Crushing Victory

Akimiichi Chōza spilled potato chips all over his pants.

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

Shikaku was already breaking out in a cold sweat. The others might not have caught on, but he had begun to sense what was happening.

Would Konoha High Command really be so unhappy about Eiji winning that they would deliberately make things difficult for him?

Even if someone wanted him to lose, they wouldn't use such a clumsy method. So making him lose couldn't be the goal.

If the goal wasn't to make him lose, then someone believed he could win.

So someone was trying to build Eiji's reputation?

"What the hell is going on?"

Jiraiya scratched his head and asked Tsunade, utterly baffled by the sudden change in the rules.

"I don't know!"

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

It seemed Grandmother had made up her mind to have Eiji become Hokage.

After thinking it over, Tsunade decided that might not be a bad thing.

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

Orochimaru turned toward Tsunade with a look that said he had figured everything out.

They actually dared to put Ryuuzaki Eiji through match after match. 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.

Both clans possessed Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai, and neither liked seeing Eiji, a newcomer, receive special treatment the moment he appeared.

The corner of Uchiha Fugaku's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

That's right! Exactly right!

Let those arrogant fools learn there's always someone stronger! One Sharingan, and they forget who they are!

"Next match: Ryuuzaki Eiji versus Sarutobi Shimiya!"

Waiting in the Rest Room, Sarutobi Shimiya heard his name called. Under everyone's gaze, 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 prodigy of the Sarutobi Clan, yet even he doubted he could last more than a few moves against Eiji.

No choice. I'll have to go out there.

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

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

Asuma was hairy too, come to think of it. The Sarutobi Clan must have had a gene for it.

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

Knowing how formidable 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 boost the confidence of 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 more information about his Ninjutsu and improve my evaluation!

With that thought, he leaped high into the air, his hands flashing through seals. He intended to attack from a distance with the Sarutobi Clan's secret Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!

Just as he completed the final seal and prepared to gather Chakra in his chest—

"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue."

Eiji raised a hand and yanked him in. While Shimiya was still reeling in confusion, Eiji drove a fist into his chest!

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

The Spectator Seats fell silent.

The referee clearly hadn't caught up. How had the match ended the instant he called the start?

He quickly shook off his shock, though. He turned to check on Shimiya, confirmed he was all right, then nodded and announced the result.

"The match is decided! Ryuuzaki Eiji wins!"

An uproar swept through the Spectator Seats. The sudden outcome had left everyone struggling to believe what they'd seen.

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

In the Grandstand, the Daimyo gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a searching look. His eyes seemed to say, That's it?

Hiruzen Sarutobi put a hand to his forehead and said nothing. Shimiya was a child of his clan, after all, and the defeat was embarrassing.

But Shimiya was considered a minor prodigy within the clan, and Eiji had taken him down instantly. Hiruzen Sarutobi's estimation of Eiji rose again.

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

In the Shinobi World, having multiple wives was a privilege generally reserved for Daimyo. Anyone else who tried it would face retaliation from the Great Families of the women involved. But this situation was different.

Surely they would compromise once they understood Eiji's value.

"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'd heard from his clan that Ryuuzaki Eiji had fallen out with Elder Danzo for some reason. Would he get beaten senseless the moment he stepped into the arena?

He felt like a failing student who hadn't studied before an exam and had to walk into the classroom anyway. His heart was heavy.

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

Ryōma was just about to put some distance between them, as Sarutobi Shimiya had, when he saw Eiji raise a hand. The next instant, a fist was inexplicably growing larger right in front of his face!

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

"...Ryuuzaki Eiji wins!"

The referee was at a loss. Covering his face, he announced the end of the match. At this rate, he would wear his lips out.

"Next match: Ryuuzaki Eiji versus..."

"Ryuuzaki Eiji wins!"

"Next match!"

"..."

"Next match!"

Boring. It was all so boring.

Eiji was bored out of his mind. Honestly, he was close to yawning.

He fought like a character following a fixed combo in a Hokage mobile game: open with Azure to pull his opponent in, finish them with one punch, then move on to the next match.

It was like working an assembly line, repeating the same motion for the same result.

The spectators were dumbfounded. Was he even human?

Jiraiya watched child after child get sent flying, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

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

In the VIP Area, Sayuri watched Eiji defeat his opponents with effortless ease. Her eyes shimmered, and she couldn't look away.

Honestly... even the heroes in storybooks aren't as incredible as Lord Eiji, are they?

"That guy's a monster."

Seated in the Grandstand, Shikaku folded his arms and sighed. From the start, he had watched one newcomer after another enter the arena only to be sent flying by a single punch from Eiji. The parade of identical scenes made him wonder if he was dreaming.