Temari also recognized the C-rank Earth Release Ninjutsu, Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish. As the Fourth Kazekage's eldest daughter, and three years older than Ino and her friends, Temari had extensive combat experience and wasn't controlled by anger. She pushed off the ground with her right foot, leaping high into the air, causing Ino's Mind Body Incision Technique, which aimed to pull her into the ground, to miss.
"Wind Cutter!" From her elevated position, Temari swung her three-star fan, unleashing a two-meter-long, incredibly sharp blade of air downwards.
Ino's Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish was still active, allowing her body to move like a fish through the mud, shifting two meters horizontally to dodge the wind blade. She looked up, returning the favor.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Tsunade herself wasn't skilled in Water Release, but she was knowledgeable. Moreover, Water Severing Wave was her grand-uncle's Ninjutsu, which she had seen since childhood. Her grand-uncle had also taught her many techniques and uses of this Jutsu.
To maintain her persona as a teacher, she taught Ino many Water Release techniques, even some she didn't fully understand herself, in a rather haphazard manner.
With this indirect teaching from the Second Hokage, Ino's application of Water Release improved by another ten percent.
At this moment, the stream of water was both fast and accurate. Temari, suspended in mid-air, had no leverage and could only block it with her precious Ninjutsu fan.
With a 'clang,' the Water Severing Wave struck the Ninjutsu fan, which should actually be called the three-star fan, emitting a metallic crunch.
Temari used this brief buffer to dodge the Water Severing Wave. Upon landing, she looked at her Ninjutsu fan with a pained expression.
The three-star fan was a step below Uchiha Madara's Gunbai, but it was still a treasure crafted by Sunagakure's ancestors from the God Tree's branches and a large amount of rare metals. Now, it had a two-finger-deep gash!
Ino was also a bit surprised. She hadn't intended to kill Temari. This Water Severing Wave was held back; if the opponent couldn't block it, she would have withdrawn her attack. But to be blocked by a 'broken fan' was something she hadn't expected.
Temari, both scared and enraged, fully opened her three-star fan, infused it with her wind-nature Chakra, and fanned out a massive tornado towards Ino.
This attack had a very large range. Ino didn't use low-level Ninjutsu to dodge this time but instead used her most proficient Water Release defense—a Water Release Ninjutsu taught to her by Tsunade, also originating from the Second Hokage.
She gathered Chakra in her chest and abdomen, then clasped her hands together and expelled Chakra towards the sky: "Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
It was as if a large hole had appeared out of nowhere in the sky, with an endless stream of water pouring down. The water, guided by Chakra, spun rapidly, resembling a water pillar connecting heaven and earth.
The water tornado covered a vast area, and as it spun rapidly, all of Temari's wind blades were blocked outside.
This Jutsu was both offensive and defensive. The water tornado, seemingly slow but actually fast, pressed down overwhelmingly, shrinking Temari's activity space. Even Shiranui Genma, the referee, appeared a bit flustered.
For Ino's teammates and family, this level of Water Release was commonplace; the Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave was truly shocking. The current Exploding Water Colliding Wave was just average. But for many Chunin and Jonin, the power of this Jutsu was somewhat exaggerated.
Several ANBU Ninja responsible for security at the venue couldn't help but discuss in low voices.
"Is that the Yamanaka Clan's young lady? She can activate such a large-scale Water Release out of thin air in an environment without water? This Water Release Ninjutsu seems to be the Second Hokage's Jutsu, right?"
A companion whispered, "I heard she is currently Lady Tsunade's disciple."
Does Lady Tsunade's disciple have anything to do with a Water Release of this scale? The ANBU Ninja who spoke first thought about it and felt there might be some connection.
Facing the Exploding Water Colliding Wave that covered half the arena, Temari had exhausted her options, even summoning her summoning beast, but it was still useless. All Wind Release Ninjutsu would be negated once they entered the Exploding Water Colliding Wave. Ino continuously replenished it, maintaining the scale of the Exploding Water Colliding Wave, and the two slowly entered a Chakra-draining contest.
Aside from Naruto and Gaara, Ino truly feared no one when it came to a Chakra battle.
Temari's Chakra reserves were only average. After a minute, her Chakra was almost depleted, and she could only raise her hand in surrender.
The next few matches proceeded quickly.
Gaara fought Shino Aburame. After a few exchanges, Shino felt he couldn't win and raised his hand in surrender.
Naruto stubbornly fought Lee, eventually defeating Lee with great difficulty thanks to his powerful regenerative abilities.
Kankuro forfeited directly.
Shikamaru defeated Hinata, then Sasuke faced Shikamaru. The two fought a match; Shikamaru fought quite hard. His Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu all had a certain level of mastery, already considered top-tier among the Konoha 12, but he ultimately couldn't defeat the Sharingan, and Sasuke smoothly advanced to the next round.
Undercurrents surged. Using the previous matches as cover, Sunagakure and Otogakure had both prepared to launch their attack.
Now, they were just waiting for a signal.
And that signal was about to arrive.
Ino versus Gaara!
The Third Hokage on the high platform had deep eyes. He asked the "Fourth Kazekage" beside him, "Kazekage-dono, is it truly alright for your village to send a Jinchuriki to fight?"
The "Fourth Kazekage's" tone was exceptionally calm: "If I'm not mistaken, didn't your village also send the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to participate in the exam? I believe we both have sufficient means to restrain them."
The Third Hokage slowly nodded: "That's good."
As Shiranui Genma announced, "Begin the match!", Ino immediately created two Shadow Clones.
Against someone like Gaara, the combat techniques of ordinary Ninja were completely ineffective. One had to use powerful Ninjutsu to blast him!
Ino's main body and Shadow Clones simultaneously formed hand signs, and then a sky-covering array of water bubbles enveloped the entire arena.
The water bubbles reflected colorful light in the sun, a dense, vast expanse.
The Third Hokage's smoking motion involuntarily paused. He had heard Asuma and Yuhi talk about this Jutsu and the subsequent Steam Impurities Explosion, but this was truly his first time seeing it with his own eyes.
The reason the water bubbles could reflect light was primarily because their surface was covered with a layer of oil. He was very familiar with this oil; it was clearly Jiraiya's technique.
The Third Hokage was pensive. The "Fourth Kazekage" beside him recalled his previous experience and said sinisterly, "This Ninjutsu, adding oil to water, seems a bit like your village's Jiraiya's technique?"
The Third Hokage asked, "Oh? Kazekage-dono, are you very familiar with Jiraiya?"
The other party smiled without speaking.
At this point, the number of water bubbles in the arena had exceeded a thousand. Gaara stood motionless with his arms crossed, but a layer of Sand Shield had already been erected in front of him with fine sand.
Ino let out a soft cry and, with a wave of her hand, the dense water bubbles struck Gaara's Sand Shield.
This time, Gaara was prepared. He no longer used a simple Sand Shield for defense. The outermost layer was coarse sand, followed by two more layers of shields, each more finely packed than the last.
He continuously erected three layers of defensive shields.
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