Promotion Commotion (Part-9)

{Title 1- The Girl Who Cut Through Dawn}

~~~

Both Yugao and Kurotsuchi were still standing, showing no signs of surrender, so the proctor lowered his hand again.

Yugao's final lightning strike had indeed shocked Kurotsuchi, imperfectly, but enough to disrupt her balance and dampen her senses. The impurities in the stone gauntlets acted as conduits, conducting the electricity directly into Kurotsuchi's arms and torso. Her breathing had turned shallow, and she blinked more frequently, trying to restore clarity to her vision.

At the same time, the force behind Kurotsuchi's final strike hadn't been lacking either. Yugao's left arm had taken the brunt of the blow and now hung limp and fractured. Blood seeped through her sleeve. Her grip on her sword weakened, so she bit down the pain, tore a piece of cloth from her own uniform with her teeth, and tied her left arm to the sword's hilt, turning it into a makeshift one-handed sheath so that she could swing it without needing both hands.

Kurotsuchi, meanwhile, began stabbing herself lightly on her thigh and shoulder, trying to force her nerves back to life. Each jab of pain seemed to refocus her more and more.

A few seconds passed.

They locked eyes.

Both smiled, small but real.

Then they rushed forward, no tricks, no techniques. Just pure resolve.

Yugao's katana sparked as it was unsheathed, not from lightning chakra this time, but from the metallic grind of friction against the cloth binding. She stepped low, close to the ground, her whole weight shifting into a one-armed sword stance.

Her stance: the first move of her kenjutsu style. The one she made for herself. She mouthed the name without sound:

[Crane Breaks the Dawn.]

Kurotsuchi came in at a mirrored angle, a single-hand seal formed mid-charge. Her foot slammed into the arena floor just before they met.

[Earth Style: Subterranean Rising Blade!]

From beneath her feet, the stone cracked and thrust upward, forming a wide, jagged earth blade. The sheer pressure from the stone compressed into this narrow shape made it vibrate with lethal force.

The collision happened in an instant.

Steel met stone.

Yugao's blade rang as it slid through the surface of the earth blade, but her form was true, perfect, honed through hours of sword practice. Kurotsuchi's attack surged upward, the tip of the jagged stone shooting for Yugao's shoulder.

Yugao twisted, shifting her weight mid-swing despite the limitation of using only one arm.

The ground beneath them exploded from the chakra clash.

A cloud of dust blanketed the arena again.

Spectators leaned forward.

Silence.

Then the dust began to settle.

Two silhouettes became visible.

Back to back.

Yugao stood behind Kurotsuchi, blood trailing down her arm and legs. Her sword was still in her hand, but the blade was cracked, then, as if on cue, it snapped, the broken half clattering to the ground.

A breath later, Yugao collapsed to one knee, then fell sideways.

Kurotsuchi floated slightly above the ground, barely looking alive. Then her eyes rolled back, and she too dropped, falling flat onto her side.

The crowd held its breath.

The proctor appeared between them in a flicker, checking both for consciousness.

After a moment, he stood.

"Both participants are unconscious and unable to continue," he announced clearly. "The match is a draw!"

Finally, cheers erupted. Not for one victor or the other, but for the fight itself.

~~~

In the participants' stand, Ren remained standing as his applause faded into a thoughtful silence. He looked down at the arena where medics were still finishing their work and quietly muttered, "Damn…"

'This Yugao, she's already stronger than her canon version,' he mused, eyes lingering on the trail of blood left by the medics. 'Even with one arm, she pushed through. That wasn't her normal kenjutsu style either… and Kurotsuchi.'

He recalled the sight again: Kurotsuchi floating slightly above the cracked stone just before she collapsed.

'She was floating. Not falling. That wasn't chakra shaping, she used weight reduction. Old man Onoki must've already started teaching her his flight technique, but it's not perfect yet.'

Ren leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing. 'Still, her earth jutsu is something else. That level of control and adaptation, no doubt she really does become the best Earth-style user by Boruto's time. Even without lava release, she gave Yugao a real fight.'

