Ch 358 : Personal guard

The venue for the Empire's Ninja Martial Tournament had undergone special expansions, with numerous barrier formations set up around it.

These served two main purposes: first, to prevent large-scale jutsu used in battles from affecting the spectators, and second, to allow the battlefield to be altered at will based on the match requirements.

For example, an entire forest could be summoned out of thin air—an environment where the ninja of the Fire Province excelled in combat.

Alternatively, a vast lake could be created, providing a significant advantage to those proficient in Water Release techniques.

Aside from these, other terrain variations existed, but like the matchups themselves, they were assigned at random.

Whether a contestant encountered a battlefield that suited them depended entirely on luck.

Hoshigaki Kisame stood atop the shifting water's surface, his massive sword, Samehada, resting on his shoulder.

Not far from him, the limp body of his opponent floated on the waves.

The battlefield had initially been a vast expanse of sand, but Kisame had transformed it entirely with a single large-scale Water Release jutsu.

The ability to generate a water source in a dry environment was one of the key measures of a Water Release user's true prowess.

Kisame's overwhelming display of power had left much of the audience in shock.

With the match decided, tournament staff quickly entered the arena to assess the fallen contestant's condition.

A beam of white light from the Solarity Tower descended, teleporting the unconscious fighter away.

The giant screens above displayed the name of the match's victor alongside Kisame's image.

A deafening cheer erupted from the surrounding audience, exhilarated by the intense battle.

Many of them were regular spectators of Konoha's previous Chunin Exam duels, but in comparison, those fights now seemed like mere children playing at war.

By this point, multiple matches had already taken place, each one heart-pounding and electrifying.

While not every battle featured large-scale jutsu, every contestant who had reached the final stage possessed strength beyond that of an ordinary Jonin.

Their understanding of combat, their ability to adapt to the environment, and their keen judgment of the situation far exceeded that of average ninja, making each fight an intense spectacle.

Even the simplest tools, such as shuriken and kunai, were wielded with astonishing precision and effectiveness.

Inside one of the luxurious VIP rooms above the arena, the Shinigami from the Seireitei were still immersed in the excitement of Kisame's battle.

"It seems that these ninja are truly not to be underestimated," Kyoraku remarked with a sigh.

Having watched several battles now, they had seen a variety of fighting styles, and it was clear that almost all of the participating ninja were at least at the level of a Seated Officer.

As for the one called Kisame—his effortless demeanor throughout the match had not gone unnoticed by the Captains.

His true strength likely far exceeded what he had displayed.

"Only twenty years old..."

"The variety of jutsu they use is vast, and compared to our Shinigami's Kido, they are in no way inferior."

For many of the Captains, this was their first true encounter with the power of ninja, and they observed the battles unfolding below with great focus.

Even the Vice-Captains, who had previously been indulging in the luxurious feast, were now captivated by the matches.

Bang!

Kenpachi suddenly slammed his hand onto the table, shattering a section of its corner.

Kyoraku sighed inwardly at the sight, feeling a bit helpless.

Before coming here, he had considered whether it was a good idea to bring Kenpachi along.

Fortunately, the old man had given him strict orders beforehand, which was likely the only reason Kenpachi had managed to restrain himself this long.

"When are we Shinigami going to hold a tournament like this?" Kenpachi muttered, barely able to contain his desire for battle.

Aizen smiled warmly and said, "Even if such a tournament were to be held, as Captains and Vice-Captains, we wouldn't be allowed to participate. It should be a platform for the lower-ranking Shinigami instead."

He wasn't wrong—Soul Society's system was quite different from the world of the living.

If the Seireitei were to hold a competition like this, the Captains would undoubtedly be excluded from participation.

Aizen adjusted his glasses and chuckled, "However, I do think that if the ninja of the living world and we Shinigami were to have a friendly spar, it might turn out to be quite interesting."

His words took everyone by surprise.

Gin smiled slyly, "Captain Aizen's ideas are always unique."

Aizen let out a soft laugh. "It was just a passing thought."

As the Captains continued their discussion, sudden news came from below—Kisame had voluntarily forfeited his next match.

"Forfeited?"

"But he's so strong! Why would he surrender?"

Unohana calmly offered her insight, "The tournament rules never stated that one must fight to claim first place. Judging by his previous performance, I'd say he has already caught the Emperor's attention."

Kyoraku nodded in agreement, "He's a smart one."

Upon learning of Kisame's forfeit, Makoto glanced at the display screen beside him, which showed the matchup for the next battle.

If the winner of the upcoming match was Mei, then she would end up facing Kisame in the next round.

Both of them were from the Water Province and had once been Mist ninjas.

Their bond was likely strong, and Kisame's intentions were obvious—there was no need to compete against a friend.

Makoto merely smiled in understanding.

The giant screen above the arena displayed the next matchup:

Terumi Mei from the Water Province vs. Gari from the Earth Province.

Both were kekkei genkai users.

