Ruinous and Irresistible

"What did you say!?" Mitaraishi Anko was both shocked and furious, her face turning a dark shade of purple.

But Uchiha Kai remained unfazed, beckoning with a finger, his brow etched with provocation.

Seeing this, Red completely lost her temper. She took two steps forward and began forming hand seals.

Snake-Goat-Monkey-Horse-Tiger.

"Fire Style—Great Fireball Jutsu!" With a furious roar, the girl's cheeks puffed out, and a massive fireball was about to fly out.

"Showing off." Seeing this, Uchiha Kai was thoroughly amused. Playing with Fire Style ninjutsu in front of the Uchiha Clan, and with a signature skill like the Great Fireball at that.

This wasn't just simple provocation anymore; it was utter humiliation.

In that case, I'll just crush her completely from all angles, with no blind spots. It fits the mission requirements perfectly, the boy muttered to himself.

And so, in the next moment, he also began rapidly forming hand seals. However, compared to Mitaraishi Anko's stiff and slow movements, Uchiha Kai's were not only fluid but also much faster.

"Such fast hand seal speed... this child has really worked hard..." Funeno Daikoku, watching from the side, had his eyes brighten slightly.

"Not bad." Even the stern Orochimaru rarely spoke, but he did so now.

"Fire Style! Great Fireball Jutsu!" After a sharp cry, Uchiha Kai began frantically drawing Chakra from his own body, using nearly half of it to power the formation of the Great Fireball.

A terrifying heatwave surged, and before Red's shocked eyes, a massive Great Fireball attacked her, far larger than her own.

"Boom!"

The two Great Fireballs collided in mid-air, sound and fireworks erupting together.

After a brief stalemate, the Great Fireball unleashed by Uchiha Kai completely engulfed Red's attack and continued to press forward.

"N-No way?!" Looking at the terrifying attack heading towards her, Red's face was filled with disbelief.

"That much Chakra? Is this guy really a student who hasn't even graduated yet..." Gasps of astonishment came from the crowd below.

"Is this the Uchiha Clan, born with terrifying Chakra? How can anyone possibly win?" someone uttered a weak, commoner's remark.

"Damn it! Move, body, move! Dodge!" Red roared, desperately shifting her stance. At the last possible moment, she narrowly avoided the slightly smaller Great Fireball.

Unfortunately, she was still grazed on her back by the released flames.

"Mmmph..." Feeling the burning pain on her back, Mitaraishi Anko couldn't help but let out a low groan.

The exploding Great Fireball kicked up a cloud of dust, momentarily obscuring Uchiha Kai's figure.

"Swish, swish!"

Red threw two Shuriken forward, attempting to delay the boy's actions.

"Clang!" The sound of metal colliding echoed from the thick fog.

Then, a jet-black Kunai broke through the smoke and dust, hurtling towards Mitaraishi Anko.

Seeing the boy emerge from the smoke, Red let out a cold laugh.

"Just a fool who blindly expends Chakra. No matter how powerful your ninjutsu is, if it can't hit anyone, it's useless!"

Saying this, the girl confidently turned her head, narrowly missing the speeding Kunai.

She was certain that even if he was from the Uchiha Clan, he couldn't possibly use ninjutsu of that scale consecutively at his age. And her previous attack was merely a probe; she hadn't used her full strength at all.

She had simply used the Great Fireball as an opening move to pressure the opponent. If they were weak, she'd finish them in one blow. Even if she couldn't finish them, she could force them to reposition, a win-win situation.

How could a pampered vase from a major clan, steeped in so-called family glory, possibly defeat me, who has been tempered under Lord Orochimaru's tutelage!

"As long as I drag this out into a prolonged battle, you're bound to lose!" Mitaraishi Anko roared, glaring at the figure of the boy standing in the dissipating smoke.

However, something felt a little off.

"Bang!" A muffled sound echoed by her ear, accompanied by the characteristic puff of white smoke.

A powerful sense of danger tore at Red's scalp. Her heart leaped, and her body desperately tried to react, but it was already too late.

"It's the Transformation Jutsu! When did that happen?" the crowd below exclaimed in surprise.

"A decent tactic." Orochimaru, who had witnessed the entire exchange, curled his lips slightly and offered a rare compliment.

But in the girl's eyes, the scene was entirely different.

Suddenly, a streak of blood-red appeared in her peripheral vision. In that instant, she seemed to see a pair of scarlet, bewitching eyes.

"!" Before the girl could react, she felt an unbearable, sharp pain.

A cold Kunai sliced across her throat, brutally severing blood vessels. Crimson blood surged outwards.

"Ugh... hck hck hck..." The terror of death exploded in the girl's mind. She desperately clutched her throat with her hands, the hot tears from her eyes no longer controllable.

Her vision blurred, and a terrifying darkness swept over her.

Just as the girl was about to collapse, everything in front of her suddenly changed drastically.

A cold sensation touched her neck. Uchiha Kai stood behind the girl, Kunai in hand, ready to slit her throat with a mere flick of his wrist.

"Ha-ha-ha..." Mitaraishi Anko gasped for air, her hair already soaked with cold sweat.

She stiffly turned her head, the fear still lingering in her eyes, only to see the boy wearing a mocking expression.

"The match is over!" Funeno Daikoku's voice as referee rang out.

Uchiha Kai withdrew his kunai and walked off the stage without looking back, leaving a stunned Mitaraishi Anko standing alone.

"I lost..." Red muttered, her face ashen.

I lost so decisively... without any room for argument. If he wanted to, he could have easily killed me... She turned her head to look at Uchiha Kai walking away, a complex expression in her eyes, a certain brilliance flashing within them.

"I'm sorry... Lord Orochimaru..." Mitaraishi Anko, having left the stage, approached Orochimaru and buried her head, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Why apologize, Red?" Orochimaru asked, his tone laced with confusion.

"Because... because I've failed your expectations. As your disciple, I lost to Uchiha Kai in front of everyone, tarnishing your reputation..." Red looked up, holding back tears.

But instead of a reprimand, she was met with Orochimaru's gentle hand, stroking her head as he spoke softly.

"Red, you must understand that victory and defeat are temporary. You may find it hard to accept right now." Orochimaru paused, his stern eyes holding an unspeakable weariness.

"But if you look at your life as a whole, you'll see this is an incredibly minor event. Compared to the vastness of time, what is the outcome of one battle?"

Red looked up at her teacher. While she understood his sentiment, a knot of frustration remained in her chest, difficult to swallow.

"But... but I just don't want to admit defeat." The girl stubbornly voiced her inner thoughts.

Orochimaru's lips curved into a satisfied smile at her words.

"That's good. Losing is perfectly normal. As long as you aren't afraid to lose and truly don't want to, you'll definitely be able to surpass yourself. Then, it won't be too late to challenge the opponent who defeated you." Orochimaru tilted his head, gesturing for her to look at Uchiha Kai, who was chatting with a friend offstage.

"Besides, this child is not simple. There's something extraordinary hidden in his eyes..." Orochimaru said meaningfully, his gaze filled with admiration.

Mitaraishi Anko also turned her head, staring intently at the young man, her youthful face etched with determination.

"I will work hard, Teacher! I will train diligently until I can defeat him. Then I will beat him and restore your honor!" The girl's fiery gaze was unabashed, making Uchiha Kai's scalp tingle.

Seeing this, Orochimaru chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Not for me, Red. Do it for yourself. Aim for this outstanding young man as your goal."