"The fourth match: Uzumaki Kushina versus Ryōto."
The preliminary examiner's voice echoed across the arena, sharp and clear, as the names of the contestants appeared on the giant screen. The crowd murmured in anticipation, some leaning forward in excitement, others holding their breath.
Kushina, standing at the edge of the spectator stands, straightened her posture. Her eyes gleamed with determination, and her long crimson hair swayed behind her as she prepared herself mentally for the fight.
"It's my turn now," she whispered to herself, a confident smirk curling on her lips. "Watch me perform."
With a graceful leap, Kushina descended into the center of the arena, landing lightly on the ground. The crowd's gaze followed her every movement, impressed by her poise and confidence.
Her opponent, Ryōto, entered the arena as well. This was the same Sand Shinobi she had faced previously, alongside Haruko, during an ambush. On that occasion, they had ganged up against her, yet Kushina had single-handedly defeated them both with skill and precision.
Now, standing face-to-face with Ryōto in a one-on-one duel, the young Sand ninja knew the odds were against him. Nevertheless, he showed no sign of surrender.
"I won't lose to you this time!" he shouted, bracing himself. His voice carried both defiance and determination, a mixture of youthful courage and desperation. Over the past few days, he had studied Kushina, gathering as much intelligence as possible about her fighting style and capabilities.
Intelligence was a critical factor in this era. Before the chaotic power scaling of later times, knowledge of an opponent's habits, weaknesses, and techniques could decide the outcome of a battle.
Kushina, however, exuded confidence. "If I can beat you once, I can beat you twice," she replied quietly but firmly, her eyes unwavering.
The examiner raised his hand, signaling the start of the match. The arena seemed to hold its breath.
Ryōto immediately adopted a cautious stance, keeping his distance. Unlike the last encounter, he avoided close-range combat and relied on thrown ninja tools and Wind Release Ninjutsu to keep Kushina at bay.
Kushina realized the difficulty instantly. She had spent most of her training alongside Uzumaki Mito, learning complex sealing techniques rather than long-range offensive jutsu. The Adamantine Sealing Chains, her clan's signature technique, were her primary weapon, but she had yet to fully master their use at range.
For a moment, she faltered, unsure of how to bridge the gap. In the spectator stands, Mikoto's eyes widened with concern.
"Kushina… she isn't going to lose, is she?"
Aosui, observing quietly from the sidelines, shook his head. His calm voice contrasted sharply with Mikoto's worry.
"Losing is unlikely. The outcome depends entirely on whether Kushina can find an opening in this stalemate. If she spots a weakness, she can end the match immediately. Otherwise, she can simply wait for Ryōto to exhaust his chakra."
Ryōto's strategy was clever, but he had miscalculated one crucial factor: he was facing an Uzumaki. Kushina's chakra reserves were enormous, and her vitality was nearly unmatched. Against almost any other opponent, his tactic would have been effective. Against her, it was a dangerous gamble.
Determined not to drag the fight out, Kushina hardened her resolve. Channeling her chakra, she summoned the Adamantine Sealing Chains—a technique she had not yet fully mastered. From behind her back, two chains of pure chakra sprang to life, writhing like serpents, each tipped with the signature red hue of the Uzumaki Clan.
Ryōto froze. He had never seen such a technique before.
"What… what kind of technique is that?" he muttered, eyes wide with shock.
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, observing from the stands, raised an eyebrow in surprise. Kushina could already use the Adamantine Sealing Chains with considerable control—a testament to her innate skill and her clan's formidable lineage.
Troy, a Cloud ninja who had been quietly watching, could not conceal his covetous expression. The Adamantine Sealing Chains were among the rarest and most powerful sealing techniques in existence. Possessing them would make controlling a Tailed Beast, even the Nine-Tails, far more manageable. For Kumogakure, acquiring such a skill would be a strategic coup.
But for now, Kushina's focus remained on the battle.
Whoosh!
The two chains lashed forward with incredible speed, targeting Ryōto's feet. He instinctively activated the Body Flicker Technique, narrowly evading the attack. Kushina had anticipated this, however; controlling more than two chains at her current level risked losing control. If she could master additional chains, she could instantly trap her opponent in a web of chakra, leaving them no escape.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kushina shouted, tightening her control over the chains. They writhed like living entities, pursuing Ryōto relentlessly.
To avoid capture, Ryōto had no choice but to keep dodging, retreating across the arena. The battle, once balanced, began to shift unmistakably in Kushina's favor.
Haruko, standing silently beside Rasa, clenched her fists. "Is Ryōto going to lose?" she whispered, anxiety etched across her face. Their meticulous preparations and intelligence gathering seemed futile in the face of Kushina's hidden capabilities.
Despite her prayers, reality remained unchanged. With a final, desperate maneuver, Ryōto attempted to evade the chains but was caught by the end, bound tightly.
The match concluded.
"Winner of the fourth match: Uzumaki Kushina!"
Aosui observed quietly, analyzing Kushina's performance. She possessed immense chakra reserves, yet she was still learning how to fully utilize them in combat. In that sense, she reminded him of Naruto before he mastered the Rasengan—a raw powerhouse with untapped potential.
In the original timeline, Minato had developed the Rasengan specifically to channel Kushina's enormous chakra efficiently. But with Aosui now present, he contemplated an alternative path: perhaps he himself should develop the Rasengan.
If executed correctly, it could become a technique of unparalleled power, optimized for the next generation of shinobi. It was ambitious, but Aosui had confidence in his ability. Developing an original Ninjutsu from scratch was far more challenging than learning an existing one—but the potential rewards were enormous.
He recalled that even Minato had taken three years with Jiraiya's assistance to complete the Rasengan, while Naruto learned it in less than a month. This disparity only reinforced Aosui's determination.
---
The next match was announced.
"Fifth match: Hyūga Yū versus Misaki."
Hyūga Yū, a member of the prestigious Hyūga Clan's Branch Family, stepped into the arena. His Byakugan eyes glimmered with readiness, a quiet yet undeniable aura of power surrounding him.
Opposite him, Misaki, one of Pakura's subordinates, entered. Aosui could already sense the outcome. Misaki's unfortunate luck in the preliminaries seemed to persist—facing a member of the Hyūga Clan was a daunting challenge.
The fight began, and as expected, Misaki struggled to contend with the expert's Gentle Fist techniques. Every strike she attempted was countered, her chakra flow intercepted with precision. In mere moments, she sustained injuries that forced her to concede.
"Winner of the fifth match: Hyūga Yū."
Aosui swiftly stepped forward, tending to Misaki's wounds with professional efficiency. He could not ignore the opportunity to gain Chakra from her treatment.
[Completed the treatment of Misaki. Reward: One Blue Orb.]
[Congratulations on obtaining 80 Chakra points.]
---
The preliminaries concluded, the arena buzzed with excitement and anticipation. Kushina had proven herself as a formidable combatant, Ryōto had been exposed as underprepared, and Aosui's observations hinted at future developments—techniques to be learned, battles to be fought, and strategies to be crafted.
In the quiet aftermath, a subtle shift had occurred. Kushina's potential, now fully recognized, had set the stage for even greater developments in the shinobi world. Aosui, contemplative yet determined, prepared to take the next step in shaping history—starting with the creation of a technique that would one day become legendary.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)