Tsurugi was dumbstruck.
She had calculated countless scenarios for stealing the spotlight, but never imagined she'd swallow poisoned blood!
"Y-you-you…."
She trembled, pointing at Bai Lu, eyes wide as if staring at a monster. She had never seen such a lunatic!!
Crazy! She'd heard of poisoning clothes or skin, but who the hell poisons their own blood—expecting me to drink it?! And the poison is this virulent!!
Tsurugi's mind was reeling.
Only recently taken in as Orochimaru's Disciple, she was desperate to show off.
And now, she'd capsized on little Bai Lu.
"Poison… in his blood? That vicious?"
Even the referee was stunned, uncertain whether to stop the match.
The whole arena fell silent; everyone stared. Even the village higher-ups evaluating in the distance were shocked.
Was there a need to go this far—or had Tsurugi misunderstood?
But seeing her deathly-pale, terrified face… they fell silent, expressions turning odd—so it was true?!
"Tsurugi, you didn't need to rush. If you'd just asked, I'd have surrendered immediately—no big deal…."
Bai Lu sighed. Feeling the snapped silver-fiber bandages on his face, he simply tore them all off.
He now possessed the ability to block radiation leakage; he no longer needed them.
Once the bandages fell away, an incomparably handsome face was revealed.
Gasps swept the area, briefly raising the schoolyard temperature by several degrees.
Many, for the first time in years, saw Bai Lu's full face; that handsome yet helpless visage made many young girls' hearts flutter!
"Damn, Mr. Bai Lu is so hot—if only I'd made my move earlier…."
"Then why wrap himself head-to-toe in bandages?"
"Probably to hide that killer handsomeness!"
Chatter erupted, followed by cheers.
Looks are justice—bah, a bunch of shallow people drooling over his body.
Bai Lu walked straight toward Tsurugi.
"Damn it, what do you think you're doing? I haven't lost—don't underestimate me!!"
Clenching her teeth, Tsurugi flung a kunai and, fighting the searing corrosion in her mouth, lunged forward—decisive and swift.
For her age, it was excellent; no wonder Orochimaru had chosen her.
But—whoosh!
Bai Lu casually stepped back. In a burst of savage force, he took her leg whip head-on, seized her throat, and slammed her to the ground with a thunderous crash!
Boom!
A loud impact.
Fine cracks spread across the arena floor.
"Quiet. The match no longer matters—what matters is you. Delay any longer and you'll die."
Bai Lu's voice stayed flat as he pinned her by the neck.
While Tsurugi stared in disbelief, his other hand formed a seal: index and middle fingers together.
"Barely twenty seconds—there's still hope. Tsurugi, you owe me your life. Don't be so reckless next time."
He murmured, then—Nuclear Release: Adsorption Turbidity Jutsu!
Below the arena, Ichie's eyes blazed with fervor.
Yes—this power! Mr. Bai Lu, you actually….