Overcoming

"Hyūga Hizashi is unable to continue… Hyūga Nozomi is the winner!"

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Nozomi took one last look at Hizashi and walked up to the stands, rejoining her teammates.

"I did it!"

Sticking out her tongue in a playful motion, Nozomi smiled. Seeing that her mood had improved, the rest of the team looked relieved. Grinning from ear to ear, Jiraiya gave her a thumbs-up.

"That was amazing, Nozomi. If these two even do half as well as you, I'll be a happy man!" Jiraiya knew how important this fight was for her, so he was genuinely happy for her.

"Hehe, sensei knows how to joke. Of course, they'll do better than me; it's them after all!"

Chuckling, Nozomi felt good. In that battle, she felt like she had taken a massive weight off her shoulders. Maybe, if she became the strongest in her clan, they'd have to reconsider the system… She hoped that no one would suffer like her and her cousins did.

On the other platform, Hiashi looked at his brother's body being carried away on a stretcher. Feeling competitive, he looked towards the complacent Nozomi with a determined glare.

Not too far away, Ren was also surprised. Hizashi was a strong opponent who he regularly sparred, so he knew his strength very well. For him to lose so quickly was something he could not fathom.

'She's on his team…'

Looking at Jun, he felt like he couldn't see through him anymore.

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Once the match was over, Shigeo walked back to the front of the room and watched as the electronic display chose the next two participants.

After a few seconds, two names finally got picked.

"Uchiha Ren vs. Ozawa Aki. Both of you, please come down to the arena."

Hearing his name getting called, Ren clenched his fists and walked down the stairs. On the other side of the room, the sand ninja with a shortsword also came down.

Half of his face was covered with bandages, and he had purple face-paint.

'It's one of them…'

Recalling what happened as soon as they entered the forest of death, Ren got angry. Because of the ninja from Sunagakure, they had to look everywhere for two more scrolls!

"Kekeke… So it's one of the chickens we spared in the forest. It looks like you managed to make it, congratulations."

"You… Don't act like you had anything to do with it. If it weren't for that auburn-hair guy, we wouldn't have lost to the likes of you!"

"What did you just say!?"

Ozawa's face showed wrath as he heard Ren belittle him. His words hit a sore spot since he couldn't do anything when Rasa was around.

"I'll warn you… Don't underestimate me. Just because I'm not the main guy on my team, you think that you're stronger? You couldn't be more mistaken..."

Tired of their chatter, Shigeo raised his hand.

"Begin!"

As soon as he heard the signal, Ozawa sped towards Ren with a vicious expression, placing a hand on his sword, ready to swing it out.

Seeing this, Ren got into a defensive stance.

Ducking, he easily evaded Ozoawa's sword and raised his hands, grabbing his opponent's arm firmly.

"Not enough."

Back on the platform, Fugaku watched the fight with his arms crossed. Seeing Ren dodge the sword, he shook his head. The opponent already gained the upper hand.

Just as Ren was about to retaliate, Ozawa disappeared, being replaced by a paper bomb instead.

"Kawarimi… Shit!"

Ren jumped out of the way, but the explosion's impact still sent him flying. Landing on the ground, he struggled to get up.

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Don't forget to drop some stones!

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