Standing Still on the Other Side and Letting You Shoot?

Seeing that her opponent had no intention of giving up, Hanashiro Yoshiko said no more.

With a casual flick of her hand, she threw several shuriken.

Yuzuki likewise threw shuriken to knock hers away.

The two continued probing each other, one move at a time.

"So boring."

"I don't want to watch anymore."

After watching several intense battles in a row, everyone inevitably found this level of fighting rather dull.

Kanami and the others had never seen Yuzuki use any ninjutsu.

When they trained together, they mostly practiced kunai and shuriken.

"Fūka, is your sister really not good at anything?"

Kanami turned to Fūka beside him and asked.

Although Yuzuki had said so herself, Kanami still found it hard to believe. Her younger sister had a Kekkei Genkai, so perhaps the elder sister was hiding something.

Fūka shook her head. "No. If I had to name something... does being accurate with shuriken count?"

Kanami was speechless.

What use was accuracy? Was the opponent supposed to stand still and let her shoot them?

Maybe she really was not particularly good at anything.

"Eleventh preliminary match, Yuzuki wins."

Gekko Hayate's voice rang out.

Kanami froze.

What happened? The victor was decided the instant I turned my head?

He hurriedly looked back toward the arena.

Hanashiro Yoshiko was being carried away on a stretcher with a shuriken embedded in her head. Judging by the amount of blood she had lost, she was probably done for.

There was also a man nearby—Funaba Yuta, Kanami's previous opponent.

He followed behind the stretcher carrying Hanashiro Yoshiko, crying out:

"Yoshiko, Yoshiko—how am I supposed to live without you?!"

Kanami looked at Hinata, who had been watching the match beside him.

"Hinata, did you see what happened? How did Yuzuki suddenly win?"

Hinata nodded.

"While you were talking with Fūka, Hanashiro Yoshiko used the Hiding in Mist Technique. Then Yuzuki threw a shuriken into the thick mist and won."

Huh?

"Can I take back what I said? Being accurate with shuriken might, perhaps, possibly really be useful..."

As Gekko Hayate announced the winner, the electronic screen lit up again.

Just as expected, Fūka's name appeared on the screen alongside Kojirō's.

They were the only two people left who had not fought yet.

Kanami smiled. "Don't lose too badly."

"Who's going to lose, baka?"

Fūka shot him a glance and jumped straight down from the stands.

"Final preliminary match, Fūka versus Kojirō. Begin!"

The two immediately began testing each other with shuriken.

Kanami had previously told her that the uniqueness of a Kekkei Genkai could attract covetous eyes. Though she did not think it would be that serious, she had still taken his words to heart.

Sakura stretched.

"These last two matches are so boring. I'm getting sleepy just watching."

Kakashi, standing behind her, said indifferently, "Wasn't your fight with Ino the same?"

Sakura's little face instantly turned red at Kakashi's remark.

Kakashi then continued earnestly, "Information is the most important thing in a ninja battle. That is why probing first and fighting afterward is what a real ninja battle looks like."

Naruto cut in, "Huh? Then what about Kanami?"

Kakashi looked helpless. "That was a complete advantage in strength."

"Then information doesn't seem to matter that much."

"In the earlier battles, Shino versus Zaku, and Kankuro versus Misumi Tsurugi—didn't you notice anything in those two matches?"

"Weren't those complete stomps too? They won really easily."

"What if Zaku had known Shino used the Secret Insect Technique? What if Misumi Tsurugi had known Kankuro's real body was a puppet?"

Kakashi weakly rubbed his forehead.

"Sigh... you idiot, are you only here to watch the excitement..."

Naruto laughed. "Hehe, Sakura is just watching the excitement too. She's an idiot too."

"Damn it, Naruto, what does this have to do with me?!"

Sakura punched Naruto on the head.

The pain made Naruto bare his teeth.

On the other side of the arena.

As Kojirō used the Hiding in Mist Technique, white, dense fog engulfed the arena.

Seeing the Hiding in Mist Technique again, someone could not help complaining.

"Why is it the Hiding in Mist Technique again? Do the three of them have the same teacher?"

"You know what, they actually do. Those three are on the same team."

"...All right."

Fūka stared at the thick fog before her, focusing completely as she waited for an opening.

Without Wind Release as astonishing as Kanami's, the Hiding in Mist Technique was actually an extremely troublesome ninjutsu to deal with.

The victim's vision was obscured. They had no idea where their opponent would attack from or what ninjutsu they would use, so they would always be one step too slow to respond.

That was also why the Hiding in Mist Technique had left such a deep impression on Naruto.

Whoosh!

Several shuriken came flying in from the side. Fūka promptly knocked them away with her kunai, then threw shuriken toward the direction they had come from.

She immediately retreated to the wall, which would at least prevent her opponent from circling behind her.

Kojirō, hidden within the thick fog, curled his lips into a faint smile.

It's time.

He threw shuriken at Fūka, then rapidly formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique."

As the shuriken flew out, he rushed through the ground at incredible speed toward Fūka's feet.

Fūka had just dodged the shuriken when Kojirō had already burrowed beneath her.

Fūka's expression changed as she instantly sensed the abnormality underground.

She quickly formed hand seals.

"Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome."

An ice barricade instantly appeared beneath her feet.

Kojirō slammed headfirst into the ice barricade and hurriedly emerged from underground.

Before the opponent's mist dispersed, she had to end this quickly.

Fūka did not hesitate. She swiftly formed hand seals.

"Ice Release: Ice Prison Technique."

The ice barricade instantly changed shape, trapping Kojirō within it.

The ice barricade began to slowly contract.

Kojirō gritted his teeth and hurriedly formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Rock Shelter Demolition."

He slapped a palm against the ice barricade.

The ice barricade trembled faintly. When his second palm struck it, a crack abruptly opened in the ice.

He hurriedly tried to escape.

Yet the moment he poked his head out, a kunai was pressed against his neck.

Seeing this, Kojirō stopped struggling.

His chakra reserves had never been large, and exhaustion was already showing on his face. Even if he kept fighting, it would be difficult for him to win.

"I surrender."

Once the mist on the arena dispersed, everyone saw Fūka holding a kunai to Kojirō's neck.

Gekko Hayate said, "I announce that Fūka has won the final preliminary match."

When Fūka returned to the stands.

Hinata and the others were happy for her.

Only Kanami looked at the puddle on the ground and guessed that she had most likely used Ice Release.

Still, Kanami congratulated her on her victory and did not dampen her spirits.

Then Hiruzen Sarutobi called everyone down to gather.

"The third stage of the official exam will be held one month from now. I hope that by then, all of you will be in your best condition and present exhilarating battles to the lords and distinguished figures of every country."

"You have all worked hard. Go back and rest."

Just as Kanami and the others were leaving with the crowd.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe.

"Kanami, come here."