Evenly Matched

"Clone Technique?"

"What use is that move at a time like this?"

"No, that isn't the Clone Technique!"

The puzzled expressions on everyone's faces froze, turning into shock.

The Minato who had appeared afterward was actually forming hand seals. The moment he appeared, he pressed his hands together and unleashed a ninjutsu.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

Rumble!

Amid the howling wind, a fierce gale caught up to the fireball. Wind and fire—fire borrowed the wind's momentum, while the wind fed the fire. The two melded together seamlessly, indistinguishable from each other.

At that moment, the scorching blast swept forward. The temperature throughout the arena seemed to rise, and as the fierce wind blew over them, the crowd could not help narrowing their eyes, their gazes filled with shock and disbelief.

Everyone unconsciously took a step back, as though only then could they feel at ease.

This was actually a combined ninjutsu!

Everyone was amazed. Even the Third Hokage and the others on the platform were astonished.

Learning the Shadow Clone was one thing—after all, it was not particularly difficult—but Minato Namikaze even knew combined ninjutsu!

What incredible talent for ninjutsu.

Jiraiya even rubbed his eyes before coming back to his senses.

At this point, even he did not know what to say. He secretly glanced at the other jonin and saw that every one of them had eyes shining brightly.

He could not help feeling uneasy. Looks like this disciple might slip through my fingers!

Everyone knew Minato Namikaze was talented—exceptionally talented—but no one had expected him to reach such a level.

The difficulty of combined ninjutsu was simply outrageous. It was not something that should have appeared here at all. It required extremely precise control over ninjutsu, impeccable timing, and mastery of countless other techniques.

Even most jonin could not use it.

Combined ninjutsu was not as simple as one plus one. Two C-rank ninjutsu combined could even be stronger than an ordinary B-rank technique.

In the arena.

Minato Namikaze breathed lightly. Even for him, using that string of ninjutsu had consumed a tremendous amount of chakra.

Still, seeing such results, he could not help feeling a little proud.

He turned to look at the chief examiner. In his eyes, the outcome of this battle had already been decided. It was time for the chief examiner to step in.

The chief examiner possessed jonin-level strength, so blocking this attack would not be a problem.

On the stands opposite them, Hiwa Hyuga had unknowingly clenched her tiny fists.

Her nails dug into her palms, drawing thin trickles of blood, yet she did not notice at all.

"Just surrender already!"

Deep worry filled her beautiful eyes.

If he surrendered, the chief examiner would step in to save him.

If he refused to surrender and died, then so be it. Someone without even the most basic judgment was not worthy of sympathy.

The massive fireball roared forward. Empowered by the gale, the Great Fireball Technique swelled enormously. Flames scattered outward, nearly turning into a sea of fire as it surged ahead.

The arena for the practical examination was only so large. No matter where he hid, he could not escape the range of such a wide-area technique.

For a moment, Ryōken seemed to have been driven into a desperate situation.

The chief examiner turned and stared at Ryōken, merely waiting for him to admit defeat before rushing in to save him.

Yet as time passed, Ryōken showed no intention of surrendering whatsoever.

Several drops of cold sweat rolled down the chief examiner's forehead. He was terrified.

Since this was a practical examination, there were naturally rules. Unless a contestant surrendered, the examiner could not interfere!

If he waited any longer, he might not even be able to save him in time!

Why the hell isn't this kid surrendering?!

The chief examiner fumed inwardly. At that moment, he even began to suspect that Ryōken was deliberately tormenting him.

However, at that very moment.

Ryōken, standing in the arena, suddenly raised his longsword upright. Expressionless, he stared at the flames rushing toward him like a beast ready to devour its prey, his face as calm as still water.

Seeing that familiar sight, the watching jonin focused their eyes and cried out in shock.

"Could that be the move he used against Kouichi Uchiha?"

"Even if it is not on the level of the B-rank ninjutsu we use, it is still not something Ryōken can withstand."

Ryōken did not care about any of that. A sharp glint flashed through his eyes, as though he had already seen through everything.

A pale white radiance lit up along the blade, its sharpness intimidating.

The longsword hummed and trembled, as though it could no longer bear the strain and was about to shatter.

At the same time, an invisible aura surged around him, stirring the air and raising a faint breeze.

At that moment, Ryōken felt stronger than ever before. The fullness brought by that immense power surged through his heart, desperately seeking release.

By then, the roaring combined ninjutsu had finally reached its peak and arrived before Ryōken.

Before it even drew close, the astonishing heatwave swept over him first.

Sweat slid down his cheeks, but it did not affect Ryōken's fierce gaze in the slightest.

Sharp and focused.

After crossing such a distance, the sea of flames showed no sign of weakening. Instead, it became even more imposing and mighty.

The ground in its path had been scorched black.

Almost at the same instant, Ryōken raised his sword and activated the blade's radiance. Brilliant light immediately flared from its surface.

At that moment, Ryōken's will, chakra, and physical strength were all poured into the sword's radiance.

"Laurent Eye of the Mind!"

With a soft shout, the light barrier produced by that technique actually began to flow, with most of it pouring into the sword's radiance.

The iron sword trembled without pause, as though it had reached its limit and was about to break apart.

As if guided by some unseen force, Ryōken suddenly gained an insight. Following the realization in his heart, he abruptly slashed downward.

Dazzling light erupted at once, and an enormous white crescent-shaped Sword Qi burst forth.

Everything in its path was swept aside.

The sea of fire was extinguished. The overwhelmingly powerful combined ninjutsu was actually split in two, roaring past Ryōken on either side before crashing into the wall behind him with a thunderous boom.

Only a faint scorching sensation remained in the air, proving that the combined ninjutsu had ever existed.

Seeing this astonishing scene, everyone's expressions changed from surprise and disbelief into shock—into utter awe!

The entire arena fell silent!

At that moment, Tsunade directly crushed the railing she had been gripping, her eyes wide with astonishment.

"How incredible!"

Orochimaru licked his lips and smiled sinisterly. His curiosity had never been stronger.

"Sword Qi!"

Hatake Sakumo suddenly spoke, his voice low and filled with disbelief.

Then Jiraiya seemed to notice something and suddenly shouted, "Even though Ryōken has indeed exceeded expectations, it isn't over yet!"

"Stop fooling yourself. Minato really is a little better than that kid!"

Tsunade recovered her senses and struck him down without mercy.

"It's true! Look! Look at the arena!"

Jiraiya hurriedly protested, repeatedly gesturing toward the arena.

Seeing that he did not seem to be joking, everyone turned their attention back to the battlefield and examined it carefully.

Sure enough, smoke now filled the arena.

Neither Ryōken nor Minato could see the other.

However, from their angle, they could tell that Ryōken was clearly in worse condition, while Minato was actually forming hand seals!

"See? Even if Ryōken's bloodline limit is powerful, he still isn't as formidable as Minato!"

As though he had won a great battle, Jiraiya wiped away nonexistent sweat from his forehead and spoke proudly.

"If Ryōken still doesn't react, the winner will be decided."

After taking a look, Orochimaru and Tsunade came to that conclusion.

They could see it, and naturally the others in the audience could see it as well.

Everyone understood that the final moment was about to arrive.

The crowd could not help holding their breath. No one dared make a sound, and the entire arena became so quiet that a pin dropping could be heard.

The two little girls, Hiwa Hyuga and Kushina Uzumaki, tightly covered their small mouths with both hands.

Though they were still young, they both knew when to behave. At such a critical moment, they did not dare cause trouble.

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