“Man, I knew I would lose, but not like this. I really am no match for you, huh?” Shiro said, prepared for defeat, though this oute showed he didn’t even stand a ce.

  “It’s just temporary. Who knows, maybe iure, things will be pletely different. So keep w hard, buddy,” Kaida said, extending his hand.

  Shake.

  “Thanks,” Shiro said with a smile, and both left the stadium.

  The energy ihe stadium remairic as the crowd settled in for the bout. The earlier matches had been an intense dispy of raw power, skill, and strategy, leaving the audience hungry for more. Bets were quickly pced, with stall owners yelling the odds as they gathered more money from eager spectators.

  With each successive match, the stakes seemed to rise—not just for the fighters but for the crowd too. Now, two more petitors stepped forward, ready to test their mettle in front of thousands of cheering fans and the scrutinizing eyes of the Daimyo.

  “ match: Ren of Amegakure versus Kuro of Sunagakure!” the proctor announced, his voiing through the stadium.

  "Pce your bets, everyone! Kuro from Sunagakure at 1:1.2, and Ren from Amegakure at 1:1.5!” Being from a minor vilge, Ren was sidered weak, so the odds were skewed slightly.

  Ren was known for his strong Lightning Release jutsu in Amegakure. His tall frame and intense focus showed he wasn’t oo be trifled with. He had a reputation for being quick, both in speed and temper, but his effi battle was undeniable. That’s why Suiren chose him to e with him to the finals.

  Kuro, oher hand, was a simple-looking boy in baggy clothes. His style was quieter, more defensive, which suited his specialty: usiles for defense and wearing down his oppos. Small, quiet, deadly—that was Kuro’s method. As he ehe arena, there was no show of bravado, just a steady, focused gaze that met Ren’s.

  The proctor raised his hand. “Begin!”

  Without hesitation, Ren charged forward, lightning crag around him as he dashed toward Kuro, his body glowing with electricity. He aimed to overwhelm Kuro quickly with his usual approach of speed and power.

  But Kuro repared. As Ren closed the gap, Kuro summoned his Defense Beetles, brown, armored is that swarmed around him like a living shield. Ren’s lightning-infused punch met the beetles with a crag explosion, sending some flying and killing others, but more quickly took their pce, rendering the attack useless.

  Ren leaped back, avoiding the swarm as it buzzed toward him. But the beetles had already e into tact with him, and before he could react, they tched onto his arm, digging into his skin. He grunted in pain and quickly summoned a bolt of lightning to fry the is off him. The smell of burnt is filled the air as the beetles dropped to the ground, dead.

  They didn’t have much attack power, fog mostly on defense, but even their minor offensive ability pyed a role in distrag the enemy.

  Kuro didn’t waste a sed, ung a wave of wind bdes toward Ren, knowing full well not to give his oppo a ce. The attack power Ren possessed was too great—one successful strike could ge the course of the battle. Kuro kept his defenses up, using his beetles to attad protect.

  But Ren wasn’t about to let Kuro trol the pace. With a quick series of hand seals, he used *Lightning Release: Lightning e*, sending the electrified double charging toward Kuro. The oved faster than the beetles, f Kuro to shift his attention to defending against the lightning-itack. The e exploded on impact, sending a shockwave of lightning rippling through Kuro’s defenses, scattering the beetles in all dires.

  Now was Ren’s ce.

  With a roar, Ren formed another hand seal and unleashed his signature jutsu—*Lightning Release: Thuorm Lance*. A spear of trated lightning formed in his hand, crag with lethal energy. He hurled it toward Kuro, aiming straight for the ter of his defense.

  Kuro’s beetles swarmed to block the attack, but the sheer power of the Thuorm Lance was too much. The lightning spear tore through the already dispersed beetles, striking Kuro in the chest and sending him flying backward across the arena. He hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop as smoke rose from the point of impact.

  The crowd held its breath, waiting to see if Kuro would rise.

  For a moment, there was silence.

  Then, Kuro slowly pushed himself up, breathing heavily but still standing. His beetles regrouped around him, f a protective barrier once again. He wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Ren.

  “This guy’s tough,” Ren muttered under his breath.

  'If the attack hadn’t hit the beetles first, I would’ve lost,' Kuro thought, feeling his body still numb.

  Kuro raised his hand, and the beetles surged forward once again. This time, Ren was ready. He dodged and weaved between the swarming is, lightning crag around him as he prepared to end the fight.

  In a blur of motion, Ren appeared behind Kuro, his hand glowing with electricity.

