https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-324-The-Weight-on-the-Son-of-the-Fire-Shadow-4k-/12558428/
Chapter 323: Might Guy's Terrifying Strength (5.2k)
Chapter 323: Might Guy's Terrifying Strength (5.2k)
"Maintain a safe distance and don't let his shadow jutsu control you," Hanabi Hyuga thought to herself as she approached the combat area, strategizing for the upcoming battle. Having fought alongside Shio Nara before, Hanabi was well aware of the intricacies of his Shadow Imitation Technique. Once controlled, even for a brief moment, the battle could take a turn for the worse.
Hanabi was curious about the duration of Shio's control in a typical situation. If it was only a few seconds longer than it had been with Ajisai, it wouldn't be enough to end the one-on-one fight immediately, but it could give him a significant advantage.
After all, when Shio used the Shadow Imitation Technique, he couldn't directly attack the person he controlled and had to rely on environmental factors to cause harm.
If Hanabi could confirm that Shio's control duration was short, she might be able to fight more aggressively, especially since she knew medical ninjutsu and could easily heal minor injuries.
This highlighted the importance of intelligence; even with her suspicions, Hanabi dared not take the risk of getting too close, as one mistake could lead to her elimination.
As Hanabi speculated about Shio's abilities, he, too, ran through the intelligence he had on her.
"Even Kisame Hoshigaki was knocked back by her strength. I'd be in trouble if I took a direct hit from that punch," Shio thought to himself.
While Shio wanted Hanabi to get close so he could use his Shadow Imitation Technique, he knew that battles were unpredictable. If he found himself unable to use his jutsu in time, he would have to find a way to avoid her attacks.
When they reached the combat area, both Hanabi and Shio used chakra to walk on the water's surface.
As they took their positions, Hiruzen Sarutobi promptly announced the start of the second match.
In that instant, Hanabi entered the Water Release State, quickly backpedaling to create distance from Shio while simultaneously throwing a shuriken at him.
She wasn't sure of the maximum range of his Shadow Imitation Technique, so she erred on the side of caution and kept her distance.
Shuriken flew through the air, but Shio neither pursued nor retreated. He, too, threw a shuriken from his position.
While their shuriken skills were not vastly different, neither of them managed to inflict any substantial damage on the other.
Shio calmly began to walk forward.
Hanabi hadn't displayed any effective long-range attacks during her fight with Kirigakure, so he planned to slowly reduce her dodging space until it was within the range of his Shadow Imitation Technique.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
To Shio's surprise, Hanabi immediately performed the seals and unleashed a water-style ninjutsu. A torrent of water swirled around her, eventually forming a powerful water dragon.
"She knows water-style ninjutsu too!" Shio's expression changed as he quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to dash towards a small cluster of trees behind him.
He suspected that Hanabi had learned this new jutsu during the one-month break, as she hadn't used water-style ninjutsu during her previous battle with Kirigakure, even in dire situations.
This was bad news for Shio.
Kisame had altered the arena in the previous match, turning it into a large pond. Using water-style jutsu in the presence of a water source not only reduced chakra consumption but also increased its power.
"Of all things, she had to use water-style..." Even the usually calm Shio was feeling frustrated. It was annoying to face an opponent who started the match with such a strong advantage.
Shio had no defensive jutsu, and he could only rely on his surroundings to evade and minimize damage. Nonetheless, he couldn't avoid getting injured and disheveled.
"That's it, Hanabi! Keep it up!" Obito, watching from the waiting room, cheered excitedly as he saw Hanabi gaining the upper hand.
Kakashi nodded, feeling confident that Hanabi would secure this victory. Shio, at his core, was a support-type ninja, and solo battles were not his forte.
"It's over," Inuzuka Midori sighed, feeling that her teammate, Shio, was close to defeat.
Although she wanted to see him win, it was evident that Shio was currently at a significant disadvantage and couldn't mount a proper counterattack.
"Huff, huff." Shio wiped the water droplets from his face and caught his breath as he studied Hanabi. His mind raced as he desperately sought a way to turn the tide of the battle.
However, no matter how he strategized, he couldn't see a path to victory.
