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Chapter 12: The Finals
The tension in the air was palpable as the next match was announced. The crowd of students murmured in excitement as Tsunade and Hana Uchiha stepped into the ring. Both girls had proven themselves to be formidable fighters, and this semi-final match was bound to be a spectacle.
I stood off to the side, catching my breath after my fight with Orochimaru. My body was still buzzing from the intensity of that match, but my focus had already shifted to what lay ahead. The winner of this match would be my opponent in the finals, and judging by the skills both Hana and Tsunade had shown so far, I knew it wasn't going to be easy.
The instructor raised his hand to signal the start of the match.
"Begin!"
Hana wasted no time, immediately jumping back and forming a quick series of hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" she called out, and within moments, a large sphere of flames shot from her mouth, hurtling toward Tsunade.
The crowd gasped as the searing heat from the jutsu washed over the arena. It was a basic technique, but one that could cause serious damage if it landed.
But Tsunade was ready. With a determined look on her face, she raised her fists and dashed forward. The ground beneath her cracked as her enhanced strength propelled her at blinding speed. Just before the fireball could hit, she veered to the side, dodging the attack with ease. Without missing a beat, Tsunade closed the distance between them, her fists glowing faintly with chakra.
She was going for raw, close-range combat. Typical Tsunade.
Hana's eyes widened as she saw Tsunade charging at her, but she remained calm. She jumped back, trying to create distance again, but Tsunade was relentless. Her punches came fast and hard, each one strong enough to shatter bones if they connected.
Hana deflected one strike and quickly launched a counter-attack, swinging a kunai toward Tsunade's side. The blade barely grazed Tsunade's arm, and the Uchiha girl followed up with a spinning kick aimed at Tsunade's torso.
But Tsunade wasn't fazed. She took the hit like it was nothing and swung her fist upward, aiming directly at Hana's chin. Hana dodged, barely escaping the full force of Tsunade's strike, but it was clear she couldn't keep up with Tsunade's brute strength for long.
The two continued exchanging blows, Hana relying on her speed and finesse, while Tsunade pressed forward with overwhelming strength. Every time Hana tried to gain distance, Tsunade would close in, using her physical superiority to dominate the fight.
Then Hana made a bold move. She jumped back and performed another set of hand seals, faster this time. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Several smaller fireballs erupted from her mouth, each one darting in a different direction, making it harder for Tsunade to avoid them all. The fireballs surrounded Tsunade, boxing her in.
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, and she quickly formed a hand seal of her own. "Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!" A jet of water shot from her mouth, dousing the incoming fireballs. Steam filled the arena as the water and fire collided, obscuring both fighters from view for a brief moment.
When the steam cleared, Tsunade was already on the move again, charging through the haze. Hana's fire jutsu had bought her some time, but it wasn't enough to keep Tsunade at bay. Tsunade closed the distance once more, her fists swinging with deadly precision.
Hana tried to dodge, but Tsunade was faster this time. A solid punch connected with Hana's abdomen, and the Uchiha girl was sent flying across the ring. She landed hard, skidding to a stop near the edge of the arena.
The crowd gasped, and for a moment, it looked like the match was over. But Hana gritted her teeth and forced herself back up. She wasn't giving up that easily.
Tsunade, breathing heavily but still full of energy, watched as Hana rose to her feet. Despite the damage she'd taken, Hana still had a determined look in her eyes.
The Uchiha girl wiped the blood from her lip and took a deep breath, her hands forming seals once more. But before she could finish, Tsunade was already in front of her, moving faster than ever. With one final, devastating punch, Tsunade knocked Hana to the ground.
"Winner: Tsunade Senju!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as Tsunade stood over her fallen opponent, panting but victorious. Hana lay on the ground for a moment, catching her breath, before giving a nod of respect to Tsunade. She had fought well, but Tsunade's sheer physical power had been too much to overcome.
As Hana was helped off the field, Tsunade turned to me with a grin, wiping the sweat from her brow.
