"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"
A pair of small hands burst from the dirt beneath the chūnin and yanked him down into the ground.
A scream echoed.
"AAAH—!"
"Hama!"
The second chūnin dropped the wounded genin, Takao, and spun toward the girl emerging from the dirt—
Intending to teach this child why chūnin were feared.
But—
"Eight Gates…"
"Second Gate: Gate of Rest—Open!"
Might Duy erupted from the shadows of the forest, blue chakra flaring violently.
His speed skyrocketed.
Before the chūnin could reach Nonō—
Duy was already there.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
The chūnin leapt back easily.
"Tch. Don't underestimate—!"
He stepped in to counterattack—Duy's recovery frame was wide open.
But—
"Third Gate: Gate of Life—Open!"
Duy's muscles bulged; blue chakra roared like fire.
His speed doubled.
The chūnin's eyes widened—too slow.
Duy slipped under his guard, feet planted wide, right hand glowing with violent chakra.
"Sorry… this might hurt."
His fist opened into a palm—
WHAM!
The chakra-infused palm struck the chūnin's stomach.
The man shot backward like a cannonball, carving a trench across the dirt.
Duy froze.
"…I messed up. I used too much strength!!"
"Did you kill him?"
Nonō climbed out of the dirt, kunai pressed against the still-trapped Hama's throat.
She glanced toward the crater where Duy's hit victim lay.
"Kaito-sensei told you to practice controlling power. Now look—"
"Prediction confirmed~~"
Duy collapsed onto the ground, exhausted after using the Gates.
"I'm finished… I killed a fellow Leaf shinobi…"
"Who the hell died?!"
A voice shouted back.
The chūnin staggered upright, clutching his stomach—
A perfect red palm print visible on his abs.
"You brat… you're a genin?!"
He squinted.
"You're that Might… something. The Eternal Genin!"
Duy scratched his cheek awkwardly but then stood, thumb raised, full of pride:
"That's me! Konoha's Blue Beast—Might Duy!"
"…Honestly? Yeah, that attack was beastly."
Hama—still stuck up to his neck—spoke.
"What's that technique?"
"The Eight Gates."
"A forbidden taijutsu art I created myself. Not perfected yet."
Hama blinked.
You use unfinished forbidden jutsu… during an exam?
Respect for Duy silently increased.
Then he sighed at Nonō.
"Alright, we won't attack anymore. With your team's ability, becoming chūnin is only the beginning. You three might even reach jōnin one day."
"Hehe, you're exaggerating~" Nonō said cheerfully, retracting her kunai.
Hama hardened his chakra and forced himself out of the dirt.
"Anyway, defeating us isn't part of the exam. Your real task is retrieving a matching scroll."
He pointed toward the unconscious genin pair.
"Unfortunately… our squad also has a Earth scroll.
Same as yours."
"WHAT?!" x3
The trio checked the fallen genin's scroll—
Sure enough, the big "地" character stared back at them.
Elsewhere — At the Riverbank
Two chūnin escorted the beaten genin team back to their captain, Jōnin Hirata Shinichi.
Hirata glanced at his chūnin—both clutching their stomachs like they'd been hit harder than the children.
"Yuuta… don't tell me the genin injured you."
Yuuta flushed.
"Forgive us, captain. We lost."
"There was a strong genin team. They ambushed us and took the scroll."
Hirata paused.
"Was it the Ino–Shika–Chō trio? Or that clan-mix team?"
Yuuta shook his head.
"No… it was this year's newly graduated Team Eleven."
Hirata's eyes brightened.
"Ah. His students."
He nodded.
"Then losing isn't shameful. That boy looks sloppy during exams, but in real combat… he's monstrously troublesome."
The chūnin sighed.
"Yeah. One Uchiha, one earth-user, one taijutsu monster… only Ino–Shika–Chō or that clan team can rival them."
"And don't forget, he is also in the exam this year."
Yuuta chuckled weakly.
"When four powerful teams clash, it'll be a spectacle."
Hirata coughed lightly.
"Enough chatting. Escort the genin to safety."
"As for me…"
The chūnin stiffened.
"…Captain, you're not planning to—"
"Of course I am," Hirata replied with absolute seriousness.
"Even their teacher wasn't spared from my 'pursuits.' Why should his students be exempt?"
Meanwhile — Rocky Terrain, Northwest Sector
"Ah-choo!"
Kaito sneezed so hard his whole torso jerked, standing beside a giant boulder.
He rubbed his nose.
Someone must be thinking about me…
Unma frowned.
"Kaito, we haven't found a single team. Shouldn't we go scouting?"
Ryūun added, "Yeah, it's been at least two hours. Waiting around won't get us scrolls."
"You two know nothing," Kaito said, drawing a circle in the dirt with a stick.
"This is called strategy."
He tapped the map.
"We're in the northwest rock zone. Clear sightlines. Minimal traps. And—"
He gestured at the view.
From here, they could overlook the forest canopy—spotting movement toward the tower.
Like the group sprinting straight toward them right now.
Kaito's sentence died in his throat.
"…Ino–Shika–Chō."
"Looks like they're students from your year," Ryūun whispered.
The trio ducked behind rocks to observe.
From afar, Ino–Shika–Chō still hadn't noticed them.
Kaito sighed deeply.
He had hoped—just once—to pass the second stage.
Ryūun and Unma wanted to become chūnin.
He didn't want to sabotage them again.
But now?
Looks like we're dying in Round Two again.
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