Shinki, supported by Araya, couldn't help glancing sideways as he passed Gansuke.
"Compared to that girl named Yuki… how strong are you?"
Gansuke was an honest person. He never sugarcoated anything.
"In our three-man squad… I'm the weakest."
"I see…"
Only after a long pause did Shinki withdraw his gaze.
Just what kind of existence founded this Hidden Shadow Village?
Could it be… even stronger than Father, the Kazekage?
On the Kage platform, Gaara watched his adopted son leave in silence and said gravely, "This Hidden Shadow Village… they didn't come with simple intentions. Naruto, do you know anything about them?"
Naruto sighed. "To be honest, Gaara… I was unconscious in bed for several days. I only woke up last night. I didn't even know this Hidden Shadow Village registered for the exams until this morning."
"What!?"
The other Kage immediately turned their eyes toward him in shock.
Compared to this sudden new village, what worried them more was whatever had caused Naruto to fall unconscious.
"You were unconscious? What happened!?"
Naruto forced a bitter smile. "It's… a long story. I'll explain after the finals."
In the VIP seating area, Akira leaned lightly on his cane and praised sincerely, "That boy Gansuke… he did well."
Samui smiled. "Akira, you were the one who gave Gansuke his name, weren't you? What does it mean?"
Akira replied with a faint smile, "A brave man earns heaven's aid."
…That was how Yamato had interpreted it, at least.
Akira had simply gone along with it.
After all, he couldn't very well admit that his naming inspiration came from Detective Yamato Kansuke in Detective Conan.
After the arena staff cleared away the scattered iron sand and shattered bamboo, the remaining contestants returned to the stage.
"I wonder who I'll face next," Feng murmured, his eyes drifting toward the quiet, handsome boy standing behind Boruto.
"Shinki was eye-catching… but among all these contestants, the one who feels the most dangerous…"
The screen spun and stopped.
Feng vs. Mitsuki
Feng gave a helpless smile. "Well now… speak of the devil."
Before stepping off, Sarada reminded softly, "Be careful, Mitsuki. That teammate of Gansuke's won't be weak either."
Mitsuki smiled gently. "Mm. I will."
The others withdrew.
Feng and Mitsuki stood face to face.
Neither of them were talkative by nature.
The moment Rock Lee shouted, "Begin!" both dashed forward!
Mitsuki—the most perfect product of Orochimaru's cloning technology. Treated as his own child.
He had come to Konoha to search for his "sun," choosing to remain by Boruto's side.
He had never revealed his true strength before others.
In the original timeline's Chūnin Exams… Mitsuki deliberately lost to Shinki to conceal the existence of his Sage Mode.
Victory meant nothing to him.
Living peacefully, staying beside Boruto—that was his greatest wish.
And this match? He had no intention of going all out.
—Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
As he charged, a dozen white snakes burst from his sleeves, fangs bared toward Feng.
"Slash!"
Feng drew his blade mid-sprint. Blue lightning coiled around it—along with pale wind currents!
A single slash infused with wind and lightning shredded the incoming snakes into fragments!
On the Kage platform, the Raikage Darui raised a brow. "Oh? This one's no simple kid either. He can layer both Wind and Lightning chakra into his swordsmanship."
"How is he harmonizing two mutually counteracting elements? Canceling weaknesses, reinforcing strengths?"
"And that sword style… I see traces of Cloud Village techniques."
Feng's blade moved with measured calm, clearly probing Mitsuki.
Mitsuki leapt back and formed seals.
—Wind Release: Breakthrough!
Without forming seals, Feng countered instantly with a Wind Release: Rending Palm, nullifying the gust.
Mitsuki snapped his right hand forward, unleashing a golden Lightning Serpent.
Feng crouched, stabbing his blade into the ground—Lightning Release: Earth Walk neutralized it.
He's the quiet type, Feng thought. Time to speed things up.
As Mitsuki reset his stance, a chilling pressure suddenly filled the air.
His pupils shrank.
He narrowly avoided a descending slash from above!
"Clang!"
Feng's blade struck the ground and sprang upward. In a blink, he closed the distance. Two fingers formed a seal—
A massive Fireball exploded against Mitsuki!
But Mitsuki's body dissolved into white snakes, swallowed by flames.
—Snake Clone Technique!
The real Mitsuki appeared midair, his modified arm stretching like a whip toward Feng!
Feng didn't even look. Listening only to the shift of wind, he sidestepped fluidly and stomped on Mitsuki's rebounding wrist.
