Misumi Tsurugi's unique taijutsu style allowed him to dislocate his joints at will, manipulating his body like a snake. By channeling chakra through this flexible form, he could wrap around his opponents and immobilize them with joint-locking techniques. Once caught, it was nearly impossible to escape—unless the target possessed overwhelming strength. Otherwise, suffocation or a snapped neck was a likely outcome.
Naruto, though often labeled the dead last in the Academy, had a knack for the unpredictable. Nicknamed the "Number One Most Surprising Ninja" by Kakashi and others, his seemingly foolish demeanor often concealed moments of tactical brilliance. Beyond his unorthodox thinking, Naruto also had something Misumi didn't—raw potential inherited from his father, the Fourth Hokage, and the resilience of the Uzumaki clan.
Perhaps wary of Misumi's strange and dangerous fighting style, Naruto wasted no time. The moment Hayate Gekkō gave the signal to begin, he formed a series of hand seals and immediately unleashed the Shadow Clone Jutsu—creating five clones around him.
Seeing Naruto perform seals, Misumi charged forward and attacked one of the clones head-on. As the clone moved to block, Misumi's arm snaked unnaturally around it like a constrictor, locking its limbs. With a twist, he snapped its neck—only for the clone to vanish in a puff of smoke.
Misumi had eliminated a clone—but that only fueled Naruto's caution. He immediately spawned more. Clone after clone poured forth, his immense chakra reserves allowing him to overwhelm Misumi with sheer numbers. While Misumi's attacks were eerie and fluid, he was ultimately a genin. Against Naruto's relentless barrage and endless supply of bodies, he was quickly surrounded.
He couldn't keep up.
Before long, Misumi was caught in a flurry of fists from all directions. Blood sprayed from his mouth, his glasses cracked, and after a final punch, he collapsed in the center of the arena, unconscious and broken.
From the stands, the genin looked impressed, if a bit confused about the jutsu's mechanics. But the jōnin and chūnin watching were another story—they immediately took note of Naruto's enormous chakra reserves.
One jōnin in particular—Baki of the Hidden Sand—narrowed his eyes. Though unfamiliar with Naruto's background, he now had reason to pay close attention.
Konoha really is crawling with talent, Baki thought, eyeing the exuberant blond who had just returned to the stands, waving to his teammates. That loudmouthed brat has chakra levels far beyond what a genin should possess. If he grows up unchecked, Konoha will return to its golden age.
The way Naruto weaponized his Shadow Clones—overwhelming enemies without resorting to more advanced or wide-range jutsu—was nearly impossible for most ninja to replicate. Shadow Clone Jutsu split the user's chakra evenly among the copies. Even many jōnin couldn't use it so recklessly without exhausting themselves.
But Naruto wasn't most ninja.
After Hayate Gekkō declared Naruto the winner, the boy bounced happily back to the viewing platform. Meanwhile, the next match was about to be announced.
Everyone turned their eyes to the digital board as names began to cycle.
Finally, two names appeared:
Shino Aburame vs. Kankurō
Hayate glanced at the board, then up at the viewing platforms.
"Would the two selected participants please come down."
Both Shino and Kankurō acknowledged with brief nods. Shino adjusted his dark shades and calmly walked toward the stairs. As he passed Shikamaru, the Nara clan heir spoke without turning.
"Be careful of what's on his back," Shikamaru murmured. "I think it's a puppet."
Shino paused slightly.
"A puppeteer?" he asked.
"Most likely," Shikamaru confirmed, glancing over his shoulder. "Watch for hidden attacks."
"Understood," Shino replied coolly. "Even if my opponent is weak as an insect, I won't underestimate him."
He resumed his path, reviewing his Academy knowledge of puppeteers. In an open battlefield like this—no terrain to hide behind, no shadows to slip into—a puppeteer would be at a severe disadvantage. Shino's kikaichū, insects that fed on chakra, were an ideal counter.
If Shino remained cautious, this match was his to win.
At the same time, across the arena on the Sand team's side, Gaara observed the matchup without emotion. Upon seeing Kankurō's name, he lost interest and looked away. Kankurō and Temari already held chūnin qualifications—they were only here under orders. Gaara knew they were stronger than most of these genin, so he wasn't worried.
Temari gave Kankurō a brief nod as he stood, but said nothing. Their mentor Baki, however, frowned slightly.
"Kankurō," he called out, "don't underestimate your opponent."
"I got it," Kankurō replied, waving a hand without looking back.
Once both had entered the arena and faced each other, Hayate coughed loudly.
"This is the second match: Shino Aburame from the Hidden Leaf versus Kankurō from the Hidden Sand. Any objections?"
"None," they answered in unison.
"Do you think Shino will win?" Sakura asked, watching Shino stand silently with his hands in his pockets.
She was worried. During an earlier incident, when Konohamaru had clashed with Kankurō and Temari, it had taken Shikamaru to intervene. Sakura knew Kankurō wasn't weak—and Shino wasn't exactly a powerhouse in taijutsu.
Even Naruto, strong as he was, had been taken down off-screen by Kankurō during their first encounter. That still bothered her.
"Don't worry, Sakura," Naruto said, picking his nose casually. "That creepy-looking clown and his partner couldn't even beat Shikamaru. No way he can beat Shino!"
Naruto, of course, had conveniently forgotten that he had been the one knocked out by Kankurō. In his mind, only the part where Shikamaru won mattered.
He still held a grudge against Kankurō, especially for threatening a kid like Konohamaru. He deliberately raised his voice to get under Kankurō's skin, hoping to rattle him and maybe give Shino an edge.
From across the arena, Temari clenched her fists. "That stupid little brat!" she hissed under her breath.
Naruto grinned and made a face at her, clearly pleased.
"You got this, Shino!" Kiba shouted, cupping his hands.
Hinata stood just behind him, nervously chewing her thumb. "Shino… he'll be okay, right?"
Kiba turned and gave her a toothy grin. "Of course! He's strong. Not as strong as me, obviously, but still—you'll see. That guy doesn't stand a chance!"
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin