Konoha: Gu Master

"Third match, Shinho Aburame versus Shino Aburame."

With only two competitors left, Genma Shiranui announced the pairing directly, without drawing lots.

Shino sighed and made his way to the center of the arena.

So much for luck balancing out. After getting two byes, he now had to face the toughest opponent here.

He didn't stand a chance.

For him, lasting a little while would already be considered a victory.

"Go, Shinho-kun!" Ino called out, flashing a radiant smile.

"He doesn't needyour cheers. Shinho-kun will definitely win," Karin said, casting her a sidelong glance.

"Of course I know Shinho-kun will win!" Ino huffed, annoyed.

Their eyes met like clashing lightning.

"Shinho-kun…" Hinata bravely approached Shinho and tugged on his sleeve.

He turned to look at her.

Taking a deep breath, Hinata clenched her fist and gave a little cheer with a modest smile.

Shinho reached out and gently pinched her cheek before heading into the arena.

Hinata stood frozen for a moment, her face turning bright red.

Noticing this, Karin bit her lip in frustration.

She'd been too busy watching Ino and hadn't noticed Hinata making her move.

In the spectator stands:

"Poor Shino got unlucky with this match-up," Inoichi Yamanaka said with a shake of his head.

"A fight with no suspense," Choza Akimichi agreed.

"Not necessarily," Shikaku Nara interjected, rubbing his chin. "Shikamaru mentioned that Shino has an explosive technique that could cause some serious damage."

"One technique alone isn't going to take down Shinho," Inoichi replied, unconvinced.

"I think…" Shibi Aburame, Shino's father, began to comment but was interrupted.

"The match now begins!" Genma called from the sidelines.

Without a word, Shino raised his hands.

"Secret Technique: Kikaichu Tornado!"

A dense swarm of black kikaichu poured from his sleeves, surging toward Shinho at incredible speed, encircling him almost instantly.

Multiple Sword Shadows Gu!

Like a peacock spreading its feathers, Shinho conjured a dazzling display of sword shadows, shooting them outward in a storm of slashes.

The gathered bugs were shredded to pieces.

"Explode!"

With a sharp command, Shino triggered a chain reaction.

Hidden among the swarm were specially prepared Kikaichu Bugs, which instantly expanded.

Boom!

A thunderous blast echoed through the arena, followed by nine more explosions in rapid succession.

The intense heat and the blast wave, infused with a unique form of Sage Chakra, erupted around Shinho.

The ground near him turned pitch-black, a crater blasted deep into the arena floor.

Clouds of smoke rose as the crowd gasped in shock.

"Konoha's younger generation far outshines Sunagakure's," Gaara murmured, exhaling slowly.

He had expected Shinho to win instantly, yet Shino's strength had surpassed his expectations.

Explosions of this magnitude would be enough to test even Gaara's absolute defense. Any regular genin would have perished instantly.

Combined with the earlier impressive performances of Hinata, Karin, and Neji, it was clear Konoha was producing geniuses in droves.

No other village in the Five Great Nations could boast such a strong generation of genin.

"Thank you for the compliment, Kazekage-sama," Tsunade replied, her gaze fixed on the smoky aftermath.

It was the first time she had seen Shino openly use explosive kikaichu bugs.

Watching now, she immediately recognized the presence of Sage Chakra.

She fell into deep thought.

The process of blending natural energy to create Sage Chakra was complex—she had attempted to learn Sage Mode herself years ago, but had lacked the aptitude.

Yet these kikaichu bugs were now capable of wielding Sage Chakra.

Did that mean that every Aburame ninja could access this technique?

Her eyes widened slightly at the implications.

This technique was essentially sage art.

And its destructive power was immense.

In a chaotic battlefield, it could be used with devastating effect.

"It's him again!" Tsunade's suspicions quickly landed on Shinho.

How else would the Aburame clan have access to natural energy?

Tsunade couldn't help but feel irked by how much secrets Shinho was keeping from her.

One of these days, she'd have to sit him down and squeeze out all his secrets.

As the smoke cleared in the arena, Shinho's figure emerged, unscathed. Even his clothes were intact.

"As expected," Shino murmured, his lips twitching.

During earlier Kikaichu Bug experiments, he'd learned that Shinho could endure explosions with ease.

Still, he'd achieved his goal.

Shino launched a new assault, demonstrating each of the Aburame clan's techniques one by one.

