When Shiki returned to the spectator stand, the battle in the arena was already nearing its end.
However, when Shiki asked what had happened during his absence, he learned that only one match had taken place.
Shino Aburame completely overwhelmed his opponent—Sakon, whose arm had been destroyed by Sasuke earlier.
It must be said that Orochimaru's methods were truly remarkable. Whether or not it was done directly by him, the fact that Sakon had his arm reattached within two or three days was extremely difficult and impressive.
Shiki nodded toward Shino, who returned the gesture. For someone accustomed to hiding his expressions behind sunglasses and a trench coat, this level of interaction between them was already quite significant.
It suddenly occurred to Shiki that perhaps Shino, someone who usually lacked presence, might also be a formidable opponent.
Back before the Chunin Exams, Kiba Inuzuka had told him that Shino was the only person Kiba absolutely did not want to face during the tournament—a sign that Shino's strength had clearly overshadowed even Sasuke in Kiba's mind at the time.
Of course, now, with how the Chunin Exams had progressed, Kiba probably no longer thought that way.
In front of Gaara, all the terrifying enemies in this Chunin Exam seemed more like polite gentlemen.
The battles of the Chunin Exams continued one after another, but Shiki remained lost in thought and barely noticed.
Even the fight between Sakura and Ino failed to draw his attention at all.
Although Kakashi explained that both Sakura and Ino belonged to a fighting style known for precise chakra control,
still,
a ninja who could only use E-rank [beginner-level] jutsu wouldn't gain any real advantage no matter how accurately they controlled their chakra.
Unless, of course, they used Yamanaka family secret techniques like the Mind Transfer Technique.
"This match results in no winner—all competitors are eliminated." Ryuunosuke looked at the two fallen fighters on the battlefield, a slight expression of helplessness appearing on his face. This was the first time he had ever seen people collapse from exhaustion mid-battle like this.
But as he shifted his gaze toward the display screen above, seeing the next match participants listed there,
he called out in a mechanical tone, "Next match: Temari versus Tenten!"
Chapter 152 – Sickle Weasel Technique in the Wind
Shiki's nerves twitched briefly. When he turned his eyes toward Tenten, he found she was already prepared, smiling confidently and giving him a firm nod.
Still, seeing that her opponent was Temari, Shiki couldn't help but frown and say, "Tenten, don't push too hard here. If things get rough, just give up."
Everyone nearby looked surprised that Shiki had actually said such words. They looked at the red-haired boy in confusion.
"Do you know what I hate most about you, Shiki?" Tenten frowned slightly, clearly annoyed. "You always treat me like someone who needs protecting—but I'm a ninja too! A ninja who will never hide behind someone else!"
Shiki was taken aback by Tenten's stubbornness—he usually saw her as gentle. He hesitated for a moment.
Perhaps only in moments like these would she show such determination?
Realizing his mistake, Shiki quickly apologized, "That was my fault. Do your best in the fight."
"I'll definitely be watching carefully from the audience."
Tenten nodded in satisfaction, "That's the way, my dear Shiki-kun."
But
Shiki knew that Temari's strength surpassed Tenten's. He couldn't help feeling uneasy deep down.
"Remember though, the opponent is really strong. Be cautious."
Faced with such concern, Tenten naturally wouldn't say anything further. She nodded toward Shiki, then turned and walked toward the battlefield.
"Don't worry, Shiki. Tenten is actually very strong," Lee said, patting Shiki's shoulder and giving him a thumbs-up.
Yet Shiki's expression remained somewhat stiff. Although he knew that later on, the three shinobi from the Sand Village would become less ruthless, that wasn't the case right now.
Besides, Gaara and the others had come to Konoha with the mission of destroying the Hidden Leaf.
"I'd better be prepared. Even though I can't interfere with Tenten's fight, I must at least make sure she isn't hit with follow-up attacks after the battle ends."
Shiki silently told himself. Truthfully, he still didn't know exactly what kind of feelings he had for Tenten.
He had somehow gotten used to having this slightly stubborn girl walking beside him, constantly reminding him in various ways to eat on time and not train too hard over small things.
She had even accompanied him through many dusks, eating bowls of wonton together in old shops with dim lights in street corners.
How often could a person encounter such a familiar and habitual kind of comfort in life?
The examiner Ryuunosuke observed the two people standing beside him and felt slightly puzzled. He noticed that so far in this exam, the matchups had all been male versus male and female versus female.
But compared to the previous round, these two kunoichi were significantly stronger.
He even questioned how the two girls from the previous round, Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka, had managed to qualify for this exam in the first place.
As for the two girls standing before him now, aside from both being beautiful, he could sense that their chakra levels were equally formidable.
"Are you both ready?" Ryuunosuke asked, as he always did.
As expected, both girls in front of him gave him an affirmative response.
"Then, the match begins!"
With these brief words, Ryuunosuke's figure instantly vanished. For a Tokubetsu Jonin, such a feat was nothing out of the ordinary.
Now, this battlefield belonged entirely to these two young genin.
Ino, hugging her large war fan, had a fiery desire for battle in her eyes. Yet, she didn't make the first move. Instead, she waited for the girl in front of her to strike first.
Tenten found this rather unexpected. It was rare for her to be treated with such disregard.
Even so, the fire in Tenten's eyes didn't waver at all.
Thus, the battle began.
Shiki watched intently. Tenten's fighting style wasn't wrong at all. She was originally a ninja specializing in ninja tools, which in itself was different from an ordinary ninja.
Perhaps such an attack would give someone a serious challenge.
A rain of kunai and shuriken, like a storm, would be equal to a bloodbath for the opponent unless one possessed a speed beyond a certain level or had a powerful defense.
However,
"Temari is a Wind Release ninja," Shiki murmured, his tone slightly concerned.
"Wind Release?" Naruto blinked, clearly confused. Let's be honest — he'd been flunking all his theory classes, so stuff like this still felt like total mystery to him.
"That's right, Wind Release," Shiki nodded, though his eyes never left the battlefield. Tenten's small figure was dancing about, swinging her scroll and continuously bombarding Temari with an unending stream of ninja tools.
Shiki could sense it — every weapon Taka hurled came packed with chakra, making them hit way harder than normal.
Search for the official address of [BookHelper]: www.kanshuzhushou.com — Millions of popular books can be read for free anytime, completely ad-free!
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
Want to read the subsequent content in advance?
Please follow my Patreon:patreon/Tansnovel
Tans Novel - The Fastest-Updating Naruto Fanfiction Account
Read 100+ chapters in advance, with at least 3 new chapters updated every day! More free chapters! 20+ Naruto fanfictions!
Just three steps:
1. Download and open the "Patreon" app
2. Search for "Tans Novel"
3. Click on the collection and enjoy to your heart's content
<><><><><><><><>