[Ameruyi Takeda - Lv. 25 Genin (↑1)]
Ameruyi proved but one thing. Proficiency in skills and battle-awareness were more important than pure level estimations. After all, she had beaten a chunin who had 7 more levels than her with relative ease. In fact, she had never been pressured.
The match-up was undoubtedly in her favour. Close-combat had never been the forte of ninjutsu specialists, which Ayaka was. However, Ameruyi had not been injured at all, compared to Ayaka who was panting and applying first-aid on her body with hisses of pain.
"Congratulations, Ameruyi. You are promoted to Chunin rank. Effective as of now", Kosuke congratulated, "Next. Ryugo"
Ryugo felt many eyes on him. Kosuke's expectant and curious stare, Ameruyi's hopeful gaze, Tetsu's encouraging pupils...As well as Genzo, his opponent, staring with respectful fighting spirit.
[Genzō – Lv. 30 Chunin]
Genzo looked like a classic Amegakure shinobi. Strong build, a simple katana on his waist, scrolls hanging on his legs, and a set of kunai in his back. His imposing gas mask showed that he was likely an assassination asset, like most individuals in the Dark Hall Tower.
'It seems like our opponents were not chosen randomly...', Ryugo analysed
Ameruyi had been matched with a ninjutsu specialist, to give her a taste of strong ninjutsu and spacing. Turns out the intent failed, but if she had been too slow or too weak, she would have felt the need to capitalize on her weaknesses.
Genzo was the opposite. He was a close-combat specialist, and since Ryugo's files indicated his mastery of ninjutsu, Kosuke probably thought of it as a lesson. If he failed, he would have to learn to balance his stats, and grow more proficient in close combat.
[Status: Ryugo Kagutsu | Lv. 27 (↑2) Genin (220 / 3 500)
Attributes (Scale 100):
Chakra Density: C (45) (↑5) | Chakra Control: C (88) (↑8)Mind: D (42) (↑2)
Agility: D (93) (↑3) | Strength: C (16) (↑1) | Stamina: D (82) (↑2)
Perk: Lightning Specialist (C), Poison Immunity (C), Team 11 Captain (+20% EXP to Team 11) (D)
Skill Proficiencies(Scale 100):
Bloodline Release: Raikōgan I (C) (51) (↑6)
Ninjutsu(Raiton): White Lion Storm Bite (B) (14) (↑2), Storm-Cage Blade (C) (93) (↑8), Lightning Clone (D) (90), Lightning Arc (D) (80) (↑3), Lightning Snake Kunai (D) (63) (↑3), Thunder Clap (D) (51) (↑3)
Genjutsu: Genjutsu Reversal (D) (74) (↑2)
Kenjutsu: Amegakure Swordsmanship (C) (12) (↑6), Needle Sword Thrust (D) (22) (↑2)
Taijutsu: Academy Rain Fist Style (E) (73) (↑3), Ame Corps Unbalancing Throw (D) (New)
Miscellaneous: Stealth (C) (70), Kunai Throwing (D) (78) (↑6), Strategy (D) (79) (↑2), Logistics (D) (10), Wilderness Survival (D) (10), Trading (D) (24) (↑2), Eloquence (D) (63) (↑8), History (D) (10), Flute (E) (37) (↑6)
Items: Storm-Sever Katana (B)]
Ameruyi had grown stronger, but he had learned a lot from the joint training too.
"Let's see what the prodigy of Team 11 is made of," Genzo said, settling into a solid kenjutsu stance. His hand rested on his sword's hilt, "Don't hold back"
"I won't, sir", Ryugo replied calmly. He did not reach for his own blade.
Genzo's eyes narrowed slightly at the omission.
To Genzo, it was a signal. To Ryugo, it was a message.
He would not have to draw his blade for this fight. Genzo might be a close combat specialist, but there was no need to test his opponent in his strongest field. He would do what Ayaka failed to achieve. Kite his opponent and maintain a security distance while harassing his enemy with ninjutsu.
"Begin", Kosuke's voice echoed.
Genzō burst forward, a straightforward charge meant to test reaction speed. Ryugo didn't move until the last moment, then his hands flashed through seals—Snake → Tiger.
