The atmosphere in the arena was tense as the second round of the Chuunin Exams kicked off. Hayate's death lingered over the proceedings, though only the Hokage and select individuals knew the truth behind it. Genma had stepped in as the new proctor, keeping the event moving forward.
"First match: Hyuk Haruno versus Temari of the Sand!" Genma announced.
The crowd was restless. Though there were cheers, they were mingled with murmurs, most people still whispering about the rumors surrounding Hyuk—the whispers of unnecessary killing during the forest of death were fresh in their minds. Some cast glances his way, unsure whether to admire or fear him.
Hyuk stood calmly in the arena, his face expressionless as usual, his cold aura unsettling those watching. Temari faced him, fan at the ready, confidence oozing from her stance.
"You're the one everyone's whispering about, huh?" Temari taunted, flicking her fan open. "Let's see if there's truth to it."
Without wasting time, she swung her fan, sending a powerful gust of wind toward him. But Hyuk didn't flinch. With a mere wave of his hand, he summoned his ice, freezing the wind in midair, turning her attack into harmless frost.
Temari frowned and swung her fan again, but each attack was effortlessly blocked by Hyuk's ice. The audience murmured louder, a mix of awe and suspicion filling the arena.
Hyuk advanced on Temari, and her frustration grew as none of her attacks could touch him. Her wind jutsus, normally powerful enough to blow back even the toughest opponents, were utterly neutralized by Hyuk's ice control.
"Is that all?" Hyuk said coldly, his voice void of any emotion. He closed the distance between them, fast enough to make Temari lose her balance.
Before she could react, Hyuk moved behind her, sweeping her legs from under her and pinning her down with his foot on her ass, pressing her to the ground.
"Do you surrender?" he asked indifferently, his eyes as cold as the ice he controlled.
Temari gritted her teeth, humiliated and furious at the same time. She struggled against his weight, but it was no use. "Damn it... I surrender!" she shouted, the bitterness evident in her voice.
But Hyuk wasn't done. As she gave up, he applied a bit more pressure, making sure Temari couldn't move. "Good choice," he said without a trace of respect, after kicking her ass and walking away.
Temari glared at him from the ground, seething in silence but knowing she couldn't do anything about it.
Genma stepped forward to announce the winner. "The winner of the first match is Hyuk Haruno!"
The crowd wasn't cheering as loudly as they would have for others. There were some cheers from a few admirers, but mostly there were murmurs—uncertain, almost fearful. The rumors about Hyuk still clung to the air, thickening the tension.
As Hyuk exited the arena, he didn't bother acknowledging the whispers. He didn't care. This was just another step toward what he had planned. He had more important things to think about than the crowd's opinion.