  But just as Ren was about to nd the final blow, Kuro’s beetles surged up from the grouh him, tg onto his legs and arms, holding him in pce. Ren struggled as the beetles g with their pincers digging into his flesh.

  “Got you,” Kuro said, his voice calm and measured.

  But Ren smirked. “No, you don’t.”

  With a burst of lightning, Rerified his entire body, frying the beetles that held him. Kuro’s eyes widened as Ren broke free, spinning around with a devastating kick that sent him crashing to the ground.

  This time, Kuro didn’t get up.

  “Winner: Ren!” the proctor announced, and the crowd erupted in appuse. It had been an intech till the end—no one kneould win. If Kuro had been a little faster with his st attack, he might have won, but now nothing would ge. Both of the ninjas from Sunagakure were out of the petition.

  The energy iadium shifted once again as the match was announced.

  “ match: Kabuto of Konohagakure versus Suiren of Amegakure!”

  "Pce your bets, everyone! Kabuto from Konoha at 1:1.4, and Suiren from Amegakure at 1:1.5!” Due to Amegakure’s ret performahe betting odds were no longer entirely in Konoha’s favor.

  The atmosphere became tense. Kabuto, a simple-looking boy with gsses, ehe stadium. But unlike his physique from before, he was now more muscur, having trained under both Jiraiya and Hiruzen. Suiren, oher hand, was a gloomy-looking boy with dark hair and baggy clothes. His movements were precise as he ehe stadium.

  The odds were close, and the crowd was eager to see which of these two tactical fighters would e out on top.

  Kabuto ehe arena first, his gsses gleaming in the sunlight as he adjusted them with a calm smile. His demeanor was almost casual, but those who knew him uood that his mind was already w, analyzing every possible move his oppo could make.

  The proctor raised his hand. “Begin!”

  Suiren moved first, his hands f seals. Water Release: Wild Water Wave, a k jutsu, is an inferior version of Water Release: Great Waterfall Teique, an A-rank jutsu. Though not as powerful, it was excellent for creating a water source while attag the enemy at the same time. The water surged toward Kabuto like a tidal wave, its sheer size and speed threatening to overwhelm him.

  But Kabuto was already moving, flipping backward to avoid the attack. As he nded, he quickly formed his own hand seals. Earth Release: Earth Wall blocked the water’s path. The wave crashed against the wall with a deafening roar, but Kabuto remained unfazed, his eyes locked on Suiren.

  Suiren’s attack was more direct—he darted forward, his kunai gleaming as he aimed for Kabuto’s throat. But Kabuto wasn’t a fighter who relied solely on ninjutsu. With surprising speed, he sidestepped the strike and tered with a palm thrust aimed at Suiren’s chest. Suiren barely dodged, the force of the strike grazing his ribs as he spun away.

  The two shinobi circled each other, testing the other’s defenses. Suiren unleashed a barrage of water jutsu, his hands moving with lightning speed as he summoreams, waves, and torrents to keep Kabuto on the defensive. But Kabuto tered each attack with precise Earth Style teiques, defleg the water or dodging when necessary.

  her used much chakra in the first 10 minutes, only attag to gauge the strength of their oppo. After 10 minutes, Suiren was ready. Without warning, Suiren inhaled deeply and exhaled a thioxious cloud of Poisoh. The cloud spread rapidly, filling the arena with a deadly green mist, causing murmurs of in the crowd.

  Kabuto’s eyes narrowed. He khis was Suiren’s most dangerous on. After asking around, he had lear was highly acidiot wanting to experie firsthand, he summoned a small gust of wind with a quick hand sign, dispersing the cloud just enough to create an opening. He darted forward, closing the distaween him and Suiren before Suiren could react. With a swift movement, he pced his hand on Suiren’s chest and released a burst of chakra, sending him flying backward.

  Once again, Kabuto created a gust of wind to clear a path for his escape from the poison. Suiren didn’t have time to stop him, and Kabuto evaded the attack.

  But he wasn’t do. Kabuto made tinuous hand signs, even while running from the poison, as Suiren chased after him.

  The ground in front of Suiren became muddy, which had been firm a moment ago. Before he could react, a mud wolf rose from the ground and ped at the air right o his head.

  “I lost,” Suiren said, raising his hand in surrehe st attack could have easily killed him, but his oppo didn’t want to kill. Now, he didn’t want to humiliate himself by tinuing the match.

  “Winner: Kabuto!” the proctor announced, as the crowd erupted in appuse.

  Kabuto looked at Suiren, his expression calm but respectful. "You fought well," he said before turning and walking out of the arena.