Konohagakure – Two Days Before Finals
The news spread through Konoha not like wildfire, but like a seismic pulse—calibrated, official, and inescapable. Posted on every public bulletin, delivered by discreet ANBU to every dignitary's suite, and announced in a crisp, amplified voice from the Hokage Tower, it was less an announcement and more a declaration of a new era's spectacle.
"By the accord of the Five Kage and with the endorsement of the Five Great Daimyos, an exhibition tournament of Jonin-level combatants will precede the Chunin Exam Finals. The matches will demonstrate the pinnacle of shinobi art, foster goodwill, and celebrate the strength of this era. The bracket is as follows: Match One: Commander Indra Uzumaki-Uchiha of Kumogakure versus Jonin Rias Uzumaki of Kumogakure. Match Two: Might Guy of Konohagakure versus Baki of Sunagakure. Match Three: Kakashi Hatake of Konohagakure versus Chōjūrō of Kirigakure. Match Four: The winner of Match One versus Lord Orochimaru, the Sound Kage. All matches will be held in a newly constructed, secure arena within Konoha's central training grounds. Public viewing tickets are limited and will be sold by the Konoha mission desk, with proceeds funding international relief efforts."
For a moment, there was silence across the village. Then, the frenzy began.
Konoha Civilian District – Ticket Queue
Old Man Teuchi wiped his hands on his apron, peering out from Ichiraku Ramen at the line that snaked around three blocks. It wasn't for ramen.
Teuchi: "Ayame! Mind the broth! I'm going to the mission desk!"
Ayame: "Papa! The line's a thousand people long! You'll never get a ticket!"
Teuchi: (Already tying his headband) "For a chance to see the boy who made a lake in the desert fight his own girlfriend? The girl who's an Uzumaki like Naruto's mother? This is history, Ayame! Shinobi history happening over our heads! I'll bribe a chunin if I have to!"
He wasn't alone. Merchants, craftsmen, minor nobles visiting for the exams, and even off-duty chunin and genin formed a disorganized river of humanity surging toward the mission desk. The price was steep—50,000 ryo for a standard seat, 250,000 for the middle tiers, and a cool 1 million ryo for the lower boxes near the Kage—but it didn't matter. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event.
Mission Desk – Chaos
Shikamaru Nara, dragged into emergency ticket duty, looked at the seething crowd and sighed the sigh of the profoundly inconvenienced.
Shikamaru: "What a drag… This is why spectator sports are troublesome."
Ino Yamanaka, working the next window, was frazzled but buzzing with energy. "Come on, Shikamaru! This is exciting! The whole world's watching! And Indra-sama is so… intense. And Rias-san is gorgeous and powerful! It's like a romance play and a war documentary combined!"
Choji Akimichi, munching on a bag of chips reserved for 'stress,' mumbled. "I just hope they have food vendors…"
At the high-tier window, a different drama unfolded. A Wind Country noble in silks was arguing with the chunin clerk.
Wind Noble: "A million ryo? For a seat? That's extortion! I am a personal friend of the Kazekage!"
Kurenai Yūhi, overseeing the premium sales, leaned over, her voice calm but firm. "The prices were set by joint Kage and Daimyo agreement, sir. The funds are for rebuilding areas in the Land of Rivers still recovering from the last war. If you find the price… unworthy of the spectacle, perhaps the standing-room section in the back would suffice. It's only 10,000 ryo."
The noble spluttered but slapped down a stack of bills. He wasn't about to be seen in the peasant section.
Within four hours, every one of the 25,000 tickets was sold. The Konoha treasury swelled by over 4 billion ryo. The economic shockwave was immediate. Street vendors sold "prediction slates" (would the lovers kill each other? Would they kiss afterward?), food stalls prepared for massive crowds, and enterprising genin offered "guided viewing" with binoculars from nearby rooftops (shut down by ANBU within minutes).
The Arena – Construction Nightmare
The central training ground, usually a vast, dusty plain, was being transformed. Or rather, it had been transformed, and now the builders were just… finishing the incomprehensible.
The Hyūga engineers, the Nara strategists, and the Akimichi construction chiefs stood at the edge of the site, looking utterly lost. Before them, a team of fifteen Kumo shinobi—thirteen of them with vibrant red Uzumaki hair—moved with synchronized, silent efficiency. They weren't building walls or stands. They were etching seals into the air, onto transparent chakra panels, and into the very earth in a three-dimensional lattice that hurt to look at for too long.
