On the sidelines, the referee announced loudly that since Maruboshi Kosuke withdrew, Higashino Shinichi advanced automatically.
Immediately after, the matchup list for the next round was announced:
Might Duy VS Sunagakure Genin · Sunamaru!
The intention behind this arrangement was quite obvious—another war of attrition.
Even if Might Duy won, the following match would inevitably be an internal Konoha confrontation.
Whether it was Shinichi or Might Duy who ultimately advanced, it meant that Konoha's contestants would experience unnecessary internal friction and physical exhaustion before the finals.
---
The match began.
Sunamaru was a typical Sunagakure tactical ninja, skilled at using wind release ninjutsu to pin down opponents from mid-range, combined with precise tool throwing to block their movements.
His strategy was clear: never let this Konoha ninja, who appeared to only know taijutsu, get close.
Might Duy's offensive was direct and pure; he had no long-range means and simply charged in a straight line with astonishing speed, attempting to close the distance.
Every step left a shallow mark on the hard rock ground. Sunamaru's Wind Release: Great Breakthrough and the continuous stream of shuriken were either narrowly dodged with simple yet efficient movements or directly knocked away by his chakra-infused fists and feet.
The scene fell into a stalemate for a moment.
Sunamaru could not use ninjutsu or tools to effectively inflict heavy damage, while Might Duy found it difficult to break through that dense mid-range net of firepower to truly reach his opponent.
"Leaf Whirlwind!"
Unable to break through for a long time, Might Duy gave a loud shout, his body suddenly spinning. A powerful sweeping kick forced back Sunamaru, who had closed in for a sneak attack, and Duy himself used the momentum to retreat a few steps.
He panted slightly, his eyes narrowing as he watched his opponent begin to form hand seals again.
'I can't go on like this... Should I use that? But if it's only the first gate...'
The image of Guy, his face full of anticipation and excitement upon learning he was participating in the Chunin Exams, flashed clearly through his mind.
'...At the very least, I can't stop here! I can't let Guy down!'
He took a deep breath, and it felt as if some restriction within his body was quietly burst open.
The Gate of Opening, the Gate of Healing—Open!
Boom!
A powerful surge of chakra was suddenly born, forming a strong invisible airwave that violently spread out in all directions with Might Duy at the center!
His skin turned slightly red, a faint steam rose around his body, and his overall aura suddenly soared.
"Youth, it's time to bloom!"
Before his voice had even faded, his figure had vanished from the spot.
'So fast!'
Sunamaru's pupils constricted, and his hand-sealing hands froze in mid-air. In his field of vision, a fist wrapped in green chakra had already filled the entire frame.
With the explosive power and speed gained from opening two gates, he concentrated all his strength into this one strike.
Bang!
The fist slammed solidly into Sunamaru's crossed, blocking arms.
The terrifying force directly shattered his defensive stance. The remaining power, unspent, sent him flying backward off the ground, tracing an arc before slamming heavily onto the edge of the arena. He struggled twice but ultimately failed to get up.
The entire audience was silent for a moment, then erupted into noisy discussion. That burst of speed and power in an instant exceeded many people's understanding of taijutsu.
---
On the high platform, the Third Kazekage's brow furrowed imperceptibly. He turned his head to look at the Third Hokage beside him: "Lord Hokage, this Genin from your village... what he just used doesn't seem like ordinary taijutsu. That sudden burst of chakra and speed—is it some special secret technique?"
The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe, a perfectly timed, slightly confused, and kind smile appearing on his face: "Well... Lord Kazekage has stumped this old man. Perhaps it's some way of stimulating potential that he figured out himself? Young people always have some unexpected ideas."
He skillfully avoided a substantive answer and pushed the question back.
The Third Kazekage's eyes darkened slightly. Knowing he wouldn't get anything out of him, he stopped speaking and simply turned his gaze back to the arena.
The certainty in his heart that he believed because of Maruboshi Kosuke's withdrawal seemed to hang slightly again.
This Konoha ninja, who only knew taijutsu, didn't seem so simple after all.
---
Off-stage, Might Duy walked back to the resting area and took the water and towel handed to him by Shinichi. He wiped his face in silence, hesitated for a moment, then tentatively spoke: "Shinichi, how about... in the next round, I withdraw like Kosuke-Senpai did? That way, you can maintain your peak state to face the final opponent..."
"Forfeit? Kosuke-Senpai had his own reasons, but you..." Shinichi interrupted him: "Duy-senpai, don't you often say that the word 'give up' doesn't exist in youth?"
'Let you forfeit? How could that be possible.'
'If you forfeit, what would I be promoted for?'
He had specifically invited Might Duy, not only because he valued the Eight Gates—which could turn the tide of battle at a critical moment—as a safety net...but also for another important reason: he had foreseen the scenario where the two might meet in the finals.
He planned to rely entirely on taijutsu at that time to face this man, who carried his taijutsu convictions to the extreme, in a head-on confrontation.
The folks in Konoha were already accustomed to his performance as a great genius; their threshold was too high.
But the audience from Sunagakure didn't have that kind of immunity.
On the high-profile final stage, a peak duel with the purest strength and skill would undoubtedly be the perfect stage to break through the shadow of his genius halo and allow the world to deeply re-recognize his taijutsu talent.
This was crucial for him to advance the [Basic Taijutsu] and even the [Superhuman Strength] talents.
"But..." Might Duy scratched his head, appearing somewhat concerned.
"Rank isn't the only thing." Shinichi looked at him and said seriously: "As long as you fully demonstrate your strength, will, and caliber during the match, the judges will naturally give a fair evaluation. Fighting with all your might is, in itself, the best proof for promotion to Chunin."
"Well said!"
Instructor Chen walked over with his arms crossed, his gaze behind his round sunglasses sweeping over the two, his voice booming: "The way of taijutsu is all about charging forward! To think of retreating or calculating gains and losses before even fighting—Duy, if your fist hesitates, your spirit will falter. Since Shinichi has this resolve and confidence, you should respond with all your passion! Let the people of Sunagakure, and everyone else, see what kind of brave, and fearless heart our Konoha taijutsu ninjas possess!"
Instructor Chen's words were like a shot of adrenaline, causing the hesitation in Might Duy's eyes to be instantly replaced by a familiar fire. He clenched his fist tightly and nodded heavily: "I understand! Instructor Chen, Shinichi! Then let us... let our youth bloom in the upcoming battle!"
"Duy-senpai, I ask that you use the move you just used to defeat your opponent in our match. Don't hold back." Shinichi looked at Might Duy and spoke clearly once more.
He had his own considerations.
Might Duy's normal strength was probably just barely touching the threshold of a Chunin.
As for Shinichi's assessment of his own strength, it was at least at the level of a special Jonin.
There was a significant gap between the two in terms of basic strength.
If Might Duy didn't use the Eight Gates, Shinichi could win easily.
This ran contrary to the "shocking duel" he had envisioned, which would shake the audience's perception and redefine his taijutsu talent.
He needed Might Duy to display that power beyond the norm.
Of course, opening a few gates just for show would be enough; who knows if the audience would even be able to see it?
Hearing this, hesitation indeed surfaced on Might Duy's face once more, but looking into Shinichi's calm yet exceptionally firm eyes and remembering the other's previous encouragement and trust, he hesitated for only a moment before nodding forcefully and squeezing out a single word from between his teeth:
"Okay!"
He agreed, not only to respond to Shinichi's expectations but perhaps also to prove to himself and everyone else just how dazzling the brilliance of the taijutsu path he adhered to could be.