Bug Wall, Cocoon Technique, Bug Ball, and Bug Swamp—all of them interspersed with explosive kikaichu bugs.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The arena resounded with explosions for a full five minutes.

Spectators close to the arena could feel the vibrations in their ears, while those further away saw only flashes and smoke from the explosions.

The ground, meanwhile, had been blasted black and pitted with craters.

"Was Shino always this powerful?" Inoichi asked, feeling a pang of regret.

If only this generation's Ino-Shika-Cho had included another girl, he might have arranged a match with Shino.

"Shibi, you've kept this hidden well," Shikaku said, quickly putting two and two together.

Although he didn't realize that Sage Chakra was behind the explosions, he could tell that each Aburame was capable of controlling explosive kikaichu bugs.

"I didn't keep anything hidden," Shibi replied with a smile.

Since Tsunade had become Hokage, there was no longer any need to conceal their abilities.

"Hold on," Inoichi said, snapping to attention. "Can those kikaichu bugs be mass-produced?"

"They can," Shibui nodded.

"That's incredible!"

At that moment, everyone understood, the Aburame clan's rise was inevitable.

A single technique could make all the difference when it could be deployed en masse.

In the arena, the explosions finally ceased.

"I forfeit," Shino said, panting heavily.

The only reason he'd been able to keep up such a barrage was because Shinho had been humoring him.

Now that he had made a name for the Aburame clan and with his chakra nearly depleted, he exited without hesitation.

[Achievement unlocked: "Untouched Amid Smoke." Reward: Golden Silk Armor Gu.]

[Golden Silk Armor Gu: Rank 4 Gu worm. Forms a layer of golden silk, providing exceptional defense.]

Shinho's eyes lit up.

It seemed his rank 3 Mugwort Gu could now retire with honors.

"Advancing to the third round are Shinho Aburame, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyūga," Genma announced loudly. "We'll resume after a thirty-minute break."

"Quite unexpected," Hiashi murmured, feeling a mix of emotions.

He'd anticipated that Hinata might make the top five, with Neji reaching the top three.

But the outcome had reversed.

There had long been murmurs in the Hyūga clan due to Neji's superior abilities compared to Hinata.

Now, perhaps, those whispers would quiet down.

Though Hinata hadn't won through traditional Gentle Fist, she was still the clan heiress.

In the shinobi world, strength was paramount, regardless of the means.

"A pity," Hiashi sighed. "In past exams, Hinata might have even taken first place."

Shinho, however, was a different story.

Sasuke Uchiha, while formidable, would only be able to hold out a little longer against Shinho.

With his mastery of Sakumo Hatake's swordsmanship, combined with Fire and Lightning Release and Sharingan genjutsu, he was well-equipped to counter Hinata's Ice Release.

"Hinata's done an amazing job!" Hanabi's eyes sparkled with admiration.

This Chūnin Exam had brought together quite a group of geniuses.

Placing third was more than enough to demonstrate Hinata's strength. If it had been her, Hanabi doubted she'd even make it to the top five.

She fell into thoughtful silence, increasingly convinced that Hinata's transformation was due to Shinho.

At that moment, she resolved to do whatever it took to help her sister secure him.

At the edge of the arena:

"Hinata," Shinho asked casually, "do you plan to forfeit in the next match?"

His thinking aligned with Hiashi's—Hinata's chances of winning were low.

If she didn't fight, it would save her the trouble.

"I'll forfeit if I have to face you, Shinho-kun," Hinata replied, tilting her head. "But if it's Sasuke, I'll do my best to defeat him."

Not far off, Sasuke's expression twitched.

What was that supposed to mean?

She didn't think she could beat Shinho, but thought she had a chance against him?

This was insulting!

"All right," Shinho said with a smile. "Consider it a friendly spar."

"Mm-hmm." Hinata nodded obediently.

A small smile played on her lips, her face radiating a serene confidence.

Ino and Karin watched from afar, filled with envy.

To ensure the finalists could rest undisturbed, they had been given a separate space where no one else was allowed to approach.

This gave Hinata and Shinho a rare moment alone.

Well, almost alone. Sasuke Uchiha was standing at a distance, hands in his pockets, observing the arena with a steely gaze.

Half an hour later, Genma Shiranui reappeared.

With everyone's attention focused on him, he pulled two slips from the box.

"Sasuke Uchiha versus Hinata Hyūga!" he announced loudly.

Hinata let out a sigh of relief.

