D: The End of the Preliminaries
The battle between Hinata and Misumi was a mismatch from the start.
Misumi's Soft Physique Modification allowed him to twist and contort his body in incredible ways, but it was no match for Hinata's Gentle Fist. She countered every move with precision.
If Hinata had faced her cousin Neji, her kind heart might have held her back from unleashing her full strength.
But Misumi was a different story. He was a stranger.
With her mastery of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, and years of training with Hayashi had honed her skills to perfection, Hinata was almost unbeatable in this exam.
The crowd watched in silence as Hinata took down Misumi with ease. Her Vacuum Palm struck him while he was on the run, sending him crashing to the wall.
Before Misumi could even get back to his feet, Hinata followed up with the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. With no resistance, he crumpled to the ground in defeat.
The crowd was left stunned, unable to believe the strength they had just witnessed from Hinata.
Even Neji, who had always thought of Hinata as a weak girl, was shocked by what he was seeing.
"Is that...Hinata?" Neji's voice was full of disbelief.
As the crowd erupted into cheers, Neji's gaze shifted to Hayashi, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. He wondered if Hayashi was behind Hinata's increase in power.
"Is he the reason?" Neji thought to himself.
Hayashi didn't pay much attention to Neji's gaze; instead, he focused on Hinata, who returned from her victory, and complimented her with a warm smile.
"Great job, Hinata," he said, his voice filled with pride.
Hinata responded with a beaming smile, her heart overflowing with joy.
Neji watched the exchange with a raised eyebrow, a hint of surprise flickering in his normally stoic expression.
Could it be that Hinata was more confident than he had given her credit for?
With this win, the entire Team 8 had made it through the knockout round and secured their spot in the next third exam.
Kurenai's smile grew even brighter at the news.
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The next match featured Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino.
Ryota leaned in, whispering to Kiba.
"What's going on? They're just standing there."
Kiba scratched his head.
"No idea, man. Maybe they're just sizing each other up?"
But as the seconds ticked by, it became clear that something was off. Ino's eyes flashed with a hint of triumph, and Kiba's eyes lit up with understanding.
"Ino's using her mind-reading jutsu! She's got the upper hand!"
Their excitement was short-lived, however, as the fight quickly devolved into a sloppy display of strength and aggression.
Sakura and Ino rolled around on the ground, punching and kicking each other with little finesse or strategy.
Ryota's eyes widened in dismay.
"This is pathetic. It's just a brawl now."
Megumi, who had been silently observing the brawl, finally spoke up, his voice filled with disappointment.
"This is just sad."
Ryota and Kiba exchanged a glance, both of them thinking the same thing: this was not the kind of fight they had expected from two ninjas.
The fight was a mess, and everyone knew it.
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The Ino-Shika-Cho combination is a powerful team effort that relies heavily on the unique skills of each member. However, their success relies heavily on teamwork.
When they work together, they're nearly unbeatable, as seen in their joint effort with Kakashi to take down Kakuzu and Hidan. Without Kakuzu's extra hearts, the undead duo would have been no match for the trio.
The Nara family's Shadow Imitation Technique, which allows them to create decoys and confuse their opponents, is a crucial part of their strategy. Without it, the team would struggle to maintain their advantage.
Additionally, the Yamanaka clan's Mind Transfer Jutsu, which enables them to read and control minds, is essential for gathering intelligence and outmaneuvering their foes. Without it, their ability to gain the upper hand would be severely limited.
Furthermore, the Akimichi clan's damage output provides a significant boost to the team's combat power. Without it, they would be vulnerable to attacks.
Thus, Ino's abilities are largely dependent on her teammates. This was evident in the fight against Sakura, where she was unable to use her Mind Transfer Jutsu effectively, reducing the battle to a physical fight between the two girls.
In the end, both Sakura and Ino were disqualified from the third exam, resulting in a draw.
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The next battle that followed was: Temari vs. Tenten
The match was a one-sided affair, with Temari's Sickle Weasel Technique proving too much for Tenten to handle.
In the end, Temari emerged victorious.
The seventh round began, with Nara Shikamaru stepping into the arena, his eyes locked onto his opponent, Tsuchi Kin.
She was a skilled member of the Sound trio, known for her ability to create illusions using bells.
But Shikamaru's quick thinking and strategic mind ultimately led to Kin's downfall, proving that his seemingly lazy demeanor belied his exceptional intelligence.
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In the eighth round, Uzumaki Naruto faced off against Inuzuka Kiba. Hayashi's eyes widened in awe as he beheld the halo of the Child of Destiny surrounding Naruto.
But to him, Naruto's current strength was laughable.
It was hard to imagine that this young ninja would soon take down the likes of Neji and Gaara in the coming month.
Naruto's progress might have been slow, but when he burst into action, it was always a shock. His unpredictable moves often caught his opponents off guard.
This time, it was Kiba who fell victim to Naruto's tactics. A well-timed and smelly fart left him stumbling backward, covering his nose in disgust.
Naruto and his shadow clone seized the moment, launching a coordinated attack that sent Kiba crashing to the ground.
In the end, Naruto emerged victorious, leaving the crowd stunned.
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The crowd was on the edge, eagerly awaiting the next match. Then, the display screen flashed: Gaara vs. Rock Lee.
Hayashi was particularly excited to see Lee's Eight Inner Gates in action. He was curious to see if his own mastery of Observation Haki could keep up with Lee's lightning-fast movements.
As the battle raged on, Hayashi's smile grew wider as he tracked Lee's every move.
Lee's speed was almost superhuman, leaving most people struggling to keep up. He pummeled Gaara with a flurry of punches, his movements a blur.
But after Lee opened the Fifth Gate, he began to tire, and Gaara saw his chance. He unleashed his Sand Binding Coffin technique, twisting Lee's limbs and leaving him helpless.
Just as Gaara was about to deliver the killing strike, Guy intervened at the last second, using his incredible speed to deflect the attack.
In the end, Hayate declared Gaara the winner, but the crowd was left stunned and silent, still trying to process the sudden turn of events.
As the fight came to a close, Hayashi couldn't help but think that he needed to step up his own Body Flicker Technique after witnessing Lee's incredible speed.
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The fight that followed was between Kinuta Dosu and Akimichi Choji, with Dosu emerging victorious after overpowering his opponent.
Meanwhile, Kankuro received a bye, giving him a free pass to the third exam.