Mei wielded Boil Release and Lava Release, while Gari was a renowned Explosion Release user from Iwagakure.

Seeing that the next contestant was a beautiful kunoichi, the crowd's excitement surged.

Female ninjas were already rarer than their male counterparts, and strong, beautiful ones were even more uncommon.

"Ah, what a lovely lady," Kyoraku murmured to himself, stroking his chin as he gazed at Mei on the screen.

As Mei stepped into the arena, the deafening cheers of the crowd rang out around her.

Her expression remained calm, but her gaze briefly shifted toward the emperor's viewing area.

From her position, she couldn't see inside, but she was certain—at this moment, the emperor was watching her.

The referee, Uchiha Shisui, gestured for both contestants to step forward.

The Explosion Release user, Gari, was serious and silent, offering a polite bow to Mei before stepping back.

The battlefield was a vast plain.

With so many terrain options available, the chances of randomly getting a lake were slim, but Mei didn't mind.

At Shisui's signal, both fighters sprang into action.

Their high-speed movements were difficult for ordinary spectators to track, but the massive screens above ensured that their every motion was captured clearly.

Ever since the empire was founded and the ninja system was restructured, Mei had almost forgotten that she was still a ninja.

And not just a ninja—she was a prodigy.

After a brief exchange of probing attacks, Mei chose not to engage in close combat.

Instead, she swiftly formed several hand seals.

In an instant, a massive tidal wave erupted, towering nearly ten meters high, completely surrounding Gari.

The sheer scale of the water release technique went far beyond a simple wave—the battlefield was transformed into a vast water domain.

Yet another Water Release master!

This was the thought running through the minds of all the observing ninja.

To unleash such a large-scale Water Release technique in a dry environment—only a rare few could achieve such a feat.

The tournament had gathered the strongest warriors from all the provinces of the empire.

These were the elites of their former villages, and standing out among them was no simple matter of just being a Jonin.

Even with the barrier in place, the audience could still feel the cool, damp air spreading from the battlefield.

Boom!

Suddenly, an explosion of crimson flames erupted within the water domain below.

Unfortunately, with the entire area now submerged, its power was significantly weakened.

From the very start, Mei had already determined the outcome of this battle.

The elemental advantage was too overwhelming.

Among all the remaining contestants, only Kisame could truly match her.

But that guy had already forfeited—was it because he thought losing to her would be too humiliating? Afraid she would mock him for it?

Maki from the Wind Province was strong, but only strong.

Darui from the Lightning Province, despite his proficiency with Lightning Release and his possession of the Storm Release kekkei genkai, was still too young.

A mere teenager reaching this stage was already an impressive feat.

As for this Explosion Release ninja, Gari…

Mei stood calmly atop the water's surface, her expression unwavering as she weaved her hand seals.

Two water dragons surged from the water below, lunging toward Gari from both sides in a pincer attack.

This was an environment of her own creation.

Under her control, the water dragons moved as if they were extensions of her own limbs, forcing Gari into a purely defensive position.

With a powerful punch infused with Explosion Release, Gari shattered one of the incoming water dragons.

However, as the water splashed around him, a second water dragon suddenly shot up from beneath his feet, its flowing body coiling around him tightly and launching him skyward.

Boom!

With a muffled explosion, Gari's upper garments were blown apart, the force of the blast aiding him in breaking free from the water dragon's grip.

Taking advantage of his fall, he formed hand seals midair.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart!"

Rumble—!

The water below churned violently as a massive earthen wall erupted from beneath, soaring sky-high.

Rising over ten meters in an instant, it caught Gari in midair, providing him a foothold.

The enormous earth wall stood like a sheer cliff, altering the waterlogged battlefield's landscape.

However, after executing the jutsu, Gari appeared fatigued.

Large-scale techniques like this consumed vast amounts of chakra, and casting such a jutsu midair only added to the strain.

Mei gazed up at him, her expression still composed.

Forming hand seals once more, she opened her mouth and expelled a large mass of acidic liquid.

The moment the acid touched the earth wall, white smoke rose in thick plumes.

As Mei continued her relentless assault, the entire lower portion of the wall quickly corroded and collapsed under the effects of the powerful acid.

Rumble—!

The man-made cliff began to collapse.

Mei did not give her opponent any chance to recover.

She formed her final hand seal, and a massive water dragon, even larger than the previous ones, surged from the water's surface.

It tore through the crumbling rock wall, swallowing Gari whole.

The colossal water dragon shot forward at high speed, crashing directly into the barrier at the arena's edge.

The water's surface rippled violently, but Gari himself was completely unconscious.

Above, the giant screen displayed Mei Terumi's victory.

After a brief silence, the audience erupted into thunderous cheers.

Tournament staff quickly entered the arena, and under the radiant light of the Solarity Tower's teleportation, Gari was taken away.

Mei tilted her head up once more, looking toward the Emperor's position before exhaling deeply and calmly leaving the stage.

Upon arriving at the resting area, she spotted Kisame standing at the entrance.

