Chapter 100 Awakening

Konoha.

It was the day of the last round of chunin exams as groups of tourists around the world all marched towards the huge circular arena.

The sky was clear as well and a cool breeze was blowing, increasing the joy of the day.

Konoha Arena.

The arena was packed with people and on a chair at a high place in the arena sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, watching the final round from a high position.

Currently one of the most awaited fight was about to start as all eyes focused on two figures that stood before each other, one a kid who looked around 14 with brown hair and hazel eyes, the other a person around thirteen with yellow hair and blue eyes, on his handsome face a determined look.

"Damn where did Kazuki go? How can he miss such an important event!"

In the stands leaning on the guardrail, Kushina with a grumpy face complained as the absence of kazuki deeply annoyed here.

Today was the day of their month long training with him to be displayed before everyone yet he disappeared without telling.

"I can tell just from one look that Nawaki has come a long way from before; It seems even in teaching Kazuki-Kun excels me"

Said Orochimaru to Tsunade as both of them sat next to each other in the stands, the formers eyes focused on the brown haired kid that radiated an aura of strength and confidence.

Orochimaru's tone had a hint of acknowledgment for Kazuki having witnessed his rise from a nameless genin to someone who the whole ninja world revered.

"Yeah he truly has put a lot of effort in making him stronger" Agreed Tsunade as just like Orochimaru she could also tell that Nawaki was no longer the overconfident and naïve brat from years ago, Kazuki had truly turned him into a fine shinobi.

"Speaking of Kazuki, do you have any idea where he is? No one has seen him for a while"

Asked Orochimaru as since the emergence of Tailed Beast a month ago Kazuki's hasn't been spotted even once.

"All I know is that he took the permission from sarutobi sensei to leave the village and for where he exactly is, I have no idea"

Told Tsunade what she knew, a worried look flashing on her face.

She who knew what Kazuki went through was worried for him a lot. She wanted him to spend time with people who truly cared for him but his sudden departure had made that impossible, to her what he needed was company of people who can cheer him up and not a solo journey.

Just as Tsunade and Orochimaru were talking, the jonin referee gave the signal for the start of the fight.

"Let's not hold back and give all we got, Minato. That's the least respect we can give each other's as fellow hokage aspirers"

Said Nawaki with a determined look on his face, bringing his hand before him and putting up a fighting stance.

"Yes, Let's fight with everything we've got, Nawaki-Senpai"

Saying that Minato gave a sunny smile and put on a fighting stance, the eyes of both locked on each other as next moment both of them moved at the same time.

Swish!

Chakra moved towards the soles of Nawaki who rushed towards him leaving an afterimage, weaving hand signs at the same time.

Minato chose to increase the distance from the approaching Nawaki as the wind chakra appeared around his legs and moved back at a speed far surpassing Nawaki.

 Suiton: Mizu Shuriken no Jutsu {Water Shuriken Technique}

Completing the last hand sign Nawaki opened his mouth as water gushed out and quickly shaped into spinning sharp water shurikens, with a flick of finger shooting towards Minato at distance.

Fuuton: Yadama Henshin Bakuha {Wind Release: Projectile Deflection Blast}

BOOM!!!

Not panicking at the approaching attack, Minato weaved couple of hand signs within a second and sucked in a large breath, exhaling a large gust of wind with a booming sound.

The wind gust hit the shurikens and blasted them to pieces instantly, continuing towards Nawaki.

Mizu no Yoroi {Water Release: Water Armor Technique}

Nawaki didn't panic at the upcoming attack and flashed a couple of hand signs, the water armor glistering around him with charka infused droplets as he rushed towards the gust of wind next moment.

BOOM!!!

The wind gust hit the water armor around him and created a huge noise on the impact but unable to go through the defense of highly compressed water, Nawaki only halting a little at the impact and rushing towards Minato again.

Swish!!

Seeing Nawaki once again trying to close the distance between them, Minato who didn't want to engage in a close combat with a senju once again resorted to his wind body flicker technique and increased the distance.

Water Release: Water Clone Technique

Nawaki clearly saw through the intent of Minato to not to fight him in a close combat and immediately came up with a counter, making hand signs and water gushing out of his mouth to form six clones next to him.

"Encircle him!!"

 Said Nawaki to the Clones as they acting on orders rushed towards Minato and approached him from all sides.

Thud!

Minato increased as much distance as possible from the clones but eventually his backward movements came to a halt when his back hit the wall of the arena, the place they were fighting was not like a real battlefield after all.

Wind Release: Great Wind Wave!

Feeling the wall behind him, Minato didn't get time to run in another direction as he felt shadows lunging towards him as his blue eyes traced around to find the clones of nawaki jumping towards him from left, right, front, weaving hand signs quickly and releasing a huge gust of wind.

Thud!!

The wind hit the clones as they all burst into water and puddling around Minato who looked up and saw Nawaki at distance touching the ground with his right hand, a bad feeling welling up in his heart.

Water Style! Drilling Water Spears!

The crowd saw the puddle of water around Minato beginning to bubble up suddenly as fast spinning spears of water shot out of it, on the course to skewer Minato.

BOOM!!!

Chakra burst of Minato's soles as with a solemn face he jumped up high in the air but the spears followed him upwards, Nawaki showing his impressive chakra control to everyone.

Watching the water spears following him upward, the airborne Minato's mind raced as quickly he came up with a counter.

Fire Release: Blazing Sphere!

"Fizz!

A huge ball of fire shot out from the mouth of Minato as it hit the water spears, the water evaporating at high speed and steam wafting in the atmosphere.

Swish!!

From the steam in the sky a kunai was shot towards Nawaki as it appeared above his head in an instant, next second Minato appearing next to Kunai with a spinning ball of chakra in his hands.

With widened eyes Nawaki tilted his head to look at Minato above his head with the chakra ball in his hands, truly caught off guard by his sudden appearance.

The chakra ball slowly approached the back of Nawaki who clearly not in a position to dodge, the winner of the fight seemed obvious.

Thump!!! Thump!!!

But just at this moment the hazel eyes of Nawaki shook as he went completely still, his heart beating fast and chakra blasting out of him next second.

BOOM!!!

Aghh!!

Aghh!!

The chakra ball hit the back of Nawaki but at the same time from the shoulder of Nawaki a wood spear shot upwards and penetrated the stomach of Minato.

"That was… wood release and flying raijin"

In the fighting area lay two passed out figures next to each other amid the shocked crowd, Sarutobi truly stunned as well by what he had just witnessed.

"Nawaki… you actually awakened it!"

Tsunade stood up from her seat as well and looked at her brother with awe and surprise, able to see understand Nawaki had just done, he had awakened the wood release that once belonged to the god of shinobi, Senju Hashirama.  

Just as everyone was surprised at this development, at an inconspicuous corner of the arena there was a burst of smoke as a figure with silver hair and sword on his back disappeared, on his face a relieved look from what he just witnessed.

(Time skip next chapter)

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