"No need," Naruto said, widening his eyes. "How can there be no need?"
"Because Shiki has always had an extremely large chakra reserves amount. He couldn't use ninjutsu because of his injuries. But in terms of sheer chakra reserves amount, even I, as his assigned jonin instructor, can't match him."
Hayate spoke calmly, yet his words shocked everyone nearby.
Shikamaru let out a sigh and muttered with a bitter chuckle, "Now that I think about it, suddenly he seems balanced after all. He's such a bizarre powerhouse that every challenge seems to showcase how incredible he really is."
Everyone focused their gazes on Shiki and suddenly felt that what Shikamaru said sounded completely accurate.
Down below, Akado Yoroi's expression gradually changed from excitement to panic.
"This is impossible!"
The opponent's chakra felt like an endless supply. His body could barely endure the immense chakra he was absorbing, yet the one facing him looked completely unaffected.
This is impossible! A genin shouldn't have this much chakra! Could he really be nothing more than a recent graduate from the Ninja Academy?
"I didn't expect you actually had the ability to absorb chakra," Shiki looked at Akado Yoroi, his expression bordering between laughter and frustration. "But coincidentally, I happen to have a surplus of chakra I can't even use properly."
Chapter 143: Sasuke's Battle
"No! I can absorb more chakra! Just a little bit more!"
Akado Yoroi's face turned pale with fear, unwilling to accept defeat under any circumstances. He clearly already possessed the strength of a chunin; how could he be so powerless facing a rookie who was participating in the Chunin Exams for the very first time?
Yet Shiki himself smiled, tightening his left hand into a fist while allowing Akado Yoroi to tightly hold onto his right arm, desperately trying to deny defeat by continuing to siphon his chakra.
"People shouldn't trust fate, but they should at least have the courage to face their defeat."
Shiki quietly uttered those words. Then, he clenched his left hand into a fist, channeling power throughout his upper body.
Chakra also gradually concentrated into his left fist, while he remained completely calm. His opponent still clung on stubbornly, trying to drain his chakra like someone unwilling to lose.
Yet Shiki knew precisely how vast the amount of unusable chakra within him truly was.
"I hope next time my opponent will be slightly stronger," Shiki murmured indifferently.
Then, his left fist shot forward with explosive force, breaking through air resistance and generating a sonic boom.
An astonishing amount of power struck the enemy directly ahead, causing the surrounding air itself to vibrate and release a thunderous roar.
"No!"
Akado Yoroi screamed out his intense frustration at the last moment, but it did nothing to stop him being launched away by this overwhelming blow.
Once again came a loud crashing sound as Akado Yoroi slammed forcefully into the wall. The impact created a deep dent in its previously unyielding surface, as if the wall itself had been punched inward by sheer force from afar.
When the dust settled, everyone saw Akado Yoroi lying there, his entire body covered in wounds from flying debris, already unconscious from the heavy damage sustained.
Meanwhile, Shiki Uzumaki still kept his left fist in the posture from his earlier powerful strike.
Only this time, his position had shifted slightly backward.
"I didn't expect my full-force attack to produce such an effect," Shiki said, glancing at the two trails crushed beneath his feet, astonished by just how strong the recoil had been.
"Is this really the power of taijutsu?" Sasuke muttered, eyes widened.
Even though he had fought Lee before and marveled at his speed,
he'd never imagined anyone could take taijutsu this far.
Another heavy pounding rang out, but this time it wasn't coming from the arena floor.
Lee rubbed his face in shock, staring at Might Guy.
And Guy still maintained the same punching posture as before.
"You idiot, Lee!"
"Why did you hit me, Guy-sensei?"
"As the kind of person I've been hoping for, Shiki has already gone far down the path of youth. How can you still refuse to awaken and strive harder?"
"I understand now, Master! I can feel your expectations burning in my chest! I'll carry them with me, train even harder, and make myself stronger than ever!"
"Then I'll push myself harder too—to guide you toward greatness and help you fulfill your dreams! This is my ninja way!" Tears shimmered in Guy's eyes as he spoke.
Lee's eyes became misty as well. "Guy-sensei…"
"Lee…"
They both stepped forward simultaneously, knelt on the ground, and embraced tightly, tears freely streaming down their faces—a flood filled with Lee and Guy's shared vow and determination.
But…
"Are they really ninja? Or some kind of comedy act?" Temari stood far away on another part of the spectator platform, hands resting on the railing, clearly shocked.
In fact, she was even more surprised than when Shiki Uzumaki sent his opponent flying with a single punch.
And it wasn't only her, the outsider, who felt this way. Even the Konoha shinobi present couldn't help but sweat nervously.
"Now I'm glad Shiki isn't one of Guy's students after all," Kakashi thought, imagining Shiki, Might Guy, and Lee hugging tightly together, tears flowing genuinely down their faces.
Years ago, just having Guy alone acting like this had already startled him. Now adding Lee into the mix was already becoming too much.
If Shiki were added into the group…
It felt as if an arrow had pierced straight through his heart.
"The winner of this round and qualifier for the next stage is Shiki Uzumaki," Ryuunosuke announced, pointing his finger toward Shiki.
In truth, he himself was also quite astonished. He hadn't expected to witness such a powerful fighter so early in the first match.
So there must be a reason why so many genin made it through the Forest of Death this year.
The genin participating in this Chunin Exam were indeed especially strong.
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