Reincarated with Nanites

~ Hayatou's Pov ~

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Well someone finally realized, and of course it was the smartest man in all of Konoha... I was still playing around with my opponent. He had relatively decent skills, I could tell he knew his stuff; but he's much weaker than I expected him to be. I'm only using about 50% of my maximum physical capacity, and he's already struggling...

If I removed my weights, this fight would be an absolute cake-walk... So that isn't an option for me.

Shiba looked at me with wide eyes, and an expression that resembled embarrassment. I would be embarrassed too... Fighting a child is one thing, but knowing said child was holding back on you; while you're actively giving it your all is another thing entirely.

I could see Shiba gritting his teeth, his breathing ragged as he wiped a trickle of sweat from his brow. His stance was still pretty solid, but I could see the slight trembling in his arms—the kind that came from exhaustion setting in... He knew. He likely knew by now that I wasn't even trying... it's his fault for constantly going on the offensive.

It was easy to pick up that he wanted to end the fight quickly from the beginning. But he underestimated me too much, and that is his downfall...

To an extent, I almost felt bad. Almost.

"Tch! Well then... I guess I'll have to start trying harder... Won't I?"

Hmm? Judging from his change of tone, he's definitely pissed. 

Before I knew it, he was already weaving hand signs, unfamiliar ones at that too.

'N.E.O, scan everything you see from here. I want every jutsu he has stored, asap!'

[Affirmative host.]

A murmur rippled through the crowd, a mix of intrigue and excitement. Some of the spectators had already caught on to what was happening.

"That boy's barely breaking a sweat…"

"Shiba's losing his edge..."

"No, look—he's about to get serious now."

Shiba's fingers blurred through a rapid sequence of unfamiliar hand signs, his breath still uneven but his intent clear. It looks like he was finally done playing around.

My eyes sharpened, analyzing his movements. He was still tired, still sluggish compared to me—but desperation has a funny way of making people unpredictable.

[Scanning... Identifying jutsu patterns...]

The moment N.E.O. started his process, I saw Shiba slam his hands to the ground. A deep rumble spread through the dirt beneath us, cracks forming like jagged lightning bolts. Within seconds, jagged stone pillars erupted from the earth, aiming straight for me.

"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"

I tsked under my breath, 'A terrain manipulation jutsu? Smart. It must mean he wants to limit my movement.'

I pushed off the ground, flipping backward with a precise landing on one of the emerging pillars. The air shifted—Shiba was already moving again, closing the distance between us. His kunai gleamed under the sun as he lunged forward, his arm muscles tensing with all the strength he could muster.

I ducked just as the blade whizzed past my face, twisting my body midair to avoid the follow-up strike. His movements were much sharper now, and more calculated. Even though he was running on fumes, he wasn't down for the count.

"Hahh—!" Shiba exhaled sharply, throwing a feint before launching a roundhouse kick aimed at my ribs. I caught his ankle with ease, feeling the tremor in his leg. He was fast, but I was faster.

A flicker of panic crossed his face as I gripped his leg just tight enough to throw him off balance.

"Too slow."

With a swift motion, I twisted, sending him tumbling midair before he crashed onto his back. A cloud of dust shot up on impact, and the crowd let out a mix of cheers and gasps.

"Damn..."

"He's down!"

"No way, Shiba got thrown like that?"

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I landed lightly a few feet away, rolling my shoulders a bit. N.E.O. chimed in my head.

[Jutsu scan complete. Downloading profile now.]

Perfect. Now I knew at least some of what he had in his arsenal.

I could hear him groaning; coughing as he pushed himself up... Did I hit him too hard? His arms were essentially trembling beneath him, and I could tell the pain was setting in... Still, he wasn't giving up. I can respect something that.

"You done yet?" I asked, tilting my head.

He spat to the side, shaking his head with a breathy chuckle. "You little... cocky brat…" He wobbled to his feet, still glaring at me.

I shook my head, "No, I'm just realistic."

Shiba wiped the sweat from his brow, inhaling deeply. I could see it in his eyes—he wasn't ready to stop. Good. Because I wasn't finished yet either.

Even as his body screamed for rest, even as his breathing turned ragged and his vision blurred at the edges, he refused to fall. His pride wouldn't let him.

"Tch… Fine. I yield."

That's what he almost said.

Instead, at the last second, his fingers twitched. A desperate move—his last card.

I caught it.

His knees bent slightly, his weight shifted ever so subtly. A final, reckless lunge was coming.

The crowd hadn't noticed. Hell, even Shikaku barely moved, though I knew he was watching carefully.

[Warning: Sudden movement detected.]

'I know.'

Before I could react properly, Shiba practically exploded forward, a kunai clutched in his shaking grip, aimed right for my ribs... A desperate move, yet tiringly predictable. I simply twisted my body approximately twenty degrees to the left; sidestepping at the last moment. His blade barely grazed my shirt before I caught his wrist, twisting it sharply...

"ARGGH—!"

With his balance already off, I used his own momentum against him, yanking him forward before slamming my elbow into his gut. His body folded.

The impact sent him staggering back, his feet barely keeping him upright. His kunai slipped from his fingers, clattering onto the dirt below. A collective wince rippled through the crowd.

"That's it the end of it. He's done."

"Why'd he try something like that? Should've just stayed down."

Shiba wheezed, clutching his stomach like his life had depended on it. His entire frame trembled as he fought to stay standing. I watched, waiting... Would the man try again?

…No. He was definitely done. I could see it in his eyes this time. His knees buckled, but before he could collapse, I stepped forward and caught him by the collar...

His head snapped up, eyes dazed and barely focused.

"That was stupid," I scolded, my voice low enough that only he could hear it, "I could've ended you just now." the fool only let out a breathless chuckle, his lips twitching into a half-smile despite the pain he was in. "Y-Yeah… I figured."

With that, his body finally gave out. I let go, allowing him to crumple to his knees, his shoulders rising and falling with exhausted breaths. The proctor didn't even need to ask.

"Winner: Hayatou!"

The spectators must be mumbling to themselves in utter disbelief up there. I barely paid attention. Instead, I just stepped back, rolling my neck a little. My body felt fine—I could've easily gone for a few hours more... A shame I didn't even get to use any of my jutsus either...

Shikaku stretched lazily, letting out a dramatic yawn. "Took you long enough," he added.

I shot him a quick glance, but I didn't see the need to respond.

Shiba, still kneeling, let out one final, breathless chuckle, "Kid... You're a damn monster."

Really, I was a monster? If these people only knew what was coming to them. They wouldn't call me a monster... I worked hard. I earned my strength, it wasn't granted to me despite the help I've gotten. To them, you were just born with it, and they refuse to look at the work I've put in to cultivate it...

But, that isn't my concern; My mother was...

"It was a good match... Thank you for the lesson." I bowed and helped him upwards.

Now, my plans were finally setting into motion...

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END