Hiashi Hyūga, his Byakugan active, felt a headache coming on. "Their chakra pathways… the complexity… it's like watching a symphony of light, but I can't hear the music. I understand perhaps… twenty percent. The spatial folding principles are beyond our current sealing science."
Shikaku Nara rubbed his temples, looking at the blueprint one of the Uzumaki had politely handed him. It was covered in recursive equations and multi-layered seal arrays that referenced non-Euclidean geometry. "They tried to explain the core concept. Something about creating a 'recursive spatial manifold' where the interior volume is topologically disconnected from the exterior dimensions, allowing for expansion without increasing the exterior footprint. The barrier isn't a wall; it's a… pocket dimension anchored to our space. I understood the words. I did not understand the sentence."
Choza Akimichi just stared at the growing structure. From the outside, it looked like a giant, shimmering soap bubble, about 100 meters in diameter. But through the slightly warped light, you could see inside, and the interior was… vast. It appeared to be a stadium several kilometers across, with floating observation platforms and terrain that shifted from forests to rock pillars to water zones. "How… how are they fitting all that in there?"
One of the Uzumaki overseers, a young man named Kael Uzumaki with crimson hair tied back and sharp green eyes, noticed their distress. He walked over, a polite smile on his face. He was one of the "new" Uzumaki, bearing the subtle, powerful physique of the Fanalis bloodline mixed with the clan's vitality.
Kael Uzumaki: "Lord Hyūga, Lord Nara, Lord Akimichi. Is there an issue? We are on schedule. The Extension Barrier will be complete in six hours."
Shikaku: "Extension Barrier? That's the official name?"
Kael: "Yes, sir. A Space-Time Barrier, Type VII. It creates a stable, expanded sub-reality within a defined exterior boundary. The interior is fully customizable. For today, Commander Indra and Lady Rias requested a varied biome for… dynamic testing. The barrier's integrity is rated to withstand multiple direct strikes from a full-power Tailed Beast Ball from the Eight-Tails. Approximately seven to eight impacts before catastrophic failure."
Hiashi's Byakugan veins pulsed. "You can quantify that?"
Kael: "Of course. We stress-tested the prototype in the Land of Lightning using simulated impacts from the Elephant Clan's charge and the Eagle Clan's storm calls. The math is quite elegant. Would you like to see the damping calculations for chakra-based spatial shear?"
The three Konoha clan heads exchanged a glance. Choza smiled weakly. "Maybe… later. Thank you for your hard work."
As Kael nodded and returned to his team, Shikaku sighed. "We've been left behind. Not just in power. In language. They're speaking the future, and we're still conjugating the past tense."
The Day of the Tournament – Arena Exterior
The bubble was no longer translucent. It had solidified into a magnificent, opalescent sphere, its surface reflecting the morning sun in rainbow hues. Giant, numbered gates glowed around its circumference. The air hummed with a deep, sub-audible frequency—the sound of stabilized space-time.
The crowd was a living entity, a sea of colors and sounds from every nation. Vendors sold grilled octopus (a hit in the Kumo sections), flavored ice, and commemorative scrolls. The atmosphere was a mixture of festival and coliseum.
The dignitaries arrived in their processions. The Earth Daimyo, peering curiously at the sphere. The Water Daimyo, looking mildly concerned but intrigued. The Wind Daimyo, still sour about the ticket price but seated in his million-ryo box. The Fire Daimyo, trying to look regal while secretly thrilled at the tourism revenue.
The Kage took their places in the central, fortified observation platform that hovered within the barrier itself, offering a 360-degree view. Tsunade, with Shizune and a visibly nervous Jiraiya. Ōnoki, floating grumpily. Mei Terumi, elegant and calculating. Gaara, calm and observant in his Kazekage robes. And Orochimaru, a smile playing on his lips, his eyes fixed on the arena floor. The Lightning Daimyo, Enmaru Saito, arrived last with Raikage A. They didn't walk through the crowd; they were escorted by three Kumo jonin—Samui, Karui, and Omoi—through a private, sealed portal that opened directly onto the platform.
But all eyes, all gasps, were not for them. They were for the small, spiky, blue-black form perched comfortably on Killer Bee's broad shoulder, two of its eight tentacles crossed like arms.
