Elimination Match Domination, Gaara's Rampage, Mu Takes Control

Kabuto Yakushi stood quietly to one side, his hands at his sides and a gentle, harmless smile on his face. His tone was calm. "Lord Orochimaru, there's no need to be angry."

"The complete defeat of Dosu's group only proves that Konoha's ANBU has top-tier experts hidden within it. They are far beyond ordinary combat power."

"An expert?" Orochimaru narrowed his snake-like eyes, intense greed flashing through them. "It was Uchiha Mu, wasn't it?"

Throughout Konoha, only that Uchiha youth who had risen out of nowhere possessed the strength to instantly kill Dosu and the others.

"Precisely." Kabuto Yakushi nodded, his tone certain. "The intelligence has been confirmed. Uchiha Mu awakened the Space-Time Twin Eyes, and his strength has already entered Kage level. Dosu and the others had no ability to fight back before him."

"Kage level... Space-Time Twin Eyes..."

A bizarre, crazed smile spread across Orochimaru's lips. The tip of his tongue slowly licked the corner of his mouth, his expression filled with desire.

"Interesting. Truly interesting! The Uchiha bloodline has never disappointed."

"Kabuto, keep a close eye on Uchiha Mu throughout tomorrow's elimination matches. Find out the limits of every one of his abilities."

"As for the remaining Sound Ninja, have them push the plan forward at any cost. Even if every last one of them dies, they must hold back Konoha's fighting force."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru." Kabuto Yakushi bowed in acknowledgment, then turned and silently withdrew from the hideout.

Orochimaru turned toward the window, his gaze piercing through the forest as it locked onto Konoha's examination grounds. His sinister voice murmured to itself.

"Uchiha Mu... the perfect bloodline, the perfect Sharingan, the perfect vessel."

"I want to see just how much trouble you can stir up, whether you can stop my entire plan... and ultimately fall into my hands."

A conspiracy that would sweep through the Genin Exam had already begun.

Meanwhile, Mu, lurking in the shadows, was already prepared for battle. All he awaited was tomorrow's arena, where he would crush every enemy who came for him and reveal his edge.

Early the next morning, Konoha's Genin Exam arena was packed with people. Spectators stood shoulder to shoulder, and the excitement far surpassed that of yesterday's written test.

After the written examination's screening, those left in the arena were all rising talents from the major ninja villages. Every one of them was formidable, and a fierce contest was inevitable.

Mu wore a fitted black ANBU uniform, his face concealed beneath a cold ANBU mask as he lurked alone atop the arena roof.

From above, he looked down over the entire field. His scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan remained hidden beneath the mask, yet every movement in the arena and every flicker of chakra entered his sight with perfect clarity. Nothing could escape him.

His presence was restrained to the extreme, yet it carried an innate pressure that made the surrounding air seem cold.

At the same time, inside a hidden pavilion at the edge of the examination grounds.

Danzo stood with a cane in hand, his body shrouded in shadow. Through a gap in the window, his single eye stared fixedly at Mu's figure on the roof before shifting to Sasuke in the arena. Intense greed and ruthlessness churned in his gaze.

"Uchiha Mu... Uchiha Sasuke..."

"One awakened a space-time Mangekyō, while the other bears the orthodox Sharingan. Those two peerless ocular powers should both belong to me!"

"When chaos erupts during the exam, I will act. I'll take the eyes of both brothers for myself and seize control of the Uchiha Clan's power!"

Several Root members beside him stood silent as cicadas in winter, not daring even to breathe loudly.

Above the arena, a great battle was on the verge of beginning.

Morino Ibiki strode to the center of the arena with the match list in hand and spoke in a deep voice. "Everyone, welcome to the second stage of the Genin Exam.

"The elimination matches!"

"Today's rules are simple: two contestants will fight, the winner advances, and the loser is eliminated! On the field, you may use ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu at full strength. Life and death are irrelevant, but forbidden ninja tools are strictly prohibited!"

"Now, I declare the elimination matches officially underway!"

"First match: Kankuro of Sunagakure versus Zaku of the Hidden Sound Village!"

As his words fell, two figures stepped onto the arena at the same time.

Kankuro wore a gray trench coat, half his face covered by a mask. With one hand, he controlled the puppet on his back, his body radiating the cold, sinister air unique to puppet masters.

His gaze was indifferent, and he did not utter a word from start to finish. Chakra threads were hidden at his fingertips, and every movement displayed caution and viciousness. He excelled at laying traps in secret and defeating enemies with a single strike.

Across from him, Zaku wore a black bodysuit, violent chakra surging around him. Curse Mark patterns spread along his neck, giving him a savage aura.

Relying on the Curse Mark's enhancement, he had a volatile temperament and favored fierce, rapid attacks. He wanted nothing more than to win quickly and prove himself to Orochimaru.

"Begin!"

Ibiki withdrew from the arena and gave the order.

Zaku struck first. Rather than retreating, he charged forward, his hands flashing through seals as sound-wave chakra around him surged wildly.

