Down on the field, Hayate cleared his throat and announced, "Round five: Tenten versus Temari. Please step forward."
Tenten and Temari stepped forward as instructed, their gazes meeting mid-air, neither showing any fear.
"Begin!"
Yet after Hayate's words fell, neither side moved immediately.
Temari's eyes sharpened and almost instinctively, Tenten leapt far backward.
A knowing smile crossed Temari's lips. Seeing it, Tenten retreated another step, cautiously keeping a safe distance.
Experienced onlookers already saw her intent. She wanted to control the tempo and stay at a range that allowed both offense and defense.
"Fight, Tenten!"
"Believe in yourself, Tenten!"
"We're with you! Give it everything and beat her!"
...
The cheers from Guy and Lee rang out again, deafening.
"Shut it, you two!" Mamoru couldn't stand the constant noise pollution, he twisted his head and roared in their direction.
"…"
Guy and Lee looked as if someone had throttled them. Their voices cut off, they wilted.
"Mamoru's getting bossier lately." Guy muttered to Lee.
"Mm." Lee nodded in agreement, lowering his voice. "He scolds me all the time now."
This little interlude on the stands didn't affect the tense atmosphere below.
Seeing the two still locked in stalemate, Hayate prompted, "What's wrong? Please begin."
Temari gave a disdainful sniff, her contemptuous smile widening. "What are you probing for? Let me say it plainly. Once I attack, I'll finish you in an instant."
She stepped forward. "Trying to read me? You're a century too early."
Facing her advance, Tenten kept her guard up and continued to retreat, maintaining that safe distance.
Seeing such caution, Temari stopped and made a provocative gesture—thumb-down. "I don't mind letting you strike first."
Tenten replied, "You're speaking my line. Then I won't be polite."
Before the words faded, she sprang high, arms whipping out and several shuriken whistled through the air toward Temari.
Yet only a series of clinks followed—all the shuriken buried themselves in the ground at Temari's feet.
"A miss? Impossible…"
Shock filled Tenten's face, her throwing accuracy had always been her pride.
From the stands Mamoru silently added, 'Fool, it wasn't a miss. She dodged every projectile with minute shifts.'
This first exchange showed the clear gap in real battle experience and timing between Tenten and Temari. Once you can't predict the opponent's moves, you're already on the back foot, forced to spend more time and energy probing for information.
As Mamoru focused on analyzing the fight, something soft suddenly coiled around his arm.
He glanced sideways and saw that it was Ino. She had woken at some point and now hugged his arm affectionately, looking up with a shy murmur, "That annoying bun-head isn't here, no one will bother us now."
What the hell!
Mamoru screamed inside, but kept his outward calm, trying unobtrusively to pull his arm free. After several failed attempts, he gave up and let her cling to it.
"You feeling better?" He asked, hoping to change the subject.
"Not at all." Ino seized the chance to lean closer, speaking in a cutesy tone, "Here… and there… everything hurts. Will you comfort me?"
"Talk normally, please." Mamoru's eye twitched.
Inwardly he yelled, 'Hey, show some restraint! Everyone's watching and your Jōnin instructor Asuma is right over there.'
Sure enough, many curious stares were already directed their way.
Hinata stared blankly at the two almost glued together, unconsciously twisting her hands, her face full of loss and dejection.
Beside her, Kurenai sighed helplessly at her student's state.
Ino kept complaining softly, "Mamoru, you're so unfair. Sakura told me you used Medical Ninjutsu to treat someone before."
Mamoru explained, "I didn't run into you two."
Ino answered quietly, her arms still tight around his, "I know."
Mamoru tilted his head, glancing at Ino beside him. Though awake, she was still pale and clearly had little strength. In the end, his own tensed body relaxed.
He stopped trying to pull away, let her lean on him, and turned his gaze back to the field, continuing to watch Tenten's fight.
Tenten moved like a phantom, circling the arena at speed while her eyes locked onto Temari's every motion. Her footwork was feather-light as she probed for openings from every angle.
Suddenly she sprang upward, unfurling a scroll mid-air. With a whirl of her body, a storm of shuriken, Kunai and senbon cascaded down, a steel curtain meant to cut off every route of escape.
Facing the hail of ninja tools, Temari looked unruffled, a faint smile at her lips. She merely rested a hand on the giant three star fan strapped to her back, and the next instant, every projectile twisted impossibly aside, clattering harmlessly at her feet.
Tenten landed softly, eyes widening. "Impossible! My weapons… what secret does that fan hold?"
She frowned, unable to understand how every attack had missed.
Among the Genin watching, only a handful had caught Temari's move. In the instant before Tenten's barrage would have struck, she had flicked the fan open at a speed the eye could barely follow, a precise gust of wind knocking every missile off course.
"Heh…" Temari chuckled, leaning casually on the fan's spine so the canvas slanted open.
"That was only one star. Two remain. When you see all three, you'll have lost."
A purple orb the size of a volleyball blazed on the fabric, glowing eerily under the lights.
"Tenten! Don't let her scare you, stay calm… stay calm!" On the stands, Lee cupped his hands and shouted.
Down below, hesitation flashed across Tenten's face, but resolve quickly replaced it. She would try again with the style she knew best. She drew a deep breath, pulled two small scrolls from her pouch and set them upright on either side of her.
Temari arched a brow in disdain. "Whatever you try is pointless."
She stood at ease, looking completely unimpressed by Tenten's preparations.
Tenten ignored the taunt. Her hands flashed through seals. The instant she finished, both scrolls shot skyward like twin dragons snapping in the wind, and Tenten leapt after them, her silhouette flickering between the unfurling parchment.
An even denser rain of weapons poured from above, several times the previous number, bearing down on Temari once more.
"No matter how many you add, the result's the same." Temari snorted, lifting the fan so the second star was visible.
A sweeping swing sent a great whirlwind that smashed every projectile aside.
Back on the ground, Tenten yelled, "Not done yet!"
She jumped again, metallic threads glinting as she tugged. The scattered weapons sprang back into the air, dancing on wires, and streaked toward Temari a third time.
Just as Tenten thought she'd finally succeeded, Temari's mocking smile returned. She snapped the fan fully open and whipped it hard. The blast not only blew every weapon away but sent Tenten herself tumbling through the air.
A chorus of steel rang out as Tenten crashed and skidded across the floor. Grimacing, she forced herself up on trembling arms.
In the stands, Mamoru clicked his tongue. "About time."
Ino beside him turned her head. "Did you say something?"
A knowing grin crossed Mamoru's face. "The good part's coming."
Ino beside him turned her head. "Isn't the match over? Bun-girl's out of tricks, right?"
Mamoru's smile was mysterious. "Just watch."
When everyone assumed victory was decided, Tenten slowly unstrapped the large scroll from her back and tucked it under her arm.
"Still planning to continue?" Temari rested both hands behind her, the fully opened fan spread like a peacock's tail.
"Yeah." Tenten wiped sweat from her lip, eyes blazing. "Whatever happens next… I'm not holding back."