Temari's declaration of surrender quickly spread through the arena.
It was as though someone had flipped a switch in the surrounding stands.
The instant her words fell, the crowd erupted!
"Is this... the strength of Konoha's genin?"
"He's so strong..."
"But that little girl from Sunagakure was strong too. What a shame..."
Cheers washed over the edges of the stands like waves, one after another.
Some spectators slapped the railings and shouted, while others turned to their companions and gestured, describing that fleeting flash of white light.
Ninja from various nations murmured among themselves, looking toward the arena with newfound scrutiny.
At that moment, only Hayashi, Temari, and the blade in Hayashi's hand remained in the arena.
After hearing Temari's words, Hayashi made no other move. He simply drew the blade away from her neck with care.
A faint, clear ring sounded as the blade slid into its sheath.
Once Temari saw that the thing threatening her life had been removed, she let out an unabashed sigh of relief, then plopped down on the ground.
She casually set the enormous Three-Star Fan beside her legs, its three stars inevitably picking up some of the freshly stirred dust.
"Seriously, I didn't expect to lose this badly in the very first round."
"I bet I didn't even scratch the surface of what you can do."
After saying that, Temari slowly raised her head, preparing to meet Hayashi's victorious expression.
But when her gaze reached his face, she discovered that he-
His face still held the same gentle expression he had worn when he first stepped into the arena.
Then Hayashi reached out and gently pulled her up from the ground.
The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric.
Temari paused before using his support to stand, then casually brushed the dust