This kind of capture, so swift that it instantly robbed the opponent of the ability to react, could probably be called "Raptor." However, Kankurō did still possess the basic qualities expected of a shinobi.
The time it took a shinobi to escape a stunned state could be seen as their reaction speed. In this respect, Kankurō was genuinely not bad. Although he had been ambushed, he instantly began preparing to break free and counterattack.
Unfortunately, his toy had already been dismantled. Even more unfortunately, he had run into an enemy who would not allow him to counterattack again.
In truth, Mirai had already shown mercy. She had merely tied him up tightly and had not stabbed him the way she had stabbed the puppet. Nor had she simply hanged him by the neck and pulled him up… A shinobi dying by hanging was probably not a very common case.
However, it seemed Kankurō had not realized that Mirai was holding back. In that case, she no longer needed to keep holding back either. She merely had a thought and changed the nature of her chakra. This time, Kankurō did not even get the treatment of being suspended upside down anymore. His limbs simply drooped weakly.
Because Mirai had changed her move from Uzumaki Secret Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains into Uzumaki Secret Technique: Lightning Release: Adamantine Sealing Chains. In other words, after tying the opponent up tightly, she also ran electricity through them. This was a typical Hagoromo-style way of solving problems.
After receiving a free full-body ion perm, Kankurō was, in short, completely unconscious.
"Winner, Konoha's Uzumaki Mirai."
The proctor could easily judge that Kankurō had already lost the ability to fight. Couldn't everyone see that his face was turned upward, his eyes were rolled back, and black smoke was rising from his head?
Then Mirai released the Adamantine Sealing Chains. Kankurō dropped to the ground, while Mirai made a victory sign in Hagoromo's direction.
Hagoromo covered his face. It was too painful. In truth, he was about to cry.
A technique on the level of Adamantine Sealing Chains should not be exposed in a place like this, okay! This was the kind of jutsu that could be kept as a trump card! This was using a nuclear bomb to swat a mosquito, child!
…Fine. Mirai had probably been bullied too badly by Uncle Snake earlier. Her emotions might not have settled yet, so in a moment of excitement, she had used the sandbag in front of her to loosen her muscles and refresh her spirit.
Understandable. Not a big problem. It was only Adamantine Sealing Chains. If it was exposed, then it was exposed. What could happen?
After silently repeating that twenty times, Hagoromo finally convinced himself. Mm, self-hypnosis was still effective.
Including Mirai, the opponents faced by Hagoromo's Team Six were actually generally rather strong when compared by strength. Even Kankurō, who had just been flattened, looked like an easy win for Mirai, and in reality, winning was not difficult for her either. But one still had to look at what level of technique she had used to instantly kill him.
If another shinobi had faced this puppeteer, winning would absolutely not have been this easy.
Mirai's strength was naturally greater than Kankurō's, but during this brief exchange, he himself had also made a mistake. If he were to analyze himself, he had lost because he treated a puppeteer's long-range combat ability as his own advantage. He wanted to follow the usual routine, hiding in the back for a long-range PK (player kill) . Unexpectedly, he encountered an equally long-range bondage play. He had never seen this kind of script before, so he instantly faceplanted.
After cleaning up Kankurō's pile of puppet remains, the Chūnin Exams continued.
However, no matter how high the combat level of genin was, for a shinobi on Hagoromo's level, it did not have much attraction unless both sides far exceeded genin level.
Then, very soon, it was Haku of the Yuki clan's turn.
"Proctor, I forfeit."
But Haku did not even go down into the arena. He directly raised his hand and signaled to the proctor, Hayate Gekkō, that he was giving up the match.
"…"
What the hell?
"Are you sure?"
Hayate Gekkō was busy coughing while also asking back. The Chūnin Exams should have been something every participating genin valued greatly, so why were forfeits happening one after another?
"I'm sure. The first half of the exam has already exhausted me. To be honest, my current physical condition no longer allows me to continue with the following matches," Haku said. This explanation was exactly the same as when a certain Kabuto Yakushi had forfeited earlier.
After receiving confirmation once more, Hayate Gekkō nodded. Since this examinee named Haku had already confirmed his forfeit, then this match would be the opponent's victory without fighting.
Many people present felt regret over Haku's forfeit. Among them, Naruto was especially loud. He found it incomprehensible, because in his eyes, no matter how he looked at Haku, he did not seem to have any physical problems like he claimed.
Wasn't this forfeiting for the sake of forfeiting?