Without any defensive jutsu, Shio could only rely on his movement and the environment to counter Hanabi's water-style attacks. And due to the range of her jutsu, he couldn't get close enough to strike back—a frustrating situation for a close-quarters fighter.
Just then, a small shadow appeared on the water's surface, and Shio looked up to see a bird circling overhead.
A spark of inspiration flashed in Shio's eyes, and he instantly devised a plan that could shift the battle in his favor.
"Shadow Imitation Technique!"
Shio quickly performed the necessary seals and unleashed his jutsu. A black shadow sped towards Hanabi with incredible speed.
Hanabi, who was in the middle of performing her own seals, thought she had entered the attack range of the Shadow Imitation Technique and immediately backflipped to create distance.
However, to her surprise, Shio's shadow was nowhere near her, not even where she had been standing before she moved.
"Is he feigning weakness?" Hanabi didn't believe that Shio was unaware of the limits of his jutsu.
Cautious as always, Hanabi chose not to advance, suspecting that Shio was employing a strategy to mislead her about the true range of his Shadow Imitation Technique.
Seeing that his shadow technique had missed, Shio reluctantly retracted it and took cover behind a tree.
"Water Style: Water Clone Technique!" Hanabi, unsure of Shio's next move, created a water clone that hid nearby.
She had picked up water-style jutsu relatively quickly, so Muzi had taught her the water clone technique. It was easier to perform than a regular shadow clone and less versatile, with limited use on dry land.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Hanabi intended to continue her assault with water-style ninjutsu, but the trees in the combat area weren't as thick as those in the Southern Border Forest. While they could obstruct Shio's movements, they were no match for the power of her jutsu.
Upon seeing the shadow rushing towards her, Yahiko Lin immediately stopped forming the seals and backed away. However, the shadow stopped at its previous position, and Nara Shio canceled the technique.
"He's stalling for time, wanting to wait for the water to drain away!" Yahiko Lin noticed the decreasing amount of water on the ground and suddenly guessed Nara Shio's tactic.
With this in mind, Yahiko Lin returned to her original position and continued using her ninjutsu. The spot she was standing on was the maximum range for her Water Dragon Bullet Technique; any further, and she wouldn't be able to control it effectively.
Nara Shio didn't just stand there and watch Yahiko Lin use her ninjutsu. As the water swirled and gathered, he threw several kunai in quick succession, but none of them hit their mark.
Boom!
The water dragon smashed into the trees where Nara Shio was hiding, sending him crashing into the water.
Nara Shio quickly climbed out and spat out the water in his mouth. A small, dark shadow on the water's surface brought a smile to his face.
"Water Style..." Yahiko Lin prepared to continue with her ninjutsu.
"Shadow Imitation Technique!" Nara Shio used the technique once more, and the black shadow sped directly towards Yahiko Lin.
This time, Yahiko Lin didn't stop and instead continued gathering chakra for her Water Dragon Bullet Technique. If Nara Shio were hit by another Water Dragon Bullet at this point, he would surely be out of the fight.
Moreover, the distance between them had widened considerably. If Nara Shio could reach her with the Shadow Imitation Technique at this distance, he could have controlled her with it back when she first used her Water Style ninjutsu.
As Yahiko Lin expected, Nara Shio's shadow stopped at its previous position—this was the limit of its range.
However, something unexpected happened. A small, dark shadow drifted onto Nara Shio's shadow.
Whoosh!
Nara Shio's shadow suddenly extended at incredible speed and merged with Yahiko Lin's shadow.
Yahiko Lin's eyes widened in surprise as she looked up. There, in the sky, was a kunai with a makeshift parachute, providing the anchor point for Nara Shio's shadow to extend and reach her.
"You have the advantage of water, but I have the favor of the wind." A faint smile appeared on Nara Shio's face.
While hiding behind the tree earlier, he had cut his clothes to make a simple parachute. Then, as Yahiko Lin focused on performing her ninjutsu, he threw a regular kunai to attract her attention, ultimately throwing the decisive kunai into the sky.
One could say that if the wind had been a little stronger or if there had been a slight deviation in direction, Nara Shio's plan would have failed. However, it seemed that fate was making up for the disadvantages of the arena, as the outcome was exactly as he had envisioned, without any discrepancies.
