The excitement from Tenten and Akatsuchi's battle had yet to fade, and the medical ninja at the edge of the Arena had already gone to help Tenten recover her chakra.
Gekko Hayate stood in the center of the Fighting Platform once more, pointing toward the competitors' entrance with his right hand. "Next match: Konoha ninja Aburame Shino versus Sunagakure ninja Kankuro!"
A wave of chatter instantly rose from the stands.
Naruto clung to the railing, standing on tiptoe to peer toward the entrance. "Kankuro? Is he the guy who always keeps his puppet wrapped up tight? What does his puppet actually look like? And how will Shino do? I can't wait! (*°∀°)=3~"
"Who knows?"
Shikamaru leaned back in his seat, squinting as he chewed on a grass stem. "The Aburame Clan's secret insect techniques have always been their trump card. As for Kankuro... he's a puppeteer from Sunagakure. I hear he rarely shows his puppets to anyone. After all, intel comes first in a fight between ninja."
Beside him, Choji munched on Potato Chips and said indistinctly, "I don't know who'll win, but Shino's really good in training. His bugs always catch you off guard. They're really impressive."
Just as he finished speaking, two figures emerged from the passage one after the other.
Tap, tap~
Shino's entrance was as understated as ever.
He wore Konoha's standard dark gray ninja outfit, its high collar covering half his face, along with sunglasses. From the side, only his calm, unruffled eyes showed, and his forehead protector sat neatly on his brow.
There was no ninja tool pouch on his back. His hands were in his pockets, and his steps were so light he seemed weightless. Even the hem of his clothes barely stirred as he reached the center of the Fighting Platform. Once