At that moment, the large screen above the arena flickered once again. The scrolling names slowed before finally stopping, revealing the next matchup:
Shimizu Yui vs. Karui
A wave of anticipation spread through the audience.
Many of the ninjas present leaned forward slightly, their eyes filled with curiosity. Since both fighters were disciples of Kakashi, expectations were naturally high. After witnessing the previous battles, no one dared to underestimate his students anymore.
Whoosh—
In almost perfect synchronization, Yui and Karui appeared in the arena.
They stood facing each other, their gazes sharp and vigilant. Neither moved carelessly; both were fully aware that even a single mistake could decide the outcome.
The referee raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, Yui acted first.
Her hands moved rapidly, forming a series of hand seals so fast they became a blur.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
She expelled a powerful stream of water from her mouth. In an instant, it transformed into a roaring torrent, surging forward like a miniature flood, crashing toward Karui with overwhelming force.
Yui's strategy was clear.
She knew that Karui specialized in close combat. Therefore, she chose to attack from a distance, preventing her opponent from closing the gap and using her speed advantage. In the relatively confined arena, large-scale ninjutsu like this could dominate the battlefield.
Facing the incoming wave, Karui showed no sign of panic.
With a cold snort, she unsheathed the ninja sword strapped to her back and swung it forward with decisive force.
Slash!
The massive water wave split cleanly in half under her blade.
However—
In the very next moment, her expression changed.
Her pupils contracted sharply, and a look of pure shock appeared on her face—as if she had just seen something horrifying.
Mixed within the water she had just sliced through were dozens of explosive tags.
They were already ignited.
Boom!!!
A blinding explosion erupted instantly.
Flames burst outward, engulfing Karui completely. The combination of fire and water created violent steam and thick smoke that spread rapidly across the arena, obscuring everything from view.
For a brief moment, silence fell over the entire venue.
The Genin and Chunin in the audience instinctively swallowed hard.
If it had been them standing there, they would have died instantly. The explosion was so sudden and powerful that even the referee might not have had time to intervene.
"That's… really underhanded," Aoki Yoru muttered, clearly surprised.
Yet at the same time, he nodded thoughtfully.
This was a valuable lesson.
Using explosive tags in combination with Water Release—this kind of deceptive tactic could be extremely effective against close-combat opponents. He silently noted it for future use.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Aoki's gaze sharpened as he looked toward the smoke-filled arena.
Through the lingering flames, a figure burst outward.
Karui.
She staggered forward, breathing heavily.
Her clothes were torn and scorched, and much of her skin was burned dark. The damage was severe, yet she was still standing—barely.
She raised her head, her eyes filled with fury.
Lightning-attribute chakra began to gather around her body, crackling violently.
"I'm going to kill you!" she growled, her voice hoarse and filled with rage.
But before she could take another step—
She froze.
Completely.
Her body became stiff, as if time itself had stopped. Her eyes lost focus, turning vacant.
A wave of confusion erupted among the audience.
"What's going on?" one Genin exclaimed. "Why did she suddenly stop moving?"
"Maybe the explosion injured her too badly," another speculated. "She's lucky to even be alive after that."
However, the Jonin present saw through the situation instantly.
Their gazes shifted toward Yui, filled with surprise—and respect.
"This girl…" one of them murmured quietly. "She's ruthless."
In the spectator area for the Hidden Cloud Village, Darui and Tutai both wore grim expressions.
They understood exactly what had happened.
"She's caught in a Genjutsu," Tutai said coldly.
Darui's usually lazy, half-closed eyes narrowed slightly.
"Konoha's ninjas are quite impressive," he admitted.
Meanwhile, in the main viewing area, the Third Hokage smiled faintly.
"A brilliant strategy," he said approvingly.
"Mixing explosive tags into a Water Release attack, then using the steam and smoke as cover to cast Genjutsu at the moment of impact… layer upon layer of deception."
He nodded slowly.
"She has the potential of a Jonin."
On the battlefield, Karui remained motionless, completely trapped in the illusion.
The referee stepped forward and raised his hand.
"The winner is—Shimizu Yui!"
Cheers erupted across the arena.
Yui calmly returned to the spectator stands, receiving praise from all directions.