Nara Shio's maneuver was incomprehensible to ordinary people; only a ninja would understand what he had just accomplished.
"She's a promising talent, but it's a pity her opponent is too cautious." Nara Shikaku shook his head.
"But didn't he gain control? Shouldn't the match be over by now?" Akimichi Choza was somewhat familiar with the Shadow Imitation Technique.
"If it were Shikaku, it would've been over already. But Shio probably only mastered the basics of the Shadow Imitation Technique, and earlier, Yahiko..." Before Yamanaka Inoichi could finish his explanation, the situation on the field changed once more.
As the shadows merged, the water that Yahiko Lin had gathered dispersed. Nara Shio began to manipulate Yahiko Lin's body, making her walk towards the wall. He intended to control her to walk into the wall and knock herself unconscious.
Due to their positions, if he made her walk forward, she would only hit air, but he would collide with the solid wall.
However, just then, Yahiko Lin's hidden water clone appeared.
"Water Prison Technique!" The water clone formed a spherical water prison, trapping Yahiko Lin's body inside.
Nara Shio frowned. When he was hiding behind the tree, Yahiko Lin had disappeared from his line of sight, and he had lost track of her. Hence, he didn't know that she had created a water clone.
Logically, Yahiko Lin had a significant advantage at that point, and there was no need for her to waste chakra on the water clone.
Nara Shio controlled Yahiko Lin's body and used all his might to strike the water prison, attempting to break it.
But Yahiko Lin's strength came from her Super Strength Technique, not her physical might, and Nara Shio certainly didn't possess that kind of power. As a result, his attempts to break the water prison with Yahiko Lin's body failed to create even a ripple on its surface.
Sweat beaded on Nara Shio's forehead, and he had no choice but to cancel the Shadow Imitation Technique, or else the water clone's attack would hit him.
The moment Nara Shio canceled his technique, the water clone also canceled the Water Prison Technique. Yahiko Lin burst forth with chakra, and she and the water clone lunged at Nara Shio from different directions.
"I concede." With his injuries, his depleted chakra, and the certainty of defeat, Nara Shio surrendered.
"The winner is Yahiko Lin!" Hiruzen Sarutobi announced the victor of the match to the entire arena.
Many ninjas in the audience applauded Yahiko Lin and Nara Shio's performance.
If the first match was a display of overwhelming strength, the second match was undoubtedly a contest of caution and wisdom. If Yahiko Lin hadn't used that water clone, the tables could have turned, and she might have gone from a position of strength to elimination.
"Look, Yahiko won!" A middle-aged couple watching the match excitedly smiled at Yahiko Lin's victory.
"It seems I still have a long way to go in teaching compared to Mu Yue." As he watched Yahiko Lin win, Minato couldn't help but sigh.
He considered himself one of Yahiko Lin's teachers, and he knew her abilities before she entered the Chunin Exams. Mastering Water Style ninjutsu to this level in just a month was truly impressive.
"Oh, was Mu Yue the one helping Yahiko Lin train during the Chunin Exams?" Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to Minato, who was standing behind him, and asked.
Minato was there as an escort for the higher-ups, including Hiruzen.
Jiraiya was supposed to be there, but he didn't want to come, so he went to sit with the regular audience instead. Minato was essentially standing in for his sensei.
He had also spent several months with Kakashi's team and understood their practice content. He had even discussed the trio's cultivation issues with Mu Yue.
As for the core training content, he couldn't offer much guidance since those were unique techniques developed by Mu Yue herself. Minato certainly couldn't give misguided advice.
Minato could only teach them what he knew, like Wind Style, Fire Style, and Sealing Techniques, as well as provide some basic ninja training for Obito and the others.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't ask further questions. Although Rin's performance was decent, she still lagged far behind Kakashi's team.
If it weren't for Kisame's Water Style jutsu altering the arena, even if Rin had won, it would have been much more difficult.
"Rin, I told you that you'd be fine!" Obito excitedly spoke to Rin as she entered the waiting room.
"Yes, thanks to your encouragement, I felt more confident," Rin replied with a smile. She was truly happy to have fought with all her might and emerged victorious.
"The third battle is about to begin. Nohara Rin versus Might Guy. Please enter the battlefield immediately to prepare for the fight," announced the proctor, Biluohu.
