Yashui vs. Choza

Perhaps because Hachiko was a girl, everyone had misjudged her abilities. Hachiko wasn't weak. On the contrary, the fact that she could trade blows with Xun, who excelled at taijutsu, proved she was quite capable.

Hachiko's performance in taijutsu was also quite different from that of an ordinary ninja. Most ninjas learned taijutsu through formal training at the academy. Even if they adapted it to suit their personal preferences, it still looked more or less the same. Hachiko, on the other hand, showed no signs of having trained in taijutsu at the academy.

Compared to proper, by-the-book taijutsu, Hachiko's fighting style was more like a street brawl! Her taijutsu had no form or sportsmanship whatsoever, and she attacked only below the belt. It was far less entertaining to watch than the standard taijutsu taught at the Ninja Academy.

The two fought with their distinctive styles, each with its own strengths, and the battle reached a stalemate.

Remembering that Hachiko had grown up in the slums of Ogicho, Yashui wasn't surprised by her fighting style. The most urgent thing now was to stop the two of them from fighting.

Yashui formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Both were taijutsu specialists. To separate them, all he had to do was force them out of each other's striking range.

Yashui's reasoning wasn't wrong. But he'd overlooked the greatest threat in this test—Choza Akimichi!

Choza used the Partial Multi-Size Technique and appeared in front of Yashui in an instant. The armor on the back of Choza's hand protected him from Yashui's flames. With a casual swipe, he scattered the Great Fireball.

Yashui hadn't intended to cause any harm with his Great Fireball Technique, so its temperature was low and he'd kept the fireball small. But even a low-temperature Great Fireball could injure someone. He hadn't expected Choza to stop it with the back of his hand.

"When the enemy outnumbers you, the key to victory is to reduce their numbers quickly," Choza said, never missing a chance to pass on some advice. After blocking the Great Fireball, he swung his staff at Yashui.

Choza's staff moved astonishingly fast. Caught off guard, Yashui took a direct hit and collapsed, unconscious.

Looking down at Yashui, Choza felt puzzled. Even if it wasn't Yashui, any ordinary graduate should have been able to avoid that hit in some way. But Yashui had taken it squarely.

"Maybe that's the difference between students who graduate early and those who graduate normally." Choza shook his head. He figured this was about the extent of Yashui's ability. Graduating early was still too much of a stretch for kids these days.

"Teacher Choza, where are you looking?" Yashui suddenly appeared above him. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Choza looked up and saw Yashui directly overhead, spitting out a Great Fireball over ten meters across to attack him. The "Yashui" on the ground had already turned into several crows and scattered.

"Not bad... The Crow Substitution Technique is a high-level Substitution Technique. And a Great Fireball on this scale is already at Chunin level." A smile touched Choza's lips, and then he formed hand seals.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Choza exhaled a Great Fireball of his own. It was far larger than Yashui's. It swallowed Yashui's fireball with ease, and then Yashui vanished into Choza's Great Fireball.

A few more crows scattered out of the flames... Yashui had used the Crow Substitution Technique once again.

Yashui fled into a small grove, panting heavily. That Great Fireball Technique had been a ninjutsu performed at his full strength. It was also the most powerful offensive technique he could currently use. But Yashui hadn't expected...