On the vast arena, the examiner said in a deep voice, "Will the two examinees please come up!"
Down below, Genye froze for a moment, not expecting to be assigned to the first match.
Seeing Genye standing there in a daze, Asuma nudged him. "Hey, quit spacing out. It's your turn to put on a show."
"Good luck, Genye!" Yuhi Kurenai cheered him on.
Genye smiled at Kurenai, then rolled his eyes at Asuma and strode onto the arena.
On the other side, a green-skinned ninja with a bowl cut and bandages wrapped around his hands was already waiting, staring intently at Genye.
Woohoo, getting to spar in taijutsu with the young Emperor Guy means this trip to the Chunin Ninja Exams was worth it. Genye thought.
Both he and Guy were ninjas known for their taijutsu. He was sure he could learn something from fighting Guy.
"Match—begin!"
The examiner swept an arm out and used the Body Flicker Technique to leave the arena, giving the vast space over to the two of them.
Guy's eyes were wide as bells as he stared at Genye with a piercing gaze.
"Asuma, I heard you defeated Kakashi!"
"Um, I'm Gen—"
Before Genye could finish, Might Guy cut him off.
"Please, Asuma! You have to give me a chance to have a youth-burning showdown with you!"
"No, I'm called Gen—"
Genye had barely started speaking when his voice was drowned out once more by an excited Guy.
"Ahhh! My youth is about to burst into flames! Here I come, Asuma!"
Genye was completely numb. He waved at Guy with a look of utter resignation. "Fine, come on."
Boom!
Guy slammed his foot into the ground and shot toward Genye like a cannonball, kicking up wave after wave of air as he went.
"Strong Fist!"
Guy unleashed a flurry of punches, raining blows down on every part of Genye's body.
"Let's see you handle this! Redirect! And counter!"
If Guy's attacks were like an erupting volcano, Genye's moves were like a steady autumn rain. They were complete opposites.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Guy's punches were heavy and powerful, but just before he could bring their full force to bear, Genye would use his arms to push or slice the strikes aside. He deflected them effortlessly, then turned defense into offense.
That was the principle of overcoming hardness with softness!
Genye's physical abilities were at the level of an elite jonin, so he could handle the current Guy with ease.
As they exchanged moves, he even had the leisure to reflect on the flaws in his own techniques.
"Whew, looks like this kind of offense can't threaten you, Asuma."
After a flurry of fruitless attacks, Might Guy leaped back to put some distance between them and let out a breath.
Genye: "..."
He didn't feel like talking.
"Looks like I'll have to use that move. Bloom, my youth!"
Guy crossed his arms and drew a deep breath before shouting.
"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Opening—open!"
Genye's expression grew serious. So this was the legendary Eight Inner Gates.
Sure enough... it was so over-the-top!
It was only the first gate. There was no need for him to get nervous (lol)~
At that moment, Kakashi suddenly called out from the second-floor stands.
"Guy, just the first gate won't be enough against him!"
Guy nodded. "I understand. In that case..."
Genye: "???"
Guy crossed his arms again. His chakra burst forth, breaking through two barriers in succession.
"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Healing, open!"
"Eight Inner Gates: Gate of Life, open!"
(ﾟДﾟ≡ﾟДﾟ)!
Genye looked at Guy, who had opened three gates, then turned to Kakashi in the stands and gave him the finger in irritation.
"Hatake Kakashi, I really appreciate it!"
Kakashi shrugged and replied coolly, "I told you not to let your guard down in a fight. Enjoy the match."
"Byakugan—open!"
With no time to bother with Kakashi, Genye's temples bulged with veins as he opened his Byakugan fully and fixed his gaze on Might Guy.
A moment ago, the chakra inside Guy had flowed like a gentle stream. Now, it seemed to have become a rushing river, surging through his body.
"Be careful, Asuma. I'm really strong in this state."
Guy's body quickly flushed red, his skin visibly changing color as green energy swirled around him.
"I know. Come on!"
Genye took his stance. An invisible Eight Trigrams Formation spread beneath his feet as he beckoned Guy forward.
Whoosh!
To the other examinees, Guy seemed to vanish from where he stood and reappear instantly beside Genye.
"Leaf Rock-Breaking Rise!"
Riding the momentum of his charge, Guy twisted his body and drove his right elbow toward Genye's face.
"Gentle Fist: Redirect!"
With help from his Byakugan, Genye turned and struck with his palm, knocking Guy's elbow aside. His chakra pierced into Guy's Quchi Point like a needle.
But the moment that chakra entered Guy's body, his opponent's rampaging chakra overwhelmed it, swallowing it without a trace.
"Ahhhhhhh! Hidden Lotus!"
Roaring, Guy attacked with reckless abandon. He was already faster than sound, striking Genye with fists and feet amid a series of sonic booms.
"Holy crap, he's fast!"
In the stands, Obito was dumbfounded.
"Is that beast-face guy a monster? I can't even see him at all now. I can only make out the afterimages he leaves behind."
The examinees around him nodded in agreement.
"Guy's probably already broken the sound barrier. Naturally, the naked eye can't keep up," Kakashi explained. Then he glanced meaningfully at Obito and added, "...Unless you're one of those people who've awakened their eyes."
Obito felt like Kakashi was looking down on him and shouted, "Hey, Kakashi, what's with that look?"
At that moment, Rin, standing beside them, marveled, "Still, Genye is amazing too, keeping up with Guy like that."
Obito glanced at Genye on the arena and, unusually, didn't argue. He just grumbled unhappily, "Yeah, he's way too strong now. He used to be a dead-last just like me!"
"You need to keep working hard too, Obito."
"Oh, oh, of course, Rin-chan!"
On the arena, Guy had become a streak of green light, charging at Genye from all sides.
"Iron Mountain Lean!"
"Gentle Fist: Double!"
Their powerful strikes collided once more. Both grunted as the tremendous force sent them stumbling back several steps, then charged at each other again.
The longer Genye fought, the more astonished he became. He had already made Gentle Fist: Double one of his regular moves, and he still couldn't hurt Guy.
This guy is already this strong with only three gates open?
Genye hadn't used Gentle Fist: Triple. A close, evenly matched fight like this would help him hone his taijutsu.
Besides, Guy definitely still had a trump card he hadn't used.
Lee had managed to open the Fifth Gate during the Chunin Ninja Exams. There was no way Guy couldn't even open the Fourth Gate.
But opening the Fourth Gate: Gate of Pain would cause irreversible damage to the body. Maybe Guy didn't think it was necessary...
Just as Genye was thinking this, Guy shouted excitedly.
"It's been so long since I've had a fight this thrilling, Asuma! I'm going all out!"
"Fourth Gate: Gate of Pain, open!"
"Fifth Gate: Gate of Limit, open!"
"Crap!" Genye's expression changed drastically.
With the Fifth Gate open, Guy's speed surged again. The Eight Trigrams Formation could no longer track his movements clearly.
"In that case, I won't hold back either."
Genye simply withdrew the Eight Trigrams Formation and focused on sensing the movement around him.
He would wait for Guy to attack, then settle the match with one move!
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
Guy's speed kept increasing. The currents of energy swirling around him seemed to be condensing, and the faint outline of a fierce dragon's head began to form behind him.
"Dynamic Prelude!"
(This move is a precursor to Night Guy.)
At the peak of his speed, Guy pushed off with his left foot and leaped into the air, bringing his right leg down on Genye like a battle-axe.
Boom!
The gale from that kick alone swept over Genye, making his skin sting.
Now!
Genye stopped waiting and unleashed the blow he had been charging up at the dragon's head in the sky.
"Gentle Fist: Triple!"
Before you continue