Individual Matches

Nagano Nami stared at Shikaba in confusion.

The look on his face said it all.

What the hell are you talking about?

"Uh," Shikaba said, then patiently explained.

"Obito and the others probably knew Ayako could sense any extra Shadow Clones within a hundred paces."

"So they set up a decoy, mixed their real selves in with the clones, and appeared in two groups to confuse us."

"If we hesitated even slightly or picked the wrong targets, they could close the distance and launch a surprise attack."

One group in plain sight, the other hidden. One real, the other fake.

With their overwhelming strength, it was a straightforward tactic with almost no answer.

(⊙﹏⊙)...

Why would I hesitate? I'd just hit them.

And who could think through all that in a second or two?

But saying that out loud would make him look stupid.

So Nagano Nami nodded as though everything had suddenly become clear.

Then he turned an angry glare on Obito.

"Obito, you underhanded bastard! You don't even dare fight me head-on!"

Obito grinned and pointed at his head.

"Nami, try using your brain next time you fight."

Rin took Obito's hand and spoke softly.

"That's enough, Obito. Let it go."

Once Obito fell silent, Nagano Nami stopped provoking him too.

He turned to Shikaba beside him and said sincerely,

"Pineapple Head, you've really got a good head on your shoulders. I'm impressed."

Shikaba scratched his head awkwardly.

"Haha, not really."

Nagano Nami was being so polite that Shikaba hardly knew how to react.

Just then,

The examiner in charge ambled over.

And announced Obito's team as the winners.

With that,

Obito and his two teammates had passed the Second Round.

The Third Round was the centerpiece of the entire exam.

The Individual Combat Tournament!

A chance to test each candidate's own strength!

The matches followed an elimination format, but winning was not the only way to pass.

The examiners would judge whether candidates qualified to become Chunin based on how they fought.

At Konoha's Indoor Training Ground,

The candidates stood in a loose line around the enormous arena.

Among them, Nagano Nami shook his fist at Obito, who stood not far away.

"Obito, you'd better hope you don't run into me, or else..."

Or else you'll be on your knees begging me not to knock you out!

Obito grumbled to himself and couldn't be bothered to answer.

The guy had scraped through the team revival match, and now he was getting cocky again.

(In the anime, some candidates from teams eliminated in the Second Round took part in the Third Round.)

The training ground's second level was reserved for the dignitaries of the various nations.

From their lofty seats, those powerful figures could see everything below.

After all,

The Chunin Ninja Exams were also part of the contest between ninja villages.

They were a battleground where the nations quietly vied to prove their strength.

Tensions between the villages were running high.

And the hostility among everyone, from the leaders to the candidates, was growing sharper.

"You Konoha losers are in for it."

"Heh. You lot? Keep talking out of your ass."

"Beep beep beep beep!"

"Beep beep beep beep!"

Plenty of people in the arena were trading insults from a distance like telegraph operators.

"Silence!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi drew chakra deep into his core and let out a powerful shout.

His commanding voice cut straight through the noise.

Under the pressure of the Shinobi Hero's presence,

Everyone there obediently shut their mouths.

Only then did the examiner in charge step into the arena and read out the rules for this round.

"Wow, the examiner's gorgeous..."

Since he had nothing else to do, Obito couldn't help taking a few more looks.

Once the examiner had finished explaining the rules, she drew the names for the first match.

"First match: Nagano Nami versus Horii Masami!"

With that, the examiner stepped out of the arena.

Nagano Nami strode in, eagerly warming up his arms and legs.

"Hey, Nami, you'd better win!" Obito called from below.

Nagano Nami paused, then gave a disdainful laugh.

"Like I need you to tell me."

Ayako called out from below as well.

"You can do it, Nami!"

While they were talking,

Nagano Nami's opponent slowly entered the arena.

Horii Masami was a ninja from Amegakure.

He looked about thirty, with a powerful build.

He wore shabby cloth clothes and had a long iron sword at his waist.

Horii Masami looked at the small, slender Nagano Nami.

A vicious smile spread across his face, as if victory were already his.

Nagano Nami glanced at Horii Masami and said with his nose in the air,

"You're thirty and still not a Chunin? Man, you're hopeless, old-timer."

It was as though Obito had opened up a whole new world for him.

He was getting pretty good at talking trash.

Horii Masami flew into a rage.

"Idiot! You're the one who's thirty! I only turned thirteen this year!"

Even Obito was stunned by that.

Buddy, with all those wrinkles... you really do look older than your age.

Nagano Nami planted his hands on his hips and said scornfully,

"Thirteen? You haven't even been alive half as long as me, kid."

Horii Masami cracked his knuckles, the snaps rattling like beans in a pan.

"You smart-mouthed brat. I'm going to break a few of your bones and see if you're still so cocky!"

Nagano Nami snorted and asked in mock disbelief,

"What a joke. Do you even know who my uncle is? You dare talk to me like that?"

"Hiss—"

Horii Masami sucked in a sharp breath.

Could this kid have some powerful backing?

Looking at Nagano Nami's outrageous swagger,

He suddenly felt uncertain and asked cautiously,

"Who's... your uncle?"

Nagano Nami answered smugly,

"My uncle's a director at Konoha Hospital. Even if you break my bones, I won't have to wait in line!"

Horii Masami: "...???"

"You little bastard, you're messing with me!"

Nagano Nami gave him a teasing smile.

"Oh, so you're not completely stupid."

Horii Masami: "You little shit!"

The examiner had had enough.

"Both candidates will begin fighting immediately, or you'll both be disqualified!"

Had all those national leaders come all this way just to watch these two trade insults?

At the examiner's urging,

Horii Masami drew his Longsword and charged at Nagano Nami with a roar.

Nagano Nami's antics had sent his composure plummeting.

Seeing that his opponent had lost his cool,

Nagano Nami chuckled, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes.

Horii Masami struck first.

"Taijutsu: One Sword Is Worth a Hundred Words!"

Nagano Nami countered at once.

"Taijutsu: Nagano Barrage!"

Horii Masami unleashed a combination of ninjutsu and Taijutsu.

"Wind Release: Wind Sword: Bewildering Heart!"

Not to be outdone, Nagano Nami answered with a Wind Release technique of his own.

"Wind Release: Nagano Nami!"

The two fought back and forth.

They took turns throwing out moves, making the fight look almost turn-based.

Obito watched from below, thoroughly amused.

After using your skills, can't you follow up with a couple of basic attacks and launch your opponent into the air?

Amateurs!

Total amateurs!