Bab 284: of "The Muscle God of the Uchiha Clan": The Quarterfinals
On the arena stage.
Bang! Bang! Bang! After a series of punches and kicks, the outcome was quickly decided.
"Stop! I give up! Please... spare me!"
The once-arrogant Mist ninja now knelt at Marisa's feet, crying out in pain and begging for mercy as she held him by the hair. His face was covered in blood, and several teeth were missing, looking utterly miserable.
Extreme violence—that was Marisa's fighting style.
Although the Mist ninja was tough, able to endure more than the average shinobi, he was ultimately no match for Marisa's relentless "Ora Ora" punches.
"I must say, you're really durable. You feel like an unbreakable punching bag. It's been a while since I had such a sturdy opponent."
Marisa, visibly excited, raised her fist again, eager to deliver another punch to his face. To her opponent, she appeared nothing less than a demon.
The Mist ninja, terrified, screamed for help:
"No! Help me! Someone stop her!"
Whoosh.
Finally, a Jonin referee intervened, grabbing Marisa's wrist and pleading:
"Enough, Marisa. Any more, and you'll kill him."
"I'm just kidding, haha," Marisa laughed, releasing her grip. Her opponent collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
"Marisa, win!"
The referee raised Marisa's hand, announcing her victory to the audience.
In the ten-thousand-seat stadium, a brief silence was followed by a thunderous cheer.
"Marisa! Marisa!"
The crowd chanted her name in unison, their voices echoing across the skies of Konoha.
Until now, Marisa's opponents had been unimpressive, allowing her to advance easily to the quarterfinals. This led some to suspect that Konoha was manipulating the matches to favor Marisa.
But her performance in the quarterfinals silenced all doubts. Defeating the top seed of the Mist Village's two hundred participants proved her strength.
Marisa's brutal, straightforward fighting style, with every punch and kick landing solidly, offered a spectacle even to those who couldn't follow complex ninjutsu or genjutsu.
Thus, she enjoyed prolonged applause from the audience.
"These spectators have no taste. Barbaric brawling, making a bloody mess—there's no elegance or artistry in such a fight. It was utterly boring," Deidara muttered, yawning.
"Deidara, you're up next. Wake up!" shouted Kurotsuchi from the front row.
"Don't worry, my little apprentice. I'll win easily. I just need to show the audience the true essence of an artist," Deidara said nonchalantly, stepping into the arena.
Minutes later.
Boom!
An explosion, dazzling flames, and thick smoke sent Deidara's opponent flying.
Deidara, hands on his hips, surveyed the stunned audience and declared:
"Art is an explosion!"
His supposedly cool line earned only scattered applause.
The explosion had been so dangerous that if not for the Konoha ANBU's timely intervention, creating a barrier around the arena, the blast's aftermath would have caused chaos and casualties among the spectators.
The referee, face darkened, approached and raised Deidara's hand:
"Deidara, win!"
"Boring, these spectators don't appreciate art at all," Deidara scoffed, shrugging, and leaped off the now-ruined arena.
Last night, he had stayed up watching Konoha's entertainment shows and now needed to catch up on sleep.
Before leaving, Deidara glanced back at Marisa, exchanging a charged look.
Marisa was in the upper bracket in the quarterfinal match-ups, and Deidara in the lower. This meant they could only meet in the finals.
"Hope you make it to the finals. Don't disappoint me," Deidara murmured, smiling at Marisa before swaggering away.
"He's kinda handsome," Marisa mused, watching him leave, admiring his striking blonde hair, similar to her mother and brother's. She felt a pang of envy.
Why did she inherit her father's Uchiha genes and have black hair? Maybe she should dye it—Hanabi mentioned a new hair salon in Konoha.
Marisa's thoughts drifted...
"Earth Style: Earth Wall Technique!"
Several Konoha shinobi's shouts echoed in the stadium.
Amidst the rumbling, the damaged arena was restored.
The third quarterfinal match began immediately.
"Such a large audience, perfect for spreading Jashin-sama's teachings," Hidan declared, carrying his gruesome triple-bladed scythe onto the stage.
His opponent, a Konoha Genin named Takemura, was twenty-five years old and Konoha's second seed after Marisa.
Konoha, like the other villages, had prepared to keep the championship home. Takemura, already strong enough to be a Jonin, had been delayed for various reasons.
He and Marisa were Konoha's dual insurance.
"Takemura, go get 'em!"
"Win and show that cocky guy the strength of Konoha shinobi!"
The crowd cheered overwhelmingly for Takemura, giving him a home-field advantage.
Who wanted their ninja to lose at home?
Also, if Takemura won, he would face Marisa in the semifinals, guaranteeing a Konoha representative in the finals.
However, Hidan, arrogant and crazy, wasn't intimidated by the home advantage. The more support Takemura had, the more excited Hidan became, his blood boiling.
The referee's whistle blew, signaling the start.
Whoosh.
Takemura used the Body Flicker Technique, his movements a streak of lightning as he approached Hidan.
Determined to win quickly and beautifully, he slashed at Hidan's arm with his ninja blade.
Clang!
Hidan blocked with his scythe.
"Don't underestimate me, bastard," Hidan grinned, launching a powerful counterattack.
Such strength!
Takemura leapt back, avoiding a direct clash.
After brief probing, their fight intensified, with both exchanging blows, their weapons clashing, sparks flying.
The audience held their breath, watching intently.
Finally, Takemura's skilled swordplay forced Hidan to reveal a weakness.
Now!
Slash! Takemura cut Hidan's arm, blood gushing.
Hidan's arm lost strength, dropping his scythe.
"Concede. Get treated now, or it'll be too late," Takemura advised, thinking Hidan defeated.
"Hehehe..."
Hidan laughed maniacally, shocking Takemura as his wound healed rapidly.
"The game has just begun, my friend," Hidan smirked.
How is this possible?
Takemura, alarmed, readied his blade.
In the stands, Sasuke examined his notes, telling his cousin:
"Hidan supposedly joined some cult and survived a forbidden technique, gaining immortality. His recovery is far superior, healing from fatal wounds in days. Seems those rumors weren't baseless."
"Immortality? Interesting," Marisa's eyes lit up, viewing Hidan as a perfect punching bag. She hoped Hidan would win, so she wouldn't have to hold back in the next match.
Hidan didn't disappoint.
"Hahaha!"
He laughed, attacking fiercely.
Takemura evaded, planning to exhaust Hidan before launching a decisive attack, doubting Hidan's immortality.
But Takemura had no chance.
Hidan, avoiding a scythe sweep, threw his weapon, cutting Takemura slightly.
Just a scratch.
But enough for Hidan.
"Time for the main course."
He licked Takemura's blood from his scythe, drawing a ritual circle.
Takemura, sensing danger, used Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets, firing dozens of wind bullets at Hidan.
The B-rank technique could penetrate and shred an opponent.
Hidan smiled sinisterly, not dodging.
Takemura, hit by Hidan's curse, collapsed with multiple wounds.
"Hidan, win!"
The referee declared, medics rushing in.
(End of Chapter)
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
nyawdao3
nyawdao3 Please give this novel 5 stars review and power stone ;)
Read up to chapter 329 on P atreon!
https://www.p atreon.com/Einhorn
Our community on discord: discord. gg /t66agbE
— Bab baru akan segera rilis — Tulis ulasan
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone