Another One Eliminated

Chojuro and Ranmaru stood side by side.

One of them had a timid expression with wandering eyes, while the other was simply a child. Facing them was Ino, covered in blood and exuding the aura of a great demon lord.

Chojuro didn't think it was necessary for them to fight to the death with the Konoha Ninja.

On their side, their combat strength was intact, while the opponent was injured. Wasn't the outcome obvious?

He shouted from a distance, "Hey, you, you're already injured. Just give up, really, I'm advising you out of goodwill. You can't beat us!"

Ino glanced at him. The future Sixth Mizukage was even more lacking in confidence than she had imagined! She sneered, "Can't beat you? I still have plenty of ninja techniques I haven't used yet! Earlier, the three of you ganged up on me. Was that honorable? Getting injured was indeed my fault, but I never expected that Kirigakure Village would have a way to get all three of you through the previous Genjutsu stage. Don't you think such tactics are despicable? As one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, aren't you ashamed of resorting to such underhanded methods?"

She secretly took medicine to recover from her injuries, preparing to fight again.

Her mouth didn't stop either, venting her frustration first! Damn it, her palm had been pierced, and it hurt like hell! Her words had no effect on Ranmaru. Kirigakure Village? Just a month ago, Ranmaru was still working as a bandit, a promising career. He had little impression of Kirigakure Village.

Chojuro, however, was overwhelmed with shame.

This competition was indeed unfair to Konoha. Kirigakure was full of schemes, plotting this and that. They had three against one, and yet one of them was severely injured and eliminated. It was utterly humiliating.

Being pointed at and scolded, he felt guilty and didn't dare to retort. Little Mustache felt even more ashamed.

Little Mustache didn't show himself but stood in the air, cursing, "Exactly, exactly! Even I, an old man, feel embarrassed by you juniors! Did Kirigakure Village become one of the Five Great Ninja Villages by relying on deceit and trickery? You've completely disgraced our ancestors!"

Ino pointed at Chojuro, "It's you who should give up! Earlier, I had to face two opponents, but now I only need to deal with you!"

Chojuro was so overwhelmed that he broke out in a cold sweat and instinctively took a step back. Their Mizukage was so gentle, but the Kunoichi from Konoha was truly terrifying! She was fiercer than a tiger!

However, he couldn't possibly admit defeat.

As the hope of the entire village, he absolutely could not lose!

He whispered to Ranmaru, discussing tactics.

As he had mentioned to Shikamaru earlier, Ino indeed had no good way to deal with Ranmaru's Red Eye.

X-ray vision, sensing, creating illusions with Chakra, and disrupting vision.

The Red Eye had many functions, combined with Haku's Ice Release and Chojuro's Water Release abilities and close combat skills. It could be said that this hastily assembled trio was extremely powerful! Ino had traded injuries to eliminate Haku, but facing the remaining two, the pressure was still immense.

After venting her frustration with some Talk no Jutsu, she felt much better and launched her attack first.

Chakra was omnipotent. The Red Eye could obscure vision but not Chakra.

"Water Release: Super Exploding Water Shockwave!"

"Water Release: Super Exploding Water Shockwave!"

"Water Release: Super Exploding Water Shockwave!"

Ino and her two Shadow Clones released three Super Exploding Water Shockwaves in succession.

Overwhelming waves of water covered the entire area! Above, below, left, right, front, and back—everything was engulfed in water.

The space created by the "Shinkiro" using Genjutsu appeared boundless, but in reality, it was still limited.

Three Great Exploding Water Colliding Waves had consumed more than half of Ino's chakra! The water waves submerged the entire area! Ino moved effortlessly in the water, like a fish, and Chojuro was almost the same, but Ranmaru couldn't keep up.

He was a fake ninja from Kirigakure Village and had never practiced Water Release. A huge wave swept him into the depths.

What could an eight-year-old child do in such a situation? Chojuro wanted to save him, but Ino manipulated a large amount of water, forcibly pushing Chojuro away. The two of them each used Water Release Ninja Techniques, vying for control of the water flow.

Ranmaru swallowed several mouthfuls of water, his breathing growing weaker. Little Mustache, who was watching from the sidelines, saw this and sent him out of the maze.

Another member of the Kirigakure trio was eliminated.

"Clap, clap, clap." Little Mustache still didn't reveal himself, but he clapped his hands, expressing admiration for the Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave that Ino had used.

The timing, scale, and purpose of this ninja technique were impeccable.

Ino's mind was very calm. She knew who posed the greatest threat to her, so she didn't hesitate to expend a large amount of chakra to eliminate Ranmaru. This decisive action, in Little Mustache's eyes, was already very impressive.

As the water receded, Ino stood on the water's surface, panting as she looked at Chojuro: "Hey, it's just the two of us left! Let's settle this!"

Ino didn't believe that three Great Exploding Water Colliding Waves could defeat the future Sixth Mizukage. She used the signature ninja technique of his village to see how he would react.

Her ninja technique, combined with Little Mustache's applause for the enemy, provoked Chojuro.

The bespectacled boy gripped Hiramekarei, stepped on the waves, and charged forward with a roar.

Little Mustache nodded in the shadows. This boy still had some guts.

Whether he could win or not was another matter, but at least he wasn't backing down!

Chojuro had lost two teammates, and Ino's chakra couldn't sustain a Shadow Clone, let alone allow the clone to use ninja techniques.

The two of them were now truly in a one-on-one battle.

When they were still ten meters apart, Ino spat out a line of water.

It was the Water Release: Water Severing Wave, a ninja technique created by the Second Hokage! The silvery-white water line was extremely fast and had a wide attack range. Chojuro knew he couldn't block it directly, so he dodged left and right with his large sword, several times entering Hiramekarei's attack range, but each time he was forced back by the Water Severing Wave.

He lacked Haku's determination to disregard his own life and exchange it for the enemy's.

His talent was the highest among his generation in Kirigakure Village, but due to the village's isolation, he had no means of interacting with the outside world, nor did he spend every day like Ino, pondering and refining his tactics. Suddenly seeing the Water Severing Wave sweeping towards him, his lack of combat experience was exposed.

While dodging, he recalled the information he knew in his mind.

The Water Severing Wave was a Water Release ninja technique of the Second Hokage, known for its strong lethality and speed. Did it have any weaknesses?

As he was thinking, Ino suddenly threw a kunai carrying an Exploding Tag at him from within her Water Release ninja technique and shouted.

"Take my Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!"

Chojuro was startled.

The Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags were renowned throughout the Shinobi World, having claimed the lives of many Jonin from Kirigakure Village in the past. Even he had read about them in books, though he didn't know the exact principles behind them—only that it was a ninja technique involving infinite explosions.

Ino's Water Severing Wave, combined with Kirigakure Village's full-fledged efforts to nurture him, led him to misjudge the situation. He assumed that Ino received the same level of treatment in the Hidden Leaf Village as he did in Kirigakure Village.

Since she could use Water Severing Wave, she must also know the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!

Without a second thought, he swung his blade from a distance, slashing down!