It was Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, in his 150cm avatar form. He looked like a grumpy, animated octopus-squid hybrid with intelligent, gleaming eyes.
A dead silence fell over the Konoha section of the platform. Kakashi's single eye widened. Guy's jaw dropped. Jiraiya stopped fidgeting. Tsunade's medical brain immediately began analyzing the chakra structure.
Gyūki: (His voice was a low, rumbling bass that vibrated in their bones, yet perfectly clear) 'Bout time. Took you stuffy lot long enough to get seated. I was getting bored. Hey, Bee, you think they'll sell takoyaki in here? Irony would be delicious.
Killer Bee: (Chuckling) Don't think so, eight-tails, but maybe later we can grab some, ya fool!
Raikage A grinned fiercely at the stunned expressions. "Relax. He's just here for the commentary. Says he's got a better view of chakra flows than any of your Byakugan."
Hiashi Hyūga, seated nearby, felt a vein throb. The sheer casualness of it—a Tailed Beast, a creature of apocalyptic legend, sitting there complaining about snack food.
The Fire Daimyo leaned over to Enmaru, whispering loudly. "Lord Enmaru! Is that… safe?"
Lightning Daimyo Enmaru: (Sipping tea brought by Omoi) "Perfectly. Gyūki-sama is a respected entity within the Land of Lightning. He has his own diplomatic passport, you know. Now, shall we begin? I believe the first combatants are ready."
On the arena floor, which from the inside looked like a vast, ancient Greek amphitheater fused with floating island chunks, two figures walked out from opposite tunnels.
The Arena Floor – Indra vs Rias
Indra emerged first. He wore a simplified version of his Kumo uniform—dark grey, form-fitting, with the lightning-pattern cuffs. No flak jacket. His forehead protector was on his arm. His hands were bare. He looked calm, centered, a slight smile on his lips.
Rias emerged from the opposite side. She wore combat gear of deep crimson and black, her Uzumaki crest proudly displayed. Her hair was tied back in a practical but elegant ponytail. In her hand, her signature weapon—the Gáe Bolg-inspired spear, Adamantium and Chakra Ore, currently in its full, gleaming glory. She spun it once, a silver blur, and planted the butt on the ground with a thunk that echoed.
The crowd's roar was deafening.
A neutral proctor—a stern-faced Samurai commander chosen by Mifune—stood in the center. His voice was amplified by the arena's acoustics.
Proctor: "Combatants. This is an exhibition match. The goal is to demonstrate skill, not to kill or maim. Yield is achieved by verbal submission, incapacitation, or being forced outside the marked central circle. You may use any techniques, summons, or weapons at your disposal. Do you understand?"
Indra & Rias: (In unison) "Understood."
Proctor: "Then… begin!"
He flickered away in a Shunshin.
For a moment, they just stood there, 50 meters apart, looking at each other. The crowd held its breath.
Rias: (A fierce, loving smile) "Don't you dare hold back, Indra. I'll know."
Indra: (His smile turning sharp, competitive) "I wouldn't dream of it, my storm. Show me how much brighter you burn."
Then, they moved.
It wasn't a blur. It was a disappearance and a simultaneous reappearance in the center of the arena, weapons already colliding.
CRACK-BOOM!
The sound wasn't just metal on metal. It was a shockwave of pure force that rippled the air, visible as a distortion wave that hit the barrier walls and dissipated in rainbow shimmers. The ground beneath their feet didn't crack; it cratered, a perfect circle of compressed earth five meters wide.
Indra hadn't drawn a sword. He'd created one. In his right hand was a massive, straight, double-edged greatsword of pure, brilliant white energy. It hummed with contained power, its edges shimmering with spatial distortion. It had blocked Rias's spear thrust perfectly.
Observation Platform – The Kage's Reactions
Ōnoki's jaw tightened. "Instant weapon creation. No seals. That's the 'Creation' ability the reports mentioned. The chakra density… it's off the charts."
Mei leaned forward. "Look at her form. Perfect grounding, flawless thrust mechanics. She's not just relying on the spear's magic."
On the platform, Gyūki's commentary began, a rumbling bass directly in their minds courtesy of Bee's chakra link.