Naruto's brain finally worked properly for once. In truth, this was Team Six's established strategy: if they encountered a two-person duel in the exam, then no matter who ran into Sunagakure's panda eyes, they had to directly clear the way for him. They could not create any obstacle to the other party entering the final round.
Not just Haku. Even if Mirai encountered Gaara, she had to forfeit.
This was not because Hagoromo was worried about the tailed beast. Rather, it was the opposite. Under circumstances where Gaara could not openly use the tailed beast's power, the members of Team Six had a very high chance of winning against him. But if they really beat him, then given his status as a jinchūriki and the fact that the Chūnin Exams would have lost their meaning for him, he would probably directly return to Sunagakure, right?
That was very possible, but it did not fit Hagoromo's plans. So to avoid such a situation, it was better to simply sacrifice one person and bring happiness to the whole family. Right now, it merely happened to be Haku who had encountered this situation. Fortunately, whether or not they passed the Chūnin Exams, Haku and Kimimaro did not care much to begin with.
So with Haku not even entering the arena, no matter how unsatisfied Gaara was, he had to stuff that emotion back down.
A victory without fighting was simply too easy. If this happened to someone else, it would be worth celebrating, but Gaara should have been quite unhappy. However… so what?
Because of Shukaku, Gaara was a severe insomniac. Long-term lack of sleep naturally made him impulsive and irritable, but even if he were impulsive, he would not go so far as to run wild on this occasion. Otherwise, he would truly have a hole in his brain.
If he actually did something that坑ed his father that badly, then in order to preserve the peaceful relationship between the two great hidden villages, perhaps even the Fourth Kazekage would treat him as a child picked up from next door and deal with him accordingly.
Therefore, even if Gaara had prepared some wonderful performance right now, that was something he would only be able to display in the final third round of the exams.
He was not the headline guest of the current match.
No one knew whether it was coincidence or targeted arrangement, but the most important contest of this selection exam occurred between two of Konoha's own genin: the match immediately following this one.
"Next match… Kimimaro Kaguya versus Rock Lee."
The White Yaksha's disciple against the Blue Beast's disciple. Of course it was interesting.
From Lee's appearance, various styles, and overall atmosphere, Hagoromo somewhat suspected whether this child had some obscure, hard-to-explain blood relationship with Might Guy. But regardless of whether the "relationship" in this malicious guess existed or not, what he could guess was that Lee was probably also a taijutsu-style shinobi capable of using the Eight Gates. The only question was how far Lee could currently use the Eight Gates.
After hearing their names, Lee and Kimimaro entered the arena one after another. Then the two stood still about five meters apart. After they briefly readied themselves, the proctor announced the official start of the match.
"Team Three, Rock Lee. Please guide me."
Lee's right-hand fingers were closed together and his palm spread flat, his forearm slanted in front of his body, while his left arm was held horizontally behind his waist. He reported his name in a courteous manner.
He had a pair of round eyes, and with his thick eyebrows, bowl cut, and green bodysuit, his whole person carried an absurdly laughable air. But Kimimaro, who was naturally cold-faced, would absolutely not mock others because of such things. That was not his personality.
When facing those eyes, it was very easy to become serious. This was probably the unique infectious power of so-called hot-blooded idiots.
"Kimimaro Kaguya."
Kimimaro also gave his name. At this moment, he had already removed the twin-bladed Hiramekarei from his back and likewise assumed an attacking stance.
In truth, not long after Tsunade returned to Konoha, Hagoromo had already told her about Kimimaro's condition. Since an expert had finally returned to Konoha, of course he had to have her diagnose certain problems.
After a full examination, Tsunade affirmed Hagoromo's previous approach. Shikotsumyaku was indeed not a technique that should be used frequently. Otherwise, it would absolutely place an enormous burden on the user's body. As for the method to solve this problem, she was still researching it.
But in any case, with Tsunade around, Kimimaro's self-imposed restrictions could already be loosened slightly.
"Kimimaro!"
At the moment before the official exchange, Hagoromo suddenly called his name. Kimimaro then nodded toward Hagoromo.
Whatever meaning was contained in that, Hagoromo should already have conveyed it correctly to him.
Since they had already used Adamantine Sealing Chains anyway, Hagoromo decided to just smash the pot and let it all break… What could be confirmed was that if the current Hokage were Shimura Danzō, he would definitely execute Hagoromo for two hours on the charge of leaking intelligence.
Kimimaro? That way of calling him was incorrect. Today's Kimimaro could activate his Musou skill at any time and transform into Ainz Ooal Gown.
The Bone King. You deserve to have him.
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