Tried to Show Off and Got Screwed Instead

Whoosh!

The swift attack whipped up the air currents that ruffled the hairs on her forehead, but Sakura remained motionless.

The Kunai suddenly stopped at the girl's brow.

"Why don't you hide?" the ninja in the darkness asked.

"Killing intent," the girl said calmly, standing quietly, "Because you lack killing intent."

Katsura U's Kunai didn't even make her retreat a millimeter.

It seemed certain that it would stop at the last moment.

"Is that so...?" Katsura U narrowed his eyes. "That reason isn't convincing."

Indeed, to choose not to dodge an enemy's attack simply because the opponent lacks killing intent is far too arrogant. Such a ninja probably wouldn't last long in the Anbu... Is this all the Fifth Hokage's disciple is capable of?

Regardless, even with the Hokage's recommendation, he couldn't allow a pretty face to join the Anbu. Otherwise, he would be harming not only the Anbu and Anbu comrades, but also this seemingly attractive girl...

He could only pray that Lady Tsunade wouldn't be too angry. Katsura U thought to himself, making a silent decision. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a girl's voice from elsewhere—

"So..."

Katsura U's eyes narrowed; Sakura's voice was coming from behind the girl in front of him!

"Is this reason convincing to you?"

Another Sakura, the real one, appeared behind the girl, leaning on her shoulder and smiling faintly.

Crack! The girl, who Kunai resistance, turned into a block of ice before Katsura U's eyes.

"A clone... just a moment ago?" Katsura U was shocked. He hadn't even noticed that the girl had used Clone Technique!

What superb Ninjutsu!

Is this what they call talent? Katsura U had to admit he had misjudged. This so-called Hokage disciple did indeed possess some skill; he wasn't the kind of person who entered the Anbu through connections and used the Anbu name to enhance his prestige. The Lord Fifth Hokage was indeed not an unreliable person; even the newly promoted Chunin he recommended were top-tier fighters!

People like Katsura U, who are commoner ninjas and have reached this level without relying on family-inherited Secret Technique, value practical or basic skills more than fancy advanced Ninjutsu.

Sakura's shadow Clone Technique, so seamless and practical, was so well-concealed that even he, standing right next to her, didn't react in time. This perfectly suited his taste, causing his impression of Sakura to skyrocket, transforming her from a pretty but useless person into a ninja who was amazing in every way.

He had initially been cold and aloof towards the girl, but now he was silently nodding in approval of Sakura in his heart.

Beneath the mask, the face that had previously remained expressionless began to show emotion.

Not bad, this girl!

Of course, if he knew that Sakura usually followed up her Ice Clone with a Clone Explosion Technique, Katsura U's expression would probably be even more interesting...

When he stopped, he had no idea he had almost escaped death...

"You were distracted when you turned around," Sakura explained, "And you've been hinting at me from the beginning."

Indeed, Katsura U's attack, though sudden, was not without precedent.

In fact, before testing Sakura's vigilance with a surprise attack, Katsura U had already warned her verbally:

"As long as you stay vigilant, you'll pass the test." "Once you get past this turning point, you're good to go."

If the girl really listened to him, then she should "stay vigilant" and heed Katsura U's hint that "the test is just around the corner." She should be on high alert when Katsura U passes the corner.

If someone truly interprets "the assessment is over the corner" as "the assessment is in the house behind the corner," and fails to react during Katsura U's sudden attack, then it only proves that they are stupid and unsuitable for the work of the Anbu, and they will fail the assessment directly.

Sakura is definitely not that kind of person.

Katsura U's words had a hidden meaning, and although she didn't understand them at first, she felt that Katsura U seemed to be putting in a lot of effort when he spoke; however, she still followed his instructions and became more vigilant. When she passed the corner, she sensed that something was wrong and realized that there might be a problem, so she quietly used her Ice Clone.

"Hmm, is this the assessment?" the girl asked.

Katsura U nodded and smiled, saying, "This was an assessment of your vigilance. It's over, and you did well! Next, we'll test your abilities. Come with me to the examination room."

Okay, this seems a bit frivolous... Having grown accustomed to the solemn and serious exams of her past life, Sakura felt that the tests in the Hokage world were a bit too brutal. However, such tests were indeed quite concise and effective; you can't expect someone to stay alert, write an 800-word essay, and then have it graded to determine whether they passed or failed!

Ignoring Sakura Haruno's feigned innocence after getting the benefit, Katsura U fumbled on the wall for a few moments, then snapped on the switch, turning on the wall light and instantly dispelling the darkness in the corner.

Before Sakura lay a short passage, at the end of which was an iron gate.

Katsura U opened the iron gate and led the girl inside. Outside the gate was a small courtyard, with traces of various Ninjutsu still remaining along the courtyard wall.

The two walked into the empty courtyard.

"Any new faces?"

Suddenly, a calm, lazy voice rang out from behind them!

"Shino, you still love scaring newbies as much as ever," Katsura U said calmly, not at all frightened by the sudden appearance of the ninja.

