Crushing Victory

Akimiichi Chōza spilled potato chips all over his pants.

"Wait, is this right? Shikaku, explain it to me! I bet all my snack money on this!"

Cold sweat broke out on Shikaku's forehead. The others might not have caught on yet, but he had begun to sense what was happening.

Would Konoha High Command really resent Eiji's victory enough to make things difficult for him like this?

Even if someone wanted him to lose, they would not use such a clumsy method. Making him lose was not the goal.

And if the goal was not to make him lose, then someone believed he could win.

So someone was trying to put Eiji in the spotlight?

"What's going on here?"

Jiraiya scratched his head as he asked Tsunade. He had no idea why the rules had suddenly changed.

"I don't know!"

Tsunade was speechless. No wonder Grandma had repeatedly asked her to confirm Eiji's true strength. It had all been for today.

It seemed Grandma had made up her mind to have Eiji succeed her as Hokage.

After giving it some thought, Tsunade decided that might be for the best.

The boy had the strength for it. If he became Hokage, he could protect Kushina too.

Orochimaru turned toward Tsunade with a look that said he understood everything.

They had dared to put Ryuuzaki Eiji through a Battle Royale. The boy must be even stronger than he had estimated.

"This makes no sense! Why does he get to defend the arena?"

"I admit he's strong, but isn't this taking it too far?"

Complaints rose one after another from the Uchiha and Hyuga groups.

Both clans possessed Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai, and they resented seeing a newcomer like Eiji receive special treatment as soon as he appeared.

Uchiha Fugaku, however, wore the faintest hint of a smile.

Yes, yes! Exactly! This is perfect!

Show those fools who think they're above everyone else that there's always someone stronger! They get a Sharingan and forget who they are!

"Next match: Ryuuzaki Eiji versus Sarutobi Shimiya!"

Waiting in the Rest Room, Sarutobi Shimiya heard his name called and felt everyone's eyes on him. He let out a long breath.

What rotten luck. I have to face that guy right away.

Eiji's performance had shaken him. He was considered a genius of the Sarutobi Clan, yet even he doubted he could last more than a few moves against Eiji.

There was nothing for it. He would have to go out there.

Sarutobi Shimiya entered the arena. The Sarutobi name really did suit him: he had more hair on his face than most children.

With that much body hair at such a young age, he was practically a little monkey king.

Asuma was unusually hairy too. It seemed thick body hair ran in the Sarutobi Clan.

The two formed the Seal of Confrontation. As soon as the signal to begin sounded, Sarutobi Shimiya leaped backward.

Knowing how strong Eiji was, he wanted to avoid close combat. Having grown up in the Sarutobi Clan, he knew more than the average Civilian Ninja.

The tournament was meant to inspire confidence in the villagers and the Daimyo, but it was also a rare chance to show what he could do.

If I can't beat Eiji, I can at least draw out some information about his Ninjutsu and improve my evaluation!

With that in mind, he leaped high into the air and rapidly formed Hand Seals. He intended to attack from a distance with the Sarutobi Clan's secret technique, Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!

He had just completed the final seal and was about to gather Chakra in his chest when—

"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue."

Eiji raised a hand and yanked him over. Before Shimiya could understand what was happening, Eiji drove a fist into his chest!

Shimiya's pupils contracted sharply. The Chakra he had just gathered in his chest scattered instantly, and he flew backward, crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust!

The Spectator Seats fell silent.

The referee clearly had not caught up. Had the match ended the moment he called for it to begin?

He quickly recovered from his shock, though. After checking that Shimiya was all right, he nodded and announced the result.

"The match is over! Ryuuzaki Eiji wins!"

An uproar swept through the Spectator Seats. The sudden turn of events had left everyone stunned.

The match had barely begun, and it was already over? Just how wide was the gap between them?

From the Grandstand, the Daimyo gave Hiruzen Sarutobi an inquisitive look that seemed to say, That's it?

Hiruzen Sarutobi pressed a hand to his forehead and said nothing. Shimiya was a child of his clan, after all. It was hard not to feel embarrassed.

Yet Shimiya was considered a young genius within the clan, and Eiji had taken him down in one blow. Hiruzen Sarutobi's estimation of Eiji rose again.

A bloodline this valuable had to put down roots in Konoha.

In the Shinobi World, having multiple wives was a privilege generally reserved for the Daimyo. Anyone else who tried it would face the wrath of the women's powerful clans. But this was an exceptional case.

Once they understood Eiji's value, surely they would compromise.

"Next match: Ryuuzaki Eiji versus Shimura Ryōma!"

Shimura Ryōma entered the arena with a grim expression. He had seen what happened to the Sarutobi boy, and he had no idea how Eiji's Ninjutsu worked.

He had heard from his clan that Ryuuzaki Eiji had made an enemy of Elder Danzo for some reason. Would Eiji beat him senseless the moment he stepped into the arena?

He felt like a struggling student walking into an exam without having studied. His heart sank.

The two formed the Seal of Confrontation, and the referee called for the match to begin.

Ryōma was about to put some distance between them, just as Sarutobi Shimiya had, when he saw Eiji raise a hand. A moment later, a fist was inexplicably growing larger before his eyes!

Without ever understanding what had happened, Shimura Ryōma flew backward, hit the ground, and lost consciousness.

"...Ryuuzaki Eiji wins!"

The referee was at a loss. He covered his face as he announced the end of the match. At this rate, he would wear his mouth out.

"Next match: Ryuuzaki Eiji versus..."

"Ryuuzaki Eiji wins!"

"Next match!"

"..."

"Next match!"

Boring. This was unbearably boring.

Eiji was so bored he was nearly yawning.

Like a formulaic character in a Hokage mobile game, he opened with Blue to pull his opponent in, finished them with one punch, and moved on to the next match.

It was like working an assembly line: the same mechanical motions, the same result every time.

The spectators stared in disbelief. Was he even human?

Jiraiya watched child after child get punched across the arena, the corners of his mouth twitching wildly.

Kushina watched with excitement, clenching her little fists as she cheered Eiji on.

Seated in the VIP Area, Sayuri watched Eiji defeat his opponents with effortless ease. Her eyes shone, and she could not look away.

Even the heroes in storybooks aren't this extraordinary, are they, Lord Eiji?

"That guy's a monster."

Shikaku sat in the Grandstand with his arms crossed. From the start of the matches until now, he had watched newcomer after newcomer enter the arena only to be sent flying by a single punch from Eiji. The scenes passed before his eyes like a revolving lantern, leaving him wondering if he was dreaming.