Individual Combat Tournament

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, hid their real selves among the clones, and appeared in two groups to confuse us."

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

One group in the open, one concealed. One real, one fake.

With their overwhelming strength, it was a plan that was nearly impossible to counter even when you saw through it.

(⊙﹏⊙)...

Why would I hesitate? Why not just attack? Nagano Nami wondered.

And how is anyone supposed to think through all that in a second or two?

But saying that aloud would make him look stupid.

So Nagano Nami nodded, pretending it had all become clear.

Then he glared at Obito.

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

Obito grinned and tapped his temple.

"Pineapple Head, try using your brain next time you fight."

Rin took Obito's hand and spoke softly.

"That's enough, Obito-kun. Leave it there."

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

He turned to Shikaba beside him and said sincerely,

"Pineapple Head, you really are smart. I'm impressed."

Shikaba scratched his head awkwardly.

"Haha, it was nothing."

Nagano Nami's sudden politeness left him at a loss.

Just then,

the proctor strolled over

and announced Obito's team as the winners.

With that,

the three of them had passed the Second Round.

The Third Round was the most important part of the entire exam.

The Individual Combat Tournament!

This was where each candidate's own strength would be put to the test!

The tournament used an elimination format, but winning was not the only way to pass the exam.

The proctors would judge whether each candidate qualified to become a Chunin based on their performance in battle.

At Konoha's Indoor Training Ground,

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

Among them, Nagano Nami waved a fist at Obito, who stood a short distance away.

"Obito, you'd better hope you don't get matched with me, or else..."

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

Obito made the rest of the boast for him in his head and couldn't be bothered to answer.

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

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

The second floor of the training ground was reserved for the leaders of the various nations.

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

After all,

the Chunin Ninja Exams were also part of the struggle between the Ninja Villages.

They were a battleground where nations competed in secret and measured their strength against one another.

Tensions between the Ninja Villages were already running high.

From the leaders to the candidates, the hostility only grew sharper.

"Just wait, you Konoha losers. We'll show you."

"Hah. You lot? Careful, a strong breeze might knock some sense into you."

"Blah, blah, blah!"

"Blah, blah, blah!"

Insults flew across the arena from every direction.

"Silence!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi drew Chakra deep into his core and let out a commanding shout.

His authoritative voice drowned out the clamor.

Under the Shinobi Hero's imposing presence,

everyone there obediently shut their mouths.

Only then did the proctor overseeing the exam step into the arena and read out the rules for this round.

"Whoa, the proctor's gorgeous..."

With nothing else to do, Obito couldn't resist taking another look.

After explaining the rules, the proctor drew the names for the first match.

"First match: Nagano Nami versus Horii Masami!"

With that, the proctor stepped out of the arena.

Nagano Nami strode in, flexing his hands and feet, eager to begin.

"Hey, Pineapple Head! You'd better win!" Obito called.

Nagano Nami froze for a moment, then gave a dismissive laugh.

"Hmph. You don't need to tell me that."

Ayako called out from the sidelines too.

"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 powerfully built frame.

He wore a shabby cloth outfit, and a long iron sword hung at his waist.

Horii Masami looked at the scrawny Nagano Nami

and grinned viciously, as though victory was already his.

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

"Still not a Chunin at thirty? Man, you're hopeless, old-timer."

It was as if Obito had unlocked his talent for trash talk.

He was getting pretty good at it.

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 scoffed.

"Thirteen? You're not even half the man I am, little bro."

Horii Masami cracked his knuckles, the joints popping like beans in a pan.

"You mouthy little 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 disbelief,

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

"Hiss—"

Horii Masami sucked in a sharp breath.

Was this kid someone important?

Looking at Nagano Nami's boundless arrogance,

he suddenly wasn't so sure. He asked cautiously,

"Who... is your uncle?"

Nagano Nami said smugly,

"My uncle's a department head 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 damn idiot!"

The proctor had heard enough.

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

The leaders of several nations hadn't traveled all this way just to watch these two trade insults!

At the proctor's urging,

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

Nagano Nami's antics had sent his sanity plummeting.

Seeing that his opponent had lost all composure,

Nagano Nami chuckled, a smug glint 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 traded blows back and forth.

One move each, like they were taking turns in a game.

Obito watched from the sidelines, thoroughly amused.

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

Amateurs!

Total amateurs!