"Not good!"
The instant the four ice mirrors materialized, Kaguya Yuta felt a chill down his spine.
The moment the Makyō Hyōshō (Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals) formed, his Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) instinctively sent him a signal—danger.
This attack could kill him.
At this moment, did keeping up appearances even matter?
Compared to survival, all grand plans had to be temporarily set aside. Between maintaining his pride and preserving his life, Kaguya Yuta chose to follow his instincts.
"Shikotsumyaku: Tessenka no Mai – Tsuru!" (Dead Bone Pulse: Dance of the Clematis – Vine)
No longer holding back, Kaguya Yuta immediately executed his strongest defensive maneuver available.
Instantly, his skeletal structure shifted as bones erupted from beneath his skin, encasing him in an impenetrable dome—a grotesque, stone-like structure reinforced by his bloodline's natural resilience.
The sight alone made onlookers' scalps tingle.
This was the Kaguya clan's terrifying ability.
Within seconds, Kaguya Yuta was completely encased in a sphere of reinforced bone.
At the same time, Mizuki Ryosuke appeared inside all four ice mirrors.
His cold, detached eyes reflected within each surface, gazing indifferently at the bone sphere in front of him—void of emotion, like an executioner passing judgment.
"Hyōton: Kyokuhyō Shūgeki (Ice Release: Extreme Cold Thrust – Simplified Version)!"
The four reflections moved in unison, forming the same hand seals.
Four massive ice spears—thicker than tree trunks and sharpened to deadly points—launched simultaneously from the ice mirrors, carrying an aura of terrifying cold.
"CRACK!"
The ice lances struck Kaguya Yuta's bone sphere. A grating screech echoed as ice met bone, sending tremors through the battlefield.
The sharp spears pierced deeper—one centimeter, two centimeters, five centimeters, ten centimeters…
Until, at the very last moment—when they were mere inches from impaling his flesh—the ice spears shattered into thousands of glimmering shards.
At the same time, the bone sphere, frozen solid under the extreme cold, crumbled into powder, revealing Kaguya Yuta within.
The once-proud young leader of the Kaguya clan now stood frozen in place—literally.
A thick layer of frost coated his body. From a distance, he looked like an ice sculpture.
There was no doubt—Kaguya Yuta had lost.
But before anyone could react, an even more bizarre sight followed.
"Thud!"
Mizuki Ryosuke, who had just unleashed a devastating technique, suddenly collapsed, landing flat on his back.
It looked as though he had exhausted his chakra.
In the end, it was… a strange draw!
As Mizuki Ryosuke watched the ice spears effortlessly pierce Kaguya Yuta's bone defenses, only one thought crossed his mind.
"Why…?"
"Why is he so weak?!"
Before he could process it, panic set in.
The ice spears were about to kill Kaguya Yuta.
Hurriedly, Mizuki Ryosuke forced them to detonate prematurely, shattering them before they could deliver a fatal blow.
And then, realization struck him like a lightning bolt.
Kaguya Yuta was a fraud.
A paper tiger.
Now that he thought about it, the Kaguya heir wasn't as strong as he had assumed. His clan was infamous for their brute-force combat style, yet this so-called prodigy was barely holding his own.
Mizuki Ryosuke had completely overestimated the strength of a Jōnin.
The weight of that realization sent a cold sweat down his back.
Then, as if insulted by his own naivety, a wave of irritation surged through him.
He glared at the half-frozen, barely-conscious Kaguya Yuta, his eyes filled with unspoken fury.
"You… If you weren't strong enough, why act tough?!"
Now, looking back at everything he had done, Mizuki Ryosuke found it laughable.
His entire plan had been to lose in a controlled manner.
Yet here he was—completely dominating the fight by accident.
"No! This can't happen!"
If he left things as they were, this would be a one-sided victory.
He needed a way to escape this "glorious" outcome.
The only option?
Play dead.
With a heavy sigh of resignation, Mizuki Ryosuke did just that.
Before anyone could react, he collapsed onto the ground, pretending to have exhausted his chakra.
The entire battlefield fell into stunned silence.
Even the Mizukage, Anbu commanders, elite Jōnin, and Kaguya clan elders took a moment to process what had just happened.
"Medical team! Move!"
Maeda Motoji, one of the senior Jōnin, was the first to react.
He quickly signaled the medics to assess both fighters.
After a brief examination, the verdict was clear.
Kaguya Yuta: Suffered severe frostbite, near total immobilization.
Mizuki Ryosuke: Chakra exhaustion, unconscious.
No one knew what to say.
Especially as their gazes shifted toward Kaguya Yuta.
Hadn't he confidently declared he could endure three attacks?
Yet here he was—barely surviving two.
And Mizuki Ryosuke?
Hadn't he claimed he wouldn't last much longer?
Yet here he was—falling over after winning.
Who even won this fight?
A draw?
Everyone—especially Maeda Motoji, who had been acting as the referee—wore conflicted expressions.
On the Kaguya side, their clan head, Terumi Yoruichi, looked absolutely livid.
Without another word, he hoisted his son onto his back and stormed off.
It seemed he had no face left to stay any longer.
As the Kaguya clan departed in silence, the remaining onlookers exchanged glances before finally settling their attention on Maeda Motoji.
The senior Jōnin hesitated. Then, shifting responsibility, he turned to the Mizukage.
"Mizukage-sama, how do you wish to proceed?"
Mizuki Taki, the Third Mizukage, smiled calmly, his voice carrying undeniable authority.
"Since both have lost consciousness, we shall follow protocol."
"It is a draw."
The audience stirred in surprise.
After all, anyone with a discerning eye could tell—if the Mizukage wanted to push the narrative, Mizuki Ryosuke had clearly won.
And against the Kaguya clan, no less—a rival of the Mizuki.
One Jōnin even whispered, "Mizukage-sama's ruling is too lenient."
"Mizuki Ryosuke should be disqualified."
"The rules are clear—Jōnin candidates must fight to the best of their abilities. Holding back is forbidden."
A new voice entered the conversation.
Yagura, the future Fourth Mizukage, stepped forward, his sharp gaze filled with cold authority.
"In my opinion… Mizuki Ryosuke should be disqualified."
The tension in the air thickened.
A storm was brewing.