"Time to unleash my youth!" Might Guy excitedly rubbed his fists as he heard the announcement.
With his father watching from the audience, Guy was determined to showcase his best performance.
Unlike Guy's enthusiasm, Rin felt intimidated.
She was on the same team as Shino Aburame and had experienced the deadly battles in the Forest of Death. She knew just how terrifying Guy's strength was, even Kisame had been kicked until he spat blood.
However, Rin couldn't surrender. If she dared to, someone would surely teach her the meaning of the 'blood' in the Blood Mist.
"My dear friend, don't lose before we get to face each other," Guy said with a grin to Kakashi before leaving the waiting room.
Guy's greatest expectation was to fight Kakashi again and defeat him, claiming the top spot. That would be the epitome of his youthful passion.
"Then get ready to be beaten by me," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.
"Hahaha! You're my dear friend, and I acknowledge that confidence!" Guy gave Kakashi a thumbs up and then laughed as he walked towards the battlefield.
"All talk, just wait till I eliminate you in the semifinals," Obito said irritably.
It was worth mentioning that since Obito had awakened his Sharingan, Kakashi had never won against him, although they had only fought once.
Kakashi ignored Obito's comment as the battle was about to begin.
Shino Aburame stared intently at the battlefield, hoping that his teammate, Rin, could put up a decent fight. Guy was indeed a formidable opponent.
"Hahaha, everyone, did you see that? That's my son, Might Guy! He's incredible!" Might Dai stood up and proudly exclaimed as he saw Guy enter the battlefield.
The surrounding audience forced a smile. In a sense, they could tell who Guy was, with his bright green spandex and thick eyebrows that matched his father's.
"Is he going to become a Chunin at the age of nine? Guy, your youth is burning even brighter than mine!" Might Dai couldn't help but shed tears of excitement as he thought of Guy possibly becoming a Chunin at such a young age. He was truly happy for his son.
"How can you act like you've already won before the fight even starts? Our Kirigakure ninjas are not that easy to deal with," a Kirigakure ninja said unhappily.
Might Dai didn't argue with the Kirigakure ninja. He just sat down quietly, his eyes shining with excitement as he watched the battlefield.
The Kirigakure ninja didn't intend to pick a fight, and seeing that Might Dai was well-behaved, he simply grumbled, feeling that Might Dai was underestimating their Kirigakure village.
"Begin!" Biluohu finished speaking and continued to retreat to the edge of the arena.
By now, most of the water on the field had receded, and the arena had returned to its original state, except for some remaining puddles on the ground.
"Eight Inner Gates, First Gate Open, Open! Restrained Gate, Open! Life Gate, Open!"
"Rock Breathing, Full Concentration!"
To show his father his strength, Guy decided to go all out, unleashing his full power, despite his opponent's average strength.
This sudden burst of terrifying power created an air current that blew away the remaining puddles around Guy.
If expressions were allowed, Nohara Rin would have surely responded with a "Are you trying to kill me?" meme.
In the face of Guy's overwhelming display of power, Rin's heart couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. The gap between their strengths was just too vast.
Rin could only forcibly suppress the fear in her heart and perform hand seals to use a Water Style ninjutsu.
"Extreme Leaf Strong Whirlwind!"
Guy channeled most of his strength into his legs and unleashed an incredibly fast spinning kick towards Rin.
Boom!
Rin's Water Style jutsu was instantly shattered by Guy's kick, and before she could react, she was sent flying by the powerful strike.
Puh! Bang!
Rin spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed into the wall at the edge of the arena, becoming embedded in it.
---
Silence befell the entire arena. Not only were the spectators stunned, but even Biluohu hadn't expected Guy to defeat his opponent so swiftly. It had been less than half a minute, perhaps not even twenty seconds since the start of the match!
"Might Guy wins!" Biluohu quickly announced Guy's victory as he regained his wits.
The Kirigakure ninja, who had previously commented on Guy's father's boastfulness, lowered his head in embarrassment. This was too humiliating—a one-hit knockout with no suspense whatsoever.
Might Dai didn't say anything to the Kirigakure ninja. He was too excited, celebrating his son's victory with sheer joy.
(End of Chapter)
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