In the monitoring room, the Hidden Leaf ninjas watched the unfolding chaos on the screens with growing discomfort. The words of the Cloud ninja were sharp, dismissive, and carried the subtle arrogance of someone confident in his own abilities.
"Don't underestimate us, Hidden Leaf ninja," one Leaf observer replied, his voice steady but tinged with indignation. "I think this Killer B you speak of is nothing special. And don't come crying when you lose later."
"Exactly," another Leaf ninja added, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "You Cloud ninja are all talk, as usual."
Despite the era of relative peace, old rivalries between the villages lingered beneath the surface. In just a few words, tension crackled in the air like static electricity.
However, the observers were not foolish hotheads. They understood the stakes and knew better than to act impulsively. The presence of Hidden Sand ninja added a further layer of scrutiny; no one wanted to be seen as weak or reckless.
"It's just empty bravado," someone muttered. "Killer B will make you eat your words soon enough."
"And Kushina," another voice interjected with quiet confidence, "isn't someone to be trifled with either."
Kushina's reputation preceded her. Among the Hidden Leaf ninja, her name alone—"Bloody Habanero"—was enough to command respect. She had trained alongside Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade, mastering skills few could rival at her age. As for Seisui, only a handful of people knew the true extent of his abilities, so his relative obscurity made sense.
Meanwhile, the focus shifted back to Seisui, who ignored Motoy's taunts and instead cast his gaze toward Killer B. His mind was singularly focused on the task at hand: identifying the scrolls each team possessed. Completing the mission first was paramount, and nothing—not Motoy's provocation nor any distraction—would sway him.
Motoy, however, was far from pleased. A top-ranked ninja from the Hidden Cloud Village, he seethed with indignation. Here he was, a respected warrior, being ignored by an elderly Genin from the Hidden Leaf during a joint Chunin Exam. Rage coursed through his veins, and his hands trembled with barely restrained fury.
Originally, he had intended to be magnanimous—if Seisui surrendered, he could let him off with a warning. But now, the moment had passed. Motoy would not stand idly by.
Using the Body Flicker Technique, he propelled himself forward like a deadly arrow, aiming to strike Seisui before the older man could react. His intent was clear: teach this elderly Leaf Genin a lesson in humility.
Bang!
In an instant, Motoy was thrown violently backward by a single, unseen force. The impact sent him tumbling through the air, and for a moment, he was utterly bewildered.
"W-what just—?" he stammered, struggling to comprehend the situation. Was it Seisui? Had the old man really managed to strike him so forcefully?
It was only when Killer B appeared beside him, steadying him with a firm grip, that he realized the truth. The force had not come from Seisui at all—it was Kushina. Relief washed over him immediately, replacing the sting of humiliation with gratitude. At least it wasn't Seisui who had struck him.
Motoy's pride, however, remained bruised. Being sent flying by an elderly Genin—even one as formidable as Kushina—was mortifying. Still, he took solace in the fact that she, and not Seisui, had dealt the blow.
Unbeknownst to him, Seisui was the true powerhouse in the area. Among the five ninja present, he held the greatest strength, though he remained calm and unassuming. Motoy's belief that he could dominate Seisui was nothing more than wishful thinking.
Kushina, of course, understood this perfectly. She knew Motoy posed no real threat to Seisui, and her intervention was strategic. She aimed to perform exceptionally in the second exam while providing support for Seisui. Every action was measured, every move calculated.
The monitoring room erupted in quiet excitement as they observed the exchange.
"See? As long as Kushina makes a move, these Cloud ninja are simply no match!" one Leaf observer exclaimed.
"Hmph," another countered, his expression serious. "It was just a single punch to send Motoy flying. The strongest, Killer B, hasn't even made his move yet. Don't get ahead of yourselves."
Killer B, focused entirely on the battlefield, remained unaware of the conversation in the monitoring room. His gaze, however, was fixed on Kushina with a mixture of interest and respect.
