Chapter 125

Shikamaru held two Explosive Tag shurikens in his hand and threw them towards Shigure. The power of the Explosive Tag's explosion forced Shigure to retreat quickly.

As he retreated, a black shadow rushed towards him with astonishing speed!

Shigure's strength was mediocre, but he wasn't blind.

He twisted his body and tried to flee, but his speed was no match for Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique, and he was soon caught!

"Alright, Shikamaru! We got him! Just finish him off!" Ino cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

Asuma, with a cigarette hanging from his lips, muttered, "It's not that simple."

Smoke curled up from the cigarette and drifted lazily into the sky.

In the next moment, Shigure, who had been trapped on the battlefield, dissolved into black water and collapsed onto the ground!

From another direction, a pool of dark water swirled, and a figure began to emerge from the shadows—slowly taking the form of Shigure again!

"Water Release: Water Clone Technique!"

"A clone?" Shikamaru frowned. It wasn't easy dealing with a ninja skilled in clone techniques.

He thought quickly, but no clear solution came to mind for the time being.

Just then, Shigure launched another attack!

This time, he didn't rely on Water Release but used the deception of the clone to launch a surprise strike at Shikamaru.

Fortunately, Shikamaru was prepared, dodging the kunai strike and countering with his own. He threw the kunai directly at Shigure, but it passed through his body and embedded into the wall.

"What?" Shikamaru was startled. Was this another fake?

If this attack was fake, then...

"You've been fooled!" a raspy voice came from behind Shikamaru. Another Shigure emerged and stabbed towards Shikamaru's chest with a kunai!

Shikamaru twisted his body to avoid a fatal blow, but the kunai still grazed his chest, leaving a bloody wound.

After narrowly dodging the attack, Shikamaru leapt back, putting distance between himself and Shigure.

He touched the wound, assessing the damage, and sighed in relief.

"At least it's not poisoned," he muttered. "I was careless."

Shikamaru reflected on his earlier mistake and became more cautious. He had to be sharp, without the support of his teammates, his vulnerabilities were easier to exploit.

Shigure launched another sneaky attack, but this time Shikamaru caught on. Using a shuriken, he confirmed it was another clone and immediately activated the Shadow Imitation Technique, targeting several spots where the black water remained.

Shigure hadn't expected Shikamaru to control multiple shadows at once, and he was caught off guard, trapped again.

Shikamaru smiled as the shadows immobilized Shigure.

"It's over," he said calmly. "Shadow Neck Binding Technique!"

The shadow controlling Shigure began to crawl up his body, wrapping tightly around his neck.

Shigure felt the crushing force constricting his throat. Panicking, he struggled before finally gasping, "I… I give up!"

The match ended!

Shikamaru's performance exceeded everyone's expectations. Most thought he'd win through a battle of wits, but they didn't anticipate him overwhelming Bon with sheer ninjutsu prowess.

In the audience, Kazuki and Sasuke watched Shikamaru exit the arena, both rising to prepare for their own match.

Kazuki, of the Gekko Clan, silently walked towards the tunnel leading to the examination room, when two wild rogue ninjas, accompanied by a familiar face, blocked his path.

"Kazuki, we meet again," the man said with a sly grin, a far cry from the flattering demeanor he had displayed before.

Kazuki recognized him but didn't feel like engaging. He simply said, "Move."

The man's smile disappeared, replaced by a sneer. "You've got quite the attitude. Our Lord has ordered you to lose this match. Comply, and we won't make things difficult for you. But if you don't… we'll take care of you."

He chuckled maliciously. "Since you're the young patriarch of the Gekko Clan, we won't kill you. But we might just break a leg or two."

The rogue ninjas advanced with menacing smiles, but Kazuki didn't even bother acknowledging them. He kept walking. "This is your last warning. Get out of my way."

"Do you think you're invincible? These two are jounin-level ninjas!" the man snapped.

The next instant, a thin line of blood appeared on the throats of all three rogues, and they collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Kazuki was already several paces ahead, sheathing his sword as he walked calmly towards the arena. "I gave them a chance," he murmured, barely breaking stride.

From the shadows, an old man emerged, watching Kazuki leave. He sighed.

"Kazuki, you've truly grown. That sword speed… even I couldn't keep up."

The old man was the patriarch of the Gekko Clan, Gekko Himan. Over the years, he had watched Kazuki develop into a formidable ninja.

"You've come so far, Kazuki," Himan said quietly. "In time, even the Hokage will have to take notice."

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg