Seeing Might Duy agree, Shinichi drew in a deep breath. His chest swelled like a bellows. This wasn't a simple burst of Chakra; a deeper, more violent power was gathering and awakening within him.
Whoosh!
Centered on him, the scattered gravel, dust, and even broken blades of grass were abruptly swept up by an invisible yet powerful suction. They spun wildly in midair, forming a rapidly expanding vortex!
The air let out a low, mournful howl, as if a slumbering giant beast were struggling to awaken, stirring everything around it.
In the next instant, the Chakra around him no longer flowed gently. It burst forth like a dam breaking!
Blue Chakra flames soared into the sky, making his entire body look like a burning blue torch.
His strength and presence surged in an instant to a whole new, terrifying level!
He stamped his left foot forward!
Boom!
The rocky ground exploded into a huge crater. Using the recoil, his body began spinning at high speed like a top, gathering the immense Chakra around him into a violent, sky-reaching azure tornado. He charged straight at Might Duy!
Whumm!
The shrill howl of the air being torn apart stung their eardrums. Wherever the tornado passed, even the invisible pressure escaping from its outer edge carved crisscrossing gullies into the hard rocky ground like countless sharp blades. The stones and gravel were pulverized into finer dust before they could even scatter!
And as he charged, the azure Chakra swirling around him didn't dissipate. It grew more turbulent, more solid, more immense!
It quickly intertwined and coiled together as if alive, forming a shape that made the heart quail.
First, fine scales like armor appeared across the tornado's surface, glinting with a metallic sheen.
Then two dragon horns, seemingly forged from quenched black iron and lined with vicious barbs at their tips, thrust out from the front of the "eye of the storm."
Finally, a dragon's head took shape at the very front of the azure tornado: its contours rippling with power, its immense, invisible maw gaping as if to devour everything, radiating a primitive, savage ferocity!
In an instant, a mighty, fearsome azure dragon, formed from Chakra and the surrounding tornado, descended upon the arena with the force to destroy everything!
Konoha's Taijutsu Secret Art—Dragon God!
Teacher Chen had once said he would teach Shinichi the move only after he became a Chunin. But during the month of training before the finals, perhaps seeing that Shinichi had the physique and will to master it, Teacher Chen had ultimately taught him the secret art ahead of schedule.
And Shinichi, an undeniable Genius, had learned it within that very month!
"Excellent!!!"
Faced with this earth-shaking attack, Might Duy was delighted rather than alarmed. His eyes blazed with a light even hotter than the green flames around him!
With a loud shout, he drove his Chakra and strength to their limits.
As countless razor-sharp blades of wind swept toward him, his fists became a blur. He struck forward at such incredible speed that the naked eye could barely follow!
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!!!
His fists moved so fast that the friction against the air produced countless bursts of scorching flame. These flames weren't created by Ninjutsu; they were simply the result of speed and force rubbing against the air!
As if alive, they formed a barrage of flames covering the entire area ahead. Each incoming blade of wind met its match, and explosions of fire and air burst endlessly in midair!
And amid the dazzling backdrop of flames and wind blades colliding and vanishing, the azure dragon roared toward Might Duy!
Hah!!!
With the dragon's head right before him, Might Duy poured every last bit of his strength, will, and the frenzied energy he had gained from opening the Sixth Gate into his right fist.
The Chakra concentrated around his fist mingled with the scorching flames, making it seem as if his hand had become a small, blazing sun.
He twisted his waist, drove his shoulder forward, and punched!
The movement was as simple as it could be, yet it seemed to embody a lifetime of conviction.
Morning Peacock!
Rumble!!!
The azure dragon and the blazing fist collided head-on, without a trace of flourish!
For one instant, time seemed to stand still.
Then an indescribable, terrifying burst of energy erupted!
Blinding white light swallowed the center of the arena. The deafening roar made the entire stadium tremble!
A furious shockwave, mingling streams of blue, green, and scarlet energy, spread outward in a sphere and slammed into the barrier walls, which had been reinforced in advance, sending countless ripples across them!
The stands fell silent. Everyone instinctively held their breath and stared wide-eyed, so stunned by this clash—far beyond anything they could have imagined—that they were left speechless.
"Y-you've got to be kidding... That's Taijutsu?"
"Taijutsu... can actually reach this level?!"
"T-this is basically two large-scale Ninjutsu clashing head-on!"
"Terrifying... those two Konoha shinobi..."
"Today was... worth every penny..."
No one knew how much time passed. Perhaps only a few seconds, yet it felt as long as a century.
The dazzling light and billowing dust gradually settled.
A huge, charred crater now gaped in the center of the arena.
At its edge, a figure slowly rose to his feet. It was Shinichi.
He gasped for breath, sweat and dust streaking his temples. His clothes were torn in several places, and he was clearly exhausted.
One of his arms was firmly supporting another figure in green, almost completely drained and barely able to stand without his help—Might Duy.
The two slowly walked out of the smoke-filled area. Might Duy was trembling all over and nearly spent, yet his face wore a satisfied smile of pure exhilaration.
He raised his head and summoned the last of his strength to face the referee, who was just as battered but whose eyes still shone brightly, and the crowd. He flashed a radiant, white-toothed grin. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly:
"Referee... I forfeit!"
As the words left his mouth, his body went limp, and he nearly collapsed against Shinichi.
Shinichi held him steady and glanced around.
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted in a deafening wave of shouts, praise, and incredulous discussion!
This battle had already left a deep impression on everyone who had witnessed it.
"Lord Hokage, Konoha is as full of talent as ever."
Up on the high platform, the Third Kazekage's expression remained calm, and his tone revealed little emotion. Still, his gaze stayed fixed on the two men being helped out of the arena.
Even through the barrier, the force of that last attack had been chilling.
However, seeing that Shinichi was clearly exhausted and Might Duy had been completely drained, the unease stirred in his heart by their strength subsided a little.
"Not at all, Lord Kazekage. You're too kind." The Third Hokage smiled warmly as he took a puff of his pipe. "Under your leadership, Sunagakure is also brimming with talented shinobi and thriving."
But Shinichi... He'd taken his Taijutsu this far, and had even mastered Konoha's Dragon God?
The Third Hokage's thoughts shifted.
The roar of the crowd continued to surge. As Shinichi helped Might Duy toward the rest area, the corner of his mouth suddenly curled upward ever so slightly.
Before you continue