Chapter 137: A Taijutsu Battle
"Let me heal you." Hoshikawa walked over to Kakashi Hatake.
"Don't bother," Kakashi said, shaking his head. "You're fighting Might Guy next. You should save your chakra."
"I have plenty of chakra," Hoshikawa said, extending his hand.
Mystical Palm Technique!
A pale green chakra flowed from his hand, covering Kakashi's abdomen. Hoshikawa wasn't lying. While his Strength of a Hundred Seal wasn't fully complete, he had already accumulated a massive amount of chakra in his forehead. If he needed more chakra, he could access it at any time. It would slightly affect the progress of the seal, but it wouldn't make a big difference.
Kakashi's mouth twitched. He had thought that after using so many Water Release jutsu, Hoshikawa 's chakra would be almost depleted, but he still had this much left. In contrast, his own chakra was running low.
"Kakashi, how are you feeling?" Asuma Sarutobi asked, walking over.
"I'm fine," Kakashi said, shaking his head.
"That's good," Asuma said, patting his shoulder. "It doesn't matter that you lost. It's not like you haven't lost many times before."
Kakashi was speechless. If you don't know how to comfort people, just don't.
"Hoshikawa used the Water Release I taught him, so of course he was going to win!" Kurenai Yuhi said with a radiant smile. Anyone with eyes could see that Hoshikawa 's Water Release had caused Kakashi a lot of trouble, even though it was the Rasengan that ultimately won the match.
"Half the credit goes to you," Hoshikawa said, reaching out to stroke her head.
"Hehe!" Kurenai glanced at Kakashi and said, "When I master my Water Release, I'll be just as strong!"
Kakashi was silent. Women truly hold a grudge. Kurenai was clearly still sore about losing to him earlier.
"You're both amazing," Rin Nohara said with a hint of envy. Compared to them, she still needed to work a lot harder.
"Rin, you're a medical ninja. You don't need to compare yourself to them," Obito Uchiha said, then added, "When I unlock my three-tomoe Sharingan, you'll see how amazing I am!"
"You've been saying that for a while now," Asuma said, unable to resist a jab. He'd been saying it for three years, and now it had been almost ten.
"This time it's for real!" Obito's face flushed red, and he insisted, "The three-tomoe Sharingan is different!"
"Hoshikawa -senpai just finished a match and has another one right after. We shouldn't bother him and let him recover his chakra," Shisui Uchiha said, coughing to interrupt the conversation. He wasn't fond of Obito's personality, but since they were both Uchiha, he wanted to save face for him.
"That's right, Obito," Rin said in agreement. In her opinion, Obito's boastful words were a bit out of place at the moment.
Damn it!Even Rin is siding with him? Obito gnashed his teeth, but ultimately remained silent.
"Is it my turn?" Might Guy's spirits lifted, and he said excitedly, "I can't wait to have a youthful showdown with Hoshikawa !"
"Guy, the next match doesn't start for another half-hour," Shizune reminded him.
"Huh?" Guy froze for two seconds, then said, "It's fine! My youth will just get more and more powerful the longer I wait!"
In the stands, many people were using the break to talk about the previous match. Hoshikawa and Kakashi were both popular topics due to their skills and backgrounds. Their fight was so impressive that it left a deep impression on the ninja and villagers watching. In their eyes, most genin matches were nothing but a weak brawl, with only the Three Basic Jutsu being used. But Hoshikawa and Kakashi's match was completely different. The constant use of various ninjutsu made them seem like jōnin. And they were!
On the high platform, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but nod. "These two kids are incredible!"
Jiraiya, who was standing beside him, agreed. "I've traveled the ninja world and seen many geniuses, but I haven't seen any stronger than them." He suddenly paused, realizing there was one. Long ago, he had a student in Amegakure named Nagato. He possessed the eyes of the Six Paths Sage and had an extraordinary talent, learning most of his jutsu in just three years.
"The most important thing is that they're still so young," Hiruzen said with a chuckle. Their current strength already surpassed a chūnin's, and the only thing they lacked compared to a jōnin was experience. But experience could be gained over time, and they had plenty of that. They were only eleven and twelve years old. This is the true meaning of 'future potential'! When they grew up, they would surely become pillars of Konoha.
"You can retire now, old man," Jiraiya said, raising an eyebrow.
"Only if there's someone to become the next Hokage," Hiruzen said, glaring at him. "Who do you want to be Hokage?"
"Don't look at me," Jiraiya said, taking a half-step back. "I'm leaving tomorrow."
Hiruzen was speechless. He had finally managed to get Jiraiya to serve as the main examiner for the Chūnin Exams. Yet, after less than a week, he couldn't stand being in Konoha anymore. To be honest, even if Jiraiya was willing to be Hokage, Hiruzen wasn't sure he would agree. He was worried that Konoha would be controlled by Mount Myōboku. If a group of ninja ran off to find the "Child of Prophecy," he would be furious.
