Chapter 34: A Clumsy Victory and Hidden Strength
"Fifth match: Hashimoto Asuka of Kirigakure versus Liumu of Konoha!"
As a die-hard 'straight guy,' even across two lifetimes, what Liumu detested most were overly feminine boys like his opponent. It wasn't just the drawn-on eyebrows and makeup; the guy had the gall to insult two of Liumu's favorite young ladies just by existing.
"Begin!"
Following the order, Asuka pulled several black pellets from behind and hurled them directly at Liumu's feet.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A series of explosions. Black smoke erupted from the pellets, completely enveloping Liumu.
Then, Asuka's hands flew through seals. "Water Release: Exploding Water Shockwave!" As the ninjutsu completed, Asuka leapt up, releasing a massive water sphere in mid-air that crashed directly into the black smoke.
"So fast!"
Kakashi, watching from below, couldn't help but praise Asuka's hand seal speed. Starting the battle with a smoke screen to block Liumu's vision, then quickly sealing to strike from above—it not only checked if Liumu had dodged but also provided a vantage point to spot any hiding places on the field.
"Clever," Kakashi concluded.
"Did I… win?"
Asuka frowned, staring at the motionless black smoke.
"Watch out!"
Suddenly, another Kiri ninja beside Haku shouted a warning.
Hearing this, Asuka instinctively dodged sideways. But unexpectedly, Liumu—who should have been in the smoke—appeared right behind him, seemingly intending to…
"Tsk. Millennium Kill failed."
Liumu muttered. His crouched body was suddenly knocked off balance by Asuka's stumble. Before he could dodge, they tumbled into a heap together.
...
A moment later, in his dazed state, Liumu's fingers tightened reflexively. Instantly, a soft, pliant sensation met his touch.
"What's this?"
Confused, Liumu tried again, even giving it a few exploratory squeezes.
"Y-You… you!"
Asuka let out a sharp, indignant cry. Crossing her arms, she immediately sprang up. Looking at her furious, red-faced expression, Liumu stared at his own hands, then glanced at her…
"You… you're a girl?"
"You bastard!"
Asuka cursed angrily, immediately releasing Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!
Instantly, the stone hall was enveloped in a thick fog. Visibility dropped to zero. Only Asuka's voice rang out again.
"Water Release: Thousand Flying Water Needles!"
In that moment, everyone saw the mist and water droplets filling the arena instantly coalesce into thousands of needle-like projectiles mid-air. All pointed at Liumu, radiating a chilling sharpness.
"Whoa, hold on! It was just a touch! No need for silencing tactics!"
Looking at her tear-filled, furious eyes, Liumu felt a twinge of guilt. But he reasoned that what happened was an accident, not intentional. Besides, while Hashimoto Asuka was a girl, her demeanor and appearance were no different from a boy's. A simple mistake was understandable!
"Die! (Shine!)"
Asuka slowly raised her right hand, her face cold. She swung it down sharply toward Liumu.
Almost instantly, the thousand water needles in the air, as if commanded, shot toward Liumu's body like lightning.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The icy fog exploded, bursting into countless ice shards.
Looking at the wall corner now covered in pulverized ice… Liumu's figure suddenly appeared on the stone hall's ceiling, dozens of meters high. His five fingers were dug into the stone, suspending him in mid-air.
"This crazy woman is really trying to kill me!"
Though he felt apologetic, Liumu was now genuinely annoyed.
Releasing his grip, Liumu dropped from the ceiling, landing heavily on the ground with a muffled thud that echoed through the hall.
Asuka watched Liumu descend, frowning. She hadn't seen at all how he'd avoided her Thousand Flying Water Needles.
Seeing him now walking toward her with a cold expression, Asuka immediately began forming seals, preparing to trap him with a Water Prison Technique.
But…
Before her seals were complete, Liumu was already right in front of her. Before Asuka could fully react, Liumu grabbed her wrist, pivoted slightly, and immobilized her from behind. He then pinned her neck, forcing her face-down onto the ground.
"Let me go!"
Asuka's left arm was trapped beneath her body; her right was captured by Liumu. Unable to break free, she could only threaten him with words.
But Liumu not only didn't release her, he even sat on her back.
"Do you yield?" Liumu asked the girl beneath him.
"No!"
Asuka's mouth was stubborn. After struggling futilely for a long time, she remained pinned. Being subdued in such a humiliating manner finally drew a frown even from Haku, watching off-stage.
According to the rules, unless a contestant was unconscious or voluntarily surrendered, the match couldn't be called as long as they remained conscious. Liumu didn't want to resort to force, so he looked to the referee.
"I'll give you ten seconds. If you can't break his lock, I'll have to declare you defeated!" the Iwa-nin referee told Asuka, immediately beginning the countdown.
"10… 9… 8..."
As the countdown neared zero, Asuka remained trapped.
Finally, when time expired, Liumu was declared the winner.
"Just you wait. Haku will avenge me," Asuka shot Liumu a venomous glare, snorted coldly, and jumped off the arena.
Liumu merely shrugged indifferently and returned to his team.
Joint locks were a form of taijutsu, using the limitations of human joints to immobilize an opponent. The technique Liumu had used on Asuka was called "Mountain Shaker." However, those truly caught in Mountain Shaker wouldn't be as relatively unharmed as Asuka. The true technique involved driving a knee into the space between the opponent's fourth and fifth vertebrae. Any resistance risked shattering the spine, causing paralysis.
Liumu had learned these skills out of personal interest in his past life, picking up a few moves online. He never expected to use one on a girl.
"Are you okay?" After the match, Mizukage immediately ran to Liumu's side.
"I'm fine. I'm tough." As he spoke, Liumu sat back down. Glancing toward the Kiri team, his eyes met Haku's gaze.
"I think he was holding back," Asuka, who'd just fought Liumu, said to Haku. "That man taught me the Thousand Flying Water Needles. And with that range… he avoided it in an instant. It's clear his true strength is far beyond what he showed."
(End of Chapter)
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