"What?!"
"Requesting to fight?! He wants to fight such a monster?!"
"Are you kidding me! The opponent is a monster who defeated two Jonin in a row!"
"Shinichi! Don't be impulsive! You're still young!"
"Even if he's a genius, this is too reckless!"
"Hokage-sama won't agree, right?"
Shock, confusion, worry, and even voices questioning him as a kid overestimating himself surged from all directions.
Even the few people who had originally felt a little expectation wavered at this moment. Between a Chunin and that monster-like samurai, there seemed to lie an almost insurmountable gap in strength.
Fugaku Uchiha straightened his body again, and the scrutinizing look in his eyes grew stronger.
Hizashi Hyuga also suddenly raised his head, looking at the back of the boy who had just treated him and was now standing upright to challenge the powerful samurai. His pale face was filled with shock and confusion.
At Team 10's position, Kurenai Yuhi clenched her fists nervously, and Tsunade also frowned.
Although Shinichi's strength was not bad, and his talent had shocked her again and again, judging by the strength that this samurai had displayed, he almost had no chance of winning.
Standing between the two of them, however, Shizune's expression was completely different from theirs.
After the initial shock, a strange expression, mixed with memories and firm belief, gradually replaced the worry.
Looking at the boy's back in the arena, a scene from several years ago during the Ninja Academy's final practical examination involuntarily appeared in her mind.
Under circumstances where almost everyone had not favored him, Shinichi had defeated Kakashi, who had been praised as a genius at the time, with an overwhelming posture.
"If it's Shinichi, he will definitely win!"
Shizune suddenly spoke, repeating the same words that she had long said four years ago.
"Hm?"
Tsunade and Kurenai Yuhi simultaneously turned to look at her in astonishment, not understanding where this sudden, almost blind confidence came from.
"Shinichi… could he really…"
Kurenai Yuhi could not help but ask softly. Even though this companion had refreshed her understanding again and again and was recognized as a top genius, the one standing in front of him was the monster samurai who had just defeated her powerful father and a Jonin from the Hyuga clan in succession!
"Will he win?"
"He will win!"
Shizune nodded.
On the high platform, advisor Koharu Utatane's brows had already twisted into a tight knot. She almost could not resist scolding this farce.
Homura Mitokado also showed disapproval and looked toward the third Hokage.
Facing this almost one-sided wave of doubt, Shinichi Higashino in the arena seemed not to hear anything. He simply looked calmly at the third Hokage on the high platform, waiting for an answer.
"Approved!"
After a moment, there was only one word, yet it struck the ground with resounding force.
...…
On the field, Shinichi Higashino and Isshin stood silently facing each other, twenty meters apart.
After a brief silence, it was instantly filled by cheers like roaring mountains and crashing seas, the waves of sound almost lifting the dome of the arena.
"Shinichi! Go for it!"
"Let that despicable outsider see the true strength of Konoha's genius!"
"We believe in you! Shinichi-kun!"
"Go! Shinichi, for Konoha!"
The cheering was more enthusiastic than ever before. Many villagers knew this young genius who always wore a gentle smile and was both diligent and outstanding.
Even those who didn't know him were now moved by the resolute figure of the boy who stood before a mountain-like enemy without retreating.
And by the calm, steady temperament on him that was hard to describe, yet naturally inspired goodwill, making them shout loudly without realizing it.
"Shinichi, even if you lose, it's okay! Safety first! You're still our pride!"
Those words immediately drew angry looks from many people around him. Saying something so discouraging at a time like this?
But the man didn't notice at all and kept muttering to himself: "But it's true. Shinichi is such a good kid, sensible, hardworking, and capable. Victory or defeat, he's still a good kid, still Konoha's pride. Just don't get hurt!"
The people around him froze for a moment. Thinking about it carefully, the words did make sense.
It was just that at this moment, when the entire village was striving together with one heart, it sounded somewhat awkward, even weakening the momentum.
On the field, the two seemed not to hear the surrounding noise at all.
"Konoha Chunin, Shinichi Higashino."
"Land of Iron, Isshin of the Ashina Style."
They reported their names to each other in the most concise terms.
The referee took a deep breath and suddenly swung his arm down.
"Begin!"
"Boom!"
Almost at the exact same moment the word begin was spoken, the burly samurai opposite had already turned into a blurry afterimage!
As always, he was ferocious, violent, and utterly unpretentious; pure power and speed squeezed the air, emitting a chilling shriek!
The katana in his hand transformed into a blindingly bright flash of light, tearing through the field of view, and with the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, it slashed down towards Shinichi's head!
Simple and direct, yet interpreting the aesthetics of violence to the extreme, as if the next moment it would split the slender boy in front of him and the ground beneath his feet into two halves!
However, what caused all the spectators' pupils to contract and their breathing to halt was that, facing the overwhelming charge of this humanoid beast, Shinichi, who was considered tall among his peers but still appeared extremely thin compared to the iron-tower-like body of his opponent, did not choose to dodge, nor did he form seals to release a Ninjutsu!
He pushed off with his foot, advancing instead of retreating!
His body shot forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring!
His right hand instantly pressed onto the hilt at his waist. With a clear ringing sound, a standard katana flashing with cold light had already been unsheathed.
Gripping it with both hands, he slashed upward without fear to meet the terrifying descending blade!
He actually chose to clash head-on!?
Clang!!!
At the center where the two figures met, there erupted a terrifying metallic roar like a massive bell, far louder than any previous weapon collision!
A visible ring-shaped shockwave suddenly exploded outward from the two of them, sweeping dust and gravel wildly in all directions!
Crack!
The extremely hard arena ground beneath their feet was instantly filled with dense, spider-web-like cracks like a fragile biscuit, and they continued spreading outward!
The shockwave and dust gradually dispersed.
In the center of the field, Shinichi held his sword with both hands and steadily blocked the chopping strike capable of cutting through giant rocks and steel!
His feet were deeply embedded in the shattered stone slabs, yet his posture was as steady as a rock. Only the black hair on his forehead was blown backward by the fierce wind, revealing a pair of eyes calm as a deep pool!
He blocked it?!
He blocked it head-on?!
The monstrous samurai's powerful chop that had defeated two Jonin in succession had been blocked head-on by a Chunin?!
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