Chapter 77: Don't You Find It Dirty?

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In the arena.

Shiranui Genma waved his hand. "Begin!"

Shikamaru first threw a kunai to test his opponent. The opponent understood his abilities thoroughly, while Shikamaru knew almost nothing about him besides some conjectures gathered from research materials. It was basically an unfavorable start.

Kankuro hesitated. From Temari's match, it was clear the opponent's calculation ability was superb, so he absolutely couldn't let the opponent seize the initiative. But if he attacked proactively and failed to cause effective damage, his own abilities would be figured out by the opponent.

Even his sister was completely outmaneuvered by the opponent's calculations; Kankuro knew his own calculation ability couldn't compare to Temari's.

Kankuro, being carried by Karasu (Crow), secretly observed the blond kid in the stands through the bandages.

[I'll get revenge for that kick when the plan is implemented.]

Then Kankuro began controlling Karasu to counterattack.

Shikamaru was going crazy. Is this guy nuts? I just threw one kunai, and you return fire with like eight hundred senbon?!

Helpless, Shikamaru could only use kunai to block while dodging, occasionally rolling on the ground a few times, looking utterly disheveled.

This was exactly the result Kankuro wanted: keep Shikamaru busy dealing with attacks, leaving him no time to think.

Boos erupted from the audience. He took so long to enter the arena, only to fight like this? Might as well just surrender.

Shikamaru, having rolled behind a tree, indeed wanted to surrender, but Asuma wouldn't allow it, and neither would his old man. Enemies with such high attack frequency are really troublesome to fight, okay? Why couldn't they just let him surrender?

"Here it comes again, Shadow Imitation..."

"Too late!" Following that was another barrage of senbon, mixed with poison gas bombs.

"What a drag!" Shikamaru started running again.

In the stands, Naruto was peeling an apple with a small knife, rented from the person in the seat in front using an apple.

Naruto occasionally put down the knife to feed washed berries to Hinata.

Being paralyzed in both legs doesn't affect my ability to feed my wife at all.

Pine nuts are oily; need something light to balance it out. There were too few light options in the shop; only these two were considered edible.

He couldn't possibly feed Hinata leaves, right? Hinata wasn't Quincy; she couldn't eat just anything.

Little loli Hanabi was munching on an apple, glaring at Naruto while she ate.

Don't think you can bribe this young lady with just two apples! Impossible!

"By the way, Naruto-kun, is Brother Neji okay?"

"Pfft!" Hanabi sprayed out a mouthful of apple. Sister, you're only just remembering your brother who almost got beaten to death earlier?

"He's fine. He might be down for a while. If someone guides him, he'll recover faster." Naruto knew what Hinata was asking. She knew he wouldn't use excessive force, so she wasn't asking about Neji's physical condition, but his mental state.

A few broken ribs really didn't count as a severe injury in the ninja world. The saying "one hundred days to heal muscles and bones" didn't apply here. Neji's injuries would require half a month in the hospital at most. If the Hyuga clan provided a large amount of medicinal herbs, it would be even shorter.

Hiashi would definitely provide those herbs. The value of herbs was far less important than the training time of a young genius.

Moreover, Naruto believed that after experiencing his Rotation being broken this time, Big Brother-in-law's perspective would definitely break through the confines of the Hyuga clan and look towards the entire ninja world, like a bird flying out of its cage.

The Caged Bird curse mark wasn't exactly a good thing, but it had its pros and cons. It was the Hyuga clan's way of survival, and also the way of survival for all clans: strengthen their power, protect their clansmen.

Naruto couldn't change this either. As long as the Byakugan remained a rare commodity coveted by others, the Caged Bird would always exist.

"Here, open wide." Naruto skewered a peeled apple slice with his knife and brought it to Hinata's lips.

"Hinata, who do you think will win this match?" Naruto skewered another piece of apple.

"Shikamaru."

"..."

Why aren't you following the script?

In the arena, Shikamaru continued running, tumbling and crawling as if chased by dogs.

The audience was filled with curses and roaring laughter.

"Boom!"

Karasu was blown away, its legs already broken upon landing.

"Nani!?" The puppet Karasu emitted a strange sound.

Even the audience was stunned. How did this guy, who was just rolling and crawling, suddenly blow off the opponent's leg?

"Could it be..." Kankuro manipulated Karasu, shocked.

"That's right. Timed explosive tags."