At least it wasn't Shinho.

Not that fighting Sasuke would be easy, either.

"Go on, Hinata," Shinho said, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat.

"Yes!" Hinata nodded firmly.

Sasuke, alone, walked to the center of the arena.

Moments later, Hinata took her place opposite him.

"To conserve chakra, let's make this quick," Sasuke said as his three-tomoe Sharingan flared to life.

If he defeated Hinata, his next opponent would be Shinho.

If he used up too much chakra and visual power here, his chances in the final match would plummet significantly.

He had to stay in top form.

With a flash of white, Sasuke drew his Lightning-fire sword.

Starting with Sakumo Hatake's swordsmanship, Sasuke launched his attack.

Although Hinata had watched him train before, experiencing his swordplay firsthand made her realize its terrifying speed.

Even with her Byakugan activated, she struggled to track the lightning-fast blade.

After barely dodging several strikes, she activated her Snow Fairy Gu without hesitation.

Sasuke wasn't surprised by her transformation.

He had a simple strategy to counter it.

Interweaving Fire Release with his sword attacks, Sasuke maintained relentless pressure.

Hinata's ice defenses were formidable, but Sasuke's sword was faster still.

In a single burst of speed, he unleashed a flurry of blade shadows, focusing them on a single point.

Crack!

A fracture appeared on Hinata's arm.

Although she quickly used chakra to repair it, the repeated efforts soon drained her reserves.

The outcome was clear.

Hinata raised her hand, signaling her surrender.

"Sasuke Uchiha is the winner," Genma declared.

Turning to Sasuke, he asked, "Would you like to rest?"

"Ten minutes," Sasuke replied, closing his eyes right where he stood.

He needed to restore his condition for the final match.

"Well done," Shinho said to Hinata as she returned from the arena.

"It's all thanks to you, Shinho-kun," she replied earnestly, wringing her hands. "Without you, I… I wouldn't have made it this far."

"How are you going to thank me?" Shinho teased.

"Huh?" Hinata instinctively took half a step back, her face filled with panic.

"What's with that reaction?" Shinho chuckled. "I'm not going to take a bite out of you."

"No… I just…" Hinata stammered, her face flushing a deep red.

"What were you just thinking?" Shinho asked, looking amused. "You are the heiress of the Hyūga clan, after all."

"I… I…" Hinata's mind went blank.

Her delicate fingers fidgeted nervously, her face a flurry of little expressions.

She wasn't entirely sure what Shinho meant, but she had a vague feeling of understanding.

A soft sound escaped her lips as her blush deepened, spreading visibly across her face.

Shinho could almost see steam rising from her heated skin.

Don't faint! she told herself. If I faint, I won't be able to watch Shinho-kun's match!

Clasping her hands tightly, she gave herself a mental pep talk, barely managing to steady herself.

"So cute," Shinho said, touching her cheek and feeling its surprising warmth.

Then, with a quick smile, he turned and walked toward the center of the arena.

Up in the stands:

"This is going to be quite a match," Gaara said, leaning forward.

He'd watched Sasuke and Naruto fight before; both were incredibly strong.

But he himself had faced Shinho and had been thoroughly defeated.

Now he was curious to see how long Sasuke could hold out.

Gaara glanced over at Tsunade and was surprised to see her looking rather displeased.

Her fists clenched unconsciously.

You had a break, and you used it to flirt with Hinata? Don't you have any respect for your opponent?

"Begin!" Genma Shiranui announced, quickly retreating to the sidelines.

Though these were technically still genin, their battles were on a scale that outmatched even some jōnin.

To avoid getting caught in the crossfire, he positioned himself as far from the center as possible.

Sasuke gripped his Lightning- fire sword tightly.

In an instant, his eyes glowed a blood-red hue, the three-tomoe Sharingan active.

Drawing his sword, he summoned a powerful current of lightning that crackled along the white blade, amplifying its already extreme speed.

Shinho blinked, and in that split second, several lightning-clad blades were already inches away from him.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Golden light shimmered around Shinho's body.

The rapid strikes clashed repeatedly against this golden barrier.

A few seconds later, Sasuke leapt back, quickly creating distance.

He looked down at his right hand; his wrist trembled slightly.

Despite the blinding speed of his strikes, Shinho was unharmed, with not a single scratch. 

Sasuke's hands, however, were left tingling from the recoil.

Is this level of defense even humanly possible?

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