Chương 42: Chapter 42: Close Combat
"The game begins!" the referee ninja exclaimed, leaping behind a thick protective wall alongside several examiners, ready to intervene and rescue any seriously injured contestants.
The excited roar of the audience echoed through the arena, igniting intense emotions among the ninjas. Their blood boiled with excitement, even Orochimaru, and his companions felt the rush.
"Why does this feel like a bullfight?" Orochimaru and the other ninjas spread out, with only him and Tsunade left as a team. Despite this slight disadvantage, Orochimaru remained composed.
Becoming a Chunin at the age of eight was a testament to one's exceptional talent. Currently, only Hatake Sakumo had achieved promotion at the age of seven. Most of the ninjas participating in the exam were underage and extremely nervous, especially those from smaller countries. The fear of the competition weighed heavily on them, making it hard for them to catch their breath.
"Attack!" Some ninjas from smaller countries were the first to take action. Clad in armor, they unsheathed their blades and charged at the nearest Konoha ninja.
"Itoken Ransen!" The leading ninja channeled Chakra into the hand and effortlessly dispatched the three attackers wearing masks and hoods.
This display was akin to the samurai's way of combat—swift, powerful, and tactical, exerting immense pressure on their opponents.
However, Orochimaru simply raised his sleeves, and immediately, a swarm of insects gathered, forming a black cloud that enveloped the attackers.
"What is this?!" The ninjas swung their swords desperately, but the bugs were nearly impervious to their attacks. Soon, the bugs found their way into their armor, causing the attackers to scream in agony and eventually collapse.
"Three down!" The referee ordered the removal of the incapacitated attackers.
"It seems the era of samurai is over." A few elder villagers sighed.
"Scoundrels, get back!" An Uchiha ninja yelled, his chakra surging to Chunin level. He quickly formed hand seals and released a massive fireball from his mouth.
"Ah! Help!"
Feeling the scorching heat and intense air, the participating ninjas hurriedly dodged. However, in the midst of the melee, some were unfortunate enough to get caught in the flames. Three small ninja families were engulfed in fire and had to be swiftly rescued from the arena by the invigilators.
The extensive damage caused by Fire Release, was often difficult to heal, and the chances were slim for these unlucky contestants. To avoid being caught in the flames, other ninjas seized the opportunity to attack. During the chaos, various ninjutsu and rain-like shuriken flew through the air, causing some unfortunate souls to be hit by stray projectiles and fall out of the competition.
At this point, the strength of the ninja clans shone. They were adept at both offense and defense, demonstrating their tactical prowess. Hyuga's Gentle Fist acted as an impenetrable defense at this level, swiftly incapacitating any opponent who dared to approach.
The Uchiha ninja, though powerful with their ninjutsu, became the target of public criticism. Nevertheless, they displayed exceptional prowess with their Sharingan, managing to fend off the non-clan ninjas until they retreated.
Everyone maintained a mutual understanding: first, eliminate the ninjas from other villages, then deal with the weaker civilian ninjas, and finally, proceed to the next round with the surviving contestants.
"Come on! Take down that kid with the machete!"
"Uchiha guys are strong! Burn those Land of Earth scum to ashes!"
"Why is Hyuga's clan not attacking? Shouldn't they be on the offense?"
As the competition grew more intense, the audience's cheers became more fervent. The adrenaline-fueled atmosphere made them less mindful of their words. Occasionally, quarrels broke out among rivaling factions, even developing into off-site clashes.
"In this era, the people's emotions run high," Orochimaru remarked casually, amused by the intense reactions of the spectators.
"Everyone, please maintain order and respect the rules of the arena!" Several invigilators had to step in to restore peace.
"Damn bugs, prepare to witness true strength!" A ninja from the Land of Rain yelled, jumping high into the air with a massive umbrella unfurling behind him. He quickly formed hand seals, and four additional umbrellas hovered around him.
"Ninja Art: Thousand Needle Rain!" Renjiro Fuuma's voice boomed as he spread countless steel needles around him, forming a veritable rain of needles that targeted six or seven opponents simultaneously.
"Ah!" One unfortunate soul was accidentally hit by a needle, causing blood to flow from the wound, which immediately became numb.
"Despicable! This ninja is using poison!" Another ninja managed to jump away, cursing in frustration.
"Silence, you weaklings!" Renjiro sneered. The Land of Rain's ninjas had a reputation for their versatility, and he executed another hand seal: "Wind Release: Thousand Blades Wind!"
Controlling the gusts of wind, Renjiro guided the barrage of steel needles to attack even more opponents, covering them in an unrelenting wave of assaults.
"Hahaha, Konoha can't handle this!" Renjiro laughed triumphantly.
