Inuzuka Yoru and Kurama Feiyun's Battle

Before long, the matches reached the sixth round. With Might Duy's dazzling opening battle setting the bar, the following matches seemed rather dull. Some candidates won and some lost, but in Jiogan's view, regardless of the outcome, they all possessed the strength to become Chunin.

The sixth match was Inuzuka Yoru's battle. His opponent was a Chunin named Zhangben Xiaozhi. Judging by his attire, he was a ninja skilled in ninja tools. He carried an umbrella on his back and had a metal cylindrical ninja tool strapped to his waist. They were clearly specially made ninja tools!

"Those two tools are probably for offense and defense!" Jiogan analyzed. "How is Yoru going to deal with them?"

At the referee's command, the battle began. As a ninja-tool specialist, Zhangben Xiaozhi attacked first! He took the metal cylinder from his waist and fitted it onto a special device mounted on his left wrist. Then he raised his hand, and dense volleys of long needles shot from the cylinder toward Inuzuka Yoru!

"Damn, isn't that Stormy Pear Blossom Needles?" Jiogan thought of the hidden weapon from a famous novel.

Setting everything else aside, Inuzuka Yoru was fast. He swiftly dodged the volley of needles while firing several shuriken and kunai in retaliation.

Zhangben Xiaozhi pulled out the umbrella from his back and opened it in front of himself, directly blocking the kunai and shuriken!

"Just as I guessed, one for offense and one for defense!" Jiogan said.

Another volley of long needles followed. Inuzuka Yoru could not dodge them all and was struck by two silver needles. However, they were merely needle-shaped weapons and had not hit any vital areas, so his injuries were not severe. He pulled the needles out.

I have to find a way! This open field is far too unfavorable for dodging! Inuzuka Yoru thought.

He then exchanged a glance with Ranmaru. Ranmaru barked and transformed into Inuzuka Yoru's appearance. The two Inuzuka Yorūs used the Four Claws Technique together, their speed greatly increasing as they charged Zhangben Xiaozhi from different angles. The needles Zhangben Xiaozhi fired could not seal off both Inuzuka Yorūs!

Seeing a chance to get close, Inuzuka Yoru immediately used Fang Over Fang, transforming into two spinning vortices that slammed toward his opponent!

Yet Zhangben Xiaozhi did not panic in the slightest. He opened his umbrella and, at a bizarre angle, redirected the force of Fang Over Fang and deflected it elsewhere!

Boom! Boom!

Fang Over Fang crashed into the ground and wall with two thunderous impacts, blasting out large craters!

"Damn it, what kind of cursed umbrella is that? It can actually withstand my Fang Over Fang!" Inuzuka Yoru said.

That umbrella really is a practical defensive ninja tool! Jiogan thought as well.

The battle continued. The two Inuzuka Yorūs attacked in alternating succession, while Zhangben Xiaozhi defended and counterattacked repeatedly. But before long, he could no longer tell which Inuzuka Yoru was the real one and which was Ranmaru's transformation!

Inuzuka Yoru used Fang Over Fang again, but Zhangben Xiaozhi blocked it once more!

"Hey, kid, the same move won't work on me! If you don't have any new tricks, just wait to be worn down to death!" Zhangben Xiaozhi said.

"Damn it! How am I supposed to break through his defense? My strongest attack, Fang Over Fang, is completely useless!" Inuzuka Yoru said resentfully.

Suddenly, he seemed to think of something!

One of the Inuzuka Yorūs charged at Zhangben Xiaozhi again. Zhangben Xiaozhi immediately attacked with long needles, and after failing to dodge several times, the boy fell to the ground two meters away from Zhangben Xiaozhi.

With a bang, the fallen Inuzuka Yoru dissolved into a cloud of white smoke, becoming Ranmaru. He was severely injured and lay motionless!

"Tch, using a little dog to block the attacks? Even so, you still can't break through my defense. Without the dog, you have no choice but to lose!" Zhangben Xiaozhi said.

