"It's over. Winner—Cloud Shinobi Village, Omoi."
In the arena, Omoi's blade was already pressed against Temari's neck.
Temari still held her iron fan raised, as if she wanted to continue, but the cold steel against her skin told her everything she needed to know. She sighed and lowered the fan.
She had lost. There was nothing more to say.
Shiranui Genma announced Omoi's victory.
On the viewing platform, the Fourth Raikage leaned back, his expression finally easing.
Cloud Shinobi Village had secured a win at last. At the very least, they weren't like Kirigakure—completely wiped out.
Next up was Konoha Village: Inuzuka Kiba vs. Iwagakure: Kurotsuchi.
"Akamaru, everyone else already won. If we lose now, it'll be embarrassing. Let's go!"
Kiba rubbed Akamaru's head, pumping himself up.
"Kurotsuchi, go all out!"
"I know already, old man. Stop nagging!"
Wearing a red qipao under her Iwagakure vest, Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes at her father, Onoki, and confidently stepped into the arena.
Kiba and Akamaru locked onto her immediately.
The fight was about to explode.
"Beast Human Clone Technique!"
Boom!
Two Kibas appeared at once. Both dropped to all fours, bodies tense, eyes feral as they stared down Kurotsuchi.
"Come on! Show me what you've got!"
Kurotsuchi hooked her finger provocatively, completely confident.
The two Kibas lunged simultaneously, their movements intertwined and unpredictable.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kurotsuchi didn't move an inch. Her fists hardened with stone, each punch heavy like a war hammer, easily blocking their attacks.
"Fang Over Fang!"
Two human drills tore across the ground, roaring toward her and kicking up a storm of dust.
The arena shook violently.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A towering wall erupted from the ground, stopping the attack head-on.
Boom!
The wall shattered—but the spinning drills kept coming.
"Earth Style: Subterranean Projection!"
Kurotsuchi sank into the ground and vanished.
The attack hit nothing.
"Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!"
She reappeared behind one of them in an instant, stone-coated fist slamming down.
Boom!
Kiba tried to block—but was sent flying.
Midair, he reverted into Akamaru, yelping as he hit the ground hard.
"Akamaru!"
Kiba shouted in panic.
"Woof!"
Akamaru shook it off, jumped back up, and sprinted forward again.
"Inuzuka Style: Human–Beast Combined Transformation—Two-Headed Wolf!"
With a thunderous roar, a massive white two-headed wolf appeared in the arena, shaking the ground as it glared at Kurotsuchi.
The giant beast leapt into the air, spinning rapidly.
A massive white tornado formed and crashed straight toward her.
"That move is insane! I can feel the arena shaking!"
"The Inuzuka clan's transformation techniques are incredible!"
"How is that Iwagakure girl supposed to stop this?!"
The crowd held its breath.
Many watching ninjas felt a chill—this level of power already rivaled jonin.
"Lava Style: Lime Cement Technique!"
Kurotsuchi showed no fear—only excitement.
She unleashed her bloodline ability. Lime burst from her mouth, mixed with Water Style chakra, and rapidly hardened.
The spinning tornado was sealed inside a solidifying lime sphere.
Crack!
The sphere shattered, revealing Kiba and Akamaru—but their ultimate move had been completely neutralized.
"Kiba's going to lose…"
Kurenai sighed helplessly.
She knew it the moment the technique failed.
That attack had taken Kiba countless hours of brutal training to master. Once it failed, his momentum collapsed instantly.
His chakra was nearly gone.
Soon after, Kurotsuchi defeated him cleanly.
"The winner— Iwagakure, Kurotsuchi!"
The crowd buzzed again.
Next match followed immediately.
Sunagakure: Gaara vs. Konoha Village: Kohiyama .
Kohiyama fought stubbornly, enduring Gaara's attacks far longer than expected, but the gap in power was undeniable.
He was defeated.
Konoha's two consecutive losses stood in sharp contrast to its earlier three-win streak.
"Hokage-sama, looks like Konoha's losing steam," the Raikage sneered.
"Haha, guests are guests," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied calmly. "We can't let them leave unhappy."
Raikage Ai choked on his words.
Anyone with eyes could see that Kurotsuchi and Gaara were simply stronger. This wasn't mercy—it was reality.
Yet Sarutobi made it sound like Konoha was deliberately giving ground.
"I've never seen someone this shameless," Ai muttered.
Onoki, Rasa, and Yagura all glanced at Sarutobi with the same thought.
Hiruzen, however, looked pleased—almost proud.
"Gaara, according to the schedule, you'll fight again next. You may rest for half an hour if needed."
"No," Gaara replied coldly. "We start now."
In the stands, Rock Lee was burning with excitement.
"Finally! Finally it's my turn again! Youth! Passion! Sensei Guy—I'm on fire!"
"Burn with everything you've got, Lee!" Guy shouted back. "Only a true opponent can make youth shine brighter! Go all out!"
"Yes, Sensei!"
Lee and Guy struck matching poses, blazing with enthusiasm.
Kakashi twitched, looking away.
Even after more than ten years, he still couldn't get used to this.
"Candidate Rock Lee! Hurry up! If you don't enter the arena now, you'll be disqualified!"
Shiranui Genma's voice echoed.
Lee snapped out of it.
"Sensei, I'm going now!"
"Go, Lee! Let your youth have no regrets!"
"Yes, Sensei Guy!"
With Guy's thumbs-up shining like a beacon, Rock Lee leapt down from the stands—
Straight into the arena.
The long-awaited clash had finally begun.
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