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Chapter 52: Narrow Defeat and the Final Match!
Chapter 52: Narrow Defeat and the Final Match!
"Hey..."
Kakashi's brow furrowed as he looked at Douhei, who was nearly drenched in blood, still radiating warmth from the battle.
After all, they were teammates, and some concern was inevitable.
"I'm fine!"
With a light wave of his hand, Douhei sat down to quickly recover his condition.
The battle with Makoto may have seemed to end quickly, but it had taken a significant toll on his chakra and stamina.
The injuries he sustained, even with the aid of healing elixirs, required a considerable effort to heal.
Winning at the cost of injuries!
That was the primary reason he had been able to defeat Makoto so swiftly.
Makoto had never anticipated such a determined and reckless approach, charging forward despite the oncoming jutsu. Otherwise, the victory would not have been so easy.
The benefits of being a nobody in the past were now showing.
Others had little information on him.
The semifinal matchups were also decided.
Kakashi's expression grew serious.
He was up against Kodo, while Douhei was set to face the last remaining contestant, a 'lucky' participant from a small village.
"Finally, a bit of luck!"
Douhei sighed inwardly at the matchup.
He had already faced two strong opponents from the Sand Village, Kon and Makoto, the latter being a well-known representative of the Sand Village.
Many still couldn't accept this reality.
Now, facing a contestant from a small village who was also heavily injured and exhausted, rather than Kodo or Kakashi, was indeed fortunate.
It seemed there was no foul play this time.
With the top four, strong matchups were inevitable, and there was no need to deliberately avoid them.
However, there was also bad news.
First match!
This time, Douhei was not scheduled to fight last, but first.
In other words, he didn't even get a chance to catch his breath.
Given the situation, he had no choice but to drag his exhausted body into the arena immediately.
This time, he didn't have the intelligence advantage he had during the fight with Makoto.
The small village contestant, named Onzen, was incredibly slippery, refusing to give Douhei the opportunity for a quick victory.
If not for the Fire Fist Ninja Tool, Douhei would have had no way to conserve his strength.
At a critical moment, he used the back of his hand to block an attack and then delivered a devastating Fang Bite to send his opponent flying, securing the win.
With that, the next strong matchup was set.
Kakashi vs. Kodo!
Compared to Makoto's unexpected loss, this highly anticipated battle was already being seen as the final by countless spectators.
The attention was at its peak.
And the outcome was as expected by the audience.
Kakashi... lost.
His attacks struggled to penetrate Kodo's defenses, and facing the B-rank jutsu, 'Weighted Rock Technique,' left him helpless.
No matter how fast he was, under several times the normal gravity, he inevitably slowed down.
With his speed reduced, Kakashi's combat effectiveness, as a speed-based fighter, naturally decreased.
If he were 14 years old, he could have easily handled the situation.
But at just 7 years old, he was at a significant disadvantage in terms of physical strength and chakra, leading to a direct defeat by Kodo.
Though defeated, he still earned respect!
This battle could be described with the phrase "glorious defeat."
Whether it was tactics, techniques, or jutsu, he had done his best.
And if not for a timely intervention by Minato Namikaze to save him, he might have fought to the death.
Thus, Kakashi's popularity did not suffer from the loss; it actually soared.
After all, he was only 7 years old, while Kodo was twice his age.
Other 7-year-old ninja were just entering the academy, while he had already made it to the top four in the Joint Chunin Exam.
What else could you call this but a super genius?
He had won the hearts of the crowd!
Kakashi's reputation as a super genius was instantly solidified.
Whether from the Sand Village or the Rock Village, the looks they gave him were filled with barely concealed malice.
Because his talent was even more astonishing than that of the White Fang.
Once he grows up, he'll be the ‘White Fang Plus’ version.
Who could stand that!
Especially the Sand shinobi, who were once decimated by the White Fang, wouldn't hesitate to strike in the shadows.
The moment Kakashi was defeated, Yura seemed to step forward to 'rescue' him, but only the heavens knew what she actually did. Then there was Hotori, who also intervened, either intentionally or unintentionally.
If it weren't for Minato Namikaze, the future 'Fastest Shinobi in the World,' stepping in, Kakashi might have been a goner.
The Great Shinobi Villages might have their pride, but when faced with the opportunity to eliminate an enemy village's super genius, they can easily set it aside.
Even Konoha was prepared for a full-scale battle.
However, the combined forces of the Hidden Rock and Hidden Sand Villages managed to avert an immediate conflict.
Now you understand why both Kage not only personally attended but also brought so many strong shinobi?
It was to ensure that even in a fight, they wouldn't be at a significant disadvantage.
Konoha did have the home-field advantage and would likely win in the end, but that was the biggest concern.
Once the fighting started, the home field would be a thing of the past. Even if they died, the enemy could still destroy Konoha Village.
This mutual deterrence allowed the Kage to attend with peace of mind.
If the tournament had been held far from Konoha Village, it's doubtful they would have come at all.
In the end, after the three Kage made a deal, the matter was settled.
After Kakashi's defeat, the final match list was announced.
Godo VS Uchiha Dohei!
The former wasn't surprising, as his opponent was indeed the strongest in this joint Chunin Exam.
However, the latter was a shock to many.
Labels like 'dead last,' 'waste,' and 'softie' weren't secrets; any Konoha villager could tell you that.
This was why no one initially questioned the data on Dohei in the intelligence handbook.
Yet, this under-the-radar ninja somehow managed to fight his way into the finals, leaving many people stunned.
Of course, many also suffered heavy losses.
For example, a certain blonde with twin pigtails was now jumping up and down, cursing.
As for the big nobles and merchants who ran the betting, while they did take a hit from the upset, they still managed to make a small profit rather than a huge one.
The real big winner, of course, was Uchiha Meiko, who had blindly bet on Dohei.
Although the odds were low during the semi-finals, she chose not to bet to avoid being restricted for betting too frequently.
But by the finals, the odds skyrocketed.
The final odds were 1.3:2.5.
This meant that a bet of 100 million on Dohei would net a return of 250 million, with a profit of 150 million.
The odds fluctuated based on the number of bets, and a large pool was necessary to make significant profits.
In the main viewing stand,
"I hope there won't be any more incidents like before, or we in Konoha will not be held responsible!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried a warning tone.
In other words, if the two major villages dared to play any tricks, he wouldn't hold back.
He was still relatively young, a 'shinobi hero' rather than the future 'shinobi bear.'
"Of course, that was just a misunderstanding!"
The Third Kazekage's expression didn't change, as if Yura hadn't done anything at all.
"Yes, just a misunderstanding!"
Onoki also chimed in.
For now, he and the Third Kazekage were in a temporary alliance, far from the bitter rivalries of past Shinobi Wars.
"Better be a misunderstanding!"
What could Hiruzen say?
He had at least received compensation, and with no possibility of a battle here, he had no choice but to forgive them.
And so, the highly anticipated final match officially began.
Unlike before, many shinobi stood along the edges of the arena and in the stands to prevent accidental injuries.
If it was just taijutsu or genjutsu, it would be manageable.
But powerful ninjutsu could cause massive destruction, so precautions were necessary.
Amidst the intense atmosphere, the final showdown began.
(End of Chapter)
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