Gyūki: Oh, nice opener! Kid didn't even blink. Solid spatial reinforcement on the blade edge—see that shimmer? He's making the cutting plane exist in two places at once. Nasty if it hits. Girl's got her spear tip vibrating at a molecular frequency. Trying to find a resonance weakness in his construct. Clever.
Tsunade heard the commentary and her eyes widened further. She was analyzing the medical implications. "Molecular vibration… she's using a medical-nin level understanding of cellular resonance as a weapon."
The Fight –
Rias disengaged, her spear becoming a whirlwind. She wasn't just thrusting; she was using the entire shaft—sweeps, blocks, parries, using the momentum to chain attacks faster than the eye could follow. It was a kenjutsu style adapted for a polearm, fluid and devastating.
Indra met her. His greatsword shouldn't have been that fast. It was huge, longer than he was tall, but in his hands, it weighed nothing. He wielded it with one hand, the moves economical, precise, and terrifyingly powerful. Each block stopped Rias's momentum dead. Each counterstroke forced her to redirect or be overwhelmed.
Then, he formed a second blade in his left hand. This one was different—shorter, slightly curved, a hybrid between a war axe and a spearhead, also glowing white. Now he fought with two weapons, a style that was part samurai, part berserker, utterly unique.
The clash escalated. They weren't just fighting; they were conversing in violence.
Rias: "Wind Release: Gale Blade!" She didn't stop her spear thrust; she layered a vacuum edge around it, extending its cutting range.
Indra didn't dodge. "Earth Release: Mud Wall." A slab of rock shot up, not to block, but to deflect the angle. He slid around it, his axe-blade coming in a low sweep. "Lightning Release: Spark Dance." Dozens of tiny, controlled lightning arcs shot from the blade, not to electrocute, but to disrupt her nervous system's signals for a microsecond.
Rias gasped, her rhythm faltering for a split second. But she was already moving. "Water Release: Mirage!" Her form split into three watery clones, all attacking from different angles.
The Stands –
In the Konoha Genin section, Team 7, 8, and 10 sat with their jaws on the floor.
Naruto: "Wha… what is that? They're using so many things at once! How?!"
Sasuke's Sharingan was whirling, trying desperately to copy, to parse. He saw the chakra flows. He saw the hand seals formed with minuscule movements or sometimes with none at all for Indra. He saw the perfect taijutsu integration. It was overwhelming. "He's… not using a primary nature. He's using whatever is most efficient for the millisecond. And she's matching him."
Sakura, watching Rias, felt a different kind of awe. The woman's strength, her precision, her fierce beauty in combat… it was both intimidating and inspiring. "She's… she's not just his girlfriend. She's his equal."
Ino, swooning slightly: "It's so romantic! They're trying to beat each other up with the power of love!"
Shikamaru, for once, wasn't complaining about the drag. His mind was racing, trying to analyze the tactics. "They're not fighting to win. They're fighting to explore. Testing limits. Pushing each other to the next move. It's… it's a dialogue."
Observation Platform –
The Fire Daimyo watched the three Kumo jonin—Samui, Karui, and Omoi—standing attentively behind Lord Enmaru. They weren't just guards. As the fight raged, they took turns leaning in and speaking softly, explaining the action.
Samui, her voice cool and analytical: "Lord Daimyo, Lady Rias just used a layered genjutsu within her Water Clone technique. The visual of the clones is a distraction; the real attack is the infrasound vibration from her footwork, aiming to disrupt inner ear balance. Commander Indra countered by grounding himself with an Earth Nature chakra pulse, canceling the vibration, and is now using the Lightning arcs to map her real position via chakra conductivity."
The Lightning Daimyo nodded, sipping his tea, looking utterly relaxed and informed.
The Earth Daimyo scowled at his own entourage of burly Iwa guards, who just stared at the fight blankly. He couldn't understand half of what was happening. He leaned toward Ōnoki. "Lord Tsuchikage! What did she just do?"
Ōnoki, annoyed at being a translator, grunted. "She tricked him with a sound-based genjutsu. He figured it out."
The Earth Daimyo blinked. That was it? He looked back at Enmaru's trio with naked envy.
The Fight –
Rias broke the melee with a soaring backflip, landing 100 meters away. She was breathing deeply, a wild grin on her face. "Okay. Warm-up's over."
