135: This kid, is his gourd filled with nothing but water?

"Second match, Temari vs. Shikamaru Nara!" Genma loudly announced.

"Are all Konoha ninja this terrifying?" Temari asked, a lack of confidence in her voice as she entered the arena. 

The first match had left her shaken. The field was still riddled with craters.

She had thought that only Natsuki was a monster among Konoha Genin. After making it to the finals and avoiding him, she'd assumed victory would be a simple matter.

Then, in the elimination rounds, she saw that Hyuga girl with her strange abilities. Now there was also Kiba, who could turn his little dog into such a horrifying beast. 

It was all making her lose confidence. 

From this day forward, she'd mentally label Konoha a forbidden zone. Unless absolutely necessary, she'd avoid this place. 

The young people here were just too frightening.

After all, as Kankuro and Gaara's older sister, she was several years older than these finalists, yet her talent paled in comparison.

"Nah, they're all monsters," Shikamaru said with a reassuring smile. "I'm much more normal." 

His expression was harmless, like the boy next door.

"Oh, good. Then I won't hold back!" Temari breathed a sigh of relief. 

She unfurled the giant fan on her back and sent several gusts of wind hurtling toward Shikamaru. 

Regardless of whether he was on Natsuki's monster level or not, it was better to strike first and assess the situation. 

If the gap in their abilities was too large, she'd just surrender.

But then she saw Shikamaru merely dodge with the Body Flicker Technique. 

While his speed was decent, it was quite ordinary compared to the spectacle of the previous match.

'I got an easy pick,' she thought, confidence flooding back. 'This is truly delightful.'

Wind Style: Wind Scythe!

With another wave of her fan, the gale transformed into sharp blades of air that sliced towards Shikamaru.

"Women... so troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, using the Substitution Jutsu to evade the attack.

What followed was a battle of wits. 

Although lacking the flashy jutsu clashes of the previous match, this duel possessed a unique charm, captivating the audience with its mind games.

Both were ninja excelled in strategic maneuvers, countering each other's moves and employing countless subtle tactics.

Temari, despite her seemingly straightforward demeanor, proved to be incredibly sharp, repeatedly foiling Shikamaru's traps. 

Watching from the sidelines, Asuma said, "Shikamaru has met his match. That Temari girl is quite the analyst as well."

Finally, just like in the original story, when Temari tried to use shadow clones as a diversion, she was caught by Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique. 

However, because he was low on Chakra, Shikamaru chose to forfeit, granting Temari a narrow victory. 

His actions clearly suggested that he had held back.

This made Shikamaru someone Temari would keep an eye on in the future. 

Konoha's younger generation was truly full of prodigies. 

A match she thought would be an easy win turned out to be her toughest yet. Temari strongly suspected that Shikamaru had simply given up to avoid further trouble.

'Damn it, I'll never provoke Konoha again!' Temari thought to herself. 'Suna's younger generation can't compare at all.' 

This was the silent vow of Temari, the future diplomat of Sunagakure.

"Shikamaru Nara forfeits! Temari wins the second match!" Genma announced with a hint of regret, watching as Shikamaru threw away a golden opportunity and raised his hand in surrender.

"Third match, Rock Lee versus Gaara!" he continued. "Contestants, please enter the arena."

As the proctor's voice fell, a boy carrying a massive gourd stepped onto the field. 

Dark circles etched deep beneath his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in countless nights, and his eyes were bloodshot.

Anyone could sense the volatile aura radiating from him.

"That kid's got some serious killer intent," someone in the audience murmured.

"Those dark circles… clearly, he hasn't been sleeping well. Anyone would have killer intent if they were sleep-deprived."

"Easy for you to say from so far away! I dare you to stand in front of him and see if you'd still be so brave."

"Say, isn't carrying that huge gourd tiring? Is it filled with water? It must be heavy!"

"Idiot! The Land of Wind is mostly desert; water is the most precious resource there. For many people, the desire for water is ingrained in their bones. That kid's smart; carrying a big gourd ensures he never runs out of water. A little extra weight is nothing."

"You racist fuck... that makes sense."

In the stands, most of the spectators were captivated by Gaara's presence. 

After all, he was a contestant with strikingly distinctive features. 

Even Might Guy's face was grim as he cautioned his student, Rock Lee: "Don't listen to them. A ninja would never bring unnecessary burdens into battle. That gourd is definitely suspicious."

Naive Rock Lee immediately panicked. "I understand! I'll write that down right away!" He pulled out a small notebook, ready to jot down his teacher's advice.

"You idiot! No need for notes! Who has time to read during a fight?!" Might Guy stopped him with an exasperated sigh.

Rock Lee was his prized student and heir to his fighting style. 

But the boy was often thickheaded. Calling him stupid would be too harsh; it was more accurate to say he was simply too pure. 

He rigorously followed his Teacher's instructions in daily training, no matter how demanding. 

While others might cut corners or shy away from the hardships of training, Rock Lee was different. 

He would even feel that his teacher wasn't pushing him hard enough. 

Running laps around Konoha every day with weights was just a warm-up for him. Even now, he was carrying dozens of kilograms of extra weight, tied around his wrist and legs.

Thinking about Lee's unwavering dedication, Might Guy knew today was the chance for Lee to showcase the fruits of his labor in the Chunin Exams. 

Full of confidence in his student, he pointed to the arena.

"Go, Lee!" he boomed. "Burn with the fire of youth and show them your strength!"

Inspired by his Teacher's words, a fighting spirit ignited in Rock Lee's eyes. 

He leaped into the arena with a burst of energy.

"This Konoha ninja seem more… normal," someone in the crowd commented. "That bowl-cut kid with the bushy brows, He may look a bit silly, but he's full of energy, practically radiating youthful vigor!"

"Our Land of Fire is the most prosperous nation! The ninjas born here are naturally more cheerful and confident!"

"Go, Bushy Brows! Smash that grumpy kid's gourd!"

Konoha villagers spontaneously cheered for Rock Lee. 

Gaara's overwhelming killer intent instilled fear, and they desperately hoped someone could defeat him. 

This made the third match seem even more popular than the previous two.

"That bowl-cut's pretty popular," Kankuro said with a touch of curiosity, recalling the impressive performances of Konoha ninjas in the previous rounds. 

"But there can't be another Natsuki, right? He definitely can't beat Gaara." Knowing full well how terrifying Gaara was, Kankuro couldn't imagine anyone defeating him. 

Even Natsuki hadn't forced Gaara to reveal his true strength in the Forest of Death, though that bastard had only snatched their scroll and ran, without showcasing his full power either.

This bowl-cut kid couldn't possibly be on their level, could he?

Remembering Kiba and his evolved ninja hound from the first match, Kankuro's confidence wavered slightly. 

Konoha ninja were too unpredictable. He hoped his younger brother wouldn't encounter a strong opponent and unleash the demon within him.

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