Shikamaru's performance was outstanding—his tactical use of the Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Possession Technique) was a sight to behold. The daimyo and the higher-ups were full of praise. Moreover, as the heir of the Nara clan, Shikamaru's status was highly regarded.
It could be said that all the buffs were stacked onto Shikamaru, making his promotion to Chūnin almost a certainty.
"Shikamaru, that was awesome!"
As soon as Shikamaru returned, Ino gave him a big thumbs-up. After all, she'd been bullied terribly by Megumi just now, so seeing Shikamaru defeat Megumi's boyfriend was a satisfying revenge for her.
Shikamaru couldn't help but roll his eyes, finding the topic boring and tiresome.
"Alright, let's focus on the matches. The real highlights are coming up."
Indeed, the next fourth, fifth, and sixth matches were all between skilled fighters, and the final match was a heavyweight bout that would definitely wow the crowd. Everyone was eagerly anticipating it.
"Fourth match: Tenten from Konoha versus Dosu from Otogakure!"
Tenten gave Natsuki a reassuring look and nodded at her friends before confidently stepping into the arena.
In the spectator stands, a section erupted in cheers—mainly from Tenten's shopkeeper father and the neighborhood folks. They were overjoyed to see Tenten about to shine on the grand stage.
Tenten smiled and waved to the stands, sparking another round of cheers.
Dosu also sauntered onto the field, but unlike in the original timeline, he didn't provoke Gaara this time. Clearly, some events had changed. He was looking forward to a match with Tenten after all—she had managed to hold off Orochimaru for a few moves before, which was no small feat.
He considered it an honor to have a proper battle with her.
As the referee announced the start, Dosu immediately charged at Tenten. His right arm was fitted with a gauntlet riddled with holes. Those who had seen his previous fight with Choji knew that this gauntlet could emit ultrasonic attacks and even vibrational blasts—very dangerous.
Tenten knew all this from the intel, so she wasn't about to engage in close combat.
Besides, she remembered what Natsuki had told her: the finals weren't just about winning—they were about putting on a show for the daimyo and the higher-ups. To get a high score and have a shot at Chūnin promotion, she needed to win in a flashy, exciting way.
Showmanship? She could do that!
She pulled out two scrolls, formed hand seals, and unfurled them. The scrolls shot into the air like twin dragons. Tenten leaped into the air, surrounded by the swirling scrolls, and began summoning a barrage of weapons.
"Sōshōryū! (Twin Rising Dragons!)"
Shu! Shu! Shu!
In an instant, countless weapons rained down like a torrential storm upon Dosu, forcing him to cover his head and scramble in all directions to avoid them.
This Sōshōryū would be countered by someone like Temari, but against other opponents, it was formidable—and dazzling to watch. The audience couldn't help but applaud.
But Tenten wasn't done. She whipped out another scroll, tossing it into the air. More weapons poured down like a hailstorm from the unfurled scroll.
Dosu had no choice but to dodge frantically. His sonic attacks required close range, and with so many weapons raining down, even if he tried to shield himself with sound waves, it would only work briefly, draining his chakra.
However, he was so focused on dodging that he didn't notice Tenten had already created a shadow clone.
The clone disguised itself as a weapon, mixed in with the falling barrage, and landed right next to Dosu. Suddenly, the clone reverted to human form and delivered a Tekken (Iron Fist) roundhouse kick directly to Dosu's gauntlet, shattering it instantly.
Without his gauntlet, Dosu's sonic attacks were no longer a threat.
The shadow clone immediately followed up with a flurry of Tekken strikes, while Tenten, still in the air, unleashed a Rankyaku (Storm Leg) slash.
The sudden turn of events left Dosu in shock. He barely managed to protect his vital areas, but Tenten's Rankyaku hit him hard, inflicting serious injuries.
"That's enough! Winner: Tenten from Konoha!"
As the referee announced the result, the entire stadium erupted in cheers. Tenten's dazzling performance had thoroughly entertained the audience, and her seamless flow of attacks, culminating in victory, left everyone thoroughly impressed.
The shopkeeper was especially proud, shouting, "That's my daughter! That's my daughter!"
People around him looked on enviously, wishing they had such an outstanding daughter themselves.
Even the daimyo nodded in approval. After all, he didn't know much about ninja techniques, but flashy fights that looked cool were enough to earn a high score in his book.
Tenten smiled, quickly sealing all the scattered weapons back into her scrolls so as not to hinder the next match.
As for Dosu, he was just a self-important guy who thought he was clever. He believed he was strong enough to disregard Orochimaru, but in the end, he wasn't much at all.
"Hehe! I won!" Tenten returned, hands on her hips, grinning proudly.
"That was amazing, Tenten!" Lee gave her a big thumbs-up.
"…Good job," Neji also offered a rare compliment.
Their friends congratulated her, making Tenten puff up with pride, a happy young girl through and through.
After all, her dream was to become a legendary kunoichi like Tsunade. Being able to shine so brightly in the finals was her first step toward that goal—of course she was thrilled.
Still, she quickly made her way to Natsuki, smiling brightly, waiting for his praise.
"My girlfriend is incredible! Great job!"
Natsuki picked her up and even lifted her high into the air.
This made Tenten pout a little—she wasn't a kid anymore, after all—but hearing Natsuki's praise, she let him do as he pleased.
Naruto, Ino, and Sakura watched from the side, filled with envy.
Naruto envied Tenten for being able to compete, win, and receive everyone's recognition and praise—something he had always wanted. Unfortunately, he lost completely to Natsuki during the selection exam, so all he could do was envy.
Ino and Sakura, on the other hand, envied Tenten for having such a strong, handsome boyfriend who spoiled her. They wished they had a boyfriend like that.
Setting that aside, it was time for the fifth match.
Sasuke hadn't been late—he'd been here for a while. Although Orochimaru had placed a curse mark on him, it had been sealed. As long as he was careful, it wouldn't be a problem.
He had trained hard over the past month, learning many new things, and this was his chance to announce the Uchiha clan's strength to the world.
Especially since his opponent was from the Hyuga clan, another dōjutsu family—he couldn't afford to lose, or people would say the Uchiha's Sharingan was inferior to the Hyuga's Byakugan.
Neji was also brimming with fighting spirit. He wouldn't underestimate Sasuke and was determined to win in a stunning fashion.
The two locked eyes, the air between them crackling with tension and fighting spirit.
As the referee called for the match to begin, they stared each other down and entered the field, igniting the crowd's excitement to the max.
(End of Chapter)
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