Neji's strategy proved effective, as Naruto's Shadow Clones failed to fully encircle him in time.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid series of impacts resounded as Neji dispatched nine Shadow Clones, each in the midst of executing their hurricanes. The spiraling winds they had summoned dissipated immediately.
With a disdainful smirk, Neji continued to dismantle Naruto's strategy. Given his speed and precision, he seemed poised to eliminate all fifty Shadow Clones in short order.
Naruto realized his miscalculation. He had underestimated Neji's agility and endurance. But the battle was far from over—Naruto still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
Familiar with Neji's abilities, including his Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven, Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, and his penchant for condescending remarks, Naruto made his next move.
A dozen Shadow Clones ceased their hurricane formation and instead hurled kunai and shuriken at Neji.
Neji sneered and activated his signature defense.
"Revolving Heaven!"
Chakra erupted from his body as he spun rapidly, deflecting every projectile with ease. The spinning force even gouged a sizable hole in the ground. When he stopped, Neji looked at Naruto's clones with a condescending grin.
"You should just surrender," Neji declared, his tone full of arrogance. "Fate has already determined the outcome of this fight. No matter what you do, you cannot defy it.
"People's talents, their potential, and even their dreams are preordained at birth. Do you think just anyone can become Hokage? Only those born with the destiny to lead can achieve such heights. The rest are bound to mediocrity, destined to fail. Fate has decreed this, and no one can escape its grasp."
As Neji indulged in his lecture, he failed to notice a single Shadow Clone burrowing underground. Suddenly, a hand burst out from beneath Neji's feet, aiming for his leg. The hand, cloaked in the cutting force of wind chakra, resembled a deadly blade.
Neji reacted swiftly but couldn't completely avoid the attack.
Slash!
The wind-imbued hand pierced through Neji's right foot, exposing bone and rendering the limb useless.
"Argh!" Neji screamed in pain, leaping backward on his remaining foot. His once-impeccable balance was now compromised, making his signature agility ineffective.
Dozens of Shadow Clones burst into laughter at Neji's predicament, mocking his stance, which resembled a "golden rooster standing on one leg."
Despite the taunts, Naruto didn't waste time.
"Wind Style: Hurricane!"
The remaining forty Shadow Clones simultaneously unleashed hurricanes, their combined force creating a whirlwind assault that overwhelmed Neji entirely.
Unable to dodge or counter, Neji was swept into the air, battered and bloodied by relentless wind blades. His once-pristine appearance was reduced to a tattered mess, his body spinning helplessly as the audience watched in stunned silence.
Finally, Naruto ended the barrage. The Shadow Clones vanished, and the hurricanes subsided.
Neji's bloodied form plummeted from the air but was caught by Hayate Gekkō before he hit the ground.
Hayate glanced at the unconscious Neji, sighed deeply, and announced the outcome:
"The first match: Uzumaki Naruto is the victor!"
The second match was supposed to be Sasuke Uchiha versus Gaara, but Sasuke and Kakashi had yet to arrive. As the audience grew restless and murmurs of disqualification spread, Orochimaru, disguised as the Kazekage, intervened.
"Perhaps we should give him another chance," he suggested with a sly smile.
Reluctantly, the Third Hokage agreed, postponing Sasuke's match.
The second match then became Aburame Shino versus Kankuro. However, Kankuro chose to forfeit, unwilling to reveal his trump card—his puppet [Crow]—before the planned Konoha Crush. This decision only heightened the Hokage's suspicions.
Thus, the third match commenced: Nara Shikamaru versus Temari.
Temari entered the arena with her iconic giant fan, brimming with confidence. Meanwhile, Shikamaru, true to form, found the whole situation troublesome. He considered forfeiting on the spot, but Naruto gave him a "motivational push" down from the stands.
Furious, Shikamaru begrudgingly entered the fight. Temari, unimpressed, opened her fan and launched her Wind Style: Sickle Weasel technique, sending a barrage of slicing winds toward him.
Dodging the attack, Shikamaru attempted his Shadow Imitation Technique. However, his shadow fell short, prompting Temari to mock him.
"Heh, is that the extent of your reach?" she sneered.
Shikamaru ignored her, gazing up at the sky and assuming a relaxed posture. In the stands, Kurenai Yuhi speculated that Shikamaru was preparing some elaborate technique. Asuma explained otherwise:
"That's just his thinking pose. Don't underestimate him—he's a genius with an IQ over 200."
The battle continued, with Temari repeatedly using her fan to launch more wind attacks. Each time, Shikamaru dodged while subtly luring her into his trap.
Finally, after several exchanges, Temari attempted to finish the fight with a powerful gust. But the moment she raised her fan, she froze.
"What? I can't move!" Temari gasped, realizing too late that she had been caught by the Shadow Imitation Technique.
Looking around, she saw shadows stretching toward her, not just from the ground but from leaves scattered in the air.
Shikamaru's strategy had been simple yet brilliant. By baiting Temari into repeatedly using her Wind Style techniques, he had sent Naruto's hurricane-disrupted leaves soaring into the air. As they fell, the leaves cast numerous shadows, extending the reach of his jutsu.
"You were too focused on the ground," Shikamaru remarked with a smirk. "The shadows from the falling leaves did the rest. Checkmate."
The audience erupted in applause at Shikamaru's cunning, as Temari admitted defeat, impressed despite herself.
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