Without hesitation, Mei directly questioned him, "You—did you forfeit on purpose because you were afraid of losing to me?"

Kisame shrugged and replied, "I just figured there was no need to fight. If nothing unexpected happens, I should already be able to enter Konoha. As for you, even if you forfeit now, the Emperor will still allow you to join Konoha."

Mei countered, "If everyone ignored and manipulated the rules like you, then what would be the point of this tournament? If it were only about selecting powerful ninjas, there would be no need for such a large audience."

Hearing this, Kisame tilted his head slightly once more.

Mei continued, "His Majesty the Emperor is paying attention to everyone's performance in this tournament—including your deliberate forfeit. Do you really think your little scheme can fool him? We should go talk to the tournament officials about the upcoming matches. This isn't just a selection process for strong ninjas; it's also a performance for the world to see."

Kisame shook his head. "Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore. I was never that ambitious to begin with."

His expression remained calm, and he showed little reaction to Mei's words.

Feeling somewhat frustrated, Mei shot him a glare. "Suit yourself."

The next match was between Maki from the Wind Province and Darui from the Lightning Province.

As expected, Maki won quickly.

Darui was merely a teenager, and wind-style techniques naturally countered lightning-style.

Mei stayed in the waiting room for some time until the final match of the tournament arrived.

Maki, originally from Sunagakure, specialized in Wind Release.

Her overall abilities were well-rounded, all at the level of a high-ranking jonin.

In the past, someone like her would have been considered a core talent of her village.

She had reached this stage entirely through her own strength, but she was also fortunate—she hadn't encountered Kisame earlier.

Now, in the final battle, she was up against Mei.

Before the final match, the contestants had studied each other's abilities in detail.

The battlefield was set in a sandy terrain with no obstacles, a favorable setting for Maki.

Unlike her previous match, Mei didn't use large-scale Water Release techniques.

Instead, she immediately activated Boil Release, continuously exhaling acidic mist and gradually increasing its concentration.

As the acidic mist reached the boundaries of the arena, it was blocked and reflected back by the protective barrier, preventing it from affecting the spectators.

Realizing the danger, Maki attempted to disperse the mist with Wind Release.

However, whenever she blew it away, it quickly reformed.

As Mei Terumi continued to increase the mist's density, the entire arena was soon engulfed in the hazardous vapor.

Knowing she was outmatched, Maki had no choice but to raise her hand in surrender.

Although this battle was not as dazzling and intense as the previous ones, it still received a great deal of applause.

With this, all matches of the First Imperial Ninja Tournament had officially come to an end, and the final champion was Terumi Mei from the Water Province.

All the contestants gathered at the awards ceremony, waiting for the Emperor of the Empire to personally present their awards.

The large screens above the arena were broadcasting this moment live.

Aside from the finalists, several other ninjas who had performed exceptionally well in the earlier rounds were also recognized as having sufficient skill or potential to join Konoha.

Everyone knelt on one knee, heads lowered toward the ground.

Even as the sound of approaching footsteps grew closer, no one dared to raise their gaze.

The first reward they received was the Konoha forehead protector and Konoha battle uniform, symbolizing their official status.

After the ninja reforms, only Konoha ninjas were allowed to wear this forehead protector, while all other ninjas were restricted to blank, unmarked ones.

Additionally, each finalist was granted an apartment in the New District—an undeniably valuable reward.

Those who had not made it to the finals did not receive this benefit.

Real estate in Konoha's New District had skyrocketed in value, and such properties could not be given away lightly.

Mei reached out to receive the uniform and forehead protector, keeping her head lowered as she knelt on one knee, expressing her gratitude.

But the figure before her stopped in front of her and did not move away.

"Terumi Mei."

A voice suddenly rang in her ears, carrying the authority of a ruler, its tone cool and composed.

Her heartbeat quickened, and after a brief moment of daze, she quickly responded, "Present!"

When she first laid eyes on the Emperor of the Empire, she had felt a hint of admiration—purely the reverence one feels for a sovereign of supreme status.

Such thoughts could only remain hidden in her heart; she would never dare act upon them.

"Are you interested in joining the Crown Guard?"

"..."

The others kneeling nearby couldn't help but lift their heads upon hearing this, all except Kisame, their faces filled with disbelief.

After a brief moment of shock, Mei also couldn't help but look up at the man standing at the pinnacle of the world.

For an instant, she felt as though she couldn't breathe, her mind replaying the question over and over, doubting whether she had misheard.

Her throat tightened. "You mean…"

The Emperor looked down at her and spoke again.

"I'm asking you—are you interested in becoming my personal guard?"

--------------

Exclusive access : All novel on paetron

Genshin impact Complete novel, Naruto birdcage Complete novel, Overlord Complete novel

From the apocalypse 100+ch, Fairy tail Destiny Complete novel, Genshin Impact Eerie Teyvat 300+ch

Join now : patreon*com/DeCakraWnloverz