The churning sea of trees turned the battlefield into an impenetrable forbidden zone. Even Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, could only stand at the edge, gripped by tension and worry.
"Counterattack?!"
Tsunade's brows furrowed, unable to fathom how the Grass shinobi could mount a counter against Yakumo in such conditions.
Hinata couldn't explain clearly either.
The Byakugan's insight relied on precise chakra detection, so when the battlefield's chakra became too chaotic, it disrupted her accuracy.
This was why Hidden Mist's Hogan clan could create illusions to deceive the Byakugan.
Thus, in Hinata's Byakugan vision, she saw Chino relentlessly charging at Yakumo, who countered with Wood Release, engaging in a prolonged struggle.
As for the blood blades Chino formed with her Ketsuryugan, they appeared as mere glowing chakra clusters in Hinata's sight.
Shikamaru sighed. "Heh, looks like we don't need to stress anymore!"
Choji, puzzled, asked, "Why's that?"
Shikamaru explained, "That Grass shinobi's so strong she can hold her own against Yakumo's sea of trees. She wasn't even trying when she fought us!"
Ino, unwilling to accept it, said, "You mean…"
Shikamaru nodded. "We're not even on her level. I'm guessing her real goal in challenging us was to draw out Yakumo!"
Sasuke opened his mouth but stayed silent, his flushed face betraying his inner turmoil.
If he'd thought his earlier loss was due to carelessness, Chino's ability to fight Yakumo in her sea of trees proved her true strength.
Without activating Susanoo, Sasuke knew he wouldn't last long in Yakumo's forest.
Other villages' shinobi, realizing this, began to shed their disdain for Hidden Leaf's ninjas.
If they were in Sasuke's place, they doubted they'd fare much better against this Grass shinobi.
Curious gazes turned to Ryuzetsu, who stood anxiously on a high branch, peering at the battlefield.
"Didn't expect Hidden Grass to hide such a genius. Looks like they'll be a tough rival in this Chunin Exam!"
Realizing they knew nothing about Hidden Grass's team, the other villages' shinobi began plotting to gather intel on them.
…
At Hidden Grass's temporary outpost.
"Achoo!" The Grass jonin leader rubbed his nose, muttering, "Why do I keep sneezing? Caught a cold?"
Just then, a Grass shinobi reported, "Captain, a bunch of Hidden Leaf Anbu suddenly showed up outside our outpost!"
"What?!"
The Grass jonin leader rushed outside, spotting several Hidden Leaf Anbu monitoring their base.
They didn't act, seemingly only observing.
"What's Hidden Leaf up to? Why are they so openly watching us?"
The Grass jonin leader was baffled.
Orochimaru, disguised as Shoji Kozu, was equally confused.
He'd planned to lay low until the Chunin Exam began before making his move.
Now, Hidden Leaf's Anbu were fully monitoring their outpost.
"Have I been exposed?"
Orochimaru found it inexplicable.
After counting the outpost's occupants, the Grass jonin leader realized Ryuzetsu and Chino were missing and pieced it together.
Instructing the others not to leave without permission, he went out alone to retrieve Ryuzetsu and Chino.
But upon asking around, he got chilling news. "You're sure it's Grass shinobi challenging Hidden Leaf ninjas at the hospital entrance?"
The speaker, a Hidden Leaf villager who'd witnessed Chino's challenges, scoffed at the Grass jonin's attire. "Hmph, don't get cocky. The Kurama heiress isn't ordinary—she'll teach you a lesson!"
The Grass jonin leader's hands and feet went cold as he thought, Is it too late to escape Hidden Leaf now?
…
In the Forest of Death.
The fierce battle raged on. Yakumo used Wood Release to fight while retreating, draining Chino's chakra.
She was confident in her taijutsu, having mastered Monster Strength Fist, and feared no taijutsu specialist.
But with Hidden Leaf's string of losses, another misstep would be disastrous, so she chose the safest tactic: leveraging her transplanted First Hokage cells to outlast Chino with chakra reserves.
Unbeknownst to Yakumo, Chino, enhanced by Blue Higanbana No. 1 and trained in the Twelve Palaces, had no shortage of chakra.
After attacking fruitlessly, Chino decisively cut her wounds, letting more blood flow.
Whoosh.
Instantly, a large pool of blood swirled around her, shifting unpredictably, looking eerie.
With her enhanced physique, this blood loss didn't harm her significantly.
Moreover, the blood wasn't truly lost—she could purify and reabsorb it with her dojutsu.
"How is that possible?!"
Yakumo was stunned.
Faced with Chino's bizarre technique, she realized she knew nothing about her own Ketsuryugan.
Chino reached forward, grasping the air. The swirling blood gathered rapidly, forming a thin, three-to-four-meter-long blood blade!
With a casual swing, the blade sliced through a swath of vines like a crimson thread.
"What?!"
Yakumo's heart jolted. No longer holding back, she unleashed Wood Release fully against Chino.
Moments later.
The battlefield was a ravaged mess, scarred and desolate!
Yakumo stood on a broken stump, panting heavily, her eyes filled with unease. Chino's strength far exceeded her expectations, and even a war of attrition might not secure her victory.
Across from her.
Chino was also panting, drenched in sweat.
Even with Blue Higanbana No. 1 and the Twelve Palaces, she was nearing her limit.
Can't win after all?
Chino felt disappointed in herself.
Just then, a calm voice reached her ears. "To push Yakumo Kurama this far, K, you've done well!"
"Leader!"
Chino's heart leaped with joy.
The Leader's approval meant more than anything!
…
In Shinji's apartment.
Sitting at his desk, Shinji smirked, casually activating Wazunagi. Instantly, he channeled Karin's terrifying chakra reserves to Chino, locked in her struggle against Yakumo.