"You ready for this, Akira?" she called out, a teasing glint in her eyes. Despite how hard she had just fought, she didn't seem tired at all.
I smirked back. "You know it."
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The finals.
This was it—the match that everyone had been waiting for. Me versus Tsunade. The students around us whispered excitedly as we stepped into the ring, anticipation building. After the match between Hana and Tsunade, everyone knew this would be a clash of titans.
Tsunade stood across from me, rolling her shoulders, her eyes locked on mine. There was that familiar fire in her gaze—the same one I had seen every time we sparred, but this time, it felt different. This wasn't just a friendly training match. This was a battle for the top spot in the class.
The instructor raised his hand. "Final match! Begin!"
Neither of us moved at first, both of us waiting for the other to make the first move. The air between us was thick with tension. Then, with a quick motion, I flicked my wrist, drawing several shuriken from my pouch.
"Shurikenjutsu, huh?" Tsunade muttered, her eyes narrowing as I launched the first wave of shuriken toward her.
She dodged to the side, but I wasn't finished. I followed up with more, sending a barrage of shuriken her way. Each throw was precise, aimed to force her to stay on the defensive and keep her at a distance. I knew I couldn't afford to let her get close—if she did, her raw strength would overwhelm me.
Tsunade darted from side to side, dodging the shuriken effortlessly, though her expression grew more focused. She reached into her own pouch and threw a few kunai to deflect my attacks, the sharp clang of metal on metal ringing out through the arena.
Realizing the shuriken weren't enough to slow her down, I decided to up the pace. With a flick of my wrist, I threw several shuriken into the air, then leapt back, forming hand seals with impressive speed. My hands blurred as I activated my next move.
The shuriken I had thrown mid-air changed direction, arcing toward Tsunade from unexpected angles. It was a technique I had been working on—using shuriken to attack from blind spots, forcing my opponent to constantly move. If I could keep her from getting too close, I might be able to wear her down.
Tsunade's eyes widened, but she wasn't going to let me control the tempo so easily. "Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!" she called out, and a large jet of water shot from her mouth, not only dousing the shuriken but also heading straight for me.
I had no choice but to jump back, narrowly avoiding the water blast. My strategy wasn't working. Tsunade was too fast and skilled to be kept at bay by shuriken alone. I couldn't rely on keeping distance anymore—it was time to switch tactics.
I took a deep breath and charged at her, closing the gap in an instant. If distance wasn't going to work, I had to get in close and use my taijutsu skills.
Tsunade's fists were already up, ready to meet me head-on. She swung at me with a powerful right hook, but I ducked under it, landing a quick punch to her side. She grunted but barely flinched, retaliating with a kick that I managed to block just in time.
Our fight became a blur of punches, kicks, and dodges, each of us trying to gain the upper hand. Tsunade's strength was incredible, but I was faster. Every time she swung at me, I was just a hair faster in dodging or deflecting her attacks.
But the more I fought, the more I realized something—Tsunade was getting tired. Her earlier fight with Hana, combined with her ninjutsu usage, had drained her chakra reserves. Her attacks were still powerful, but they were slower now, less precise.
Seeing my opportunity, I pressed the attack. I ducked under one of her punches and delivered a quick combo—two punches to her midsection followed by a roundhouse kick to her shoulder. Tsunade stumbled back, her breathing labored.
She raised her fists again, but I could see it in her eyes—she was almost out of chakra.
With one final burst of speed, I lunged forward, aiming a decisive strike toward Tsunade. She was already struggling to stay upright, her chakra reserves nearly depleted from the taxing battles she'd endured. My fist aimed for her midsection, knowing it would be enough to end the match.
But Tsunade, even exhausted, was no pushover. At the last second, she dodged to the side, attempting to counter with a sweeping kick toward my legs. I narrowly avoided it, jumping back to regain my footing.