Sound Release: Cutting Air Wave!

A sharp, piercing sonic blast roared out. Fine cracks split across the ground in its wake as the churning air crushed toward Kankuro with tyrannical force.

Kankuro's expression did not change. His fingers twitched, and the chakra threads instantly pulled taut as the puppet behind him abruptly moved in front of him.

Puppet Technique: Mechanism Needle Rain!

The puppet's chest and abdomen snapped open, unleashing a torrential barrage of poisoned silver needles. At the same time, its right arm transformed into a blade and pierced through the air toward Zaku's face. Every move was vicious and lethal, leaving his opponent no route of retreat.

Zaku's expression changed sharply. He hurriedly twisted aside to avoid the needles, retreating again and again as his hands formed seals once more.

Sound Release: Resonating Pierce!

A piercing sonic wave shot directly toward the puppet, attempting to disrupt the chakra threads and interrupt Kankuro's control.

But Kankuro had been prepared. He controlled the puppet into a sudden retreat, and at the same time, it spewed thick purple mist from its mouth, instantly blanketing the entire arena and obscuring everyone's vision.

Trapped within the poisonous smoke, Zaku could see nothing. He could only release ninjutsu at random, and in his panic, his openings were everywhere.

At that moment!

Using the poisonous smoke as cover, Kankuro controlled his puppet as it silently circled behind Zaku.

The puppet's blade instantly pierced through Zaku's shoulder, while a poisoned needle tube stabbed into his body at the same time!

"Aah—Aah!"

Zaku let out a miserable scream. The Curse Mark's aura within him instantly collapsed, his chakra spiraling into chaos as his entire body convulsed. He crashed heavily to the ground and completely lost the ability to fight.

"First match, Kankuro of Sunagakure wins!"

Ibiki immediately announced the result.

Cheers erupted around the arena. Kankuro recalled his puppet, cast an indifferent glance at Zaku on the ground, then turned and left without a single unnecessary movement.

On the rooftop, Mu watched coldly, without the slightest ripple in his eyes.

Kankuro was merely at the level of an ordinary jonin. Although Zaku had the Curse Mark's enhancement, he lacked real combat experience and was too impetuous. His defeat was only natural, and he was not worth Mu's attention.

The following matches began one after another. Ninjutsu thundered across the arena, taijutsu collided, and the talents of every major ninja village showed their abilities in endless fierce battles.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all won their matches with ease and advanced forcefully.

With the forbidden technique Mu had taught him, the Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto instantly filled the arena with countless clones. Fists and kicks flew together, trapping his opponent with nowhere to escape. It was complete brute-force domination, drawing gasps from the entire crowd.

With the Sharingan's powerful insight, Sasuke easily saw through every move his opponent made. Combined with sharp taijutsu and precise Fire Release, he ended the fight swiftly, fully displaying the strength of an Uchiha genius.

Sakura, meanwhile, cast off her former frailty. She used precise medical ninjutsu to avoid injury, then unleashed her powerful Monster Strength and heavily wounded her opponent with one punch, completely shattering everyone's image of her as a mere "pretty face."

The Hidden Sound Village's remaining three contestants also relied on the Curse Mark's enhancement, fighting desperately to win their matches and barely advance.

Yet the two of them remained uneasy throughout. Their eyes frequently swept toward the roof, trying to find Mu's whereabouts, their gazes full of lingering terror.

Mu took in all of it, a cold curve rising at the corner of his mouth.

He was in no hurry to make a move. He intended to wait until the finals, then catch every one of those schemers in a single net.

Soon, the elimination matches reached their final battle.

The most anticipated clash of the entire event!

Gaara of Sunagakure versus Rock Lee of Konoha!

Rock Lee, dressed in his iconic green bodysuit, strode into the arena. His eyes were resolute, and fighting spirit surged from his entire body.

He had trained taijutsu bitterly for years, abandoning ninjutsu and genjutsu. He wanted only to prove himself through pure taijutsu. Every inch of his muscles radiated explosive strength, and his fighting style was fierce and unstoppable.

Across from him, Gaara still wore a red trench coat. A thin shield of sand surrounded him, while his eyes were hollow and lifeless. Bone-chilling killing intent emanated from his body.

The sand around him moved automatically. Violent and bloodthirsty by nature, he attacked with killing moves from the start, showing no emotion whatsoever. It was as though the opponent before him was merely an insignificant corpse.

The atmosphere in the arena instantly froze to the extreme.

In the shadows, Danzo's gaze remained fixed on Sasuke in the arena before flicking toward Mu on the rooftop. His palm clenched tightly.

"Uchiha brats, fight well. The fiercer you fight and the worse your injuries become, the easier it will be for me to take your eyes..."

On the rooftop, Mu slowly sat upright, his scarlet Sharingan locking firmly onto the two figures in the center of the arena.

This battle would ultimately set the entire arena ablaze—and perhaps even spiral out of control!