Chapter 26 – Kisame Hoshigaki's Trump Card
"Congratulations. You're the second team to arrive."
The proctor from Sunagakure made the announcement with a neutral tone.
"The second team, huh? I see," Yusuke murmured.
It didn't take him long to figure out who arrived first—Team Iwagakure, led by none other than Ōnoki's son himself.
They were specialists in Earth Release techniques, with a knack for subterranean movement. No wonder their presence was barely noticeable.
Shortly after, the list of qualified participants was posted. Third place was Pakura from Sunagakure, fourth was Mei Terumi of Kirigakure, fifth went to Samui of Kumogakure, and the final team—somewhat surprisingly—came from Konohagakure, led by a haughty Uchiha.
After a long wait, the official announcement finally came.
"The final stage will be held in one week," the proctor declared, still visibly confused.
Originally, they only planned to eliminate half the contestants… but now, less than a fifth remained.
Once the announcement concluded, the crowd dispersed.
"Wash your neck and wait for me," Kisame growled, shooting Yusuke a fierce glare.
"How dull," Yusuke muttered, unimpressed.
The guy was just a sore loser. Yusuke hadn't even used his Devil Fruit powers in their last encounter and still walked away victorious.
"Just you wait," Kisame snapped before turning away.
"See you later, handsome~" Mei Terumi chimed in with a teasing smile before disappearing into the crowd.
— — —
"What took you so long, brat?"
Tsunade scowled, her arms crossed.
Even though Yusuke ranked second, she clearly wasn't satisfied. Especially after seeing the smug look on Ōnoki's face—Tsunade was visibly on edge.
"No choice, really," Yusuke replied calmly as he pulled out over twenty scrolls from under his cloak and dumped them onto the floor.
"...What the hell were you doing out there?" Tsunade's eyes went wide.
"I was planning to wipe out every other participant. That way, I wouldn't have to reveal too much of my strength in front of the higher-ups from other villages—and I could skip the next round altogether. Unfortunately, some of them were just too good at hiding."
Even with Byakugan and Observation Haki, tracking everyone had its limits.
"...Fine, whatever." Tsunade sighed in resignation.
"Come on, brat. Let's grab a drink."
"No thanks."
"Aw, come on~ just one—please?"
Tsunade suddenly turned into a whiny child.
"…Alright." Yusuke gave in, knowing she'd probably punch him if he refused again.
If Jiraiya had seen this side of Tsunade, his jaw would've hit the floor. The fierce, terrifying woman acting like a pouty girl? Unthinkable.
Meanwhile, the Kage from each village were beginning to question the abnormally low pass rate. Only one team from each village had made it through—Konoha had two. This was shaping up to be the most brutal selection in Chūnin Exam history.
Every inquiry they made pointed to a single source—Konoha. And more specifically, to one name:
Hatake Yusuke.
At first, they assumed Konoha sent him just for experience. But it quickly became clear that this kid was a potential threat.
Still, none of them dared make any rash moves. Provoking him could easily spark war with Konoha—and despite the Second Great Ninja War still raging, Konoha's military power was stronger than ever.
The Third War had only started after White Fang's death and Tsunade's departure.
Back then, Konoha's power had dropped sharply. But now, with the Legendary Sannin still active, they were at their peak. All three Sannin were at Kage level—and if they joined forces, even other Kage might fall.
During the remaining week, Yusuke focused on training Honda Kaori and Hyūga Inaka, helping them sharpen their skills for the one-on-one battles ahead.
He couldn't participate directly in their fights, but he could prepare them.
At his request, Tsunade even offered guidance to both girls—something rare, and highly valuable.
Time flew.
Soon, the final stage began.
The arena was massive, surrounded by towering walls and audience stands packed with spectators.
The matchups were as follows:
Kurotsuchi vs Ao
Honda Kaori vs ???
Hyūga Inaka vs Samui
Hatake Yusuke vs Kisame Hoshigaki
Pakura vs Uchiha ???
Iwagakure Shinobi A vs Konohagakure Shinobi A
Iwagakure Shinobi B vs Konohagakure Shinobi B
Mei Terumi vs Darui
— — —
"The matches will now begin! First battle—start!"
The announcer's voice boomed across the stadium.
Kurotsuchi won.
Honda Kaori won. (Her match was not detailed.)
*Hyūga Inaka lost—Samui advanced.
Then came the highlight.
"Hatake Yusuke vs Hoshigaki Kisame."
"This time, you won't win," Kisame said with cold determination.
"Draw your blade," Yusuke responded, unsheathing his sword in one smooth motion.
"Who do you think will win?" Jiraiya asked casually.
"Oh, that's easy. Kisame, obviously," the Third Mizukage said, full of confidence.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Tsunade replied flatly.
She knew the strength of this so-called "brat." Judging Yusuke by his age alone was a dangerous mistake.
"We'll see," the Mizukage muttered.
Kisame pulled out a scroll and summoned a massive blade wrapped in white cloth.
"That's Samehada!"
Several shinobi from Sunagakure gasped in shock.
No one expected the Mizukage to actually let Kisame use one of the Seven Ninja Swords—especially that one.
But to Tsunade, it still wasn't enough.
Yusuke had Enma—an artifact on par with Samehada. In terms of raw sharpness, Enma might even be superior. And unlike Samehada, it wasn't alive, nor could it be drained by chakra absorption.
"Water Release: Water Prison Barricade!"
Kisame flooded the arena, transforming it into a battlefield tailored to his advantage. With Samehada in hand, he had no need to worry about chakra conservation.
"He's creating a field like this without even a natural water source?"
Gasps filled the crowd.
"Water Release: Water Shark Bullet!"
A massive shark burst out of the water.
"Interesting."
Yusuke grinned and responded:
"One-Sword Style Iai: Hawk Wave!"
A blade wave surged forward, cleaving the shark apart and continuing toward Kisame.
Kisame blocked with Samehada and quickly formed another set of hand seals.
Conqueror's Haki.
The pressure crashed through the battlefield like an invisible storm. Kisame's chakra flow stuttered. His jutsu faltered. He was forced to retreat.
But Yusuke didn't let up.
In a blur of motion, he unleashed ten consecutive slashes.
"Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks!"
Kisame summoned five more sharks to intercept.
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
Flames erupted—but the instant they met water, steam and thick fog filled the arena.
Using the cover, Yusuke closed the distance.
"Water Release: Water Collision Wave!"
A blast of water struck from the side, catching Yusuke off guard.
Thanks to the chakra-laced waters, Kisame could sense every ripple, every movement.
Yusuke was slammed into the tide.
"Looks like he's cornered," the Mizukage said smugly.
Tsunade didn't react. Her eyes remained fixed on the arena.
'This is a pain… I can't get in close, and long-range jutsu won't cut it. That only leaves one option—'
"I need to erase all of this water at once."
Yusuke inhaled.
"Three-Sword Style: Secret Art…"
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