Our breathing was heavy now, both of us clearly reaching our limits. Tsunade's eyes were determined, but her body was betraying her—her chakra was nearly gone, and her punches were losing their edge. I could feel the strain in my own muscles too, but my mind was still sharp, my chakra reserves intact.
"Come on, Akira," she grinned through her exhaustion, wiping sweat from her brow. "Is that all you got?"
I smirked back at her, wiping the blood from my lip. "You're not looking too great yourself, Tsunade."
She chuckled, but I could see the fatigue in her stance, the small tremors in her legs as she struggled to keep going. I knew if this kept up, she would collapse from sheer exhaustion before I landed another hit.
I had to end this now.
Drawing a deep breath, I reached into my pouch once more, pulling out a handful of shuriken. With a flick of my wrist, I threw them toward her in quick succession, each one aimed at different points. Tsunade dodged the first few, but her movements were sluggish now. One of the shuriken grazed her arm, and I used that opening to rush in.
Before she could recover, I closed the distance between us and swung my fist toward her. She managed to block the first hit with her forearm, but the force of my punch pushed her back, her feet sliding across the ground. Her defense faltered for a brief moment, and that's all I needed.
I followed up with a spinning kick aimed at her midsection. This time, she couldn't dodge in time. My foot connected with her stomach, and with a grunt, Tsunade was sent sprawling across the ring.
The crowd around us fell silent as she hit the ground, the dust from the impact slowly settling around her. For a moment, no one moved. Even I held my breath, waiting to see if she would get up again.
But she didn't.
"Winner: Akira!" the instructor's voice rang out, breaking the silence. The crowd erupted into cheers, but I hardly noticed. My eyes were still on Tsunade, watching as she slowly pushed herself up on her elbows, her body trembling from the effort.
I walked over to her, extending a hand. "You okay?"
She looked up at me with a tired smile and grabbed my hand, letting me pull her to her feet. "Yeah… you got me this time." She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I guess I ran out of chakra faster than I thought."
I smiled back, feeling a strange mix of relief and pride. "You were amazing out there. I was lucky you were low on chakra, or I don't think I would've stood a chance."
Tsunade's eyes sparkled with that familiar fire, even through her exhaustion. "Don't think you're off the hook that easily. I'll win next time."
As the instructor gathered the rest of the class to announce the final rankings, I couldn't help but reflect on the match. I had won, but it hadn't been easy. Tsunade and even Hana had pushed me to my limits. Orochimaru had been slippery, and every fight reminded me of just how much I still had to learn.
I glanced down at my hands, clenching them into fists. My physical skills were improving rapidly, and my chakra reserves were now at chunin level. But there was still something missing—ninjutsu. Without it, I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with the likes of Tsunade or Hana for long.
As the instructor began his closing remarks, something strange happened.
A faint shimmer appeared in my vision, and a notification popped up in front of me:
Achievement Unlocked: Top Student!
Reward: 15 Points and Increased Creativity
I blinked in surprise, quickly dismissing the notification before anyone noticed. Fifteen points? That was more than enough to improve my skills, but what caught my attention was the increased creativity. I wasn't sure what it meant exactly, but I had a feeling it was going to be useful.
The instructor finished his speech, and the students began to disperse, some congratulating me on my win, while others discussed the thrilling fights they had witnessed. I thanked them politely, but my mind was already elsewhere—focused on how I could use my newfound points to improve.
Tsunade walked up beside me, still breathing heavily, but there was a smile on her face. "You did good, Akira. But next time, I'm not holding back."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "I'm looking forward to it."
As we made our way out of the training grounds, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. But more than that, I felt the weight of responsibility. I had won today, but the real challenges were just beginning.
And if I was going to become the strongest, I'd need to push myself even harder. There was no room for complacency, not in a world like this.
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End of Chapter 12
Akira may have won the match, but the experience has only fueled his desire to grow stronger. With new points to allocate and a fresh drive for improvement, what will his next steps be? Stay tuned for the next chapter!
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