Chapter 61: Preliminaries' End
Third Match: Aburame Shino vs. Zaku!
The two genin stood facing each other, a current of palpable killing intent arcing between them. Their history in the Forest of Death, where Team 8 had forced the Sound trio into a retreat, had set the stage for this grudge match.
On the surface, Aburame Shino seemed to have the advantage. Zaku's right arm was fractured and heavily bandaged, leaving him with only one functional hand. Few in the audience gave the Sound ninja much of a chance.
"Last time, you only won because you outnumbered us," Zaku spat, his face contorted with malice. "In a one-on-one fight, I will kill you!"
Aizen's overwhelming performance in the first match had shaken Zaku to his core, filling him with a sense of dire threat. As Aizen's teammate, Aburame Shino became the convenient target for all of Zaku's pent-up fury and fear.
"For the threats you made against Aizen," Shino stated, his voice calm but carrying a rare, cold edge, "you will pay today."
He remembered clearly that Zaku had been the most aggressive of the three. A direct hit from his Decapitating Airwaves could have caused severe, if not fatal, injury. For someone so cruel, the only appropriate response was to return the favor in kind.
Shino began to circle Zaku, his movements deliberate. He was a meticulous observer and had already analyzed the mechanics of Zaku's attack. As long as he avoided the direct line of fire from the palm-mounted devices, he could remain safe.
Zaku frowned, realizing he had underestimated his opponent. This Konoha ninja had identified the weakness of his technique with startling speed. But his confidence in his raw power remained unshaken. He kept his focus locked on Shino, waiting for an opening.
"Decapitating Airwaves!" Zaku yelled, clenching his one good fist.
Whoosh!
A blade of compressed air shot across the arena, gouging a line in the stone floor as it sped toward Shino.
Faced with the terrifying attack, Shino didn't panic. He judged the trajectory and performed a swift, precise sidestep, allowing the air blast to scream harmlessly past him.
"You dodged once. You won't dodge a second time!" Zaku sneered, preparing to fire again.
But before he could clench his fist, Shino's form suddenly multiplied, his Body Flicker creating a series of afterimages that zigzagged toward him, forcing Zaku to abort his attack and defend.
"Damn it! Do you think this can stop me?!" Zaku roared, his face a mask of rage. He finally found a clear shot and clenched his fist violently.
"Decapitating Airwaves!"
The pneumatic blast shot forward, this time catching Shino head-on and sending him flying backward to slam against the arena wall.
"Shino!" Kiba and Hinata cried out from the stands, their faces etched with worry.
"With strength like this, you still want to stand up for Aizen?" Zaku taunted, staring arrogantly at Shino's slumped form. "You overestimate yourself."
As the dust settled, Shino was indeed visible, looking bruised and battered. It seemed he was at a severe disadvantage.
But just as Zaku opened his mouth to deliver another mocking line, he froze. A dense, black cloud of insects had silently materialized directly behind him, hovering just inches from his back.
"It is always wise to leave room for mercy in one's actions," Shino said, pushing himself to his feet. He stood straight, his posture firm and imposing despite his injuries. "The ruthlessness of your attack that day predetermined the outcome of this one."
Enraged by Shino's composure, Zaku ignored the searing pain and tore the bandages from his injured arm, determined to use both hands to unleash his most powerful attack.
"Go to hell! I hate the arrogant faces of you Konoha ninja the most!" he screamed, bringing both palms forward and clenching his fists with all his might.
"Decapitat— AAGH!"
Instead of a blast of air, a horrific POP and a spray of blood erupted from the devices on Zaku's arms. The compressed air, with its exit blocked by the swarming insects Shino had secretly deployed, had nowhere to go. The pressure backfired catastrophically, violently rupturing the mechanisms and shattering the bones in Zaku's forearms.
"WHAT?!" The audience gasped in unison, stunned by the sudden and gruesome turn of events.
Only Aburame Shino remained calm, having precisely calculated this outcome. He had used his insects to block the vents at the critical moment, causing Zaku's own jutsu to turn against him.
Before the shocked crowd could fully process what had happened, the medical team rushed in, loading the screaming, incapacitated Zaku onto a stretcher and carrying him away. The third match was over.
The subsequent matches proceeded with varying degrees of suspense.
Kankuro, Shikamaru, Gaara, Temari, and Dosu each secured victories. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino, however, lost their matches and were eliminated from the finals.
For Team 8, there were bittersweet moments. Inuzuka Kiba was defeated by a surprising and tenacious Uzumaki Naruto. Hinata, fighting with all her heart, was ultimately bested by her cousin, the prodigy Hyūga Neji.
When the final match concluded, the results were clear.
Including Aizen Sōsuke, a total of ten genin had earned the right to advance to the main tournament in one month's time. The preliminaries were over. The stage was now set for the final act.