"Hey! Uchiha Saya is about to get surrounded. Come on, big brothers—can't you go after that shark freak first?"
"Doesn't he look stronger? I bet everything I had on him. That was my last pocket money!"
"Let's go, Gaara! That's it! Eliminate them all one by one!"
In the audience, some were thrilled while others were heartbroken. Seeing Uchiha Hikaru enter a dangerous situation, Mito and Hashirama—seated in a VIP box with Uchiha Hikaru and Tsunade—leaned in with curiosity.
"This little girl's Water Style is a bit like Tobirama's," Mito observed, eyes following Saya. "But her power and control still fall short."
Hashirama gave a halfhearted nod. "Mmm... yeah..."
Mito clenched her fist at his perfunctory response but chose to let it go for now. She didn't need Kagura's Mind's Eye to know Hashirama was itching to place a bet himself.
Luckily for him, the betting window had closed. Even if he wanted to gamble now, it was already too late.
In the arena, Uchiha Saya, surrounded by enemies, activated her Mangekyō Sharingan without hesitation.
Crimson skeletal ribs spiraled out around her, forming the beginnings of her Susanoo. She ignored the attacks coming from behind and sprinted directly toward the spot where Kisame had gone to ground.
Having endured Uchiha Saya's earlier Chidori Current, Kisame emerged from underground in a burst of mud and water.
"Tch... the range of that Lightning Style was overkill..."
"Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu."
"Water Style: Yūshō."
Kisame and his clone formed hand seals simultaneously, slamming their palms to the ground. Instantly, eight deep-blue chakra sharks burst out from beneath the arena, arcing through the air to intercept Saya's charge.
Then, without hesitation, Kisame turned and rushed toward Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata.
"This won't do. We need to shake up the entire match."
"Let's start with those three brats!"
"Water Style: Exploding Water Shock Wave!"
A massive surge of water burst from Kisame's mouth, rushing across the arena floor like a tidal wave toward Naruto's team.
Using chakra to stick to the water's surface, Kisame skimmed over the waves he had created, turning the battlefield into a temporary ocean as he pursued them.
Uchiha Saya noticed Kisame's shift in targets and quickly recalculated the situation.
Gaara hadn't joined the battle yet. Might as well take him out first.
The yellow sand trailing behind her surged forward, rapidly closing in. She formed a one-handed seal, flipped backward, and exhaled a compressed sphere of wind at the oncoming sand.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
As the wind sphere collided with the sand wall, it detonated. The chakra holding the sand together unraveled under the pressure, and the blast scattered the sand into the air like debris from an explosion.
Though the sand tried to regroup, Saya didn't wait. She leaned forward, accelerated, and rushed straight at Gaara.
A smile curved across her face—one that only an Uchiha would wear in the heat of battle.
She had once fought out of necessity. But now, even if this was only a staged tournament battle, she was fighting because she wanted to. The thrill coursing through her was real.
Back in the viewing box, Uchiha Hikaru watched Saya with an approving nod.
"So, you've finally experienced the joy of fighting for yourself."
Tsunade glanced at Hikaru, her tone sharp.
"Why are you Uchiha all like this? The moment you get into a real fight, it's like you've been injected with adrenaline."
Hikaru was about to answer when Hashirama chimed in first.
"Tsunade, once a member of the Uchiha awakens their Sharingan, their emotions shift. They become deeper... more volatile."
"Most of them bear unbearable sadness and pain."
"And fighting becomes their only way to vent it."
Uchiha Hikaru raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Hashirama to explain it so well.
"This is something Tobirama told you, right?" Mito said flatly, cutting through Hashirama's pretense.
Hashirama scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah... Tobirama had a rival too. Madara's younger brother, Izuna."
"Just like me and Madara would always fight, Tobirama and Izuna were constantly clashing."
"Many of Tobirama's jutsu were born from those fights—created either to gain the upper hand or to survive."
Hikaru paused, a thought surfacing.
"Then... could Tobirama's primary nature have been Lightning Style?"
Hashirama looked puzzled. "Why do you think that?"
"Because of the Thunder God Sword."
Hashirama went quiet. "The Thunder God Sword...? Did Tobirama even use that? Maybe he got it after I died…"
"Mito, do you remember?"
Mito nodded slightly. "Yes. That sword was a gift from the Artisan Ninja Village. They forged it for Tobirama in hopes of gaining Konoha's protection."
"But he didn't use it much. Said it didn't suit him. His real specialty was Water Style."
Hikaru nodded in understanding.
"That makes sense."
He had always wondered why the anime portrayed the Thunder God Sword as Tobirama's signature weapon, even though Tobirama never used Lightning Release jutsu. Now he knew—Tobirama never favored it in the first place.
Well, then. It might as well go to Saya. Of all the chakra natures, Fire and Lightning suited Uchiha best. Even if the sword wasn't a spiritual weapon, it was better than nothing.
With the conversation over, Hikaru and the others turned their eyes back to the arena.
In just a few minutes, the battle had changed dramatically.
Gaara had entered his partially transformed state, sand armor bulging and twisted with dark chakra.
Naruto and Sasuke were soaked, their chests heaving. Most of their chakra had already been drained by Kisame.
Hinata had been knocked clean off the field by a casual flick of Kisame's tail—disqualified.
Fortunately, it had been a clean hit—no severe injury. A little disappointing, sure, but she had still made it to the finals.
In the audience, Hanabi puffed up her cheeks and waved her fists in the air.
"That stupid shark freak! How dare he smack onee-sama with his gross tail!"
"When I grow up, I'm gonna beat him up myself! Just wait!"
It wasn't just Hanabi. Hyuga Hiashi wore a cold, dark expression as he watched from the stands, eyes locked on Kisame.
He had known Hinata wouldn't win in the end. Kisame's strength was clear to him. So it made sense that she had been knocked out.
But still—seeing his daughter get hit, even if it wasn't serious—his heart twisted.
No. After this match, he'd find a way to assign Kisame a few missions he'd absolutely hate.
Just to make him pay for touching his daughter.
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Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
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