CH_110

Gan Kotetsu shouted loudly toward Tatami Iwashi in the arena.

By then, Akamon Manabu had already returned to the contestants' waiting room from the medical room, but no one paid him any attention—everyone was focused on the match.

After giving himself that "physical wake-up call," Tatami Iwashi seemed to have regained a lot of his willpower and immediately pressed the attack on Mizuki.

"Iwashi's got this!" Kotetsu—the closest to Iwashi in the waiting room—was genuinely happy for his temporary teammate.

The two were now locked in a kunai duel, but it had become a clear attack-and-defense dynamic. Mizuki was clearly struggling to fight without the use of his eyes.

In less than two minutes, Mizuki conceded, "You win this time!"

The frustration in his voice was unmistakable.

Iwashi leaped back and waited for Shinku to announce his victory…

"I never expected Tatami Iwashi to be this strong." Natchi was getting fired up after watching the others fight.

Tōji silently pondered—

Both of them had demonstrated the combat qualities expected of a chūnin. Could Mizuki and Iwashi already have earned Namikaze Minato's approval based on this single match alone?

Next up was Tōji's own match.

"Kazamatsuri Tōji and Tsubaki—please take your positions!" Shinku had already announced the next match was about to begin.

Mizuki and Iwashi had both been sent to the medical room, leaving only Yūhi Shinku waiting in the center of the arena.

"Tōji… kun?" Tsubaki approached timidly from the corner of the waiting room.

She'd been watching quietly like a ghost the whole time, unnoticed by anyone.

"Ah—Tsubaki. Let's go down together." Tōji lightly tapped her shoulder and let her walk ahead. He followed half a step behind as they took the stairs down to the arena.

"No need to be nervous—just think of it as a regular spar." Tōji noticed Tsubaki's fists were clenched tight.

"Oh—okay, I will." Tsubaki hurried out of the stairwell and walked briskly toward Shinku.

As Tōji walked, he glanced at the stands—not only his parents were there, but the old clan head had also come.

"Three! Two! One! Begin!" Shinku called out and withdrew.

Since Tōji already knew Tsubaki wasn't strong, he'd long since figured out how to play this match—

If he dragged it out, he might get to show off some jutsu—but against someone as weak as Tsubaki, dragging it out would probably make him look like a clown in Minato's eyes;

If he pretended not to know Tsubaki's skill level, tested the waters, and then quickly defeated her, he'd look like someone who didn't prepare for matches—a mark of poor shinobi discipline;

If he just used Body Flicker to appear behind her and pressed a kunai to her neck… it would just embarrass her.

Whoosh!

Tsubaki felt a gust of wind behind her, then a cold touch at her neck—and froze in place.

"Just surrender." Tōji said quietly.

"You're too fast…" Tsubaki still couldn't believe it. The last time she'd seen Tōji's Body Flicker—when he was dodging Anko—it was fast enough. This time, it was even faster!

"Lord Shinku! I surrender!" Tsubaki called out a little louder.

Amid the murmurs from the audience, Shinku appeared before Tōji and took a good look at this young man whose Body Flicker was faster than most chūnin's…

He was also the one who'd made that fake scroll and tricked Orochimaru's female apprentice…

"Winner—Kazamatsuri Tōji!"

As Shinku announced the result, Tōji withdrew his kunai.

"Sorry, Tsubaki. I believe taking the match seriously is how you show respect to your opponent." Tōji said this without a hint of embarrassment.

Truth was, this was simply the most advantageous choice for him.

"Ah—it's fine, Tōji." Tsubaki waved her hands quickly to show she didn't mind.

She probably knew exactly how weak she was anyway…