She formed a single hand seal. "Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!" A tsunami of flame roared forth, not the wide, destructive blast of a typical Uchiha, but a concentrated, piercing lance of blue-white fire hot enough to melt stone.
Indra didn't retreat. He crossed his two white blades before him. "Water Release: Water Formation Wall!" But it wasn't a wall; it was a spiraling vortex of super-pressurized water that met the fire lance head-on. The collision created a massive explosion of superheated steam that filled the arena.
Through the steam, streaks of lightning shot—Rias using Lightning Release: False Darkness, the black lightning spears seeking him out.
Indra's Sharingan spun. He saw them coming through the fog. He didn't move. "Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere." He fired pinpoint spheres of compressed air that detonated the lightning spears mid-air.
Then he countered. "Earth Release: Fissure!" The ground beneath Rias cracked open. She leaped, but he was already there. "Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Dozens of small, guided fireballs homed in on her airborne form.
Rias spun her spear like a propeller. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" She created a localized tornado around herself, deflecting the fireballs. She landed, immediately stomping the ground. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" A dome rose around her just as Indra finished a seal.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!" A wolf of lightning howled and slammed into the dome, exploding it into rubble.
From the dust, Rias shot out, spear coated in raging water. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!" The dragon roared to life, but it was wrapped around her spear, a fusion of weapon and technique.
Indra met it head-on, his greatsword now coated in crackling lightning. "Lightning Release: Chidori Spear!" The clash was elemental cataclysm—water and lightning exploding in a deafening, blinding discharge.
The Stands –
In a private box reserved for retired Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat with his pipe unlit, his eyes wide. He'd been the Professor, master of all five chakra natures. He'd seen genius. He'd seen power.
This was different.
They weren't just using all five natures. They were weaving them. Using one to enable another, to counter a third, to create a fourth effect. The tactical depth, the chakra control, the sheer creative application… it was a masterclass that made his own prime look… formulaic.
Homura, beside him, whispered. "Hiruzen… they're children."
Koharu nodded, pale. "And they're not even going all out. You can see it. They're holding back their most lethal techniques, their unique eyes… This is them playing."
Hiruzen finally lit his pipe, hand slightly unsteady. "I am witnessing the death of the old paradigm, old friends. And its rebirth, in the hands of two teenagers in love."
Observation Platform – Gyūki's Running Commentary
Gyūki was having the time of his long, long life. Ooh, nice combo! Water-Lightning blend for area denial and sensory overload! She's forcing him to expend chakra on defense! He's responding with… oh, sneaky! He's layered a genjutsu within the lightning flash. Not a visual one—a proprioceptive hack. Making her think her left arm is six inches to the right. Nasty! But she's breaking it… Uzumaki willpower, gotta love it. She's using the pain of the dissonance to anchor herself to reality! Now she's countering with a Yin-release pulse to disrupt his focus! This is better than Bee's last rap battle!
Jiraiya was scribbling notes frantically, not for a novel, but for tactical analysis. "They're fighting in four dimensions simultaneously—physical, elemental, genjutsu, and psychological. It's… beautiful and terrifying."
Tsunade watched Rias take a glancing blow from the flat of Indra's axe-blade that would have shattered a normal person's ribs. She saw the girl's chakra flare, the Uzumaki vitality instantly reinforcing the area, healing micro-fractures in real-time. "Her regenerative capacity… it's almost like a weaker version of my own Strength of a Hundred seal, but passive. And his physical strength… he's holding back to avoid killing her, but the raw power behind each swing… it's Senju-level."
The Fight –
After nearly twenty minutes of non-stop, escalating combat that had left the audience breathless, they separated again, both showing the first signs of real exertion—slight sheens of sweat, heavier breathing, but eyes still blazing with fervent joy.
Rias grinned, panting. "You're still too stiff on your left-side pivots when using the axe."
Indra chuckled, rolling his shoulder. "And you over-commit on downward thrusts by three degrees. Leaves your lower abdomen open."
Rias: "Wanna see my new friends?"
Indra: "I'd be disappointed if you didn't show them off."
Rias bit her thumb and slammed her palm onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"
A larger-than-normal puff of smoke, dark and swirling. From it emerged not one, but a flock.
There was a Noivern, a large, draconic bat with huge ears and fierce eyes, landing beside her with a thud. A swarm of Woobat and Crobat filled the air above her in a chittering, swirling cloud. And, perched on a newly formed rock pillar, a Gliscor, its scorpion-like tail clicking, its wings spread.
