"Begin!"
The moment the proctor gave the signal, Kushina immediately formed hand seals and unleashed the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Poof! In an instant, nearly a hundred Kushinas filled the arena, completely surrounding Masaki.
Gasps echoed across the audience stands. "She created that many shadow clones?!"
Even seasoned jōnin were stunned. While Shadow Clone Jutsu was a B-rank technique, it was widely known and used. Most ninja were familiar with its mechanics.
It created real, physical clones—but split the user's chakra evenly among them.
A typical jōnin could barely manage a few shadow clones before the chakra cost became too dangerous.
This was why the A-rank Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu was listed as a forbidden technique, sealed away in the Scroll of Seals. Summoning hundreds—or even thousands—of clones at once required an extraordinary amount of chakra.
Masaki, Kushina's opponent, looked shaken. Is this kind of chakra level even human?!
But in a match like this, surrender wasn't an option. With the wave of Kushina clones charging toward him, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and counterattack with a wind-style jutsu.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
A violent gust of wind erupted from his mouth, scattering over half of Kushina's shadow clones and dispelling them in puffs of white smoke. That was the downside of shadow clones—low durability.
"Don't underestimate us!" The remaining clones reached Masaki, but he quickly used Body Flicker to retreat and evade their attacks.
As a Wind Release user, Masaki knew better than to engage someone like Kushina—a close-combat specialist—in taijutsu. While in mid-air, he fired off another series of Wind Release attacks.
Razor-sharp wind blades sliced through the pursuing Kushinas, taking down more of them. But just as he landed—
Kushina's real body appeared right behind him, wielding a swirling Rasengan in her palm. This had been her strategy from the beginning:
Use the clones as decoys to distract Masaki, while the real Kushina circled around for a surprise Rasengan strike. And with the Rasengan's power, a clean hit would surely end the match in a single blow.
"So Kushina knows that technique too… This must be Aoshi's influence." Watching from above, Hiruzen Sarutobi made the connection upon seeing Kushina unleash the same jutsu.
"Aoshi, you continue to surprise me." He was taking the boy more and more seriously.
No! The alarm bells in Masaki's head rang out—but it was too late to react.
Boom! The Rasengan smashed into him, and the sheer force sent him flying. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he collapsed unconscious.
"Winner: Uzumaki Kushina!" The proctor declared the result without hesitation.
On the viewing platform, Aoshi's shadow clone watched the match silently.
Meanwhile, Rasa's face darkened. From his perspective, Masaki had performed pathetically—carelessness had cost him the fight.
But regardless of his opinion, the outcome remained unchanged. Rindo and Haruko rushed into the emergency room to check on Masaki—only to find Aoshi's real body finishing up treatment.
[You've healed Masaki. Reward: 1 Blue Orb.]
[Congratulations! You've obtained a Kunai.]
"He's fine. With a few days of rest, he'll fully recover."
"Thank you for your help."
---
Meanwhile, the fourth match was already underway: Uchiha Nai vs. Jin.
"Finally, the Uchiha match. I've been waiting forever for this."
The Uchiha Clan's fame echoed throughout the ninja world. Many Nobles and Daimyo from various nations had come to Konoha just to witness an Uchiha in action.
With ninja hearing being what it was, both combatants could hear the audience murmuring.
Jin was visibly irritated. Uchiha aren't unbeatable. I might not lose.
"Begin!"
Before the words had even fully left the proctor's mouth, a massive fireball was already screaming toward Jin.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu—the classic opening move of the Uchiha Clan.
"So fast with the hand seals!" Jin was shocked but managed to dodge in time.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! However, the moment he evaded the fireball, a barrage of shuriken came flying in from multiple angles.
Their strange trajectories closed off all his escape routes.
This was Uchiha shurikenjutsu.
Wind Release: Violent Whirlwind!
Realizing he couldn't dodge, Jin quickly formed hand seals and released a tornado-like blast. The gust scattered all of Uchiha Nai's shuriken.
Without missing a second, Jin began forming seals to launch his own counterattack. But before he could finish, horror dawned in his eyes—he couldn't move.
Genjutsu: Binding! A genjutsu cast by Uchiha Nai.
The moment he realized he was trapped in an illusion, Jin knew the match was over. His hunch was correct.
When Nai calmly approached and pressed a kunai to Jin's immobile neck, the proctor had seen enough.
"Winner: Uchiha Nai!"
With the match settled, Nai immediately retracted his weapon and turned to leave. Behind him, Jin stood frozen—face twisted with frustration.
He hadn't been able to fight back at all.
"Fifth Match: Hirakawa Aoshi vs. Namikaze Minato."
Upon hearing their names, Aoshi's shadow clone and Minato stepped into the arena.
"Brother Aoshi, I hope you won't hold back. I want to see just how far apart our abilities really are."
Minato didn't believe he could win. But based on his earlier performance, he was confident he had already proven himself worthy of becoming a Chūnin.
So even if he lost badly, it wouldn't matter.
Aoshi smiled, just about to reply when—suddenly—
A massive black creature appeared in his field of vision. It was bizarrely shaped, with enormous white fangs, massive limbs, and a hulking, inhuman body.
But most striking of all was the pair of giant black wings sprouting from behind its huge head.
As those wings flapped, the creature shot through the air at terrifying speed—heading straight for Konoha.
With a flash of memory, Aoshi remembered its name: Satori.
The final boss from the movie Naruto: Blood Prison. Said to be a weapon that existed from the Sage of Six Paths' era—a living instrument of war.
It was normally sealed within the Box of Ultimate Bliss, and its appearance in Konoha could only mean one thing: This was the work of the Hidden Grass Village.
"What is that?!"
Satori's massive body was impossible to miss. Aoshi wasn't the only one who saw it. People followed the speaker's finger—every eye turning toward the incoming threat.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned. He didn't need a second glance. The ominous chakra radiating from Satori was enough.
This thing meant trouble.
And sure enough, Satori suddenly beat its wings and plummeted toward Konoha like a living meteor. Its enormous body—immune to physical damage—was its most devastating weapon.
In just a few breaths, Konoha suffered devastating destruction.