"Your strength is impressive," he called out, his voice carrying across the battlefield. "I hope you can give me a truly satisfying fight."
Much like Seisui, Killer B ignored the minor distractions, focusing instead on the key objectives. They hadn't come here merely to compete; acquiring the Heaven Scrolls would be a bonus, but the real measure of their skill was the battle itself.
Before anyone could react further, Killer B drew his ninja sword in a blur of motion, advancing with lethal precision. His speed alone was a testament to his exceptional training—far surpassing Motoy's capabilities. In the blink of an eye, he was upon Kushina.
The blade swung with blinding speed, a white streak slicing through the air. Kushina's instincts kicked in immediately. She employed the Body Flicker Technique, moving just out of the path of the attack, then reappearing behind Killer B with a kunai aimed for a decisive strike.
Clang!
Killer B, anticipating the maneuver, twisted expertly, blocking the kunai with his sword. Neither combatant had gained the upper hand, and both paused momentarily, assessing the other's skill.
Kushina's surprise was genuine. Few of her peers could match her prowess in combat, and even Minato Namikaze, the so-called "civilian genius," had been relatively easy to predict. Yet here stood a young ninja, slightly younger than herself, who moved with precision, speed, and intelligence that rivaled her own.
Her competitive spirit flared. This was no longer a simple exercise—it was a genuine test of skill. She grinned, adrenaline surging, ready to push herself to new limits.
Killer B, likewise, recognized a rare talent. In the Hidden Cloud Village, few his age could challenge him. He had trained relentlessly, and though still in his developmental phase, his power had already surpassed many Chunin. Here was an opponent who could match his skill, and the prospect excited him.
The clash escalated rapidly. The ground quaked beneath their feet, trees groaned as branches snapped, and the forest itself seemed to shudder at the force of their battle. Each strike, parry, and evasive maneuver left scars on the environment—a testament to the raw power of these young prodigies.
Meanwhile, Motoy, recovering from Kushina's earlier intervention, turned once more toward Seisui. His pride demanded retribution.
"Old man," he growled, voice trembling with rage, "no one can help you now! What are you going to do?"
He charged again, launching a precise attack at Seisui, who remained calm and collected. Seisui simply extended a hand, halting Motoy's offensive effortlessly.
Motoy's expression shifted from confidence to shock. "What…?"
Before he could react, Seisui struck with a powerful kick to his abdomen. The impact was instantaneous, sending a shockwave of pain coursing through him. His vision blurred, his breath left him in gasps, and he was hurled backward with terrifying force.
The speed and power of the kick exceeded even his own charge, leaving him helpless. Hishiko, frozen in shock at the display, failed to provide assistance, and Motoy crashed through a large tree, the splintered wood echoing with the impact.
When he finally landed, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His eyes rolled back as unconsciousness overtook him. He had never imagined that Seisui, the man he had always looked down upon, could defeat him with a single strike.
Motoy's defeat was swift and decisive. He had underestimated the seemingly elderly Leaf Genin—and that miscalculation had cost him dearly.
"Motoy!" Hishiko cried out, rushing to his side, her voice echoing with alarm and disbelief.
The battlefield had shifted dramatically. Kushina and Killer B engaged in a ferocious duel, their movements blurring with speed and precision, while Seisui's overwhelming power had already removed Motoy from the equation. The balance of the encounter was clear: the Hidden Leaf ninja, though appearing unassuming, wielded a level of strength that few could contend with.
This was the reality of the Forest of Death. Here, appearances were deceiving, and true skill reigned supreme. One had to be ready at all times, for a single misstep could lead to ruin.
Seisui, Kushina, and Aosui—the Hidden Leaf's hidden ace—stood as living proof of the village's depth of talent. And as the dust settled around Motoy's fallen form, the stakes of the Chunin Exam became clearer: this was no ordinary test. It was a proving ground, and the Hidden Leaf ninja had already shown that they were a force to be reckoned with.
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