"It looks like Hoshikawa is the better one!" Kushina Uzumaki glanced at Minato and asked with a smile, "What do you think?"
"Kakashi is indeed a bit weaker," Minato said with a slight nod, but he also felt strange. Both of his students, Kakashi and Obito, had lost to the Rasengan. Would the next opponent, Might Guy, also lose to the Rasengan? Am I the mole who's causing my students' crushing defeats?
No, if not the Rasengan, there's always the Mystical Palm Technique. They lost purely because Hoshikawa is too strong. Minato quickly brushed the chaotic thoughts from his mind.
"Didn't you teach them the Rasengan?" Tsunade also asked the same question.
"Lady Tsunade, not everyone can learn the Rasengan as easily as Hoshikawa ," Minato said, shaking his head. The Rasengan was an A-Rank jutsu with an extreme level of difficulty in chakra shape transformation. Might Guy had the Eight Inner Gates and didn't need to learn it, nor could he, as his ninjutsu talent was too poor. Obito's chakra control was not good enough. The only one who could have learned it was Kakashi, but he went on to create the Chidori instead. However, for him, the Chidori was a better fit, and the power difference between the two jutsu wasn't that big.
"That's true," Tsunade said with a smile. "That kid learns everything so quickly." But one thing she was unhappy about was that Hoshikawa hadn't used any of the jutsu she had taught him yet. Besides his medical jutsu, he hadn't even used the Mystical Palm Technique. He relied on his genjutsu, swordsmanship, Water Release, and Lightning Release. How is anyone supposed to know he's my student?
"The break's still on. I'm going to go see Hoshikawa ." With that, Tsunade's body vanished.
"Lady Tsunade really cares about Hoshikawa ," Kushina said with a smile.
Minato thought of his own master, Jiraiya. He and Tsunade were teammates, but his treatment was nowhere near what Hoshikawa was getting.
On the edge of the arena. Hoshikawa and the others were sitting on chairs when they saw Tsunade and quickly got up to greet her.
"Hmm," Tsunade responded with a nod. "Hoshikawa , come with me for a second." Hoshikawa stood up and followed her to a nearby empty space.
"How's your chakra?" Tsunade asked, placing her hand on his forehead.
"I'm fine," Hoshikawa said, inhaling her faint, sweet scent.
"Your performance was great." Tsunade ruffled his hair and asked, "The Eight Inner Gates is no joke. Are you confident about the next match?"
"I am," Hoshikawa said with a smile. "I won't let you down, Sensei."
"Oh really?" Tsunade gave him a look. "Then why haven't you used any of the jutsu I taught you yet?"
"I'm saving them for the most important match," Hoshikawa said without a change in expression.
"You're a difficult kid to read," Tsunade said with a huff. "But it doesn't matter. If your performance isn't up to my standards, you'll be in for it when we get home!"
Hoshikawa 's expression became complicated. The way she said that made it sound like something an old married couple would say—like, Don't even think about sleeping on the bed tonight.
"I guarantee I'll make you proud!" Hoshikawa said seriously.
"I'm going now. Go rest," Tsunade said, turning to leave.
Half an hour passed quickly.
"The final match of the Chūnin Exams: Hoshikawa vs. Might Guy!" Inoichi shouted. The audience fell silent and turned their attention to Hoshikawa and Might Guy. The previous matches had been exciting enough, and this final one would surely be no different.
"Let's go, Hoshikawa !" Guy said, his face a mask of pure excitement. "The youthful showdown begins now!"
You're so full of energy. Hoshikawa raised his hands and formed the Seal of Confrontation.
Leaf Whirlwind!
As soon as the seal was completed, Guy stepped forward, his right leg kicking with a green whirlwind.
Leaf Whirlwind!
Hoshikawa returned the same spinning kick. The two kicks collided, creating a powerful shockwave. Guy was forced to take two steps back. In his normal state, his strength was not a match for Hoshikawa 's.
"Dynamic Leaf Great Whirlwind!" Guy roared, and a faint green chakra aura appeared on his body, especially concentrated around his right leg. He moved like an arrow released from a bow, at a blinding speed.
Leaf Rock-Crushing Rise!
Hoshikawa remained in place, raising his right arm and delivering an elbow strike.
BOOM!
A shockwave erupted from the collision of his elbow and Guy's leg. This time, both of them were forced back one step.
"Again!" Guy was ecstatic, loving the challenge. This was an incredibly rare moment for him, as taijutsu-only ninja were so rare. And a taijutsu ninja who could keep up with him and was also his age? There was only Hoshikawa .
Hoshikawa , wanting to upgrade his taijutsu trait, temporarily refrained from using ninjutsu and met Guy's attacks with pure taijutsu. In an instant, the two engaged in a flurry of punches and kicks, becoming blurs of movement that were impossible to follow.
...............
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