Chapter 36: Naruto VS Inuzuka Kiba, A One-Hit Instant Kill!
The electronic display screen in the high tower didn't keep everyone waiting for long.
After the sham of a duel between Sakura and Inoended, the cursor began jumping frantically again. Everyone held their breath, and as the cursor slowly came to a stop, an arrogant dog bark suddenly rang out.
"Woof!"
Uzumaki Naruto VS Inuzuka Kiba.
"Great! Akamaru!"
Wearing a grey hoodie with red inverted triangle markings painted on his face, Inuzuka Kibaexcitedly leapt down from the railing. He even did a smug somersault as he landed, while the little white dog Akamaru in his arms barked in coordination. One person and one dog's faces practically had the words "This round is in the bag" written on them.
"If it were that Hinata who got stronger, or that Tenten who can pull out ninja tools in an instant, I'd have to be a bit serious."
Kiba stood in the center of the arena, pointing at the Blonde Youth who was still leisurely walking down opposite him, grinning widely. "But if the opponent is a dead last like you... isn't this just a free win? I think you should just forfeit now to avoid the physical pain, right, Akamaru?"
"Woof woof!"
The atmosphere below the stage was a bit subtle.
Kurenai, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, and Anko, who knew the inside story, all looked at Kiba with a hint of pity, as if they were looking at a poor soul about to witness a miracle.
Naruto walked to the opposite side of Kiba with his hands in his pockets. He yawned, his blue eyes showing not even a hint of battle intent.
[How noisy... According to the original plot, I should have been beaten into a sorry state by this kid, only to win in the end by relying on a 'fart'.]
[Please, I'm a transmigrator! I have a system! Farting on someone in front of so many beauties? That kind of dark history absolutely cannot happen! If Teacher Kurenai smells it, won't my charm value drop into the negatives?]
Beside the second-floor railing, Kurenai Yuhi's ears instantly turned red when she heard the specific mention of "Teacher Kurenai smells it." She then gave Naruto a fierce glare, but her ruby-like eyes couldn't hide a glimmer of anticipation.
[Besides, Kiba's fighting style is too crude. Aside from scurrying around, it's just spinning in circles. Does he really think he's a human drill?]
[Against a guy who only knows how to charge head-on, there's no need for a Rasengan, or even Shadow Clones. Since I want to show off in front of Hinata and Teacher Kurenai... I'll end the battle in a simple, cool, and impressive way.]
[Just like that legendary Yellow Flash.]
"Second exam, seventh round, begin!"
"Since you won't forfeit, don't blame me!" Kiba growled, dropping to all fours. His Chakra erupted instantly, and he launched himself forward like a beast. Beside him, Akamaru also entered a red berserk state, coordinating with his master to form a pincer attack.
"Beast Human Ninjutsu: Four Legs Technique!"
Kiba's speed was very fast, appearing only as an afterimage to ordinary Genin. He threw two smoke bombs, instantly blocking Naruto's vision, then used the smoke as cover to aim his sharp claws straight for Naruto's throat.
"Got you! I can also pull off a one-hit kill like Neji..."
Kiba's claws tore through the smoke, striking hard against the orange figure.
However, the sensation from his claws was not that of tearing flesh.
*Poof.*
It was just an afterimage that hadn't had time to dissipate.
"What?!" Kiba's pupils shrank.
Where is he?!
His sense of smell was tens of thousands of times better than an ordinary person's, but at this moment, he actually failed to capture any scent trail of that dead last's movement. It felt as if he had vanished into thin air!
No, it wasn't vanishing; it was just too fast! So fast that even scent couldn't keep up!
"Too slow."
A calm voice, tinged with a bit of laziness, rang out behind him without any warning.
Everyone present—including Kakashi, who had been keeping one eye half-closed—suddenly pulled up his headband, revealing his Sharinganand staring intently at the arena.
In that instant, Naruto hadn't woven any signs. He had simply used Wind Release Chakra to highly activate the cells in the soles of his feet, completing a movement that was nearly a teleportation in this confined space.
Though it wasn't the Flying Thunder God, that leisurely posture was strikingly similar to the man who was once the Hokage.
