The final record stood at seven wins and three losses.
That was Ameyuri's score.
However, despite her victories, she couldn't push further to truly threaten Yagura, the "ranged mage."
Yagura dismissed his Whirlpool Water Blades.
Ameyuri shook out her hands. She had repeatedly relied on high-consumption Lightning Release techniques to break through the blockade, leaving her chakra reserves nearly depleted.
Yet, she didn't let it show. Instead, she simply asked, "Again?"
Having warmed up sufficiently and gauging Ameyuri's chakra limits, Yagura declined.
"No, this round is yours."
"Oh, is that so?"
Ameyuri pursed her lips, clearly uninterested.
Winning or losing didn't concern her much. Yagura hadn't gone all out—so what if she won?
Resting her sword on her shoulder without another word, she walked off to train alone.
"Phew..." Yagura placed a hand on his chest and exhaled deeply before turning to leave the training ground.
It was time to set off.
There wasn't enough time to complete his technique just yet.
But hey, going into a boss fight with a freshly developed technique usually came with a buff, didn't it?
Right, Kakuzu?
...
As the second phase of the Chūnin Exams approached, spectators poured into Konoha.
Walking through Konoha's streets, Yagura immediately noticed the increased presence of foreigners.
The three representatives from Kirigakure had arrived yesterday. He had learned this over a casual meal with Jinin Akebino, and the lineup had surprised him.
The delegation was led by one of the Third Mizukage's men. The other two were the leader of the Hōzuki Clan—Mangetsu's father—and the head of the Yuki Clan, Murasaki.
Something was off with the Third Mizukage lately.
Even as a Genin who had little contact with Kirigakure's upper echelons, Yagura could tell that the Mizukage was working to mend relations with the bloodline limit clans.
He had a vague sense of the reason behind it, but not the full picture. Something didn't quite add up.
The Mizukage himself hadn't come.
But the Third Kazekage had.
...
Two months ago, Sasori had attempted his first move against the Kazekage and failed, exposing himself—and the involvement of the Kazekage—to Yagura.
From that moment on, Yagura had always had safer alternatives.
He could have simply reported everything to Jinin Akebino. Jinin and the Anbu wouldn't have risked letting him stay in Konoha under such circumstances.
He could have abandoned the Chūnin Exams and returned to Kirigakure.
But running away now?
He was the one who had pushed for coming to these exams. Fleeing at the last minute—what would he say to that old man back home?
Besides, the Third Kazekage had practically handed him the blade meant for his own execution.
This was an opportunity.
So, Yagura made his choice—to gamble boldly. He approached Sasori and nudged him forward.
Once the Third Kazekage was dead... the Third Great Ninja War would begin.
...
Weaving through the bustling streets of Konoha, Yagura kept his head low, moving swiftly through the crowd.
He was acutely aware of the magnitude of what he was about to do. His heart remained on edge, unwilling to relax even for a second.
Presenting the travel permit Sasori had prepared, he used the Transformation Jutsu to take on the appearance of a participating Suna Genin.
The gate guards, who were merely Chūnin, couldn't see through the transformation that he and Sasori had refined meticulously.
"Suna Genin, Sazō?"
Yagura put on an arrogant scowl—the kind he had learned from Sasori. "Hurry up."
The real Sazō had been one of Sasori's teammates, turned into a puppet a month ago in the Forest of Death.
Yagura had been using his identity ever since.
During the Chūnin Exams, Konoha granted access to examinees and foreign visitors with valid permits.
However, every entry and exit was recorded, and the village monitored the chakra signatures of those coming and going.
Normally, any non-Konoha ninja entering the village would be detected immediately.
Of course, there were exceptions—Orochimaru and Uchiha Itachi had both evaded detection using specific sealing techniques.
In the future, Pain would exploit this weakness by summoning multiple creatures to create sensory interference before launching his attack.
Sasori had taught Yagura a similar sealing technique, one he had learned from Chiyo, allowing him to temporarily seal his own chakra.
Additionally, he carried a part of Sazō's now-puppet body, imbued with the Genin's chakra.
Clearing the checkpoint, Yagura left Konoha and moved swiftly, putting distance between himself and any potential trackers.
...
Thirty miles outside Konoha.
The predetermined meeting point.
A thin, hooded figure stood waiting in the clearing they had rehearsed in multiple times before.
It was time.
Seeing the Kirigakure Jinchūriki arrive, just as Sasori had predicted, the Suna ninja's expression turned wild with excitement beneath his hood.
This was a mission personally ordered by the Third Kazekage—capture the Jinchūriki!
Yagura had already dropped his disguise en route.
Landing on the ground, he approached the Suna ninja.
"Hey, I already paid that red-haired guy. You're his squad leader, right? Whatever... Where's my A-rank Wind Release technique?"
"Hmph! Go find it in hell!"
The Suna ninja yanked the bandages off his puppet's back, his eyes gleaming with greed.
He intended to take Yagura himself!
"Hah?"
Realizing the Suna ninja had no intention of delivering the goods, Yagura's eyes narrowed.
"You're courting death."
His hands blurred into seals.
Water Release.
So fast!
Even having seen it in the preliminary rounds, the Suna ninja was still shocked. He immediately controlled his puppet to block the attack.
His puppet was built for defense—Water Release wouldn't break through!
"Water Release: Coral Water Cannon!"
A high-pressure water blast shot from Yagura's palm, instantly shattering the wooden puppet and piercing through the Suna ninja's shoulder!
The sheer penetrating force left the puppeteer's combat arm heavily wounded!
A technique unseen in the preliminary rounds!
The Suna ninja's pupils contracted. Before he could fully register the attack, searing pain in his shoulder yanked him back to reality.
"Mister, if you thought you could swindle me, you picked the wrong person."
Yagura stepped forward, his feet churning up waves.
"Die."
The puppeteer, having witnessed this technique's devastating power before, gritted his teeth and quickly summoned three more puppets!
Boom!
Just then, a scorpion tail shot out from hiding, piercing toward Yagura's back!
"What?!"
There was no time to react!
The stinger struck—but it didn't penetrate. Yagura had reinforced his Coral Armor with an enhanced chakra output.
Feigning paralysis, he let his body go limp and fell.
Had Sasori's strike been any stronger, capable of piercing his natural defenses, he would have immediately transformed into his tailed beast form and fought his way out.
But this way, Sasori could use him as bait to lure out the Third Kazekage.
Just as Sasori had planned.
...
Inside the Black Ant puppet (Kuroari), Yagura opened his eyes, listening closely to the conversation outside.
Sasori had really left.
Spitting out blood, the Suna puppeteer sneered.
"That arrogant brat! Using the village's secret techniques as bait! He's definitely done this before. No doubt he's been betraying the village for ages."
No matter what, Sasori had convinced and pleased him.
He wasn't the only one who found Sasori's betrayal believable—after all, Sasori had promised to split the reward from the Kazekage.
And now, the Kazekage should be on his way...
The real hunt was about to begin.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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