"What exactly is this thing of yours, Hanakei Kaede?"
Takano Takeme used every ounce of strength she had, yet she still could not break free from the restraint of those "black gloves."
"Takano, this is my Kekkei Genkai!"
Hanakei Kaede narrowed her eyes slightly, tilting her head with a sweet smile on her face. Her voice was crisp and pleasant.
"Kekkei Genkai?"
As someone from a civilian family, Takano Takeme had naturally heard of abilities like Kekkei Genkai. The two great clans of Konoha, the Uchiha and Hyuga, possessed their own eye-technique Kekkei Genkai. The First Hokage, who had founded Konoha, had possessed an incomparably powerful Kekkei Genkai as well—Wood Release.
Thus, when Hanakei Kaede said that she possessed a Kekkei Genkai, Takano Takeme's first reaction was shock. Once that shock passed, panic followed, because the "black gloves" on her hand continued spreading up her arm, like black ink gradually staining her skin...
"Hanakei Kaede, let me go!"
Terrified, Takano Takeme swung her other hand at Hanakei Kaede, trying to force her to release her.
"Takano, don't worry. I won't hurt you. At most, I'm just using you to test my 'Shadow Release'..."
With a thought from Hanakei Kaede, another mass of "black substance" appeared out of thin air, blocking Takano Takeme's incoming arm before turning into a "black glove" and taking control of her other arm.
As time briefly passed, Hanakei Kaede's "Shadow Release" had successfully infected over half of Takano Takeme's body. From afar, it looked as though someone had poured a bucket of black ink over her, an utterly bizarre sight.
"Kaede..."
Seeing Takano Takeme completely fall into a disadvantageous position, Ootani Yuuto could not help speaking up to Hanakei Kaede. Under these circumstances, Hanakei Kaede could already be declared the victor. Takano Takeme had lost control of her body and could not even speak...
"Please rest assured, Teacher Ootani. I'm only testing my 'Shadow Release.' Takano won't be in any danger."
Hanakei Kaede looked at Ootani Yuuto and assured him earnestly. The convincing smile on her babyish face made Ootani Yuuto swallow the words that had reached his lips.
"Shadow Release: Puppet Technique!"
Unable to actively admit defeat, Takano Takeme was firmly controlled by Hanakei Kaede like a marionette. Using the "infection" of her Shadow Release, Hanakei Kaede controlled Takano Takeme's body like a puppet, making every movement follow her will...
"Is that the Nara Clan's Shadow Secret Technique?"
Upon seeing the properties of that "black substance," Akeshi immediately thought of the Nara Clan. After all, the shadow-like thing Hanakei Kaede was using looked exactly like the Nara Clan's Shadow Secret Technique!
"But Hanakei Kaede clearly isn't a descendant of the Nara Clan. Could she be some old Nara man's illegitimate daughter? Did he teach Hanakei Kaede the Shadow Secret Technique that had been passed down through the generations?"
For a moment, Akeshi's mind began spinning out all sorts of wild theories.
Among the upperclassmen, a rather lazy-looking boy widened his eyes in exaggerated disbelief. The two childhood friends beside him also showed traces of surprise, their gazes moving back and forth between Hanakei Kaede and the companion beside them with a high ponytail, as though trying to confirm something.
"Hey! Why are you looking at me? I've never heard of any 'little sister' like that in the clan!"
The boy named Nara Zentaro spoke with a speechless expression.
Hearing that, his two childhood friends merely rolled their eyes at him. She had mastered your family's Shadow Secret Technique. If she wasn't from the Nara Clan, then what ninja clan could she possibly be from?
"Shadow Release: Shadow Warrior!"
On the field, following Hanakei Kaede's soft murmur, the "black substance" covering Takano Takeme's body suddenly peeled away. From a distance, it looked like a three-dimensional humanoid shadow had been printed out from her body.
With the appearance of the Shadow Warrior, Takano Takeme, its host, immediately fainted and collapsed to the ground. Seeing this, the grading teacher hurriedly entered the field to inspect her. Only after discovering that she had merely fainted from excessive Chakra loss did he let out a heavy sigh of relief.
After all, if a student died right in front of him, his entire future would be finished.
"Hanakei Kaede wins!"
The grading teacher first shot Hanakei Kaede a dissatisfied look before coldly announcing the result.
Ootani Yuuto also rushed onto the field in concern and sternly told Hanakei Kaede, "Don't use techniques like this on your companions in the future!"
"Yes, Teacher Ootani."
Hanakei Kaede had not expected the creation of the Shadow Warrior to require so much Chakra. If Takano Takeme's constitution had not been extraordinary, she might have already gone into shock...
The Shadow Warrior was one application of Hanakei Kaede's Shadow Release. It could attach itself to an enemy's body and drain the Chakra within them like a parasite. Once it had absorbed enough, it would appear in this three-dimensional humanoid form.
Of course, enemies could defend themselves using their own Chakra, but they would need to expend twice as much Chakra—or even more—to block the corrosive power of Shadow Release...
After realizing how frightening the Shadow Warrior was, Hanakei Kaede immediately controlled it to return to Takano Takeme's body, giving back seventy to eighty percent of the Chakra it had absorbed. It then transformed back into its original "black substance" and vanished into Hanakei Kaede's body once more.
Having recovered a considerable amount of Chakra, Takano Takeme slowly woke up due to her unusual constitution. However, the moment she regained consciousness, her face filled with terror. Especially when she saw Hanakei Kaede's cute, smiling face, the fear in her eyes deepened, as if Hanakei Kaede were not some sweet, adorable little girl, but a terrifying Yokai from the abyss of hell!
"All right, form the Seal of Reconciliation."
The grading teacher gently patted Takano Takeme on the shoulder and spoke to her softly.
"Yes, Teacher."
Only then did Takano Takeme suppress her fear of Hanakei Kaede and form the Seal of Reconciliation toward her.
Seeing this, Hanakei Kaede smiled and formed a Seal of Reconciliation toward Takano Takeme as well.
"The final same-grade two-person battle has ended. After a one-hour break, the lower and upper grade battles will officially begin!"
Ootani Yuuto looked over the students present before speaking.
"Yes."
After the students answered in unison, they each went to make their preparations.
Before you continue