Kiba wanted to turn around, but his body was still caught in the momentum of his forward charge; he couldn't react in time at all.
Naruto didn't even take his hands out of his pockets; he just extended his right hand, fingers splayed, as a visible, high-speed rotating mass of high-density airflow gathered in his palm.
[No need for a violent technique like the Big Ball Rasengan.]
[Just a little wind pressure and a bit of precise control will do.]
[Goodbye, single dog.]
"Wind Release: Palm Wind Cannon."
A gentle push.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a dull air burst.
Boom!
That mass of highly compressed wind pressure exploded instantly against Kiba's back.
The massive impact was like an invisible hand, directly blowing away Kiba along with Akamaru, who was trying to rush over to save his master. The person and dog traced an arc in the air, crossing the entire arena and slamming hard into the stone wall on the opposite side.
*Crash—*
Debris slid down as Kiba, with his eyes rolled back, slowly slid down the wall, completely losing consciousness. Akamaru lay on his stomach, having long since passed out.
A true instant kill.
It couldn't even be considered a full move.
The entire tower was deathly silent. Only the faint airflow generated by that palm strike was still swirling the dust at the edge of the arena.
Naruto withdrew his hand, even making a show of blowing away non-existent dust from his palm, and then looked toward the referee Gekkō Hayate.
"Proctor? Aren't you going to announce it? I'm hungry."
Gekkō Hayate was stunned for several seconds before snapping out of it. He glanced at the unconscious Kiba and coughed twice: "The, the winner... Uzumaki Naruto!"
[Phew, cool! Perfect! This is what I call style!]
[Even though that move was just a concentrated, simplified version of Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, in the eyes of others, it's a combination of unfathomable Taijutsu and Body Flicker!]
[Look, look at Teacher Kurenai's eyes! Tsk tsk, her mouth is even slightly open in surprise, I really want to take something to plug... cough, stop. And Wife Hinata, her eyes are probably about to sprout hearts, right? Not to mention Sakura and Ino; they're probably comparing me to Sasuke in their heads right now.]
[This wave, even without farting, has slapped everyone's faces hard! Refreshing!]
At the edge of the arena, Kurenai Yuhi indeed had her red lips slightly parted, her face full of shock. But when she heard the thought "want to take something to plug," she immediately bit her lip, her face turning so red it looked like it might drip blood. She cursed inwardly: You little pervert! You're actually thinking about that kind of thing at a time like this!
However... he really is strong. That kind of exquisite control over Wind Release Chakra is something even an ordinary Jonin would find difficult to do so effortlessly.
Is this really that dead last?
At this time, the system's notification sound arrived as scheduled, ringing in Naruto's mind.
[Ding!]
[Detected that the host has completed a textbook-level display of power. You abandoned the original ridiculous method of winning and chose a highly ornamental and dominant fighting style.]
[The strength ratings for you from several high-favorability core female characters (Kurenai, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, Anko, Temari) have undergone a massive leap. Shock points harvesting complete.]
[Obtained system reward: S-rank Wind ReleaseNinjutsu: Vacuum Great Sphere (No hand signs required, and lung capacity strengthened to MAX. This is very helpful for certain activities that require long-term... cough, diving).]
Naruto's eye twitched.
These system remarks are getting more and more indecent. Lung capacity strengthening? And long-term... diving? Am I supposed to give someone mouth-to-mouth underwater?
He ignored these strange remarks and turned to walk up to the spectator stand. As he passed by Sasuke, who was still in a daze, Naruto didn't speak, only thinking faintly in his heart:]
[You're next, right, Sasuke? Don't just watch; think carefully about how to win. Otherwise, all your spotlight will be stolen by me in the future.]
Sasuke's fist suddenly clenched. Watching Naruto's back, the Sharingan in his eyes spun even more rapidly.
Meanwhile, Hinata, who was sitting in the corner feeling a bit lonely due to her own failure, watched the golden-haired youth's back as he returned victorious. She lightly gestured in the air with her finger, whispering softly: "One move... Naruto-kunreally is the strongest."
The atmosphere of the entire preliminary exam completely changed with this battle. From this moment on, no one dared to associate the words "dead last" with Uzumaki Naruto again.