Heizō Hattori patted himself down, brushing away the dust, and stared coldly at Lan as she lay on the ground, gasping for breath. For a traditional assassin, killing in a single strike was a fundamental principle. Though they had been warned to avoid killing during the Chunin Ninja Exams, he could still render someone unable to fight with just one blow.
Lan felt as though a storm had erupted inside her abdomen, churning her organs upside down. The pain left her almost unable to move. All she could do was stare at Heizo Hattori in the distance, shock and bewilderment in her eyes.
"Mr. Homura, you can announce the result now," Heizo Hattori said quietly.
Mitokado Homura adjusted his glasses and glanced at Lan, who still could not get up. After a moment of silence, he said, "The winner of this round is Heizo Hattori."
Lan gave a bitter smile. She had never expected to be eliminated so quickly. Looking at Heizo Hattori, she said, "You're really good."
"I did all right." Heizō Hattori looked at the scraps of his outer garment on the ground. "It's a shame my clothes got ruined, though. I rather liked that one."
"If you liked it, you shouldn't have thrown it around like a ninja tool," Lan chided. That garment had really done a number on her.
"No matter how much I liked it, I still had to use it when necessary. Well, judging by the outcome, it served its purpose in the end. That's enough." With that, Heizo Hattori turned his back and headed toward the stands.
"Tch, what an annoying man." Lan sucked in a breath at the pain in her abdomen and muttered, "He doesn't know how to be considerate toward a girl."
Seeing that Lan still could not get up,