At the edge of the Forest of Death, the Genin examinees who had been hastily evacuated and placed under protection by Anbu Ninja were now deathly silent.
From a great distance, they gazed toward the center of the battlefield ahead.
The sandstorm gradually subsided, leaving only the sky-scraping Wood Golem and the eerie Wood Dragon coiled around it… and the calm figure standing atop the giant, black hair fluttering—Tejima Shinichi. Though too far away to see clearly, his image formed naturally in everyone's mind!
"I-Is it… over?"
Inuzuka Kiba held Akamaru, his voice hoarse.
Akamaru poked his head out, feeling the mighty Tailed Beast pressure vanish, and relaxed considerably.
"That monster… turned to sand and was… defeated?"
Tenten murmured, then, as if struck by a thought, continued, "So… Neji, is this the opponent you said you'd keep challenging… but could never defeat?"
Tenten swallowed. Only now did she understand why Hyuga Neji always sounded so hopeless whenever he spoke of Tejima Shinichi.
Neji kept his Byakugan active, staring ahead, wordless for a long while.
After a brief hush, discussion and uncontrollable exclamations erupted.
"Wood Release… the First Hokage's Wood Release! I saw it with my own eyes!"
"To think… he beat even that monster…"
Listening to the chatter, Kankuro's knuckles whitened around Karasu, his body trembling slightly.
"M-Monsters… both of them are monsters!"
He recalled provoking Tejima Shinichi in Konoha Village, and a chill shot from his soles to his scalp.
Had Temari and Gaara not stopped him then, the consequences would have been unthinkable!
He now thanked his lucky stars he hadn't truly angered that calm boy harboring apocalyptic power.
Temari gripped her Giant Folding Fan, thinking deeper than Kankuro—not just fearing Shinichi's strength, but worrying over Gaara's state.
"Gaara… are you… all right?!"
"So—amazing!!" Ino clasped her hands, sapphire eyes sparkling as she cheered. "Shinichi-kun! So cool! So strong! Did you see, Shikamaru? He beat the monster! He saved us all!"
She shook Shikamaru's shoulders in excitement, pride and adoration lighting her face.
Shikamaru, dizzy from the shaking, nodded instinctively, equally stunned by the distant figure.
"Ah… yeah… really strong…"
"This is the power of youth blazing at its peak!!" Rock Lee clenched his fists, tears in his eyes as he cried to Neji, "I'll train twice as hard! I can't fall behind!"
"Tejima Shinichi…"
Amid the uproar, someone shouted that name, and soon it swelled into a chorus echoing in every Genin's heart.
The name, together with the image of the Wood Golem subduing Shukaku, the One-Tail, was carved deep into everyone present.
They might not yet grasp what it meant, but they knew—they had witnessed a true powerhouse!
Not a prodigy… a powerhouse!
…The thirty-meter Wood Golem still stood at the battlefield's center, its shadow draping the weakened figure on the sand dune below.
Tejima Shinichi stood atop the golem's head, looking down at Gaara on the sand.
Gaara's chest rose and fell, staring blankly at the sky with the devastated expression of one who had been utterly broken… desolate beyond words!
Shinichi's gaze shifted to the Wood Dragon coiled around the golem's neck, its body veined with violet patterns.
He raised his right hand; at a mere thought the scattered iron sand rose, once more gathering into a pitch-black sphere within the dragon's mouth.
Faint arcs of electricity danced across the iron ball.
"Magnet Release…" Tejima Shinichi murmured.
This was no gift!
Unlike Uzumaki Naruto's Magnet Release Rasengan—a boon from the Sage of Six Paths—so Naruto could wield it!
Tejima Shinichi's method was utterly different—plunder!
While absorbing the Tailed Beast chakra, the Wood Dragon had forcibly plundered that power!
Shinichi lifted his gaze from the dragon to the horizon, as if seeing vaster realms beyond.
"If the Wood Dragon can plunder Shukaku's strength…" he whispered to the wind, "does that mean the powers of the other Tailed Beasts can also be mine?!"
'Surely… it couldn't be only Shukaku's ability that Wood Release could absorb and manifest?'
'Why… just because Shukaku received the least chakra… because Shukaku was "docile," did Wood Release favor him?'
'Wouldn't that be bullying the "honest" beast?'
Yet if he truly could absorb the other beasts' powers—the idea blazed through him like wildfire!
The Two-Tails' Azure Flames, the Three-Tails' rampaging Water Release, the Four-Tails' Lava Release… if all these could be drawn into the Wood Dragon… Shinichi's eyes flashed.
If feasible, his goal would no longer be merely replicating Senju Hashirama's Wood Release!
But surpassing—surpassing that power!
"Hah—!!"
Tejima Shinichi exhaled, forcing down the searing excitement in his chest.
Now was not the time to dwell on distant blueprints—after all—
'The real danger hasn't been lifted yet!'
With a cold chuckle, he formed hand seals; the colossal Wood Golem and the mutated Wood Dragon around it lost their chakra and began to crumble.
Dispelling the jutsu, Shinichi landed on the ground.
A figure flashed through the sparse outer trees and landed before him.
More Anbu on guard and evacuation duty converged from all sides, evidently to assess the situation and handle the aftermath.
The first Anbu hurried to Shinichi, eyes behind the mask sweeping the devastated battlefield, then asked with concern, "Tejima Shinichi, are you all right? We saw that battle—astonishing!!"
Shinichi tilted his head wearily. "Chakra exhaustion, body's a bit weak… I'll leave the rest to you!!"
"I see," the Anbu replied, stepping closer. "Don't worry, we'll handle the aftermath. Still, you rookies caused quite the stir—terrifying brats!"
The instant the last word was spoken, disaster struck!
Without warning the Anbu lunged, body bending at an impossible angle, neck stretching like a serpent straight for Shinichi's throat!
"But… your body—I'll be taking it!!!"