Plans never keep up with change.
While Mei Terumī and Kyoichi were still talking, Reirun had already acted—he'd confirmed through his initiative that the second sword to be contested was the Kiba, received the Mizukage's approval, and secured his qualification as its defender, ready to face any challengers among the Jōnin.
And just then—
The red-brown–haired girl who had been silently standing in the corner all this time was the first to step into the training field.
"Mei, looks like our little game won't be continuing after all."
Kyoichi sighed helplessly.
"Eh?"
Mei blinked in surprise, then quickly caught on. Looking toward the girl who had just entered the field, she asked with a note of doubt, "Kyoichi, you mean… Ameyuri is the dark horse you mentioned?"
"Ameyuri, was it? Yeah, that's her."
Kyoichi confirmed without hesitation.
"...Ameyuri? She's that strong?" Mei still couldn't quite believe it.
"From the way you sound," Kyoichi asked, "you know this… Ameyuri?"
"Yes. Ringo Ameyuri. We graduated from the Academy together. Back then, she was… odd. Never really got along with anyone. During the graduation exam, her performance wasn't remarkable at all—in fact, she almost failed to graduate."
As they spoke, battle had already erupted in the training field.
Crack!
Lightning roared.
Under the stunned gazes of the crowd, Ringo Ameyuri didn't even form a single hand seal. From her open palms burst dazzling arcs of lightning that gathered into a spear of pure energy, thrusting straight toward Reirun like a bolt meant to pierce the heavens.
Lightning Release had always been famed for its overwhelming speed and aggression.
Now, without the time delay of hand seals, that speed reached an entirely new level.
So fast—
Reirun almost couldn't dodge it. He barely avoided the searing bolt only because he, too, was a master of Lightning Release. At the last instant, he stimulated the cells in his legs with lightning chakra, dramatically boosting his speed and narrowly escaping the attack.
But—
The practice field offered no cover, no terrain to retreat behind and regroup. Before he could steady himself for a counterattack, Ameyuri pressed the assault.
Lightning struck again.
Thunder crashed around them.
"Wait—that's… a jutsu without seals?"
"If I remember right, she's Ringo Ameyuri... When did the Ringo clan produce such a powerhouse?"
"How did she even manage that?"
The Jōnin watching from the sidelines murmured in disbelief.
Clearly, all of them were shocked by what they had just witnessed—a Lightning Release technique executed without a single hand seal.
Attack first, win first. Hesitate, and you die.
This was a truth carved into shinobi history, paid for in countless lives. In battle, being even a single heartbeat faster could decide victory or death. That was why so many geniuses had devoted their lives to studying jutsu without seals—techniques that could be cast instantly, bypassing the ritual of forming hand signs.
However—
Research had long proven that developing such jutsu was absurdly difficult.
Hand seals existed to help shinobi focus their chakra, guiding it through precise internal pathways. Each seal represented a distinct transformation within the chakra flow, and linking multiple seals together formed a complete technique.
Abandoning the seals meant controlling chakra purely through instinct and mastery—a feat possible only for those of truly exceptional talent.
As a result, even those who successfully created one or two usable techniques without seals found them nearly impossible to teach or replicate. Even among Jōnin, only a handful of rare geniuses could wield such power.
"A Lightning Release without hand seals… When did Ameyuri become this strong!?"
Mei's beautiful sea-green eyes widened in astonishment and disbelief. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't reconcile this fierce, thunder-wreathed girl—forcing even Reirun, one of Kirigakure's veteran Jōnin, onto the defensive—with the quiet classmate who'd almost failed her graduation exam.
Then she turned back to Kyoichi, curiosity flickering in her gaze. "Kyoichi, how did you figure out Ameyuri's potential?"
Jutsu without seals wasn't something that could be perceived through mere sensory ability.
"Her chakra," Kyoichi said calmly, "is the most massive among everyone here."
He paused. "So far, she's the person with the second-largest chakra I've ever encountered."
The first, of course, was Nagato. The Uzumaki's vast chakra reserves were legendary across the shinobi world—calling them human-tailed beasts wasn't an exaggeration.
"Having that much chakra might not mean much at the Chūnin or Genin level," Kyoichi continued, "but among Jōnin, it changes everything. With that kind of capacity, even a few short-seal or seal-less attack jutsu can turn someone into a walking artillery platform. Ordinary opponents wouldn't survive her barrage."
"Such vast chakra…" Mei murmured, only half-convinced.
"It's not just that," Kyoichi went on. "When the decision for the Kiba match was made, I noticed Jūzō-senpai glance at her—just briefly. If I remember right, he's the one responsible for screening the applicants for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen selection, isn't he? I suspect… he might've discovered something during that process."
That was the second reason Kyoichi gave.
But in truth, there was a third—one he didn't share aloud.
He remembered Ringo Ameyuri. A genius Lightning Release kunoichi of Kirigakure, who died young—a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, wielder of Kiba.
That was the fragment of memory he carried.
Of course, relying on such faint recollections alone wasn't enough. His very presence had already altered too many events. The future was unpredictable now, and what he remembered could no longer be trusted as absolute—only as reference.
Still—
When he combined that memory with what he had observed—the extraordinary chakra, Jūzō's reaction—the picture became clear enough. Kyoichi felt real confidence that Ringo Ameyuri would seize the Kiba.
"I see… No wonder."
Mei nodded deeply.
To her, Kyoichi's two reasons were already convincing. If she had noticed the same, she too would have taken Ringo Ameyuri very seriously.
By now, it wasn't just the Jōnin competitors who were stunned—
Even the Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, and his adviser Elder Genji were visibly surprised.
Seeing this, Yagura quietly beckoned with his hand, signaling Jūzō Biwa to come closer.