The crowd gasped. These weren't normal summons. They felt different—more intelligent, more integrated. The bats' echolocation pulses were visible as faint ripples in the air.
Rias patted Noivern's neck. "Echo here is the boss. The swarm handles area denial and sonic disruption. Gliscor is for hit-and-run poison tactics. Your turn, oh mighty summoner."
Indra smiled. He performed his own summoning, but with a flick of his wrist, no blood needed. Two scrolls unfurled and burned.
From one, with a sound of tearing canvas and a mighty trumpet, came an elephant. Not Airavat, but a magnificent Regal Mammoth, its four huge tusks gleaming, its hide like layered stone. It stamped the ground, and the entire arena trembled.
From the other, with a screech that pierced the sky, a giant Braviary descended, its wingspan casting a shadow over the section of the stands. It landed on a floating island perch, its keen eyes scanning.
Indra: "Goliath and Sky-Reaper. They're excited."
The dynamic shifted entirely. Now it was a small-scale war.
Rias pointed her spear. "Sonic Screech! Swarm Dive!"
The Woobat and Crobat cloud descended in a chaotic, deafening wave. Noivern opened its maw and unleashed a visible cone of destructive sound. Gliscor shot forward, a purple blur.
Indra didn't flinch. "Goliath! Terra Pulse! Sky-Reaper! Aerial Razor!"
The Regal Mammoth raised its trunk and slammed it down. A wave of compressed earth shot forward, disrupting the sonic attack and scattering the bat swarm. The Braviary dove, its wings glowing with cutting wind chakra, slicing through the air towards Gliscor and Noivern.
What followed was five minutes of coordinated, large-scale tactical combat. Rias, augmented by her bats' echolocation, fought with preternatural awareness, dodging elephant charges and eagle dives while directing her summons. Indra, a commander on the field, used his summons as extensions of his will, creating combined attacks—the Mammoth would create an earth wall, which the Braviary would shatter into a shrapnel storm, which Indra would then ignite with Fire Release.
It was breathtaking. It was insane. It was a level of summon integration no one had ever seen.
Observation Platform – Orochimaru's Epiphany
Orochimaru watched, his golden eyes narrowed to slits. He saw the seamless bond, the respect between human and summon. He saw the way Indra's summons fought not out of subservience, but out of shared purpose. He remembered the warning from his own snake summons.
"The one who walks with the Storm and the Earth-Walker is under their gaze. To move against him is to invite the wrath of realms. We will not aid you in such folly."
Now he understood. It wasn't just about Indra's personal power. It was about his alliances. He had forged pacts with powers that existed outside the shinobi system, powers that saw him not as a master, but as a peer. A kindred spirit who built rather than destroyed.
Orochimaru felt a strange sensation—not fear, but profound, intellectual curiosity. The path of stealing bloodlines, of body-hopping… it was the path of a scavenger. Indra's path—of creation, of synthesis, of earning loyalty—was the path of a creator. Which was more… satisfying?
For the first time, Orochimaru's obsession shifted minutely. The goal wasn't just to possess such power. It was to understand how it was built. Perhaps… collaboration was a more fruitful path than predation.
The summons faded in puffs of smoke, their chakra spent. Rias and Indra stood alone once more in a scarred, elemental wasteland of their own making.
They were both breathing heavily now, clothes torn in places, minor burns and cuts visible but already closing thanks to their respective vitality. But their smiles were wider than ever.
Raikage A, watching from the platform, chuckled. Gyūki's voice rumbled in his mind.
Gyūki: They're having the time of their lives, A. Absolute maniacs. I love it. They're at about… 40% now. Maybe 45. She's pushing him.
Raikage A muttered to Tsunade, who was in earshot. "They're at less than half power."
Tsunade's head snapped around. "What?"
Raikage A: "The kid told me. If they went all out—full Mangekyō, full Creation, full Sage mode for him, her full Uzumaki sealing arsenal and whatever else she's got—they'd probably break this barrier in under a minute. This is them… sparring with the safety on."
Tsunade looked back at the arena, a cold dread mixed with awe settling in her stomach.
Down below, Rias hefted her spear. "Last sequence. No holding back on the physical."
Indra dismissed his white blades. They disintegrated into motes of light. He cracked his neck. "Agreed."
