Despite Suguru's thoughts, the second stage of the Chuunin Exams had descended into a brutal free-for-all.
His clones each followed a squad of their own, watching and observing whatever they found interesting. Whenever the genin squads used or encountered a Gimmick Scroll, the clones would also document their findings.
It was rare to find free labor, after all.
'Maybe I should hold my own Chuunin Exams in the future…'
So far, only the team of two jinchuriki and one Uchiha had completed the test, as they were now resting in the tower. They didn't find it necessary to look for those Gimmick Scrolls.
Though Suguru thought it was a shame, it made sense for them to pass up the opportunity.
However…
'They'll regret that,' A devious smile had formed on Suguru's lips as he looked at the peculiar trio.
If some other genin squad found those scrolls, victory in the next part of the exam would almost be guaranteed.
Thus.
The others were going ham. For example:
Team 8, consisting of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Hyuga Hinata, found themselves locked in a tense standoff with a squad from Iwagakure.
Both sides had scrolls.
Both sides knew how to use them.
So, the battle was quite interesting.
Kiba quickly identified a Defensive Scroll hidden within their opponent's belongings. The scent of the Heaven or Earth Scrolls, as well as the different Gimmick Scrolls, had a pattern he learned about early on.
It wasn't that hard to figure said pattern out.
Therefore.
With a bark from Akamaru, he charged forward.
'Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu: Fang Over Fang!'
—Boom!
Two grey serpents of spinning mayhem smashed through the trees, tearing everything apart. Tree bark flew into the air and leaves swirled into a typhoon.
The sheer destructive power of the Taijutsu Kiba displayed was unmatched at this stage of their careers.
Shino, unfazed, unleashed a swarm of insects, constricting their foes in a zone wherein Kiba could wreck havoc. Meanwhile, Hinata, utilizing her Byakugan, stood on the look out, wary of any opportunistic teams wishing to steal their prey.
Like this, they would easily retrieve the required pair of scrolls to pass the second test.
At the same time, a few miles away…
Team 10, composed of Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji, and Yamanaka Ino, stumbled upon a particularly intriguing scroll.
It wasn't offensive or defensive, but Supportive.
Upon activation, it created a temporary field that somehow enhanced the user's chakra control, allowing for more precise and powerful jutsu. However, it didn't differentiate between friend or foe.
It applied only to those standing within a certain range of the scroll itself.
Shikamaru, ever the strategist, immediately recognized its potential. In fact, it was a perfect match for their squad. The Ino-Shika-Cho combination would become a lethal force with this boost in chakra control.
Thus.
They began to hunt for their target Scrolls.
* * *
Of course, Team 7 wouldn't be too far away from the action. They had their own skirmishes, harvesting the chaos brewed by the system as they moved to the objective tower.
Sasuke and Mitsuko stood back-to-back as an Otogakure shinobi circled them. Footsteps heavy and menacing.
—Tap. Tap. Tap.
The Oto-nin wore bandages across his face, leaving only one eye visible, and his hunched posture belied his explosive speed.
"Careful," Sasuke whispered to Mitsuko. "He uses sound waves."
The bruise on Sasuke's cheek was a clear sign of his earlier carelessness. Had it not been for his Hyuga teammate, he would've felt the blow even more.
Suddenly.
The Oto-nin lunged forward, right arm extended with palm facing outward. The air whistled as he struck forth with sudden strength.
—Swish!
Sasuke pivoted on his left foot, executing a defensive crescent kick aimed at the attacker's wrist. Moments before his strike made contact however,
—Whoong!
A blast of sound cracked through the air, narrowly missing Sasuke's face and forcing him to cancel his attack.
The Oto-nin thus retracted his arm and dropped into a low stance, sweeping his leg in a circular motion to target both Sasuke and Mitsuko together.
Mitsuko leapt over the sweep, her Byakugan activated, and chambered her right hand at her hip before thrusting forward with two fingers extended.
—Bachi!
Her Gentle Fist aimed for a Tenketsu near the opponent's shoulder, but the Oto-nin twisted his torso, causing her fingers to graze his collarbone instead.
"Hah!"
Sasuke heaved as he seized the opening, dropping into a horse stance with full intent on driving his elbow into the Oto-nin's floating ribs. The Oto-nin's earlier attack had become a hindrance to themselves when it bounced off of Sasuke's steady shin.
The Uchiha's elbow struck true.
"Urk—!"
The impact forced a grunt from the Sound ninja, who retaliated with a knife-hand strike toward Sasuke's throat.
—Pack!
Sasuke parried with his forearm, redirecting the force of the blow while stepping into the attacker's space.
—Whish!
He followed with a kick to the solar plexus, but the Oto-nin caught his ankle and twisted.
Rather than resist, Sasuke used the momentum to execute an aerial cartwheel, freeing his leg and landing in a cat stance.
"Take this!"
The Sound ninja pressed forward with a flurry of jabs, each one narrowly missing as Sasuke weaved through them with his Sharingan-enhanced perception.
Meanwhile, Mitsuko had circled to the side, her footwork silent as she closed the distance.
"Hap!"
She struck with an open-palm heel thrust to the kidney area, causing the Oto-nin to arch his back in pain. Just looking at how the shinobi crumpled from the strike would make anyone cringe.
"Hm?!"
Mitsuko's eyes gleamed, noticing a certain setup she had found herself in a few times in the past.
'Finally, I'm no longer on the receiving end…'
Thus!
Before the Oto-nin could recover, Mitsuko moved close. Her body stuck to the Oto-nin's own, matching hip against hip, and leg against the heel.
She thus transitioned into a outer hip throw, gripping his sleeve and using his own weight against him.
—A staple move from none other than Suguru himself with a bit of a spring. A Hane-goshi.
The Sound ninja was slammed straight into the ground without even a chance to retaliate, caught off-guard by the sudden grapple. The impact resounded against his back and through his ribcage, sending tremors through all of his important internal organs as even his skull cracked against the hardened soil.
"Ugh…" A groan leaked out of his lips, feeling the wind getting knocked out of his lungs.
"Heh," A smug smile wormed its way onto Mitsuko's face.
That was one down.
Sasuke glanced at Mitsuko. A silent understanding passed between them as they rushed to another place.
"Sakura!"
There was a reason they only faced a single foe — Sakura's Genjutsu allowed them to divide and conquer.
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