Chapter 33: Strategy, Frost, and a Crafty Blade
"You lose."
Just like the initial encounter, Kakashi had used his clone to draw the yellow-haired kunoichi's attention. His real body had quietly approached her back amidst the smoke she'd created.
The kunoichi sneered. "Did you forget? Your shuriken is no threat to me." As she spoke, she prepared to leap away.
But Kakashi smiled faintly. "I advise you not to move."
"I declare the winner of the first match: Hatake Kakashi of Konoha!"
The Kumo Jonin stepped forward to announce the result.
"Why? I haven't even…" The kunoichi protested fiercely, but before she could finish, she suddenly realized her back was inexplicably plastered with explosive tags by Kakashi.
One tag couldn't harm her. But ten? Twenty?
Kakashi's battle wasn't a simple ninjutsu clash. It was a battle of wits, using all known information. He and the kunoichi had already fought during the second stage. They understood each other's capabilities.
"Not bad. You almost had me fooled."
Watching Kakashi walk off the stage, Liumu raised a hand and patted his shoulder.
Kakashi replied, "I won't lose to the same person twice."
"Heh." Liumu chuckled lightly but said no more.
"Second match: Haku of Kirigakure versus Ranto of Iwagakure!"
"Kirigakure!" Hearing the name, Liumu immediately turned to look at the Kiri team. Seeing the white-haired girl stride forward, he muttered, "Haku… Haku. Haku… that name… sounds like 'white.'"
"It's her! The Ice Release kunoichi!" Mizukage hurried to Liumu's side, standing on tiptoe to peer through the crowd.
As Liumu expected, Haku's appearance instantly drew the attention of everyone present. True to her name, a palpable chill seemed to emanate from her, cooling the surrounding air.
Her opponent, Ranto, was the large Iwa ninja who controlled the stone golem.
Once the match began, Ranto immediately distanced himself. His hands flew through seals, slamming onto the ground. The stone golem rose once more. Standing atop its head, Ranto manipulated its massive palm to swat at Haku.
But then…
"This… what is this?!"
Suddenly, Haku's cold eyes slowly closed. Instantly, a visible, bone-chilling frost erupted from her entire body, engulfing the golem.
"A Bloodline Limit!"
On the second-floor stand, Yuhi Makoto watched the icy aura around Haku and spoke in a low voice. His piercing gaze fixed on her, he said nothing more.
Almost instantly, the stone golem—including Ranto atop it—was sheathed in a layer of frost. They ceased all movement, frozen solid.
"I declare the winner of the second match: Haku of Kirigakure!"
"As expected of a Bloodline Limit! The match ended so quickly." Watching this, Kakashi's expression turned slightly grave. The pressure the stone golem had exerted on him was immense. Yet in the hands of Haku, with her Kekkei Genkai, it hadn't lasted a minute.
"Don't be envious. Having a Bloodline Limit isn't necessarily a good thing," Liumu reassured him.
"Oh?" Kakashi looked at him, puzzled.
Liumu explained, "Bloodline Limits are indeed powerful. But most place an unimaginable burden on the user's body and lifespan. They're far inferior to ordinary ninja like you and me in those aspects."
Konoha had many clans with Kekkei Genkai, like the Uchiha with their Sharingan. Eye evolution came with severe side effects: trance, dizziness, even temporary blindness.
"How do you know this?" Mizukage asked curiously.
"Ah…" Liumu scratched his nose. "Oh, right. Master Jiraiya told me."
Haku's match, showcasing a Bloodline Limit, had captured everyone's attention.
Not far off, a Kiri Jonin watched Haku's outstanding performance, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Next match…"
As the Kumo Jonin called again, it was finally the turn of a Kumogakure ninja for the fourth match.
"Zoroku of Kumogakure versus Sei of the Land of Craftsmen!"
"Sei? Brother Sei?"
Hearing the name, an image popped into Liumu's mind: a girl with long, straight black hair and a famous online meme— 'You laugh at Brother Sei for dying young; Brother Sei laughs at you…'
'This…!'
While Liumu was lost in thought, a sudden gasp erupted from the audience.
Turning blankly toward the arena, Liumu saw the Kumo ninja from the fourth match now lying on the ground, eyes white, unconscious. His body was covered in the shriveled, charred fabric typical of a severe lightning strike, indicating the brutal attack he'd just endured.
"What happened?"
Typically, most Kumo ninja wielded Lightning Release. So why had this Kumo ninja been defeated by the very element he specialized in?
Kakashi's voice was tense. "The Craftsman Country ninja has an extraordinary weapon."
It turned out that after the match began, the Kumo ninja had immediately unleashed several lightning bolts. But unexpectedly, the Craftsman ninja didn't dodge. Instead, as the lightning was about to strike, he suddenly drew the blunt sword at his waist. After the sword absorbed the lightning, the Craftsman ninja closed in and used the Kumo ninja's own technique against him.
"Absorbing ninjutsu?"
That was Liumu's first thought upon hearing Kakashi's description.
The Jonin observing were no less shocked than the Genin in the audience. The Land of Craftsmen made its living selling ninja tools. Who'd have thought this previously inconspicuous minor nation had secretly developed such a miraculous weapon?
"The winner of this match… Sei of the Land of Craftsmen."
After announcing the result, the Kumo Jonin immediately rushed to the fallen Kumo ninja to check his injuries. Judging by his subsequent expression, the ninja was likely fine.
For any village, Genin represented hope. The children participating in these Chunin Exams were undoubtedly the most outstanding talents of their generation. That's why the exams strictly forbade lethal force. Should such a situation arise, a Jonin or higher-ranking ninja would immediately intervene.
"You're up next match," Kakashi said, glancing at the screen, then at Liumu beside him.
"Yeah."
With that, Liumu stepped away from the crowd and walked straight to the arena.
Looking at his opponent's face, he muttered with a cold expression, "A guy named Hashimoto Asuka… seriously?"
(End of Chapter)
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