"When?"

"When I was rolling on the ground at the start."

"You could actually calculate that far ahead!?" Kankuro was even more astonished.

Shikamaru took two steps back warily. The puppet was blown apart, but the puppet master hadn't appeared yet. He couldn't let his guard down.

Shikamaru had also researched Sand ninja materials this past month and had a rudimentary understanding of puppeteers.

"How could I possibly calculate that far? But I could lure you there. Your attack patterns are really too easy to figure out."

Kankuro was frustrated. How do you fight this guy? Do I have to fight randomly so he can't predict it?

He manipulated Karasu to reach behind its back, taking out a cylinder wrapped in bandages. After unwrapping, it revealed Sanshouo (Salamander) inside – another puppet.

As a puppeteer who used puppets to ambush people, Kankuro had already hidden himself after revealing Karasu was a puppet.

"The main body still isn't here?" Shikamaru stared at the two puppets, pondering countermeasures.

Karasu's legs were broken, unable to walk, but its limbs could detach and unfold into controllable flying blades.

Its head could also fly out, extending a long, sharp conical blade from its mouth, dripping with purple venom.

Sanshouo moved slowly, only able to spit senbon from its mouth.

Kankuro didn't plan to move Sanshouo, afraid there might still be explosive tags.

Shikamaru entered a defensive state again, forced to run all over the arena.

The audience watched intently, already starting to anticipate if Shikamaru would continue to deliver surprising performances.

Shikamaru fought while retreating under the baptism of senbon and the pincer attack of blades. He had already retreated to the edge of the pit created by Neji and Naruto. Outside it was a slightly deeper circle, run out by Naruto. Unobservant, he tripped and fell into the pit. When he got up, a senbon was stuck in his shoulder.

Pulling out the senbon, Shikamaru took out a syringe and jabbed it into his leg. He and Ino had gotten this from the hospital – the antidote prepared when the previously poisoned Akado Yoroi was treated.

"Useless." Kankuro controlled Karasu's head to speak. "Did you think I would use the same poison as last time?"

"You..." Shikamaru clutched his chest and abdomen, slowly walked forward, then collapsed to the ground, convulsing.

Kankuro emerged from behind the tree, slowly walking towards Shikamaru. "This poison takes effect quickly. You only have ten minutes for treatment. Any later, and the poison will flood your entire body."

"Still not conceding?" Watching Shikamaru grit his teeth, reaching out, struggling to climb out of the pit, Kankuro felt a bit of admiration. This poison caused extreme pain throughout the body; ordinary people couldn't endure it.

"Referee, aren't you going to declare the result yet?" Kankuro asked.

Shiranui Genma looked at Shikamaru with a complicated expression, then glanced at Kankuro without speaking. His inner thought was [Don't you find it dirty?]

It wasn't noon yet; the sunlight wasn't directly overhead. The ring Naruto had run out was slightly deep, still casting shadows.

A shadow suddenly shot up from the pit with astonishing speed, directly hitting the unprepared Kankuro.

"Shadow Imitation Technique - Success!" Shikamaru said, getting up.

"You! Weren't poisoned?" Kankuro tried to control his puppets, only to find he couldn't even move a finger.

"Nope." Shikamaru controlled Kankuro to walk towards the tree.

"Then the senbon in the shoulder?" Kankuro could only move his mouth now.

"That was dropped by the proctor during the previous match."

"Wait, I concede!"

Kankuro had to concede. He was already being controlled, hands against the tree, head tilted back. If he didn't concede now, he'd hit it.

"Winner, Nara Shikamaru!"

"Tch, still have to continue fighting. What a drag!"

Shikamaru remembered the rules. If, after the drawings were done, the bye wasn't given to himself or Naruto, then his next match would be against Naruto.

Hmm... I can forfeit the next match, right? Forfeiting against someone from another village isn't allowed, but against someone from our own village should be fine, right? Besides, even Neji lost. My forfeiture is perfectly reasonable.

Kankuro put away his puppets and gave Shikamaru a disdainful look. To think I actually felt some respect for him earlier! Ptooey!

He didn't know that Shikamaru had only brought one explosive tag into the match, and even the syringe was fake. If he knew, he probably would have died of anger.

The real syringe is still in my bag.

Since I wasn't poisoned, why would I inject strange stuff into my body?

Shikamaru's thinking was very simple.