He crossed his arms, watching as the proctors and support staff finished clearing the debris and began resetting the arena.

~~~

Up above, in the VIP stand, a loud smack echoed as Onoki slammed a hand down on the armrest of his chair. Despite the force, his face was not one of anger but of visible excitement, eyes gleaming like a child watching a long-awaited result.

Hiruzen turned to him with a knowing chuckle. "Even if it ended in a draw, you're considering this a victory, aren't you?"

Onoki gave a slight grunt but didn't deny it. Instead, he deflected, "You're one to talk. Seems like that yellow flash's teammate passed on a few things to that girl of yours."

Hiruzen's smile didn't waver. "Juichi has always been reliable. Speaks too much, but his son and student gave great perform."

Both men fell into silence, their gazes drifting back to the field where Yugao and Kurotsuchi were being carried away on stretchers.

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed faintly. 'Uzuki Yugao… if she gets more time under Juichi's wing, she might develop beyond what we can currently track. And that broken-arm final strike, she's got the right resolve, if we can nurture her right, she may become another powerhouse.'

'As for Kurotsuchi, if Onoki keeps pushing her, and she really does master that flight technique of his to full effectiveness…'

He inhaled slowly through his pipe. 'Then she may become a true problem, not just a prodigy.'

Meanwhile, Onoki was having his own chain of thoughts, the back of his mind simmering with unease. He looked across the stadium at the boy in the participants' stand, the blue-haired brat and the Uchiha.

'First that blue haired kid. Then the Uchiha. And now this kunoichi. Konoha… it really is a cursed cradle of genius.'

'The boy has no fear, the Uchiha is precise beyond his years, and the girl has grit and raw instinct. Damn that old fox Hiruzen.'

He turned slightly and locked eyes with Hiruzen. They exchanged a long, silent stare.

Onoki harrumphed and looked away.

Hiruzen chuckled quietly to himself.

Down below, Inokawa Yamanaka raised his voice, drawing everyone's attention once again.

"Since both Yugao Uzuki and Kurotsuchi are unconscious and unable to proceed, we will skip the semi-final match. That brings us directly to the final match of the Chunin Exam between Ren Takahashi of the Leaf and Itachi Uchiha of the Leaf."

The crowd immediately erupted into a new wave of excited murmurs, like a storm brewing under the surface.

"The match will begin in one hour," Inokawa continued. "Participants may rest or prepare as they see fit. Spectators who wish to leave may do so with the guidance of the stationed shinobi. However" his eyes glinted just a little "I don't expect anyone would want to miss what comes next."

With that, Inokawa vanished, and the proctors and ground crews took over. Earth jutsu lit up the arena floor. Deep cracks were filled and levelled. Defensive barriers were rechecked, and multiple sensor teams quietly repositioned across the perimeter.

Despite the invitation, not a single person stood from the crowd. Civilians leaned forward on their benches. Shinobi narrowed their eyes. Traders and merchants watched with bated breath.

Everyone knew what was coming next.

The battle of prodigies.

Ren Takahashi.

Itachi Uchiha.

The perfect soldier versus the unpredictable powerhouse.

Even Jiraiya sat up straighter. "Whew. Now this might become the most entertaining Chunin match I've seen in a long time"

Utakata, as calm as ever, simply exhaled. "It'll be good experience for them both."

Nami to his side refuted him, "Hmph, you should cheer your student and not just keep sitting here like a rock."

Utakata fell silent, while Jiraiya chuckled, 'I was surprised, but let's hope she'll be a happy surprise.'

Ren, still in the participants' stand, slowly stood up and dusted off his vest.

Yugao's and Kurotsuchi's stretchers had long been carried off. Now the only thing between him and the final stage was a boy with crimson eyes.

He stretched his shoulders once, cracked his knuckles, and stared at Itachi sitting a little distance from him in the participants area.

"One hour," he muttered. Itachi locked eyes with Ren.

'Let's make this a match they'll remember.'

