Before the blond realized that he had been tricked, he found himself encased in a bluish cube of kekkai that prevented spatial movement. And in the next moment, stone pillars with papers on top quickly grew upwards at its corners.
Namikaze didn't wait for them to activate, but wrapped himself in a cocoon of hair, showing his excellent mastery of Hari Jizo, and then scattered the kabakufudas in different directions, obviously wanting not only to hinder the attack being prepared, but also to test the strength of the barrier walls. Explosions rang out, but only the defense needles were damaged, and the kekkai didn't even flinch - it was designed for more than that.
As the seals on the pillars began to glow, the blond jumped to the nearest wall and slammed his instantly created rasengan into it, causing it to crack. He was literally half a second away from escaping the trap when a network of lightning streaked between the four pillars, leaving no safe patch of ground inside the barrier cube.
With a scream, Minato fell to the ground as he continued to twitch convulsively. By the time the trap stopped, he was already unconscious.
- Minato! - Jiraiya appeared in the arena with a shout that could be heard even in the stands, and with a single powerful blow that shattered the kekkai, he was at his student's side, picking him up in his arms and disappearing into the shunshin.
- Heh, Jiraiya's apprentice may have an undeniable advantage over Asani-chan in combat power, but he's lost in tactics," his uncle smiled satisfied, casting a triumphant glance at the Hokage's box, "Hiruzen must be furious - providing the genin with so many trump cards, training him, and all for nothing.
- But he's done well, and he'll get the vest for sure," he countered, "even if it's not a victory, but Jiraiya was able to use the talent he got, and Minato will become a very strong shinobi in a few years.
- Anyone can train talent, except for talentless mentors," Setsura snorted derisively, "but not everyone can make a mediocre fighter out of a mediocre one.
Well, with so many tools at their disposal, it's hard NOT to do it, but the girls' persistence played no small part in their development, so it was a coincidence.
In the arena, the figure of a female student slowly rose from the ground and the judge who appeared hurriedly raised the kunoichi's hand.
- The winner is Asani of Konohagakure no Sato!
- Yeah, now your female students will have to fight each other in the next round," Shikaku reminded everyone, lazily fiddling with a piece of paper he had pulled out from somewhere, "and the semi-finals and finals will be all girls, how problematic.
Now that he said that, I noticed that there would indeed be three kunoichi and only one shinobi fighting in the semifinals, and no guys in the finals at all, Kushina guaranteed.
- So the kunoichi on this exam were stronger and more talented," I shrugged, "and the students will deal with each other - anyway, one of them will be in the finals, and I do not need more, - closing the topic, the more the next pair of genin came down to the arena and jonin hurried to announce the next fight.
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