Competition
"Heh, understood."
After speaking, Shirō placed the bonds aside, clasped his hands together, and a brilliant light flickered between them.
Then, he spread his hands wide.
"Continuous Projection!"
Immediately, over a dozen arrows laced with Exploding Tags materialized above Shirō . With just a thought, they all shot forward and embedded themselves into the battlefield.
The reason he didn't project Noble Phantasms was simple: while his system allowed it, the strain was far greater. The chakra cost wasn't much different, but Noble Phantasms required immense mental focus and stability—something he lacked at the moment.
Arrows, however, were different. He had used them countless times himself. For him, projecting arrows was effortless, almost second nature.
"Tch, I thought he was supposed to be amazing, but he didn't even aim properly."
From the Mist's side came mocking laughter. Shirō didn't respond. He simply raised one hand—
Snap!
A sharp snap echoed.
In the next instant, those arrows erupted in a massive boom! Shockwaves rippled outward as fire and smoke engulfed the field, tearing the enemy puppets into shreds.
"Idiots! Don't they even notice the Exploding Tags?!" Rasa muttered with clear disdain at the Hidden Mist shinobi. Just moments ago, he had been impressed by their raw strength, but now his evaluation of them plummeted.
On the other hand, his regard for Shirō grew. He had already seen this boy's uncanny sniping ability—and this level of precision and planning only reinforced it.
If he remembered correctly, Shirō also demonstrated fluid swordsmanship…
Across the battlefield, the same sort of intelligence gathering was happening in every Village. But Shirō 's methods stood out. By projecting and reconstructing everything once, he had already familiarized himself with the terrain, the enemy formations, and even their specialized ninjutsu.
To him, their techniques were as familiar as everyday tools.
At that moment, Pingyi and Xiao Guang rushed back through the path Shirō had cleared. The remaining two teammates also regrouped shortly after.
Now it was Shirō 's turn again.
With a clang, he drew his self-made weapon—Dryan Mo Xie—from the wrist guard. Twirling the blade with a flick of his wrist, he murmured:
"Strengthen, begin."
He turned to his comrade. "Pingyi, want to compete? Let's see who takes down more."
"Sizzle."
Blue lightning danced across Pingyi's body as he smirked. "Alright."
The next moment, both of them shot forward.
Clang, clang, clang!
Metal clashed. In the blink of an eye, one puppet was cut into six pieces. At nearly the same instant, Pingyi's opponent was also shredded into fragments.
Their movements were so fast that, in Miyue's eyes, they were nothing but streaks of light. Wherever those blue streaks passed, puppets were reduced to scrap in mere moments.
"So… so amazing," Xiao Guang whispered in awe.
"Ha, that's natural," Nakamura chuckled. "They've trained harder than most. Don't be discouraged. With effort, you'll catch up."
"Captain Nakamura is right," Pingyi added. "Use this time to rest. Reflect on your weaknesses. You'll be needed again soon."
"Yes, Pingyi-sensei."
Watching them, Rasa's lips curved slightly. This guy's speed and strength keep increasing. I can't let him hog all the glory.
Sand surged up at his command. Without any visible seals, the golden grains wrapped around a cluster of puppets. A sharp flick of his will—and they were sliced apart in less than a second.
The power of Magnet Release was overwhelming.
Not far away, Kitsuchi observed but did not join in. As the oldest present, he was the leader this time. He could only give a small, bitter smile.
So many prodigies in other villages… while ours… His shoulders sank as he sighed, returning to guide the retreating genin.
The battle shifted into a contest of pride. Villages one after another pressed forward, unwilling to be outdone.
Only Kumogakure's shinobi barely managed to keep pace with Konoha and Sunagakure. The other Villages lagged far behind—not from lack of strength, but because their jutsu simply weren't suited for swarming puppet battles.
Kumo's Lightning Release Body Technique specialists stood out, but even then, they lacked Pingyi's Sharingan, which let him perfectly control high-speed combat. Their movements were reckless, charging straight in with far less efficiency.
And because the enemy puppets regenerated so quickly, large-scale jutsu were avoided. They would exhaust themselves for little result. Instead, most opted for slow attrition, binding enemies rather than outright destroying them.
A while later, Nakamura received word that Miyue and the others had recovered. Shirō and Pingyi withdrew, leaving the field to their teammates.
"Alright, switch—"
Shirō 's eyes widened. "Sharingan!? How is that possible?" He stared at Miyue's crimson eyes in disbelief. "Captain, wasn't she under your protection? How did she awaken it?"
"Huh? Is there some connection?" Nakamura asked, puzzled.
Shirō froze, realizing many didn't know the conditions required for awakening the Sharingan. He quickly shook his head. "No, it's nothing."
Nakamura didn't press further. Used to Shirō 's eccentricities, he waved it off. "Oh, I forgot to mention—Pingyi awakened his Sharingan too. You can ask him for guidance."
Pingyi, however, noticed. He knew Shirō shouldn't have understood Uchiha's secret. Out of trust, he didn't question him here, but he shot a glance at Shirō , silently resolving to ask later.
Instead, he addressed Miyue. "Close your Sharingan. You just awakened it, so you're not used to it yet. It's dangerous to rely on it in battle. I'll explain everything tonight."
"Understood, Pingyi-nii." Miyue obediently deactivated her eyes.
"Good. Now, get back out there. Stay calm, and learn from your mistakes."
"Yes!" ×3
The trio dashed back into the fray, Nakamura and the others close behind.
Shirō , stringing an arrow, turned to Shikamaru. "By the way, Shikamaru, you've been awfully relaxed."
"I can't help it. I'm just not suited for this. This is my limit." Shikamaru gestured at the cluster of puppets immobilized around him.
Shirō chuckled. "Fair enough."
True enough, Shikamaru's nature affinity clashed with these puppets. From the start, he had bound more than a dozen in place, locking them with sealing techniques. They had been stuck there the whole battle—unable to resist, unable to break free.
And the best part? It barely cost Shikamaru any chakra. He could keep them locked down for as long as needed.
Visit patreon.com/MexxyWave to get 30+ chapters