268

Daichi Uzumaki and Natsumi Inuzuka stood across from each other in the arena, the air between them thick with tension. Natsumi's wild eyes, gleaming with ferocity, met Daichi's calm and measured gaze. Her short, messy black hair blew in the breeze, the red fang-like markings on her cheeks accentuating her predatory stance. Akira, her loyal nin-dog, was crouched low at her side, ready to spring into action. His yellow eyes were locked onto Daichi, mirroring his partner's aggression.

Daichi, however, didn't waver. His red hair, tied in its usual high ponytail, barely shifted in the wind. He knew that this fight would require more than brute strength—he would need to outlast her, play to his advantage in chakra control and tactics. His eyes tracked her every movement, his body relaxed but ready for the first strike.

Natsumi cracked a grin, fingers twitching in anticipation. Akira snarled beside her, coiled like a spring, waiting to pounce. She had no intention of giving Daichi any breathing room.

As the referee's hand dropped to signal the start of the fight, Natsumi wasted no time. "Shikyaku no Jutsu!" she shouted, her muscles rippling as she dropped to all fours. Her posture became animalistic, her movements quicker, more agile. Akira matched her shift in form, both of them now a synchronized blur as they darted toward Daichi at full speed.

Daichi saw it coming. Instantly, his hands flew into a series of hand seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called out, and three identical copies of himself appeared, surrounding him in perfect formation. The clones moved in sync, positioning themselves to confuse Natsumi's approach.

But Natsumi and Akira were undeterred. They split apart, each targeting a different Daichi clone with ruthless precision. Their claws and fangs ripped through the clones, tearing them apart in puffs of smoke. Within moments, all three of Daichi's clones had been destroyed, leaving the real Daichi to face them alone.

Natsumi was airborne before the last clone vanished, her claws extended as she aimed for Daichi. Akira followed close behind, ready to strike from below.

But Daichi was quick. He sidestepped her midair swipe, narrowly avoiding Akira's lunge as well. "Close, but not close enough," Daichi muttered under his breath, watching as Natsumi landed gracefully, only a few feet away.

Natsumi growled in frustration, already preparing her next move. "Akira, Dynamic Marking!" she commanded. Akira leapt into the air, aiming a spray of chakra-infused scent toward Daichi, trying to mark him. Once marked, Natsumi and Akira would be able to track him no matter how many clones he created.

But Daichi saw it coming. With a well-timed roll, he avoided the spray entirely. "You're too slow," he taunted as he quickly formed another set of hand seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Once again, three shadow clones appeared beside him, their movements synchronized as Daichi prepared for his next attack. His hands moved in tandem with his clones, and water began to gather at their fingertips. "Multi Water Whip Jutsu!"

Water whips lashed out from Daichi's hands and the hands of his clones, eight whips in total, crackling through the air with incredible speed and power. Natsumi barely had time to react as the first whip snapped toward her, forcing her to leap to the side. But the second whip came just as quickly, catching her across the back and sending a sharp sting of pain coursing through her.

Akira yelped as one of the water whips struck him on his hind leg, causing him to stumble. The force of the water whip was overwhelming, each strike like a heavy lash, leaving no room for counterattacks.

Natsumi tried to close the distance between her and Daichi again, but the water whips were relentless. Daichi's clones moved in perfect unison with him, their whips striking from different angles, keeping Natsumi and Akira on the defensive. The sound of water cracking through the air echoed around the arena.

With a snarl of frustration, Natsumi lunged at one of Daichi's clones, destroying it with a powerful swipe of her claws. But as soon as she did, another whip lashed out, catching her hard across the side and sending her crashing to the ground. Akira was struck again by another whip, yelping in pain as he tumbled across the dirt.

Natsumi struggled to get up, her body aching from the repeated strikes. She hadn't expected Daichi to have such control over his jutsu, nor had she anticipated the sheer power behind the water whips. Each hit felt like a sledgehammer slamming into her body, knocking the wind out of her.

Daichi, however, wasn't done yet. Forming another hand seal, he created three more clones, surrounding Natsumi once again. The water whips lashed out in unison, striking her from all directions. One whip cracked across her back, another across her legs, and a third caught her across the chest, driving her to her knees.

Natsumi's vision blurred as she struggled to stand, but her body wouldn't respond. The pain was too much, and she could barely move.

Before she could react, one of Daichi's clones hurled a shuriken at her, the blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy. It struck her in the shoulder, cutting deep. Natsumi winced in pain, her body swaying, barely able to stay upright, she fell to her knees trying to stop the bleeding.

The referee stepped forward quickly, raising his hand. "Winner—Daichi Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf!"

Daichi let out a breath, releasing his jutsu. The water whips and clones vanished, leaving him standing alone in the arena. He took a moment to survey the battlefield. Natsumi lay on the ground, her dog limping toward her, both of them battered and bruised.

Medical-nin rushed out to tend to Natsumi's injuries, the smell of healing ointments already in the air as they worked on her shoulder and other wounds.

The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting Daichi's name as he turned and walked toward the edge of the arena. He acknowledged their praise with a simple nod, but his mind was already elsewhere. He had won this round, but there were tougher fights ahead.