushina and Killer Bee intensified.
Despite still being children, the destruction they caused put even many adult chunin to shame. In just a few exchanges, the surrounding ground and trees were already battered and scarred.
Meanwhile, Motoi turned back to Aoshi once again. "Old guy, no one's here to help you now. Let's see what you've got!"
With that, he lunged at Aoshi again, launching another attack.
Aoshi didn't flinch. Without a word or change in expression, he raised a single hand—and stopped Motoi's charge.
The impact was so sudden, so strong, that Motoi's face twisted in disbelief. "What the—?"
Before he could even process what had happened, Aoshi's foot drove into his abdomen like a battering ram.
It felt like he'd been hit by a rampaging beast. The shockwave of pain tore through him, knocking the breath from his lungs. His eyes flew open wide, his features contorted in agony.
But it wasn't over. The force of the kick launched him through the air, faster, harder, and farther than before.
Hiko, who had stayed silent the whole time, was so shocked she forgot to assist him—leaving Motoi to crash through a large tree before slamming into the ground.
By the time he hit the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his eyes had already rolled back—completely unconscious.
Even as darkness closed in, Motoi couldn't comprehend it. How could the man he'd always looked down on take him out with a single kick?
This wasn't some rookie fresh out of the Academy; he was something else entirely.
"Motoi!" Only then did Hiko finally panic and rush to his side.
--
--
Show your support with Power Stones, everyone!
If we make it into the top 10 rankings at the week's end, I'll drop 5 bonus chapters as a thank-you!
P@treon/Lord IM(30+ Advanced Chapters)