"Whoosh."
The moment the match began, Kurotsuchi used the Body Flicker Technique to rush forward. She lifted her long leg and swept it toward Haku's waist.
"Smack."
Haku seemed prepared. He clenched his left fist and raised it at his side, blocking Kurotsuchi's kick.
"Earth Style: Fist Rock Technique!"
Kurotsuchi had likewise anticipated that her kick would not succeed. Before she could even retract her leg, she clenched her right fist and smashed it toward Haku's head.
As her fist swung out, it was already encased in a layer of rock.
Yet Haku did not even glance at the rock fist coming his way. Instead, he reached out with his right hand and grabbed Kurotsuchi's right ankle, which was still hanging in the air.
"Ah!"
A startled cry escaped Kurotsuchi's lips.
Haku seized her right foot and flung her entire body away.
Kurotsuchi's cry had come for two reasons: first, her little foot had been grabbed; second, her entire body had been sent flying.
This alone showed that Kurotsuchi's combat experience was still far too lacking.
Still, that was perfectly normal. Students who had not yet graduated from the Ninja Academy rarely had opportunities for actual combat.
After all, more than five years had passed since the end of the Third Ninja World War.
During such a peaceful era, students had almost no chance to experience this sort of formal battle before graduating and taking on missions.
Although Haku had not graduated either, his childhood experiences had forged his steadfast character.
Before meeting Soji, Haku had been living through Kirigakure's darkest period, and his life had entered its most unfortunate year.
Later, after arriving in Konoha, Soji had deliberately reformed the Ninja Academy toward the Academy System.
The three of them were the first students to experience that system.
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