Turning his head slightly, he said calmly:
"Your body's been specially modified. You're agile. Your timing is precise."
"But… that's not your true strength, is it?"
He raised his blade as if to sever Mitsuki's arm.
Mitsuki's expression tightened. With a flick of his sleeve, a storm of kunai burst forth—each tagged with explosive seals!
"Oh? All explosive tags?"
Feng vanished in a flash.
"BOOM!"
Explosions roared as Mitsuki retrieved his arm and landed, immediately diving underground.
—Hidden Shadow Snake Hands: Chaotic Serpent Assault!
Dozens of white snakes erupted from below, attacking from every direction!
Feng's blade, wreathed in wind and lightning, flashed relentlessly, reducing the serpents to pieces in moments.
"That's about it… huh?"
His eyes changed.
The world reflected crimson—
Sharingan.
On the Kage platform, Kurotsuchi gasped. "Hey! Look at that kid's eyes!"
"Sharingan!"
"Is he from the Uchiha clan!?"
Naruto's gaze darkened.
First Gansuke had shown Senju blood.
Now Feng revealed Sharingan.
Hidden Shadow…
Konohamaru approached quietly. "Seventh, should we suspend the match?"
Naruto paused. "No. Let it continue."
Sharingan…
How many Uchiha still exist in this world that Sasuke and I don't know about?
In the VIP seating, Samui sighed softly. "Feng can be surprisingly stubborn sometimes. I wonder who he takes after…"
Hanabi smiled appreciatively. "That boy he's fighting is pretty cute~ I hope he doesn't lose too badly."
With Sharingan active, Mitsuki's underground movements were laid bare.
Feng's lightning-infused shuriken barrage forced him out.
Mitsuki flipped back and steadied himself.
"So those eyes… I suspected something was off from the start. You—and that girl Yuki—you're Sarada's clansmen, aren't you?"
Feng rested his blade casually. "We never intended to hide it."
He gazed calmly into Mitsuki's eyes.
"I can see it clearly. There's an astonishing chakra hidden inside you."
"If I'm not mistaken… Sage power?"
Shock flickered across Mitsuki's face.
His Sharingan can see that? Even recognize its source?
No… according to Father, Sharingan alone shouldn't be enough to perceive that.
Mitsuki's caution deepened.
Even if I use Sage Mode… I may not win.
But even if he could win, he wouldn't reveal it.
If Konoha discovered his Sage Mode, he might no longer be allowed to stay by Boruto's side.
"Defeating someone who isn't using his full strength means nothing," Feng pressed. "Show it. Fight me seriously."
After a brief silence, Mitsuki smiled faintly—and raised his hands.
"I concede."
Gasps rippled across the arena.
"Concede? Why?"
"They were evenly matched!"
"Feng said something, and then Mitsuki just surrendered!"
Rock Lee landed between them. "Mitsuki, are you certain?"
Mitsuki smiled. "Yes."
Lee announced loudly, "Victory goes to Feng!"
As Mitsuki walked past, Feng asked quietly, "Is there something you can't say?"
Mitsuki replied, "No. I simply want to protect the place I finally found."
"If revealing your power costs you that place… then it must be fragile," Feng said calmly.
"In my view, power isn't a crime. Nor are those who possess it. The guilty ones are those without power—who let their imaginations run wild."
Mitsuki smiled faintly. "For you to say that… the place you live must be very open-minded."
Feng grinned. "What? Want to come?"
Mitsuki shook his head gently. "No. I only want to remain beside my sun."
"I don't know what your 'sun' is," Feng replied. "But if your sun ever comes where I live, will you follow?"
Mitsuki thought for a moment. "Wherever the sun goes… that is where I belong."
So he anchors his entire life's faith in another person? Feng mused inwardly. Well, everyone chooses their own way.
He deactivated his Sharingan and sheathed his blade.
"Someday, I'd like a real fight with you. For now—I'll accept this win."
After clearing the battlefield once more, the remaining contestants returned.
Boruto's heart pounded.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Yuki, who stood calmly with arms folded.
Anyone but her.
Please—anyone but her.
I don't want to use scientific ninja tools against someone who clawed her way here from an unknown small village…
That would hurt her dreams. Her beliefs. Everything she's worked for.
This power is too strong… strong enough that even I'm afraid of it.
So please—don't let it be her.
The names stopped spinning.
The screen froze.
Yuki vs. Uzumaki Boruto.
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