45. Everyone Passed the Test

Xun was in much worse shape than Yashui. Her chakra was nearly depleted, and she was covered in wounds. With her internal organs damaged, she couldn't regain her speed or strength in this condition, and her staff techniques had naturally taken a serious hit as well. Xun, who had been the strongest, was now truly the weakest.

Thanks to Yashui's Crow Substitution Technique at the start, Hachiko had preserved around half her strength. She'd gotten a few scratches while setting traps, but a shinobi could easily shrug off injuries like those. Besides, Hachiko was skilled at laying traps. After spending so long here, she might have set other traps specifically for Xun and Yashui.

All things considered, Hachiko had already secured control of the fight. It was clear that she would be one of the two final victors.

Hachiko snatched the bell from the crow's beak. Startled, the crow turned into a puff of smoke and retreated to the Hundred Bird Nest.

Now both bells belonged to Hachiko. She could keep one for herself and decide who got the other.

Xun glanced at Yashui. She knew she was no longer a match for Hachiko. The only way to take the bells back was to work with Yashui.

Hachiko glanced at Xun, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile. "I wasn't targeting you. To me, you're trash now. The wheel of fortune keeps turning. You tried to kick me out before, and now it's my turn to kick you out."

Hearing Hachiko's merciless words, Xun gritted her teeth and glared at her—at that ugly woman. She never thought she'd end up falling into this woman's hands.

Hachiko took out a bell and waved it in front of Xun, seemingly gloating.

Watching Xun and Hachiko face off, Yashui was practically cursing to himself. They were busy arguing and fighting over who would get what. Weren't they afraid Choza would see them and fail them? Even if they defeated Choza, he was still the one who got to decide whether they graduated!

"Stop arguing." Yashui pulled two bells out of his pocket.

"How could this be..." Hachiko stared at the two bells in her hands. A puff of smoke passed, and all that remained were two pebbles.

Yashui had long since figured the two might quarrel or even come to blows over how to divide the bells. The safest thing was to keep them in his own hands, so he'd secretly transformed pebbles into bells and swapped them for the real ones.

"Yashui! You liar!" Hachiko had been tricked, and rage surged through her. The girl, who seemed so gentle, had become a monster more evil than anyone in the world when faced with a conflict of interest.

Hachiko was now the strongest of the three, so she had no fear of a fight. Snatching the two bells from the immobile Yashui would be a piece of cake.

"Take one more step, and I'll crush the bells. Then none of us will pass the test!" Yashui threatened. They were all shinobi, and even at twelve years old, they had the strength to crush the bells.

It was good to have leverage. With Yashui holding the bells, Hachiko stopped in her tracks. She glared at him furiously but didn't dare take another step. She was so angry.

Yashui took a kunai from his ninja pouch and cut both bells in half. The two bells were now four broken pieces. He gave one piece to each of Hachiko and Xun. He kept one for himself and tossed the last to Choza.

Hachiko and Xun were stunned. What was going on? Both bells had been destroyed. Didn't that mean none of them would pass the test?