The remaining Inuzuka Yoru, still standing, swiftly circled behind him, looking for the best chance to attack!

"I told you already, it's useless! Kid, admit defeat and go train some more!" Zhangben Xiaozhi said.

Inuzuka Yoru threw several kunai, but not directly at Zhangben Xiaozhi's body. Instead, they targeted Zhangben Xiaozhi's feet. His umbrella could not protect him in time, but he immediately stepped back to evade them.

"Kid! Let's end this boring battle!" Zhangben Xiaozhi was clearly tired of playing around. He prepared to fire another volley of long needles and end the battle once and for all!

However, at that moment, Zhangben Xiaozhi felt something grab his calf. He looked down and was immediately startled!

It was Inuzuka Yoru! In a flash, Inuzuka Yoru grabbed Zhangben Xiaozhi's calf and swung hard! Zhangben Xiaozhi's body was flung straight into the air before smashing viciously into the ground, his umbrella flying from his grasp!

"Ranmaru! Now!" The Inuzuka Yoru in the distance transformed into Fang Over Fang and struck Zhangben Xiaozhi directly, now deprived of his umbrella's protection. Zhangben Xiaozhi was knocked unconscious!

It turned out that the one who had charged Zhangben Xiaozhi earlier had not been Ranmaru, but the real Inuzuka Yoru. After taking the attacks, he had transformed into Ranmaru, while the real Ranmaru had been the false Inuzuka Yoru in the distance, searching for an opportunity to attack!

The earlier kunai aimed at Zhangben Xiaozhi's feet had been intended to force him to retreat to the real Inuzuka Yoru's position, allowing them to break through Zhangben Xiaozhi's umbrella defense in a single blow.

The referee declared Inuzuka Yoru the winner!

However, as soon as the referee finished the announcement, Inuzuka Yoru could no longer hold on and collapsed! The long needles that had struck him earlier were real enough; otherwise, he could not have fooled Zhangben Xiaozhi!

The medical staff hurriedly carried the two people and the dog from the arena and sent them for treatment.

"That Yoru! He's way too reckless! Still, it's rare for him to have used his brain like that. He's improved a lot!" Kurama Heiji was very satisfied with Inuzuka Yoru's performance, but he was also deeply worried. He left the spectator area and went to the infirmary to see his disciple.

Although Jiogan and Kurama Feiyun were worried about Inuzuka Yoru's condition, as candidates, they could not leave the waiting area.

In the battles that followed, Anima and Okamura Taro took the stage one after another. Both displayed the strength they should have had. Although they both lost, Jiogan felt that they still had a chance of passing.

Before long, the tenth match arrived, and Kurama Feiyun stepped onto the field!

Kurama Feiyun's opponent was a female Chunin named Ito Mirei. She was a Ninjutsu-focused ninja skilled in Fire Release and throwing ninja tools!

Yet from the very beginning, when the two exchanged ninja-tool attacks, Kurama Feiyun quietly cast a genjutsu. Aside from the initial clash of ninja tools, the rest of the battle was entirely Ito Mirei's personal performance, as she continuously cast Fire Release Ninjutsu at empty air and dodged wildly around the field herself!

Before long, she had exhausted all her Chakra. Then she felt a chill at her neck, and only then did Ito Mirei realize that she had lost—lost thoroughly!

"As expected of a ninja from the Kurama Clan. Her genjutsu mastery is already taking shape. She may even awaken a Kekkei Genkai in the future!" Hiruzen Sarutobi rarely offered praise.

After the referee declared Kurama Feiyun victorious, she returned to the spectator area.

"Feiyun, the timing of your genjutsu is becoming more and more seamless. That was amazing!" Jiogan said.

"After all, I went through two months of special training. Besides, you practiced sparring with me too!" Kurama Feiyun said. The smile on her face showed just how happy she was to hear Jiogan's praise.

Not far away, Kurama Heiji nodded at his daughter and gave her a thumbs-up.

Inuzuka Yoru was still in the infirmary, but his condition was stable. After a few days in the hospital, he would make a full recovery!