"Raiton: Lightning Arc!" (D)
A jagged fork of lightning, brighter and faster than it had been a month ago, sizzled across the arena floor, not aimed at Genzō's body, but at his path. Genzō skidded to a halt, the lightning scoring a black mark on the stone where his next step would have been.
His charge was halted, but Genzō suffered no damage.
To Ryugo, however, this was more than enough. This technique was never meant to deal fatal damage. It was a probe, quick and deafening if it reached the target, but sufficient to maintain distance
"Good control", Genzō grunted.
He feinted left, then threw three kunai in a tight spread. As Ryugo shifted to dodge them, Genzō's hands formed a single seal.
"Substitution no jutsu!" (C)
He vanished from his position, swapping with a kunai that had lodged in the ground near Ryugo's flank. It was not spatial teleportation, only misdirection.
To the naked eye, however, it managed to propulse him into Ryugo's close perimeter. He was inside Ryugo's guard, his katana already drawn in a blinding, horizontal decapitating stroke.
"Too reliant on distance!" he barked
The blade passed through Ryugo's torso.
There was no spray of blood. Instead, a violent crackle of electricity erupted. Genzō's eyes widened as the form of 'Ryugo' dissolved into a raging, blue-white network of lightning chakra
"Raiton: Lightning Clone!" (D)
It wasn't just a dummy clone. It was a live wire trap. Genzō hissed as the discharged energy scorched his forearm and side, his muscles seizing for a critical second. He stumbled back, smoke rising from his flak jacket.
Blood dripped from his nose.
The real Ryugo was already in position, twenty feet away, having used the clone as both a shield and a distraction. His hands were weaving through a long, complex sequence of seals
Ram, Boar, Snake, Tiger, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram, Ox, Hare, Tiger…
Genzō, gritting his teeth against the numbness, saw the buildup of chakra. It was massive, dense, thrumming in the air.
He's not playing.
There was no time for fancy substitutions. Genzō slammed his palms onto the stone floor, channeling his chakra into the earth.
"Doton: Earth-Style Wall!" (C)
A thick, solid wall of rock and soil erupted from the ground before him, a broad barrier meant to absorb any frontal assault.
Ryugo's final seal, Tiger, snapped into place. His voice cut through the humming energy.
"Lightning Release: White Lion Storm Bite!" (B)
Kosuke had not expected ninjutsu of that level in a genin fight.
"STOP", he shouted, but his scream was muffled by the shrieking of Ryugo's jutsu
The coalesced chakra erupted from his position not as a bolt, but as a raging, bestial torrent in the shape of a lion's maw, screaming forward with a sound like tearing metal.
It was raw, violent power, a technique meant to obliterate fortifications and scorch battlefields.
It struck the earth wall head-on.
KABOOOM!
The impact was thunderous. Dust and shards of rock exploded outward. The wall did not hold for more than a split second. The lightning did what lightning does to earth.
It pierced through.
Genzō, pressed against the back of his own defense, had nowhere to go. A surge of raw electricity coursed through the wall and into his body.
"GAH!"
He convulsed, a strangled cry escaping his mask. The paralyzing current locked his joints, fried his nerves.
He slumped against the crumbling wall, muscles twitching uncontrollably, his vision swimming.
Silence.
The dust settled. Ryugo deactivated his Raikōgan, his eyes returning to normal. He hadn't drawn his sword once. He'd used clones, area denial, and B-rank ninjutsu to break a defense.
Genzō was unconscious. Smoke arose from his scorched body.
Inspector Kosuke looked down, his analytical gaze fixed on Ryugo. The chakra density, the chakra control required to pull of such a massive domineering fight...
"A tactical demonstration from start to finish. I did not know that, but it seems like you have awakened the Raikogan too", He gave a sharp nod, the dojutsu explaining the immense speed and force of the jutsu he had just released, "Ryugo Kagutsu. Evaluation: Pass. Promotion to Chunin approved"
Ayaka quickly went to check on her fellow examiner's vitals. She sighed in relief seeing that he was still breathing, but looked at Ryugo a second time.
First, Ameruyi, and now, Ryugo...
This was not a regular cell of genins.
This should have been a simple examination. When they heard of genins being promoted two months after they graduated from the academy, they laughed. They thought about it as an opportunity to show seniority.
The result? Ayaka was covered in cuts.
And Genzō? The poor man was bloody unconscious!