Chapter 33: Chapter 18:Ashura Vs Indra!
As the semi-finals began, Iruka looked at the remaining three: Yuto, Naruko, and Hitomi. Holding three sticks in his hand, he explained, "Each of you will draw a stick. Two will have a red marking, and one will have green. Whoever gets the green will move directly to the finals, while the two with red will face each other for a spot."
As Iruka held out the sticks for them to draw, Naruko, Hitomi, and Yuto stepped forward. Naruko reached for her stick first, gripping it confidently and pulling it out to reveal a red marking. She shot a glance at Hitomi with a grin. "Guess we're gonna see who's better, Teme."
Hitomi raised an eyebrow, her calm exterior hiding the spark of excitement in her eyes as she drew her stick—another red tip. "Bring it on, Usuratonkachi," she replied coolly, a small smirk forming.
Yuto looked down at his own stick, green at the end. "Looks like I get to skip to the finals," he said, slightly relieved but mostly amused at the clear tension building between his friends. He couldn't wait to see how they'd go all out against each other.
Naruko crossed her arms, giving Hitomi a challenging look. "Better not hold back, or you'll regret it, Teme. I've been waiting to take you down!"
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Hitomi replied, her Sharingan glinting. "Try to keep up, Usuratonkachi, or this will be over in seconds."
Yuto chuckled to himself, watching their intense exchange. 'These two have really got something to prove,' he thought, leaning back to enjoy what was sure to be an exciting match.
The match between Naruko and Hitomi was about to begin, and excitement was high. Naruko's usual grin was wider than ever, while Hitomi's Sharingan was already activated, analyzing every possible move.
"Hope you're ready to lose, Teme!" Naruko shouted, bouncing on her feet, her eyes blazing with energy. She thought about the first round, the obstacle race, and channeled chakra on her fists. She had a plan and wanted to test it first.
"Usuratonkachi, I'd be more worried about yourself," Hitomi replied coolly, focusing on her stance.
Iruka called for the match to begin, and Naruko bolted forward, her speed impressive, catching even the teachers' attention. Hitomi shifted, her Sharingan following Naruko's movements, but Naruko was fast. Her fist came flying toward Hitomi, who dodged just in time, barely skimming her face. However, as she moved, Naruko's fist struck the ground.
A sudden crack reverberated through the training field as a small crater formed where Naruko's punch had landed. Gasps echoed from the crowd, and Yuto's eyes narrowed, piecing together what just happened. 'Did Naruko really… crack the ground just by using chakra with her punch?' Yuto thought, realizing she had somehow tapped into her chakra reserves to boost her physical strength.
From the sidelines, Yuto continued to analyze. 'Naruko's chakra is enormous. Unlike Sakura or Tsunade, who needed extreme control to save chakra, Naruko has so much of it that she could use her chakra wildly. If she masters this, she could mimic the monstrous strength of the Sannin without needing perfect control.'
Naruko, still brimming with energy, laughed as she faced Hitomi. "Didn't see that coming, did you?"
Hitomi's eyes narrowed in respect and slight wariness. "Not bad, Usuratonkachi, but you'll need more than ground-cracking punches to win."
Naruko grinned, drawing closer, channeling chakra into her legs this time for even more speed. She darted forward, faster than before, testing her new approach. Hitomi dodged, trying to counter with a few kunai, which Naruko deflected with a flick of her hand. The two clashed again, Hitomi managing to land a blow to Naruko's side with a kunai strike. But Naruko absorbed the hit, gritting her teeth through the pain, refusing to back down.
Taking a deep breath, Hitomi formed hand signs quickly. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" she shouted, releasing a large, blazing sphere of fire straight toward Naruko.
Naruko's eyes widened, but she sprang back just in time, the fireball barely missing her by inches. Despite the heat and danger, she laughed. "So that's how it is, huh? Bring it on!"
Their rivalry burned as intensely as ever. With Hitomi's skill and Naruko's raw power, the match kept everyone on edge. Both were clearly determined to win, each adapting their style to match the other's strength and weaknesses, proving that their rivalry was just as much about pushing each other to new heights as it was about beating one another.
The match had been going on for 15 minutes, neither intending to give in. The kunai clashed again, echoing through the field as Hitomi and Naruko engaged in a fierce exchange. Both were determined, neither giving ground. Hitomi leaped back, forming her final hand signs. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" she shouted, launching the last fireball she could manage. She was running low on chakra and knew she needed to conserve it carefully.
Naruko, despite her bruises and cuts from earlier, felt her energy surge as she focused chakra into her legs and fists. When the fireball came roaring toward her, she jumped high, her figure a blur against the bright flames. Hitomi's eyes widened, the chakra exertion leaving her slightly weakened, yet she couldn't believe the sheer force Naruko was displaying.
"This is the end!" Naruko shouted mid-air, her fist glowing with chakra as she rocketed down. Hitomi crossed her arms to brace, but the impact was intense. A scream escaped her as the force jarred her entire frame; she felt a sharp sting, likely fractures forming in her arms from absorbing such a heavy blow. The impact sent her flying out of the ring's boundary.
Yuto, standing at the edge, moved quickly and caught her in a gentle, bridal-style hold before she hit the ground. Hitomi glanced up at him, feeling exhausted yet appreciative. "You… you did amazing," Yuto said softly, admiration clear in his eyes. "You should rest now."
Hitomi smiled slightly, her eyelids heavy. "Thank… you…" she whispered, slipping into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile, Iruka declared Naruko the winner. She stood still, catching her breath and processing her victory, but something else tugged at her thoughts. Seeing Yuto holding Hitomi like that brought a strange feeling she couldn't quite shake. 'Why… does it feel like I lost something?' she thought. But Yuto's encouraging smile and words snapped her back to focus.
"Let's give it our all in the finals, Naruko!" Yuto said, his excitement genuine.
Naruko grinned back. "You bet I will!"
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Naruto:Eye system)