Katsura U remained very calm because he had been mentally prepared.

This guy, codenamed Shino, was his longtime friend. He had a perverse hobby: he liked to use his superb stealth skills to sneak up behind newcomers, then hold Kunai to their necks to scare them and watch them make a fool of themselves. Most people would break out in a cold sweat from being silently controlled like that.

Katsura U had seen Shino use this tactic to intimidate many newcomers.

However, this one might be different from the usual newcomers... Katsura U thought to himself.

What would I see? Katsura U turned around with a hint of anticipation.

"Sorry... I don't like having Kunai pouch) held to my neck."

Katsura U heard the girl say.

The girl didn't turn around at all, but Shino's attack, which should have been unpredictable and deadly, was instead firmly grasped by her wrist.

Shino was defeated by a newcomer? Katsura U found herself not surprised at all, as if... she had expected it all along.

Not only that, Shino had used all his strength, but his wrist still felt like it was being crushed by a massive boulder, and he couldn't free his hand at all.

Shino couldn't believe that her slender wrist could exert such immense strength. His right hand felt like it was being clamped by an iron clamp, and his bones began to ache faintly!

The power exerted by the Monstrous Strength Technique is often tens of tons or more, capable of blasting the earth apart. How could he possibly resist it so easily? The fact that Sakura didn't break his bones on the spot was already a sign of mercy.

Katsura U seemed to see that Shino was starting to sweat.

"... How did you find out about me?" Shino asked in a hoarse voice.

Although no one could see it, the girl beneath the mask still revealed an elegant smile, "This question... is unacceptable. Your Chakra fluctuations are so obvious, how could I not detect you?"

"I see..." Shino's face beneath the mask was already flushed, his voice growing increasingly muffled, "You're a sensory-type ninja!"

That's right, with his stealth abilities, only a sensory ninja could catch him so accurately!

The girl didn't explain, but a smirk played on her lips beneath the mask.

Being ambushed repeatedly annoyed her. Could Katsura U be testing her vigilance? And what's with this guy Shino?

Although I didn't use the full power of his Monstrous Strength Technique, it was still a lesson he learned.

"Yuan, let him go." Katsura U could see that Shino was really hurting from being gripped, so she spoke up to help. "Besides, Shino, she's a combat-type ninja!"

Sakura released his hand as instructed. After all, the other party was a senior member of the Anbu, and she wouldn't really embarrass him, lest it be awkward when they met again in the future.

Shino finally withdrew his hand, leaving a purplish handprint on his arm. He shook his hand, feeling as if his right hand no longer belonged to him.

He was a little frustrated and embarrassed by his misjudgment—it wasn't a sensory-type ninja after all.

"So she's Taijutsu- type ninja," Shino, rubbing his bruised arm. His tone was tinged with resentment, realizing he had misjudged her. Although she was a girl, she was incredibly strong!

However, he was still wrong... Sakura is not Taijutsu- type ninja!

Sakura shook her head, about to speak to avoid any misunderstanding, when Katsura U spoke first:

"Shino, Tobi is a ninja who uses Ninjutsu!"

There was a hint of a smile in his words.

In fact, Katsura U's expression, hidden beneath the mask, was already one of laughter. He simply couldn't help but laugh: Shino liked to tease newcomers, but today he was the one being teased by them. It was truly a case of "the one who tries to catch the hawk all day long ends up getting pecked in the eye by the hawk."

What's that popular saying in Konoha lately?

Right, it's "Trying to show off but getting fucked instead." Thinking of this phrase, Katsura U couldn't help but laugh. It's so apt; whoever came up with it is definitely a genius!

Shino's attempt to show off backfired spectacularly. Not only did he fail to impress, but he also misjudged Sakura's ninja type twice. It was as if he had done something wrong and was trying to make excuses, only to have them exposed one by one.

It was incredibly embarrassing.

Shino must be wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground right now. Katsura U thought to herself, cursing her friend, but said aloud, "Alright, Shino, Tobi, let's stop wasting time and start the assessment."

"Ahem, that's true," Shino cleared his throat twice to cover his lapse in composure, and followed the lead offered by Katsura U, "Let's begin the assessment."

"I'm not the type of ninja with a particularly strong specialty," he said, standing on the open ground. "I've dabbled in Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu, developing them all in a balanced way. Please remember that during battle."

Sakura walked over and greeted Shino with Seal of Confrontation opposition, "I am Ninjutsu- type ninja. I don't know Genjutsu, and my Taijutsu is average. I know a few Water Release."

"The rules are that, except for the prohibition of killing, the fight must stop immediately if one side concedes defeat or becomes incapacitated. So..." Katsura U stood to one side, raising his right hand, acting as the temporary referee for this battle, "The battle begins!"

His right hand swung down suddenly.

(Double update of 000 words was indeed a bit tiring, so let's go back to the light and cheerful 000 words~)

(The first update tomorrow morning will be moved to midnight, while the evening update will still be around 7 PM.)

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