Sasuke's lips curled into a smile. He had come here to test his strength, and being in the first match was just what he wanted.
Yoroi Akado, on the other hand, snorted disdainfully.
The match proceeded quickly, and unsurprisingly, Sasuke emerged victorious.
Kaguya leaned against the railing upstairs, holding Hinata's hand in one hand and playing with the ends of her hair with the other. She sighed. She didn't know how long this preliminary would last, and her stomach was already growling. As for Lee's ultra-spicy curry, she would never touch it again.
At this moment, Anko walked over and greeted Kaguya with a smile.
"Anko-sensei, why did you wake me up so early?" Kaguya complained, "Were you playing a prank on me?"
"Ah, sorry," Anko apologized with a smile. "I originally wanted to tell you something, but I forgot because I was busy preparing for the match."
You could forget something like that? Kaguya's eyelid twitched as she asked, "What did you want to tell me, sensei?"
"Recently, someone might be targeting you. You need to be careful," Anko said seriously.
"Who is it?" Kaguya asked curiously.
"You don't need to know his name," Anko said seriously, "Just be careful." With that, she left.
How irresponsible, telling her half the story without mentioning who the person was. How was she supposed to be careful?
Kaguya was speechless.
Meanwhile, the matches continued.
Zaku Abumi vs. Shino Aburame—Shino won.
Sakura vs. Ino—ended in a tie, both disqualified.
Temari vs. Tenten—Temari won.
Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi—Shikamaru won.
Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka—Naruto won.
"When will it be my turn?" Kaguya yawned, rubbing her eyes, looking listless.
"Maybe soon," Hinata said nervously, holding Kaguya's hand.
With more than half of the matches over, there were only a few contestants left, including Hinata.
"Don't worry," Kaguya patted Hinata's head with a gentle smile, "I will protect you."
"Mm," Hinata nodded slightly.
At this moment, the names on the electronic bulletin board stopped.
Kaguya vs. Hinata
"Ah," Kaguya's drowsiness instantly vanished. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the electronic bulletin board again.
Sure enough, it was a match between Hinata and her.
"What should I do?" Hinata panicked. Kaguya was not only her respected elder sister but also her idol.
Kaguya, on the other hand, felt relieved. Facing Hinata meant Hinata wouldn't have to deal with other opponents, like Gaara. If Hinata had to face Gaara, Kaguya would never let her compete.
"Let's go." Kaguya gently squeezed Hinata's hand, smiling at her with squinted eyes.
"Mm," Hinata responded softly.
They arrived at the battleground, standing on opposite sides. Kaguya stood casually, while Hinata appeared nervous, her face slightly flushed.
"You should give up," Kaguya said with a slight smile. "You can't possibly beat me."
Hinata paused, her head lowered and body trembling slightly. Just as Kaguya thought she would give up...
"No," Hinata said softly.
"Hmm?" Kaguya looked at the petite girl before her in surprise. "Why?"
Hinata was usually gentle and timid, easily swayed and rarely showed such determination.
"Because... because," Hinata lifted her head, biting her lip, "I don't want to always be under your protection. Yes, you are strong, but I also want to help you when you're in danger instead of being powerless."
Kaguya was taken aback.
"In the past, I've always been under your protection," Hinata's eyes showed a determined look, "but now, I don't want to run away anymore. I want to help you too. This is my ninja way."
Kaguya had always protected her, shielding her from Neji's bullying and even taking punishment for her in front of their father.
To Hinata, Kaguya was irreplaceable.
Kaguya didn't know that during the second test, when she was in danger, Hinata felt deep fear and helplessness. From that moment, Hinata resolved to train hard to protect her sister.
Kaguya looked at the girl before her, different from the impression she had. Suddenly, she smiled.
Maybe Hinata was never that weak but soft on the outside and strong on the inside. A girl who appeared gentle but was actually very resilient.
"Alright," Kaguya smiled, "but I won't hold back."
"Mm," Hinata nodded firmly, "please guide me, sister."
Kaguya felt a wave of emotions. Hinata's affection for her was so high. Was her plan of nurturing this little sister starting to pay off?
As Hayate Gekko gave the signal, the battle began.
Hinata took the Gentle Fist stance and rushed at Kaguya, her chakra-infused palms striking towards her.
Kaguya sidestepped, dodging Hinata's attack while countering with a palm strike, which Hinata blocked midway.
Hinata's palms seemed to move with a will of their own, constantly targeting Kaguya, creating an overwhelming pressure like a storm.
"Hinata is amazing," Naruto exclaimed.
"No," Sakura shook her head, "Kaguya is holding back."
"Huh?" Naruto looked puzzled, turning back to the arena. "It looks like Hinata has the upper hand."
Sakura was right. Although Hinata's attacks seemed fierce, they weren't enough to challenge Kaguya.
Despite Hinata's determination and serious effort, her strength was ordinary, and Kaguya felt no pressure.
It's time to end this.