On the panel that only he could see, a new line of text was emitting a warm green light:
[Proficiency in Taijutsu (Green): Your understanding of taijutsu and physical learning ability have significantly increased. In actual combat, your moves flow seamlessly, almost as an instinctive reaction, allowing you to easily handle complex taijutsu combos.]
Upgraded!
The taijutsu entry, which hadn't budged for nearly three years, finally completed a qualitative leap and promoted to green in this high-profile, unadorned, ultimate taijutsu duel!
Moreover, Shinichi had a premonition that the green entry wasn't the end. Once the details of this exam spread through the mouths of the thousands of spectators—not just in Sunagakure, but after the news flowed back to Konoha—though it might not be as shocking as in Sunagakure, it would surely cause some discussion in the village.
The [Proficiency in Taijutsu] entry would likely undergo another leap, touching that blue realm representing higher-level talent.
---
A moment later, Shinichi helped the nearly collapsed Might Duy to the edge of the rest area.
Just then, a familiar scent, a mix of fresh ingredients and the clear fragrance of herbs, wafted over.
"Exhausted, aren't you? Come, I estimated the time and whipped something up. Eat it while it's hot to replenish your energy."
Maruboshi Kosuke had set up his signature large iron pot in a corner of the rest area at some point. The charcoal fire beneath was gentle, and the pot was bubbling with steam. Plump pieces of meat and vegetables tumbled in the thick white broth, emitting a mouth-watering aroma.
Holding a long ladle, he greeted them with a smile, looking as relaxed as if he were at a picnic in the countryside rather than a tense Chunin Exams venue.
After more than half a year of living and working together on missions, this old ninja with amazing insight had already figured out some of Shinichi's characteristics.
For instance, his appetite far exceeded the norm, and he seemed to possess a special constitution similar to the Akimichi clan, capable of extremely rapidly replenishing spent energy, stamina, and chakra by consuming large amounts of high-quality food.
"I've troubled you, senpai." Shinichi took the food, thanked him, and began to eat heartily. The high-calorie dried meat and the medicinal herbs in the food quickly transformed into the energy he needed, and his fatigue slowly faded.
While eating, he turned his gaze toward the arena, where a new match was underway.
Shinichi's eyes landed on a young woman on the field with shoulder-length sandy-yellow short hair and a gentle, quiet temperament. She looked more like a clerical worker than a ninja charging into battle.
Her fighting style was very unique; she simply stood quietly in place, hardly moving her feet, yet she seemed to merge with the surrounding sand.
Under her exquisite chakra control, large amounts of sand acted like a living yellow wave, sometimes turning into giant hands to strike, and sometimes dispersing into flexible tentacles to entwine and intercept, forcing her opponent to jump around in misery.
And the opponent's occasional attacks that broke through the sand waves—whether thrown kunai, ninjutsu released through hand seals, or close-range taijutsu thrusts—
...were always steadily blocked by a seemingly thin but incredibly solid shield of sand about three meters before touching her body.
The sand seemed to have its own will, always condensing instantly in the direction she needed protection most. That sense of effortless control was impressive.
'Karura.'
Shinichi silently recited the name in his heart.
This seemingly gentle young woman was the future wife of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, and the mother of Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara.
In his memories from his previous life, Karura's true strength, and even whether she was considered a true ninja, were shrouded in mist.
But according to Rasa's later statements, the sand that protected Gaara and automatically defended against attacks did not originate from the power of the One-Tailed Shukaku, but from Karura's love and power.
This point alone was enough to show that Karura was by no means ordinary during her lifetime, because an ordinary mother would never be able to transform so-called "love" into such a concrete and powerful defensive force capable of nullifying most ninjutsu attacks.
It was just that he hadn't expected this woman, who mostly existed as a background character in the future timeline, to actually appear in this Chunin Exams arena.
---
"This Sunagakure kunoichi who controls sand is very strong." Maruboshi Kosuke had arrived at Shinichi's side at some point, his gaze also on the field, as he analyzed in a steady voice: "In terms of the scale, precision, and defensive strength of her sand control alone, her raw power has already firmly reached the Jonin level."
He paused and continued: "Comparing their paper strength, your chances of winning against her are very small, but..."
"She lacks combat experience, and... she doesn't seem to like fighting." Shinichi spoke almost at the same time, finishing Maruboshi Kosuke's sentence.
This wasn't the first time he had observed Karura's battles. Counting the scroll scramble in the Desert of Death and the duel that just ended, this was the third time.
Her combat pattern was quite fixed: starting with a large-scale sand wave to cover and pursue, forcing the opponent to constantly dodge and exhaust their stamina; when the opponent was driven into a corner or showed a weakness, the sand wave would suddenly close, forming a solid sand-binding coffin to firmly imprison the enemy—and the battle would end there.
She never followed up the restraint with a fatal and cold sand waterfall funeral like her future son.
"Correct." Maruboshi Kosuke nodded in approval. "A ninja's victory or defeat is never just a comparison of chakra volume and the power of their techniques. Combat experience, on-the-spot judgment, grasping the timing, and even the clash of wills are all crucial."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, analyzing more closely: "I've observed that shield of sand that defends automatically. Its reaction speed is indeed extremely fast, making it hard for an ordinary ninja's attack rhythm to break through. But, Shinichi, with your speed, you have a good chance to create a sliver of an opening before that sand shield completely closes."
"Her weakness lies in her lack of experience and her unfamiliarity with seizing combat opportunities. You can use your speed for high-frequency feints and changes of direction to disrupt her judgment, forcing her defensive system into momentary confusion or over-concentration. Your chance of victory might lie in that fleeting moment torn open by extreme speed to strike her body."
Shinichi slowly swallowed the last bite of food. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said: "Absolute defense! Senior, that's what the Sunagakure people called it before, right?"
Maruboshi Kosuke was slightly startled, then understood his intention: "Hmm? You want to..."
Shinichi turned his head to look at his senior, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint but sharp arc:
"I want to give it a try."
He paused, saying word by word,
"To see if I can break this so-called absolute defense."