Finally Here, Long-Awaited Combat!

Three days flew by in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, Menma and the other two engaged in intensive training, resulting in a massive boost in strength, if not a complete transformation.

On this morning, Kakashi led Menma and the two girls to the agreed-upon dueling grounds.

Zabuza had also already led his subordinates and was waiting there.

The battle arena was very large, about the size of a football field, and circular, marked out with white lime as a boundary.

On the outer perimeter were cameras that Kakashi had instructed Gato to prepare.

This battle was to be recorded and shown to the high-ranking officials of both the Water and Fire nations.

Kakashi and Zabuza led their respective subordinates to the center of the arena and clarified the rules of the match:

One, the battles will be conducted in a one-on-one format, utilizing actual combat. The side that falls and cannot rise again or concedes will be judged as defeated.

Two, members from both competing sides may only enter the combat once each.

Three, as a rule, participating members must not deal fatal blows to the opponent. To prevent accidents, the respective Jonin may terminate the match in an emergency; using the power to terminate the match counts as a concession.

Four, participants may use any means capable of causing damage, including but not limited to ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, ninja tools, and summoning techniques.

5, participants may only fight within the arena grounds; stepping outside the grounds will be considered a concession.

Six, once both sides are prepared, they shall signal the respective Jonin, and only after the Jonin confirm may the battle begin.

The first battle, Konoha's Sakura Haruno versus Mist Village's Yuki Haku!

The outcome of this battle would determine the distribution of the Land of Waves commissioned missions.

Sakura Haruno and Yuki Haku arrived at the center of the arena and signaled their guiding Jonin, after which Kakashi and Zabuza used Body Flicker to leave, and the battle between the two officially began.

After the battle started, Sakura unhurriedly drew a kunai and wrapped explosive tags around the back of the hilt.

Upon seeing this, Yuki Haku couldn't help but chuckle. "Winding explosive tags mid-battle is far too late."

"Not late, not late at all!" Sakura finished wrapping one kunai and immediately moved on to the next.

Yuki Haku watched Sakura's preparations with unhurried composure, making no move to attack.

She intended to wait until Sakura was completely prepared and then defeat her in a crushing, landslide victory.

The cameras were rolling, and in this battle, she wanted not only to win, but to win beautifully.

Sakura was still preparing in an unhurried manner.

Growing somewhat bored of waiting, Yuki Haku tapped her own neck and the back of her head, and said to Sakura:

"Alright, don't bother wasting effort. One needle to the Fengchi, one to the Yufu, and you'll pass out quickly without any pain at all.

Rest assured, my accuracy for pressure points is precise."

While casually tossing the kunai wrapped with explosive tags behind her, Sakura smiled and replied:

"You haven't been stabbed by them yourself, so how do you know it doesn't hurt?

Your ice senbon place primary importance on sudden attacks, making them more advantageous for close-range stealth assaults.

With this much space and a head-on fight, I'd say it's hardly convenient."

Hearing this, Yuki Haku's expression turned stern, and she crouched slightly, preparing for a charge.

Suddenly, Yuki Haku formed hand seals with one hand, condensing two ice senbon in her palm, and with two xiuxiu sounds, shot them toward Sakura.

Sakura scooped up a kunai from the ground, gripped the handle with both hands in a forward and reverse grasp, and with two ding ding sounds, deflected the ice senbon.

While rapidly charging forward, Yuki Haku continued to condense ice senbon and shoot them at Sakura; she needed to close the distance and prepare to use a secret technique to settle the match in one blow.

Executing several backflips in succession, Sakura moved with agile footwork, her hands fluttering like butterflies as she either dodged or parried, evading all incoming attacks.

In the gaps between dodging attacks, Sakura even used the tip of her foot to kick the kunai she had thrown on the ground earlier toward Yuki Haku.

Hmph, do you really think you can hurt me with such an obvious trajectory? Yuki Haku thought with an inward sneer as she looked at the kunai, knowing she could avoid it simply by tilting her head.

"Explode!" Following Sakura's loud shout, the explosive tags on the back of the kunai hafts emitted a bright glow.

Oh no! Yuki Haku hurriedly halted her offensive and formed a single-handed seal: "Ice Release: Ice Formation Wall!"

A thick wall of ice abruptly appeared, blocking the kunai.

With a deafening boom, the explosive tags detonated, stirring up a wave of hot air and smoke.

Yet, there was not the slightest trace of damage on the ice wall, and Yuki Haku, hiding behind it, was naturally left completely unharmed.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Sakura executed her ninjutsu, and a circular swamp five meters in size precisely appeared beneath Yuki Haku's feet.

"Such a petty trick!"

Yuki Haku stamped her right foot, and a layer of white frost spread outward with her right foot at the center.

The swamp froze over, naturally sparing her from sinking into the quagmire.

"Water Release: Water Shockwave Technique!"

Sakura's next attack followed closely, as a massive water pillar rushed toward Yuki Haku, but it was blocked by an ice wall, split off to both sides, and pooled into a shallow layer of water across the arena.

Hmph, using Water Release in front of an Ice Release ninja, I see you don't know how to spell the word death!

Ice Release: Ice River Technique! Yuki Haku roared, and the water surface across the arena instantly froze into white ice.

Yuki Haku stepped out from behind the ice wall and saw that Sakura had hidden far away: What use is hiding far away? Ice Release: Ice Body Flicker!

In just the blink of an eye, Yuki Haku instantly crossed a distance of dozens of meters and closed in right beside Sakura.

Secret Art: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!

Rows of ice crystal walls rose up from around Sakura, enclosing her in the center.

Looking down at the panicked Sakura below, Yuki Haku smiled triumphantly:

I should really thank your Water Release. If it wasn't for your ninjutsu covering the arena with water, I really wouldn't have been able to create such a large sheet of ice with Ice Release.

Without your help, executing my secret art really would have taken quite a bit of effort.

Sakura clenched her teeth tightly, staring dead at Yuki Haku.

Now then, how should I thank you? Well, how about this, I'll give you a deep sleep!

Don't move around, if you don't want to be pinned into a hedgehog by me!

Secret Art: Thousand Flying Water Needles!

Countless ice senbon emerged from the surrounding ice crystals.

Surrender, Konoha ninja!

Otherwise, all of these senbon will pierce straight into your body!

Yuki Haku advised.

Cold sweat streamed down Sakura, but she still refused to admit defeat.

Jeez, you've already reached this point, what's the point of still putting up a strong front!

Forget it, I'll send you on your way!

With a helpless sigh, Yuki Haku aimed from behind Sakura's back and fired a single senbon at her neck.

Clang!

The senbon passed right through Sakura's neck and shattered to pieces against the ice surface.

Upon taking the attack, Sakura slowly melted and turned into a puddle of muddy water.

What, an Earth Clone? When did that happen?

Yuki Haku was startled and turned head all around to search for Sakura.

At that moment, Kakashi suddenly appeared and loudly announced, "The first match is already over, the winner, Konoha's Sakura Haruno!"

"What, impossible, how did I lose? Konoha jonin, what is the meaning of this?" Yuki Haku rebuked angrily toward Kakashi.