Chapter 105: Outcome
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Shinji was still locked in battle with Hiroshi. Both moved nimbly across the water, but Hiroshi had a distinct advantage: his imperfect ability to transform into water allowed him to evade many direct attacks. On the other hand, Shinji was a master at manipulating coral, yet immobilizing Hiroshi this time was proving far more difficult than during their battle last year.
"Did you really think your old trick would still work?" Hiroshi taunted, liquefying part of his arm to dodge a coral strike that had come dangerously close.
"Don't underestimate me," Shinji replied coldly, summoning a barrier of coral from beneath the water that forced Hiroshi to retreat.
The fight grew more intense. Hiroshi attacked with fluid movements, his body adapting and shifting to confuse and overwhelm Shinji. The latter responded with precise, calculated strikes, creating coral structures that rapidly extended, trying to trap Hiroshi. The waves generated by their movements made the battlefield increasingly unstable, adding further challenges to the fight.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shinji tried to keep track of the battle between Ren and Tokinaga. He caught glimpses of explosions and the swift movements of Ren's water clones. He's fighting Tokinaga—and winning? he wondered, distracted for a moment. That hesitation gave Hiroshi the chance to launch an attack, hitting Shinji with a powerful water blast that forced him to stumble backward.
"Don't get distracted, Shinji! I'm your opponent!" Hiroshi shouted with a satisfied grin.
Suddenly, the battlefield was engulfed in mist, making it hard for either of them to continue fighting. Taking advantage of the situation, Shinji moved laterally, using his connection to the coral to glide swiftly across the water's surface.
After the Battle
Ren held Shibuki in his hand, examining it with a mix of curiosity and respect. So this is one of the legendary swords. I never thought I'd wield one so soon, he thought, feeling the weapon's weight and formidable aura.
Tokinaga, still kneeling and utterly defeated, barely managed to lift his gaze. Ren looked at him with an ironic smile and said, "Show me your worth now, without Shibuki." He brandished the sword confidently and unleashed an explosion, shaking the air. The shockwave barely missed Tokinaga, stopping just short of hitting him.
So that's how it works, Ren thought, observing the sword's effect. The other students, intimidated, began to distance themselves from him.
"I won't use Shibuki," Ren declared to his companions. "If you want to take on Tokinaga, all the tags he's collected are yours. I won't interfere."
What a satisfying feeling. This is karma. He was acting cocky before; now he's at the mercy of the other students, Ren reflected with a satisfied smile.
As the students exchanged glances, ready to gang up on Tokinaga, the ANBU suddenly entered the field, followed by Fujimoto-sensei and the other instructors.
"The exam is over. Proceed to the examiners' table to have your tags counted," Fujimoto-sensei announced, marking the end of the test.
The students, visibly disoriented, began heading toward the examiners. Fujimoto-sensei, accompanied by an ANBU, approached Ren to reclaim the sword.
"Can't I keep it as a reward?" Ren asked, his tone half-serious. Fujimoto-sensei, though inwardly agreeing with Ren, knew full well that the sword couldn't be left in the hands of a student. Before he could respond, the ANBU interjected: "Kid, this is too dangerous. Your time will come—if you make it."
Ren smiled faintly and handed over Shibuki. "Just kidding. Here you go."
Shortly after, Ren made his way toward the examiners' table. Along the way, he was met by Kurara, Yukiko, Aoi, Jun'ko, and Shinji. His friends congratulated him, each wearing a knowing smile.
"Ren, you were incredible! That move with Shibuki… I never saw it coming!" Aoi exclaimed, patting him on the shoulder.
Kurara, still slightly flushed, added, "Yes, thanks again for… well, for saving me." Her voice was a mix of gratitude and embarrassment.
"Oh, come on, it wasn't just him," Jun'ko interjected with a sly grin. "After all, my Genjutsu confused Tokinaga enough for Ren to land his blow."
"Sure," Shinji replied with a wry smile. "But we have to admit, Ren showed exceptional control. That decision to leave Tokinaga to the others—genius."
" Yes" Yukiko said, her tone more serious. "You acted like a true leader, Ren. You kept a cool head even in the toughest moments, so this was what you were hiding all this time."
Ren scratched his head, visibly embarrassed by the praise. "Well, let's just say I did what I had to do."
Aoi looked at him with a smirk. "Who knows? Maybe one day you'll become Mizukage."
"Yes, and we'll be your trusted council," Jun'ko added, giggling.
"Wait," Kurara interrupted. "With Jun'ko as an advisor, the village would be full of useless illusions! Or worse, we'd confuse ourselves and never find the way out!"
The group burst into laughter, and even Ren couldn't hold back a genuine laugh. As the others laughed, Ren took a moment to reflect. Mizukage? I don't think it's in my plans, though the idea might be intriguing. But I have other goals… for now.
"Why are you laughing? I don't think it's that funny," Kurara said suddenly, her expression serious. "I mean, think about it—if we really got lost, how would the village function?"
For a moment, the group was silent, then erupted into another wave of laughter. Even Ren couldn't help but chuckle. "Kurara, you're one of a kind," he said, shaking his head in amusement.
Later, Fujimoto-sensei called Ren aside to congratulate him. "You've shown all the qualities of a true ninja today. You surprised me, Mizutani. Your father would be proud of you."
Ren lowered his gaze for a moment, thoughtful. My father… I wonder if he really would be proud of me. Before he could respond, Fujimoto added, "The results will be announced in a few minutes. Be ready."
Later, at the academy, Fujimoto-sensei, flanked by the other instructors, stood before the students to announce the results:
1) Mizutani Ren
2) Yuki Yukiko
3) Kurushimi Misaki
4) Tsuki Jun'ko
5) Hozuki Hiroshi
6) Karatachi Shinji
7) Koshima Kurara
8) Kaguya Shin
9) Kaito Aoi
10) Munashi Touma/ Yuki Sora / Terano Kaori / Ibiki Jiwo
Fujimoto-sensei declared, "For these evaluations, we didn't only consider the number of tags collected but also other factors such as strategy, teamwork, and adaptability."
The students murmured among themselves, glancing at Ren at the top of the list. Their reactions were a mix of awe and envy. Ren, though not surprised, reflected: Seeing my name in first place has a certain effect. But from now on, I'll have more eyes on me… I'll face it, but I'll also need to develop other hidden cards, mmh?
In that moment Ren felt a chill run down his spine. His instincts sharpened. Someone's watching me.
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