As the crowd quieted down from the previous excitement, the stage was set for the next match: Choji Akimichi vs. Kabuto Yakushi. Both competitors stood ready, their eyes fixed on each other as Hayate called the match to begin.
"Start!" Hayate announced.
Choji, with a determined look on his face, immediately began focusing his chakra, preparing to activate his Human Boulder technique. His body began to expand, muscles swelling as he powered up for a devastating attack.
Kabuto, on the other hand, remained calm and smirking, watching Choji's transformation. As Choji prepared to charge, Kabuto raised his hand nonchalantly, cutting the tension in the air.
"You know, Choji… this isn't worth my time," Kabuto said casually, his voice dripping with condescension. "I surrender."
The arena fell into shocked silence. Kabuto surrenders? The crowd couldn't believe it. Choji stopped in his tracks, dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events. "Wait, you can't be serious!"
"I am," Kabuto replied with a smirk. "There's no point in fighting a match I'm not invested in."
Hayate, though slightly surprised, quickly called the match. "Kabuto Yakushi surrenders. Choji Akimichi is the winner!"
The crowd erupted in murmurs, some expressing disappointment while others were simply baffled by Kabuto's abrupt surrender. Choji, still processing what had happened, walked off the stage a little confused but victorious nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Hyuk, who had been standing with Reina near the outskirts of the arena, found the situation amusing. After flirting with Reina, playfully caressing her waist, he decided it was time to return to his seat. He gave her a knowing smile before walking back to rejoin his team.
As he approached his teammates, Hyuk could hear the faint whispers and murmurs from the surrounding spectators. The rumors about him — about his ruthlessness, his supposed womanizing ways, and his darker side — were spreading like wildfire through the village.
But as always, Hyuk didn't care.
He ignored the whispers, his expression cold and indifferent. Sitting down beside Team 7, he crossed his arms and leaned back, paying no mind to the attention he was receiving. The others around him continued to talk, but their words were nothing more than background noise to him.
Naruto was still excitedly chatting about his own match, oblivious to the rumors swirling around Hyuk, while Sakura glanced at Hyuk with mild concern, but said nothing.
With Kabuto's surrender, the next match would soon be announced, but for Hyuk, it didn't matter. His focus was on what lay ahead, and no amount of rumors could distract him from his goals.