"Congratulations! That was an excellent battle!"
"Beautifully executed!"
She simply smiled modestly, though her eyes revealed quiet confidence.
Before the excitement could settle, another figure appeared in the arena.
Whoosh—
Darui.
He stood calmly, looking up toward the stands.
"Come down," he said.
Aoki Yoru shrugged casually, hands tucked into his pockets. Without any sense of urgency, he walked down the stairs and entered the arena.
Nearby, Asuma stepped closer to Kakashi, his expression serious.
"That opponent isn't simple," he said. "Even I might have trouble dealing with him. Is your student going to be alright?"
Kurenai and Might Guy both turned to look at Kakashi.
Kakashi simply shrugged.
"Who knows?" he replied, his tone relaxed but meaningful.
Back in the arena, the two fighters faced each other in silence.
Neither rushed forward.
Both were waiting—for the perfect opportunity.
After witnessing the previous matches, Darui no longer underestimated Kakashi's disciples. In fact, he was especially wary of Aoki Yoru, who had seen through his methods during the first exam.
Drip…
A single drop of water fell from above, hitting the ground with a soft splash.
At that exact moment—
They moved.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Their figures vanished instantly, leaving behind only afterimages.
To the spectators, it was as if the two had disappeared entirely. Only the sharp sounds of clashing weapons and bursts of sparks revealed their positions.
Aoki Yoru's swordsmanship could be summarized in one word:
Fast.
In the world of combat, speed was often the ultimate advantage.
When his skills were still basic, speed had been his only focus. But now, after training under Kakashi, his abilities had evolved significantly.
His chakra control had improved.
His movements had become more refined.
Combined with the high-speed technique he had developed—similar to the Navy Six Styles' Soru—his speed had reached an entirely new level.
On top of that, he had learned the White Fang swordsmanship.
This style was known for its precision, fluidity, and deadly efficiency. Every movement flowed seamlessly into the next, leaving no openings.
As a result—
Although the two fighters clashed fiercely, Darui gradually began to fall behind.
At first, he could still exchange blows evenly.
But as time passed, he was forced into a defensive position.
"Where did this guy come from?" Darui thought, his expression darkening.
His greatest strengths—speed and swordsmanship—were being completely suppressed.
Even worse, his opponent was younger than him.
If this was Aoki's strength now… what would he become in the future?
Outside the arena, the Genin were stunned.
Was this really their classmate?
The gap between them had become unimaginable.
Even with their eyes wide open, they could barely follow the fight.
"White Fang swordsmanship?" Asuma said in disbelief. "Kakashi… you actually taught him that?"
This technique was famous throughout the ninja world.
It had once been Kakashi's signature style before he shifted his combat approach after gaining the Sharingan.
Kakashi smiled faintly.
"A technique only has value in the hands of someone who can use it," he said. "Even the sharpest sword is useless if it's left on a shelf."
Watching Aoki's performance, a hint of satisfaction appeared in his eyes.
Meanwhile, in the Hidden Cloud stands, Tutai's expression grew darker.
"Konoha truly produces geniuses," he muttered.
"After Kakashi… after Shisui… now another one has appeared."
As he watched Darui being pushed back, killing intent flickered in his eyes.
"This one cannot be allowed to grow."
Back in the arena, Darui suddenly pushed Aoki's blade away and used the recoil to leap backward, creating distance.
His hands moved quickly.
"Lightning Release: Black Panther!"
Dark lightning surged around him, condensing into the shape of a ferocious panther. With a roar, it lunged forward, tearing through the ground as it charged toward Aoki.
A sense of danger filled the air.
No one believed this attack could be blocked head-on.
But then—
Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!
The sound of a thousand birds echoed.
White lightning burst from Aoki's hand.
Without hesitation, he thrust forward.
Boom!!!
The two techniques collided violently.
The black panther was split cleanly in half.
Aoki didn't stop.
He surged forward, closing the distance instantly.
Darui remained calm.
His hands came together, glowing with blue light.
"Storm Release: Laser Circus!"
Countless beams of light shot out like meteors, filling the battlefield with deadly precision strikes.
This was his ultimate power.
His Kekkei Genkai.
And the foundation of his reputation as the strongest among the younger generation of the Hidden Cloud Village.