~~~

{Title 2- The Unstoppable vs. the Untouchable}

~~~

Soon the 1 hour mark was up and both Ren and Itachi were called down.

The proctor soon flickered between them and announced, "The final match of the this years Chunin exams between Ren Takahashi and Itachi Uchiha, Begins."

The moment the proctor signaled the start of the match, Ren burst forward without hesitation. His feet cracked the ground as he launched across the arena like a projectile, his body blurring as he crossed the distance with chakra-enhanced acceleration. Waiting wasn't an option like he did with Akatsuchi, not against someone like Itachi.

Itachi's three-tomoe Sharingan activated instantly, calmly tracking every movement as he tilted his upper body just enough to avoid Ren's first palm strike. A kunai slid into his hand mid-motion, and he slashed toward Ren's side with practiced ease. Ren caught the wrist, twisted, and attempted a throw, but Itachi adjusted in mid-air, placing a foot against Ren's leg to launch himself backward in a clean arc.

Landing gracefully, Itachi barely had time to reset before Ren was on him again. Another burst of chakra-enhanced speed brought Ren in low, followed by a driving elbow toward the ribs. Itachi blocked, but the force pushed him back half a step. Reacting instantly, he flung three shuriken in a tight spread aimed at Ren's head, throat, and side.

Ren weaved through them with minimal motion, the blades grazing past harmlessly as he advanced.

He launched a sharp heel sweep, [Blasting Sweep] forcing Itachi to hop back, just avoiding his legs being taken out from under him. Still mid-air, Itachi formed seals and released a jutsu.

[Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu.]

A dozen small fireballs burst outward in unpredictable trajectories. Ren didn't slow down. He twisted through them, slapped one away with a palm strike, and countered another with a gust of wind chakra. One fireball skimmed past his shoulder, but Ren ignored it. He closed the gap with a sudden [Vaulting Burst], launching himself from a chakra-boosted step straight at Itachi's flank.

Itachi leaned away, the attack grazing his uniform. Ren adjusted mid-air, spinning into a palm strike, [Breaking Palm]. Itachi barely deflected the blow and leapt back again. As he did, his body scattered into dozens of crows.

Ren didn't stop. He crouched low and spun in place, knocking several birds away while his eyes tracked the real chakra signature among them. A split-second later, he flicked his wrist, intercepting the real Itachi as he reformed behind him, slashing with a kunai.

They clashed again.

Ren's arm raised to block, Itachi's blade catching only his sleeve as the impact drove both back a pace.

They reset, ten meters apart. Ren took a breath. "Crow clone. That's a pain."

Itachi didn't answer.

This time, Itachi moved first. His hands flashed through seals, releasing another barrage of shuriken from beneath his cloak. Ren deflected two, sidestepped the third, and let the fourth bounce harmlessly off a reinforced forearm guard. He surged forward again, closing distance with each measured step.

Mid-stride, he slammed a foot down [Vaulting Burst] and propelled himself into the air. From above, he descended with crushing force of [Ground Splitter]. The impact sent shockwaves through the arena floor, fractures spreading outward like spiderwebs beneath Itachi's feet. The Uchiha landed roughly and was forced to adjust as the terrain buckled beneath him.

Ren was already moving again. Elbow strike. Shoulder bash. Knee to the gut. Itachi blocked two, avoided one, but the last connected, an elbow to the collarbone that forced him to stumble back. Ren followed up instantly, a spinning heel kick that crashed into Itachi's stomach and sent him skidding backward.

Itachi regained his footing, hand pressed to his side. He inhaled sharply, then exhaled, forming seals as he did.

[Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.]

A massive sphere of flame burst toward Ren, roaring across the arena.

Ren gathered wind chakra to his palm and slashed outward, [Wind Style: Shearing Gale Jutsu]. The cutting arc of wind split the fireball in two, dispersing the flames harmlessly to the sides. But Itachi had already vanished from his previous position.

Ren didn't flinch as a subtle flicker in chakra behind him gave it away. He ducked under the blade that swept toward his neck, spun with a back elbow that forced Itachi back again.

Kunai met reinforced palm. Sparks flew. Each movement was read, adjusted, countered. Itachi's Sharingan spun faster, processing every twitch of Ren's body, but Ren's speed and flexibility were inhuman, and his movements didn't follow the usual patterns of trained Taijutsu. It was more efficient, less predictable.

Ren dipped low and swept a leg. Itachi flipped over it, but Ren followed, launching two consecutive palm thrusts toward his midsection. Itachi caught one but was forced to retreat again.

Ren pressed forward. His strikes were relentless, each laced with enough chakra to break ribs or shatter a shin guard.

Itachi blurred and reappeared behind Ren.

Ren pivoted on instinct and parried the incoming kunai, shoving Itachi's arm aside.

For the first time, both fighters paused.

Their breathing was measured, their gazes locked.

Itachi's fingers twitched, an attempt at another illusion, he had tried this multiple times, but none worked. Ren's body remained still. His Genjutsu Resistance talent was beyond what a regular three-tomoe SharinganGenjutsu could penetrate. The moment the Sharingan tried to pull him in, Ren felt the intrusion and shrugged it off like a gust of wind.

When he got the talent, he couldn't feel when he was placed under a Genjutsu, but after intense training, he could now atleast feel when someone attempts to use Genjutsu on him.

'That won't work,' Ren thought.

Itachi said nothing but noted it mentally how Genjutsu didn't seem to be working on Ren since the beginning. Chakra surged again between them.

They launched at the same time as Ren's foot glowing faintly, Itachi's hand aiming for Ren's chest.

Palm met palm.

For a split second, they pushed against each other.

Then they vanished in a blur.

When they reappeared, Ren stood at one end of the crater, breathing slightly harder.

Itachi was across from him, his fingers twitching again. His eyes narrowed slightly.

Ren exhaled.

[Second Gate… open.]

The veins around his temples bulged faintly as the Fuinjutsu marking spread, and his aura spiked.

The ground beneath his feet cracked and he moved again.

~~~

{So? How was Yugao's and Kurotsuchi's fight? Comment here.}

{I want to mention various things about the fight in the chapter itself, but I can't since I don't know how to do that without breaking immersion. So I'll mention a few things here.

Itachi was very strong in Taijutsu- Even in Edo Tensei he was able to match Nine tails chakra mode Naruto while fighting barehanded (This is for anyone who might wonder how he was able to counter Chakra-enhanced strikes or the gate opened strikes from Ren.)

Though I'm not sure since when he could use crow clone, here he can use it.

He isn't using much fire style jutsu just because I don't want to make that kind of fight but we'll see more Ninjutsu in the next part.}

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{Also why do you guys go cold with reaction in one chapter then heat up in the next. Be consistently hot, we need to get the fic in the top 50's}

{You know what else to do.}

{STONES!!!!}