They shot towards each other for the final time. This was pure taijutsu, speed, and raw power augmented by chakra.
The blows were faster, harder. Indra's fist cratered the ground where Rias's head had been a nanosecond before. Rias's kick, augmented by Wind chakra, sliced a gash in the air that Indra phased through using a micro-scale Space-time step. They grappled, strength against strength, the ground buckling under their feet. It looked less like a fight and more like two forces of nature wrestling.
Indra got a hold, wrapping his arms around her from behind in a crushing lock. Rias didn't struggle; she went limp for a split second, then exploded upward with her head, smashing the back of her skull into his nose.
He grunted, grip loosening. She spun, elbow aimed for his throat. He caught it, twisted, and used her momentum to throw her over his shoulder.
Rias flipped in mid-air, landed on her feet skidding backwards, and immediately lunged again.
It went on for another two minutes, a blistering, brutal exchange that had the crowd screaming with every near-hit. Finally, Rias, seeing an opening after a clever feint, committed to a final, powerful spear thrust aimed at his chest.
Indra saw it coming. He didn't block. He stepped into the thrust, turning his body at the last possible millisecond. The spearhead grazed his side, drawing a line of blood. But now he was inside her guard. His hand shot out, not as a fist, but open-palmed, and tapped her lightly on the forehead.
It was over.
The arena fell silent.
Rias froze, spear still extended. She looked at the hand on her forehead, then at the blood on his side. She lowered her spear, a wide, breathless, utterly delighted smile spreading across her face.
Rias: "You let me hit you."
Indra: (Panting, smiling back) "It was the only way to get that close. You left no other opening. It was perfect."
Rias dropped her spear. It clattered to the ground and shrank back into a hairpin. "I yield."
The proctor's amplified voice broke the silence. "Winner: Indra Uzumaki-Uchiha!"
The roar from the crowd was apocalyptic. But in the centre of it, the two combatants only had eyes for each other.
Indra, wincing slightly at the cut on his side, stepped forward. In one smooth motion, he bent and swept Rias up into his arms, a classic princess carry. She was exhausted, smiling dopily, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Rias: "You're bleeding on me."
Indra: "You hit me with a legendary spear. I'm entitled to bleed."
Then she pulled his head down and kissed him. Deeply, passionately, ignoring the 25,000 spectators, the Kage, the Daimyo, everyone. It was a kiss of equals, of partners who had just shared the most exhilarating experience of their lives.
In the stands, Zeoticus Uzumaki was weeping openly with pride. Venelana was dabbing her eyes with a silk handkerchief, beaming. Sirzechs was applauding calmly, a proud older brother's smile on his face. Delia Uchiha was clutching the railing, tears streaming down her cheeks, her heart full to bursting.
On the Kage platform, Raikage A's eye twitched violently. "Damn kids. Couldn't just shake hands?"
Gyūki cackled. Romance! Violence! Victory kisses! This is the best day ever! Better than that time I made a tidal wave!
Orochimaru simply licked his lips, his mind already racing with new hypotheses, new avenues of research that didn't require betrayal, but rather… partnership.
In the genin stands, Naruto whooped and hollered. Sasuke watched, a complex mix of respect, longing, and a shattered understanding of what power could be. Sakura felt a new determination ignite. That was what a kunoichi could be.
As Indra carried Rias towards the exit tunnel, the crowd still cheering, the Lightning Daimyo's three elite jonin turned to their lord.
Samui: "Mission accomplished, Lord Daimyo. No external threats detected. The barrier integrity held at 98.7%. Analysis suggests Commander Indra utilized approximately 42% of his estimated maximum combat capacity, Lady Rias approximately 45%. Their performance has successfully projected Kumo's strategic paradigm shift."
Lightning Daimyo Enmaru smiled, a king's satisfied smile. "Good. Now, let's see how the others measure up."
The Jonin Tournament had begun. And the world would never be the same. The Storm Sovereign and his consort had just written the first, dazzling chapter of a new shinobi legend. And everyone, from the lowliest genin to the most ancient Kage, had taken notes.
The age of hidden villages clinging to their secret techniques was ending. The age of open, overwhelming, systematically engineered power had dawned. And it wore the faces of two teenagers, bloodied, exhausted, and kissing in the heart of the storm they had created.
End of Chapter – 32.