Boom
The roar shook the forest as the turbulent waves of water crashed against the stone wall. At the first impact, the wall managed to deflect the water to both sides, but the surrounding force of the torrent did not stop; with its immense fury, it began cracking the rock almost immediately.
For an instant, the slab withstood the onslaught, but barely one or two seconds passed before, with a thunderous crack, the stone shattered under the relentless pressure of the currents.
Freed from any obstacle, the water merged back into a single stream, surging forward with the same ferocity as before.
Even so, the figure that had used the Earth Style did not show any panic; after swiftly stepping back, as if an invisible rope had pulled him backward, he made a powerful leap and landed on a thick branch high up in a tree.
The waves crashed against the tree trunk where he stood, making it tremble violently. However, thanks to the stone wall having absorbed much of the blow, the tree withstood the impact and did not split in two, though its canopy creaked ominously.
As the torrent stabilized and began slowly seeping into the ground, the figure jumped from the branch to the muddy ground. Without wasting a second, he turned around and dashed away at full speed.
If one looked closely, they would realize it instantly: he was a ninja from Iwagakure. His name was Jian.
The place he was heading toward was where the person who had used the Water Style attack was.
Boom
The clash of fists shattered the silence of the forest. Jian lunged forward without hesitation and threw a direct punch, but his blow was immediately blocked by his opponent's forearms.
The owner of those arms wore the protective plate of Kirigakure and had an unmistakable face, with shark-like features.
It was, without a doubt, Kisame Hoshigaki!
Swish
Jian's punch landed with immense force. Although Kisame managed to cover himself, the impact dragged him several meters backward, sinking his feet into the mud and leaving two deep skid marks on the ground.
Without losing an instant, Jian attacked again, chaining punches and kicks in a series of rapid and precise strikes, aiming to take down the Shark of the Mist in a single blow.
Bang
Bang
A fierce Taijutsu exchange began.
Kisame maintained a calm expression, twisting and dodging each blow with skill honed to the limit. Despite being forced to retreat step by step, he left no openings in his defense, demonstrating impeccable physical control.
For his part, Jian, despite holding the offensive advantage, was starting to feel uneasy. After several failed attempts to break Kisame's guard, he couldn't help but frown and cast a look of bewilderment.
'What were they thinking when they gathered the intel? How is it possible that this shark-faced brat wasn't included in the special list?!'
That so-called "special list" referred to the priority targets that Iwagakure had identified for the Chūnin Exam.
Anyone on that list was considered elite talent within their village. And, in Jian's eyes, Kisame Hoshigaki had already demonstrated more than enough ability to deserve a place there.
With the background and scale of the Great Villages, it wasn't unusual for geniuses like Kakashi—who had been promoted to Jōnin at just twelve years old—to emerge, or for others with a few more years of experience to achieve similar feats.
This Chūnin Exam admitted ninjas up to fifteen years old, but even with that restriction and the official rank of Genin, it wasn't uncommon to come across individuals who actually had the level of a Chūnin or even an Elite Chūnin.
And in very rare circumstances, one might even end up facing a true undercover Jōnin.
In fact, Jian was precisely one of those Jōnin that Iwagakure had sent, camouflaged among the participants.
And although he had managed to corner Kisame a little, the fact that Kisame could still hold his ground—even at a disadvantage—was enough to prove his strength.
'Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique'
As he assessed Kisame's resilience, Jian felt a chilling surge of homicidal excitement stirring within him.
Iwagakure's objective in this Chūnin Exam was clear: eliminate the future prospects of rival villages and thus strengthen its own dominance.
And the more he noticed the potential of this shark from Kirigakure, the greater his urge to end his life grew.
Wasting no time, he channeled chakra and activated a ninjutsu that encased his right arm in a dense layer of rock.
The stone not only provided additional defense but also massively increased the weight and impact of his next punch.
Kisame, narrowing his eyes, crossed his forearms in a shield-like stance to receive the incoming rock-enhanced strike.
Boom
A dull impact was heard, and the force of the blow bent his arms as if they were springs. Before the fist could reach his chest, Kisame's entire body was sent flying backward.
Although he was pushed back more than ten meters, digging his heels into the mud, Kisame managed to stabilize himself with surprising speed.
His seemingly defensive posture concealed a carefully calculated maneuver—he had absorbed and redirected part of the force, avoiding greater damage.
'Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique'
After landing, he shot Jian a piercing glance. His combat style was aggressive, but that didn't mean he lost his composure; he knew when to proceed with caution.
From the intel he had from his village and from what he had felt in their brief exchange, he realized he was facing an opponent far stronger than he could handle.
With that thought, his hands swiftly formed seals before slamming his palms onto the ground.
Immediately, an enormous surge of water materialized, taking the form of a massive shark that skimmed through the air just above the ground, lunging ferociously at Jian, aiming to bite him.
Jian dodged with a quick lateral jump, but the colossal water shark did not dissipate after missing. It turned sharply and lunged again, relentlessly pursuing him.
'Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall'
Although surprised, Jian did not stop moving.
As he maneuvered to maintain distance, he executed another set of hand seals and struck the ground forcefully.
In an instant, a sturdy earth wall rose from the ground, attempting to block the shark's charge.
The shark's impact shook the wall with a deafening crash, causing cracks to spread across its surface. However, the barrier was enough to disperse the ninjutsu—the shark dissolved into a torrent that spilled onto the ground, leaving behind a puddle.
"So far, we both have the necessary insignias, and the exam concludes in three days. If we keep fighting regardless of the outcome, it's likely to interfere with the next phase of the test..."
After dispersing the water shark, Jian was preparing to launch another attack, but Kisame's words made him hesitate.
For an instant, a flicker of confusion appeared in his gaze.
In his experience, the ninjas of Kirigakure were ruthless and prone to violence.
He hadn't expected his opponent to suggest something akin to a truce.
"What you're saying makes some sense... Alright, then—"
As he uttered those words, a slight doubt flickered across his face, as if he were weighing the proposal. However, before finishing his sentence, he propelled himself forward like an arrow, launching himself straight at Kisame.
________
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