The morning sun wasn't scorching; on the contrary, it offered a gentle, warming sensation.
In the arena, Temari gazed at the sword-wielding youth not far off, her expression grave. Truthfully, in this Chunin Exam, apart from Gaara, the one she had least wanted to encounter was this Uzumaki Naruto. His information was unknown, his strength was unknown; only one thing was certain—this individual's power was absolutely among the top tier of this Chunin Exam. This much was evident from the fact that his team had managed to complete the second exam ahead of her and her brothers. Naruto's other two teammates, in her opinion, were of average skill, the kind who would find it extremely difficult to even pass the second trial. According to her and Kankuro's judgment, this person was most likely a "team carry" on the same level as Gaara—an ace who single-handedly carried his squad.
"There are no rules for this match. There's only one point: when I make a judgment on victory or defeat, I don't care how furious you are, you must stop." After the supervising jonin finished announcing the rules, he swept his right hand down, and the exam officially began.
Clang!
With the sound of Kusabimaru being unsheathed, Naruto's figure abruptly vanished from his spot.
"So fast!" Temari's pupils contracted. The Three-Star Fan in her hand instantly unfurled to its maximum size; she didn't dare hold anything back. "Wind Style: Sickle Weasel Technique!"
With a powerful swing of the Three-Star Fan, a mighty gust of wind surged from the ground, containing a considerable number of vacuum blades within it. If an ordinary ninja with their limited vitality took a direct hit from that, it would be an instant "GG."
Naruto's figure abruptly changed direction. Although he could have taken the hit, there was no need.
"The Three-Star Fan isn't just a weapon for casting ninjutsu!" Temari snapped her fan shut, its massive spine now like a thick iron rod.
Boom!
The iron fan sliced through the air, even kicking up visible air currents. Although she had only performed a simple ninjutsu and made a single attack, her valiant and heroic bearing drew cheers and shouts from the spectators in the stands.
Clang!
The resounding clash of massive iron against steel made Temari's eardrums throb. Naruto gripped his sword hilt with his right hand. The girl's strength might seem terrifying to an ordinary person, but to him, it was barely passable. His left hand, clenched into a fist, cut through the air with palpable force as it shot towards the girl's face. He mostly used a sword, but that didn't mean it was the only thing he knew. He was also versed in the fist techniques of the Senpou Temple monks.
Thwack!
Sharp-eyed spectators even saw the girl's cheek practically cave in on itself. The brutal scene made their teeth ache in sympathy. He really didn't hold back… With her lovely features and tall stature, Temari was actually quite a beauty in the flower of her youth. Some of the earlier cheers had indeed been directed at her appearance.
"Ouch! That punch from Naruto," Etsureki winced, his and Akigiku's eyelids twitching uncontrollably. Even Ino, watching from the stands, pursed her lips. "Even though she's an enemy, I still feel a bit sorry for that girl Temari." Her peers beside her nodded in agreement.
"Damn y-you!" Temari, sprawled on the ground, executed a perfect kip-up. The severe damage made her lisp slightly. Seeing Naruto charge at her again, she swung the Three-Star Fan once more. "Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel!"
A tempest, far exceeding the previous one in both scale and momentum, slammed violently towards Naruto. Seeing that he couldn't dodge it as before, Naruto gently raised Kusabimaru. Anything that entered within an arm's length of him was split in two by the sharp blade.
"So cool!" Watching Naruto below, his long sword a blur of motion creating an impenetrable defense, some of the female spectators began to swoon. Just as the men had cheered for Temari's dashing heroism, they too now contributed their voices for the handsome young man below.
"He does… actually seem… kind of cool," Ino admitted, her eyes filled with surprise. How had she never noticed such a promising prospect right beside her all this time? For men, aside from money, formidable strength was also a definite plus.
"What kind of monster is this?!" Temari watched Naruto, completely unharmed, and nearly ground her silver teeth to dust.
"Uzumaki Naruto wins!" Suddenly, the proctor beside them rendered his judgment.
"When?" Temari looked in shock at the sharp blade resting against her neck. "But wasn't he still…" Looking at the Naruto in the distance who had just blocked her Great Sickle Weasel, Temari instantly understood. "Shadow Clone Technique? Did he use it when I fell down earlier…?"
Naruto withdrew Kusabimaru from the girl's neck, sheathed his sword, and slowly walked towards the second-floor waiting room.
"That was complete domination." In the spectator stands, a ninja with a discerning eye commented.
"Yeah, that kid's expression didn't even change from start to finish. The girl from the Sand didn't lose unfairly," his companion chimed in.
"Don't you guys think he was a bit unchivalrous, though?" a woman from behind them asked incredulously.
"Er…" The two men exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat stunned. Since when had ninja battles become so concerned with courtesy? Being chivalrous towards the fairer sex? Sounds like someone who's never died before…
"Second match: Nara Shikamaru versus Aburame Shino."
"Oho, this should be interesting."
"Indeed. A showdown between the Aburame clan and the Nara clan. This will be worth watching."
Ordinary people might not fully grasp the significance, but anyone with some knowledge of these two clans immediately perked up. The Nara clan—perennial candidates for Hokage's Assistant, Konoha's peak intellectual family. The Aburame clan—Konoha's insect masters, proficient in both offense and defense, coupled with the typically meticulous minds of the Aburame. This match, they anticipated, might offer a battle of wits completely different from the direct clash they had just witnessed.
"Begin!"
Nara Shikamaru looked at Shino opposite him and sighed in resignation. This was going to be truly troublesome.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
A large swarm of kikaichu beetles crawled out from Aburame Shino's body. The scene, though somewhat grotesque, was also extremely impactful, eliciting a mixture of fascination and revulsion from the audience.
Shikamaru quickly retreated. As a Konoha ninja, he knew just how terrifying these little darlings, which looked like they could be crushed with a finger, truly were. After creating a suitable distance, Shikamaru formed hand seals, and the shadow beneath him swiftly shot out. Shikamaru didn't dare to face the brunt of his kikaichu; Shino, similarly, wouldn't dare let Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique touch him.
"A duel where no mistakes can be made, huh?" Sarutobi Asuma rubbed his beard and said with a smile to his girlfriend beside him.
Kurenai shot him an exasperated glare. Her student was down there fighting his heart out, and his supervising jonin was here acting all nonchalant. "Get ready for a rescue. In my opinion, Shino is the child with the best hope of being promoted to Chunin," Kurenai stated.
"That might have held some credibility before the first match today," Asuma said, his chin tilting slightly towards Naruto's location. "But you saw that match too. You don't seriously think Shino can beat that guy, do you?"
Kurenai fell silent. She knew it was true, but who wouldn't want their own student to take the top spot?
"Just how strong do you think that kid is?" Asuma asked.
"Among genin, no one should be stronger than him," Kurenai replied.
"Is that all?"
"Then how strong do you think he is?" Kurenai asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"I have this feeling… I might not even be able to beat him myself," Asuma said in a low voice, rubbing his chin.
"Are you kid—" Kurenai started, but then, looking at Asuma's serious face, her own expression changed slightly. "If you fought him, what would be the odds of you winning?"
"Four-six, I'd say."
"Well, that's not so bad then."
"I'm the four, he's the six…"
Kurenai finally grasped the gravity of the situation. Which meant, in a direct confrontation, she would be no match for Naruto.