Shunsui looked at the frozen form of Mangetsu under the watchful gaze of Orochimaru whose stare had turned even more intense on him.
The Sannin's golden eyes followed his every movement with clear fascination and hunger.
Orochimaru walked to Mangetsu and then said calmly, "Mangetsu is unable to continue and is incapacitated. Shunsui Kyōraku is the winner and advances to the next round."
His voice carried clearly across the arena so everyone could hear the result. Shunsui ended the game and the ice melted instantly as Mangetsu came out gasping and shivering from the cold.
The Kiri genin stumbled forward, his body still feeling the painful aftereffects of the sudden freezing. His face was filled with shock. He mumbled weakly, "How?"
Shunsui looked at him and replied with a lazy smile, "I wonder how. I wonder. Well then, I hope that you have learned a lesson in humility and know that you might be stronger than some but there is always someone stronger than you... by a lot."
"Think of it as a free lesson from your friendly neighborhood landlord. Next time you come to my territory, remember to bring the rent money or you might end up as an ice sculpture again. Consider yourself lucky I did not add a late fee or interest. Maybe next time you will think twice before acting so arrogantly."
Mangetsu was now feeling more confused than the cold at Shunsui's words who was trying to play up as an angry landlord. Sadly, Mangetsu had not been the part of the monopoly game to understand it's meaning which made Shunsui sigh as he walked off the battlefield.
Mangetsu who still looked in shock was escorted out of the arena by iryo nin as he seemed to have gotten frostbites.
The medical ninja supported him carefully as they walked away, checking his condition while the crowd continued murmuring about the surprising finish.
Shunsui ignored Orochimaru's gaze who like everyone else was also trying to figure out how Shunsui used the ice release. The Sannin's stare was intense and full of questions, but Shunsui simply waved politely as he left the stage with relaxed steps.
As Shunsui reached the participants area, Genma asked him, "Was it freeze tag?"
"Yes?" Shunsui answered with a small smile.
"So he could have been saved if some other player in the game said unfreeze by touching him?"
"Yup but the only other player was the proctor, Orochimaru san and who would not interfere that is if he knew how my abilities work, which game we were playing and the rules of the game," Shunsui said with a smile.
"Yosh, Shunsui you have showed your youth spectacularly. Now it is my turn to shine my youth even brighter than you," Guy said with a fist bump to Shunsui.
The energetic genin pumped his fist and struck a pose, shouting about burning flames and youthful power.
"All the best Guy," Shunsui said warmly.
Zabuza who should be more focused towards his opponent could not help but be more focused on Shunsui. 'I thought he had been some Nara with the trick that he pulled during the second test when he came out of my shadow but he can also use ice release now. There is definitely something wrong with the boy,' Zabuza analyzed with a grim expression on his face as he walked to the arena.
Orochimaru looked at the two competitors and said "Begin."
Zabuza thought, 'Let us finish...' Before he could even complete his thinking, Guy was in front of him and kicked him.
"Dynamic Entry!"
He was launched and collided with the arena wall after flying for some seconds.
The crowd went "Ohhhhh" as they saw this impressive opening move. Zabuza got up as he spit some blood out. That kick surely had broken his rib but the pain did not even register on his mind as he was used to it.
'I might be distracted but I should have at least managed to see him. He is fast. Are all Konoha genin this fast or is this genin team one of their strongest ones?' Zabuza thought.
'Anyways, I will have to do whatever it takes to defeat this guy. Juzo is watching and if I want my hands on the Executioner Blade then he would not take anything less from me,' Zabuza looked at the stands where the kiri delegation stood.
Guy appeared again next to him but this time Zabuza reacted fast enough and managed to block the fist with the flat of his blade.
But he realised something. 'Unlike the pink kimono guy who used chakra to make himself so fast, this guy... is naturally fast.'
He could not react as a fist from Guy to his guts made him gag for breath before Guy kicked him in the neck to the ground.
Zabuza got up with a lot more difficulty and blood coming from his mouth. He decided then and there that close combat would not be a good idea against Konoha genin or at least visible close combat.
He decided to use his speciality as he breathed out mist from his mouth.
The thick white mist began to spread rapidly across the arena, reducing visibility for everyone watching.
------Author Notes---------
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