Hatake Sakumo Takes the Stage

In the end, the match came to a close with Inuzuka Hana's Fang Wolf Fang.

Sarutobi Toru did not appear in the following two matches either. Inuzuka Hana fought through two opponents in a row, while the last one was taken down by Duy, who had not even opened the Eight Gates.

After using the Perfect Potion and cultivating the Yang God Martial Way, Duy's taijutsu alone had reached the level of a Special Jonin. He could even open the Six Gates, putting him roughly on par with Rock Lee during the Fourth Shinobi World War.

That level of strength was already at the peak of this exam. If the Eight Gates did not have a time limit, Duy might have had a chance at taking the championship by himself.

There was nothing particularly interesting about the second match either. Kosa entered the field and swept through three opponents without even moving his feet, winning easily with the Iron Sand Technique alone.

At present, Puppet Technique had only just emerged among the Sand Shinobi and was still kept half-secret. Other ninja villages only knew that such a ninjutsu existed, but they knew little else about Puppet Technique.

Puppet Technique would only rise to prominence during the Second Shinobi World War. Kosa had entered the match mainly to prevent information about his two teammates from being exposed.

Next came the clash between the seeded teams: the Kumogakure squad against Hatake Sakumo's team.

After some discussion, both sides decided on a three-versus-three team battle. Dodai of the Cloud Shinobi was a defensive support-type ninja, while Sakumo's team had long-range offense, close combat, support, and reconnaissance. Both sides were quite confident in a team battle.

Fukai gripped his long sword, battle intent flashing in his eyes. During the first exam, he had already obtained intelligence that Hatake Sakumo was a top-tier swordsman.

Kumogakure was renowned for its Lightning Release, Nintaijutsu, and swordsmanship. Hatake Sakumo happened to be highly proficient in all three as well, making them evenly matched opponents.

"All right." Tsunade stared at Fukai for a moment with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Begin the battle!"

"Summoning Technique!" The first to act was not either side's main fighter, but Hiruko. Amid the smoke of the Summoning Technique, an enormous creature resembling a griffin appeared in the arena.

This was a product of Hiruko's biological experiments. Though he had yet to develop human-fusion ninjutsu like the Chimera Technique, he had long conducted countless animal experiments. A large portion of his current strength lay in these bizarre summoned beasts.

Hiruko leaped onto the griffin, ready to take off at once. The Cloud Shinobi team was immediately startled. Fukai gave a loud shout as lightning flashed around him, and with his long sword in hand, he transformed into a streak of electricity and charged forward.

Yet wind and thunder roared from the opposite side. A white short blade blocked Fukai's long sword. Hatake Sakumo's gaze was sharp as he stopped Fukai.

The short blade White Fang was a weapon Danzo had specially commissioned for Hatake Sakumo. Taking advantage of this Chunin Exam, he had "lent" it to Sakumo and promised that if he performed well, it would be awarded to him.

Hatake Sakumo was now filled with fighting spirit, his condition climbing to its peak.

The two figures chased the wind and raced the lightning, crossing paths again and again across the arena. Yet moments later, a spray of crimson scattered through the air. Fukai retreated to his team, his expression grim, a bloody gash slashed across his chest.

Hatake Sakumo did not pursue him. Instead, he gently ran a hand over the White Fang Dagger. Not a drop of blood stained its blade.

"A! We'll take him together!" Recalling their exchange just now, Fukai realized that his opponent's swordsmanship had reached an almost divine realm. If Kumogakure's secret Lightning Release Chakra Mode had not surpassed his opponent's Wind-Lightning Nintaijutsu, he would have certainly died.

"Fine!" A did not say much more. Ninja were not samurai, and there was no shame in joining forces.

Hatake Sakumo made a hand gesture. Hiruko, who had been planning to bombard them from the air, and the silent Aburame Ryoma immediately understood: he was telling them not to interfere.

As the battle resumed, two streaks of lightning circled around Hatake Sakumo. Sakumo's expression was spirited as the lightning in his hand gradually faded, replaced by a thin jade-green glow enveloping the White Fang Dagger.

Fukai and A merely glanced at the short blade, and their eyes felt so painfully pierced that tears nearly spilled out.

"What terrifying Wind Release Chakra nature transformation. If that strike had been like this just now, my Lightning Release Armor would have been completely useless. I would probably be dead already!"

Wind Release countered Lightning Release. The earlier strike that fused wind and lightning had been delayed for an instant by the Lightning Release Armor, allowing Fukai to escape with only superficial injuries. Now that the blade was empowered by pure Wind Release Chakra, the still-underdeveloped Lightning Release Armor of the two of them could never withstand it.

High above, the bored Hiruko shifted his gaze toward Dodai.

Dodai, who had been watching Fukai and A's battle against Hatake Sakumo, felt a chill in his heart as well and looked up at the sky.

Hiruko revealed a wild grin. "Sakumo has taken those two for himself, so I can only have some fun with you!"

"Wind Release—Vacuum Serial Slasher!"

As the ninjutsu was unleashed, the griffin let out a long cry, spread its wings, and swept out a gust of wind.

Razor-sharp Wind Release merged into the gale, becoming a deadly whirlwind capable of cleaving gold and jade as it pounced toward Dodai.

"Lava Release—Protective Lava Wall!"

As a defensive bloodline ninja, Dodai's Lava Release was flawless in defense. The rubber-like Lava Release was not only astonishingly strong, but also incredibly resilient. Hiruko's combined Wind Release left only a few insignificant scratches on the rubber wall.

"Lava Release—Lava Bullet Barrage!"

Sticky rubber balls flew toward Hiruko like machine-gun fire, but against Hiruko in the high air, with his mobility maxed out, those rubber balls could only eat his dust from behind.

One could not break through the other's defense, while the other could not land a hit. The battle immediately entered garbage time.

Aburame Ryoma: Why is no one paying attention to me? Is this the Aburame Clan's inherited Disappearance Technique?

Although Fukai and A worked together seamlessly, their speed under Lightning Release Ninjutsu was like light and lightning, Hatake Sakumo, with a blade in hand, showed the two of them exactly what it meant to be the god of the sword.

After more than ten exchanges, Fukai was covered in blood and barely able to remain standing with his sword. The still-young A had completely exited Lightning Release Chakra Mode and lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious, with a pool of blood beneath him.

"Damn it, this kind of swordsmanship..." Looking at Hatake Sakumo, who was spotless and whose eyes held neither joy nor sorrow, Fukai truly felt what despair was from a ninja younger than himself.

As a genius of Kumogakure-style swordsmanship, he deeply understood what realm his opponent's swordsmanship had reached. It was a realm he could never attain even after striving for ten or twenty years.

Even though his Lightning Release Ninjutsu was still superior to his opponent's, he had no ability to resist that White Fang Dagger. Even joining hands with A had only allowed him to endure a few more exchanges.

The sad part was that his Nintaijutsu only surpassed his opponent's because Kumogakure's inheritance was better. His opponent had reached such a level through his own exploration alone—what heights would he reach in the future?

On the other side, seeing that the situation had turned unfavorable, Dodai, who had been defending all along, could no longer worry about anything else. He hurriedly shouted, "We surrender!"