"No way! Take him down!" The Uchiha clan, feeling overshadowed and ridiculed by the crowd, couldn't bear the humiliation any longer. Other ninjas also joined in, and the Hyuga clan ninjas rushed forward alongside the needle rain.
They wouldn't allow this guy to remain arrogant!
"Boom!" The three ninjutsu techniques converged on Renjiro. He had been floating briefly, supported by the umbrella's buoyancy, but he was now a prime target for the attacks.
"Beautiful!" Renjiro was no pushover. The four umbrellas acted as robust shields, mitigating most of the damage, although they eventually gave way. His clothes caught fire, and he plummeted to the ground like a shot-down plane, trailing black smoke.
"You've got courage, but unfortunately, you lack the brains." Orochimaru sneered. This guy was even dumber than the ninja he encountered in the morning; daring to stand out in the close combat meant he was practically asking to be killed.
A true warrior may be fearless, but a true fool is also fearless.
"Huh? Where are my teammates?!" A chill ran down Orochimaru's spine as he realized Tsunade was missing!
"Look—Fist!" A female ninja in a white shirt and a red short skirt suddenly appeared before Renjiro, who was still disoriented, and charged at him with incredible speed, leaving a trail of smoke behind her.
"Don't even think about it!" Renjiro was furious, quickly forming hand seals in front of him.
"Bang!" In the end, there was no suspense. The impact of a powerful, heavy punch stunned Renjiro. The tall ninja's black jacket ruptured, and he was lifted off the ground, coughing up blood.
Nevertheless, Tsunade didn't let up and jumped high into the air. Her long, white legs traced a terrifying arc, and in desperation, Renjiro could only see a horrifying silhouette against the light!
"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
"Boom!" The entire arena fell silent for a moment as a large crater appeared on the ground. Tsunade landed gracefully, and it took Renjiro a while to stretch out a trembling hand. When the staff took him away, it was clear that he was in a pitiful state with likely multiple broken bones.
"Roar------!"
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, and the entire venue buzzed with excitement. Many people chanted Tsunade's name, and the contestants momentarily stopped fighting. Some clan ninjas sneered in disdain, but everyone tacitly let Tsunade revel in her moment.
Tsunade beamed, making a scissor-hands pose before crossing her chest with both hands. She looked confidently toward the audience, particularly the section where Tobirama was seated.
The midday sun bathed her golden hair, giving her the appearance of a valiant Valkyrie.
"Princess Tsunade!"
Tsunade's charisma was undeniable, and her fan base continued to grow with the crowd cheering her on.
"Tsunade looks so beautiful!" In the arena, the dashing Kato Dan couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru silently watched his exuberant teammates, wondering how they were so capable.
"Hahaha, Hokage-sama, your granddaughter is truly exceptional." The corpulent daimyo, donning his lavish attire, expressed his delight to Tobirama.
"Haha... she takes after her grandfather," Tobirama replied with a rare hint of modesty.
"Sarutobi, you've done an excellent job teaching her." Several Jonin teased Sarutobi.
"The game continues!" the invigilator announced, and the competition resumed.
"Ryu, go challenge that kid."
Kazuki, who had been focused on defense and counterattacks, finally noticed Orochimaru. At twelve years old, Kazuki Hyuga was a prodigy of the Hyuga clan. Watching Tsunade's stunning performance, he couldn't help but pay attention to her teammate.
Is that the legendary Orochimaru who defeated Jōnin and even bested Hatake Sakumo?
Kazuki felt a surge of terror. Although Orochimaru had kept a low profile for over half a year, and there was no news linking him to the Uchiha clan's arson incident, someone would always remember him.
"Hey!" Hyuga Ryu, who had distanced himself from the main family, charged straight at Orochimaru.
"Oh? Is someone else here to meet their doom?" Orochimaru noticed Ryu and then glanced thoughtfully at Kazuki in the distance.
"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!" Hyuga Ryu roared, veins bulging on his face. A subtle chakra wave connected Orochimaru and Ryu, resembling a Gossip pattern that locked onto Orochimaru.
"A Byakugan? How troublesome." Orochimaru casually brushed his long, jet-black hair and looked at the pair of white eyes with intrigue, a subtle desire glimmering in his own eyes.
"My God, what kind of monster is he!" Nevertheless, Hyuga Ryu, who was initially aggressive, suddenly halted, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
To his eyes, Orochimaru's Chakra blazed like a brilliant torch, stronger than anyone else present!
"It's not the right time yet." Orochimaru smiled, eyeing Hyuga Ryu or, rather, his eyes. A blood-red light gleamed from Orochimaru's pupils.
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