Rubber-Rubber Fruit

Half a day later, all the teams were led to an indoor training arena.

They would hold the preliminaries for the finals here.

A viewing platform stood high along the walls, already packed with people.

Among them were the 19 Genin candidates who had passed the second exam.

There were also the Jōnin instructors from Konoha's teams and the Jōnin leading the other villages' teams.

Of course.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Shadow of Konoha, was there too.

The Third Hokage walked to the front of the viewing platform, wearing his Hokage robes and holding his pipe. He looked over the candidates.

"First, congratulations on passing the first two tests..."

"However, a Chunin must be more than just a powerful individual. A Chunin must be able to make independent judgments and complete missions!"

"And demonstrate the strength and character to earn the trust of clients and allies."

"Therefore!"

"Before the main event of the third exam, we must hold a preliminary round!"

"To decide who will be qualified to compete publicly before the daimyo and honored guests of the various nations!"

"The rules are simple: one-on-one combat!"

"The winner advances!"

"The loser is eliminated!"

The Third Hokage was brief: "Now, if there are no other questions, we will draw lots to determine the matchups..."

"Lord Hokage!"

A gentle voice suddenly interrupted him.

Yakushi Kabuto raised his hand, wearing a harmless smile.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt at such an important moment!"

Kabuto spoke earnestly. "After the battle in the Forest of Death, I've used up too much chakra and suffered injuries!"

"After careful consideration, I don't think I can perform at my proper level in my current condition!"

"So, I would like to voluntarily withdraw from the upcoming matches!"

Kabuto's announcement stirred a wave of discussion in the arena.

Withdrawing voluntarily?

Just as the Chunin Exams were about to reach their most important stage?

The Third Hokage looked at Kabuto for a long moment, then nodded slowly.

"Since this is your personal decision, I will respect it!"

"Thank you for understanding!"

Kabuto bowed again, then stepped aside to the spectator area.

The 19 Genin candidates were now 18.

That made an even number of competitors!

"Then..."

The Third Hokage's voice rang out again. "We will now determine the matchups for the eighteen candidates."

The electronic screen flashed through the names, then displayed the first matchup:

Uchiha Sasuke VS Tsurugi Mizuki

Tsurugi Mizuki entered the arena first.

He wore a Konoha forehead protector. His face was gloomy, his eyes vacant, like a soulless puppet.

Sasuke stepped forward with a cold expression, his Sharingan already activated.

Two tomoe spun as he watched his opponent's every move.

"Begin!"

Gekko Hayate waved his hand.

Tsurugi Mizuki attacked first.

He formed no hand seals. His whole body flowed forward like a boneless creature.

He moved incredibly fast, his path bizarre and unpredictable, like a snake.

At the same time,

his right arm suddenly stretched several meters like a rubber band. With his fingers pressed together like a blade, he stabbed at Sasuke's throat.

What a bizarre way to attack!

The crowd gasped.

Sasuke's pupils contracted. His Sharingan tracked the attack, and chakra burst from his feet as he dodged sharply to the side.

However,

Tsurugi Mizuki's arm seemed to have a life of its own. It abruptly bent in midair, then lashed sideways like a whip.

Smack!

Sasuke blocked with a kunai just in time, but the tricky force still sent him sliding back several steps, his arm numb.

"His body... can change shape at will?" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief.

"More than just changing shape!" Yo said. "He can also alter the density of his muscles and bones in specific areas. The force behind that last strike was strange."

Tsurugi Mizuki was no ordinary opponent. He was one of Orochimaru's experimental subjects, capable of stretching, compressing, and softening his body.

It was similar to the power of the Rubber-Rubber Fruit, just not as outrageous!

In the arena, Tsurugi Mizuki's attacks came in an unrelenting tide.

His limbs and torso stretched like whips, softened like mud, or hardened like iron.

His attacks came from unimaginable angles, defying all the usual rules of the human body.

He was impossible to guard against!

Sasuke pushed the Sharingan's perception to its limits, darting and weaving across the arena at high speed.

Kunai clashed against his opponent's limbs with dull thuds.

Sasuke tried to counterattack with Fire Release.

But Tsurugi Mizuki could often soften or shift the vulnerable parts of his body, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the ninjutsu.

"Not bad speed, Uchiha brat, but that's all you've got!"

Tsurugi Mizuki's voice was hoarse and dry. "The... the great lord seems to have thought too highly of you!"

Before he had even finished speaking,

Tsurugi Mizuki swelled up like a balloon, then suddenly spat a stream of thick black liquid from his mouth.

Sasuke quickly formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

The flames collided with the black liquid, but couldn't burn it all away.

The remaining liquid splattered on the ground, eating small holes into the floor.

"What a pain!"

Sasuke's breathing grew ragged.

The repeated, high-intensity dodging and fighting had worn him down.

His two-tomoe Sharingan could see his opponent's movements clearly.

But his opponent's attacks and bodily properties defied all reason, greatly impairing Sasuke's ability to predict and counter them.

"What's wrong, Uchiha brat? Is that your limit?"

Tsurugi Mizuki rushed toward him, his body warping again in unpredictable ways.

"Your Sharingan doesn't seem as impressive as the legends say!"

Anger flared in Sasuke's eyes. As one of the last surviving Uchiha, he cared deeply about the clan's honor.

This guy had sneered at the Sharingan again and again. Sasuke was furious.

Sasuke raised his right hand and furiously channeled chakra from his entire body into his palm.

"Rumble!"

A piercing shriek, like a thousand birds crying out at once, suddenly rang through the arena.

"That's..."

Might Guy's eyes widened.

Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma looked astonished too.

Kakashi remained completely composed, silently watching without a word.

Facing Tsurugi Mizuki's attack, Sasuke suddenly leaned backward, nearly touching the ground as he narrowly dodged it.

At the same time, using the momentum of his backward lean, he drove his right foot hard into the ground and shot forward like a spring.

He thrust out his right palm. In it, dazzling blue lightning had gathered into a ball, crackling and roaring.

"Chidori!"

Pshk!!!

A brilliant spear of lightning pierced straight through Tsurugi Mizuki's chest and emerged from his back.

"Ugh!"

Tsurugi Mizuki cried out in pain, his body going rigid.

The violent Lightning Release chakra tore through his body, destroying it.

His ability to change shape vanished at once. His body returned to normal, and he crumpled forward.

Sasuke pulled out his arm and stepped back twice, panting. The lightning in his palm slowly faded, his gaze icy.

Yo had even defeated Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. How could Sasuke lose to some nobody like this?

"Winner: Uchiha Sasuke!" Gekko Hayate announced.

The arena fell silent, then broke into a wave of discussion.

Sasuke's decisive finishing blow had been astonishing in its speed, power, and timing.

"Kakashi!!"

Guy was the first to jump up, his trademark thick eyebrows shooting up as he pointed at Sasuke below and shouted,

"Chidori! That's your Chidori! You actually taught your signature jutsu to your student?!"

"That's way too reckless! It's not a technique a boy should be using!"

Kurenai Yuhi covered her mouth with a soft gasp, astonishment in her lovely eyes.

"That's true! Chidori is difficult and dangerous to master. Kakashi, you really are taking a huge risk!"

Asuma exhaled a puff of smoke. "It looked effective!"

"That kid has a fierce look in his eyes, and he's decisive when he strikes. Kakashi, you've trained yourself one incredible student!"

Kakashi still looked lazy, one hand in his pocket.

"Well... he wanted to learn, and he had the talent and chakra control for it, so I taught him..."

Kakashi glanced at Yo. "Besides, it seems our Team 7 can handle having one more reckless member!"

Guy immediately grew excited. "Kakashi, that's the spirit of youth!"

"For the sake of youth... we have to work even harder!"

Second match:

Uzumaki Naruto VS Inuzuka Kiba

Naruto was supposed to lose to Kiba, but one fart knocked Kiba out.

An unexpected victory!

It left everyone at a loss between laughter and tears.