Naruto: The King Behind the Curtain

"Wait, that's a Space–Time Ninjutsu technique! Amazing!" Yahiko smacked Nagato's thigh hard, thrilled yet wistful. "Compared to the Five Great Shinobi Villages, we're still way behind!"

Nagato wore a pained expression. "If we're far behind, why slap me?"

Yahiko reasoned naturally, "I'm the leader. If I don't slap you, should I slap myself instead?"

Konan interrupted, asking, "What do you think? Between him and Yugito from Cloud Village, who would win?"

"I think it'd be Seiki," Yahiko mused while stroking his chin. "If I had to explain, let's just say it's gut instinct!"

Elsewhere.

Obito's eyes widened. "Isn't this Sensei Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique? How come Senior Seiki knows it too?"

Instinctively clenching his fist, Kakashi muttered, "He truly is our senior. Even with just a slight hesitation in his steps, he's already too fast to see!"

After learning about the power of the Flying Thunder God Technique from some 'bystanders,' public opinion shifted again.

"No wonder they're from Konoha! The final victory must belong to Seiki Shimaseki!"

"Blind idiots! Do any of you even know what a Jinchuriki is?"

"Uh... Not really."

"All I can say is this is one of those things — if you get it, you get it; if not, no explanation'll help anyway. Let's say it's deep water here—information gets erased in shinobi no sekai..."

Hearing the surrounding conversations, an unnamed Cloud Village ninja—one of the top four entrants but barely worth mentioning—almost cried out. "I haven't even fought yet! Can't you give me some credit?"

Then he was knocked out in seconds.

Final showdown.

"My initial premonition was right after all—it'll come down to just the two of us!" Yugito's face flushed slightly red, her cold voice carrying noticeable excitement.

"Therefore," Seiki Shimaseki encouraged with a smile, "show us an amazing battle."

"Are you worried I'll still struggle to control Nibi's chakra? How sweet... Too bad you're from Konoha!" While inwardly sighing, she quickly became energetic again. "Be careful—you're going to face my full effort this time!"

That was truly great, because exactly what I want is an awe-inspiring battle... Seiki Shimaseki smiled slightly. "Come on then—I'll also use my *entire* strength!"

Yugito calmed herself, and eerie blue patterns began appearing across her skin as chakra surged wildly, ten sharp claws extending from her fingertips.

"Just borrowing chakra without entering the One-Tail state like before?" Seiki Shimaseki pondered silently, "It seems although Nibi is willing to offer its chakra, her body currently struggles to bear it. Once she enters such a state, it means she's ready to fight for life or death!"

Suddenly, Yugito bent her legs like a coiled spring. In the next moment, she forcefully crushed the ground beneath her feet; spiderweb-like cracks spread outward, and propelled by the recoil force, she launched herself forward at high speed.

Reacting instinctively, Seiki Shimaseki took out a kunai to block. With a 'clang,' the kunai was instantly smashed into pieces by her claw—harder than steel.

Although the block lasted just a split second, for Seiki Shimaseki, that moment was already enough. Barely dodging the attack, he quickly performed hand seals to counterattack.

[Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!]

Even though he hadn't practiced the Five Elemental Techniques for very long, it had been enough time for Seiki to master most of the mid- and low-level techniques.

In the fierce wind, those iron filings flew toward Yugito like fine raindrops.

Yugito opened her mouth and spat out a Fire Mouse Ball, instantly melting all the iron filings into liquid.

Seiki let out a mental sigh over the lost chance. He had originally intended to use those filings for teleportation, but never expected that the tiny Flying Thunder God mark he left behind would still be detected.

Yugito cast a cold gaze his way and fired another dozen chakra spheres from her mouth. Like ghostly flames under her control, they shot toward Seiki.

Unwilling to slack off, Seiki quickly formed hand seals and spat forth a jet of water from his mouth.

The ghostly flames did not extinguish when struck by the water; instead, they exploded, instantly creating a thick white mist that covered the battlefield.

"There he is!" Yugito twitched her ears, immediately slashing her cat-like claws toward the direction she heard movement.

But in the next instant, she was sent flying back much harder.

"It's the same kind of power as that thick-brow guy, but not quite as strong!" Yugito steadied herself from the backward momentum, eyes wary. The power drawn from Two-Tails had actually been neutralized.

Seiki calmly stepped forward from within the mist. Although only at Three Gates, it was already more than sufficient for him right now.

Their eyes locked. With no hesitation, they launched into the rawest, most brutal taijutsu exchange imaginable.

Both moved extremely fast—so fast that the audience could no longer distinguish between them. They could only see two blurred shadows colliding repeatedly.

At the same time, Yugito slashed open her opponent's chest with her claws, and Seiki retaliated with a monstrous strength punch.

Within just dozens of seconds, both were already covered in wounds, blood soaking through their outer clothes as if either might collapse at any moment.

However, those who knew better saw an entirely different situation.

One rapidly healed wounds using the Bijuu's power while the other preemptively treated injuries with Yin Healing Wound Destruction.

Though these wounds looked terrible, in reality, they would have scabbed over minutes later anyway.

On the spectator platform, Baki stood there dazed, "Whether it's jutsu, illusion, or martial arts—they're all deadly techniques that could kill me in an instant. Is this really the world of true geniuses?"

Mizuki, meanwhile, hated his own weakness, "Damn it! If only I could've finished Orochimaru's experiment sooner, maybe I could've cleared the way for Seiki during the exam!"

The two blurry images clashed once again before finally breaking apart, both panting heavily.

"I didn't expect your medical ninjutsu to be this strong," Yugito said, breathing heavily, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "This is the first time I've fought someone after borrowing Two-Tail's power and still couldn't gain any advantage despite equal injury exchange!"

Seiki didn't deny it. "That is indeed the case."

Yugito proudly lifted her chin. "Although I'm almost out too, I can always borrow more chakra."

"What a coincidence—I can too." Seiki gave a light laugh and smeared his thumb across his forehead. In the next moment, an endless surge of chakra began pouring from within.

[Yin Seal: Release]

The [Yin Seal] merely stores and extracts chakra without consuming one's lifespan. The actual technique that consumes life is [Creation Rebirth], which works together with the [Yin Seal].

Seiki wasn't too worried.

As for insufficient stored chakra? After the battle, he could simply go replenish his mana at that fox tool's place.

Witnessing this, even those jonin wanted to pull their hair out in frustration.

How many tricks does this brat have? He even has a chakra-replenishing jutsu?!

"This is..." Yugito's eyes widened. Suddenly, an angry roar echoed inside her consciousness space. "Grawww! This kid definitely carries that smelly fox's scent! Yugito, I'm lending you another portion of my power – make sure you beat him until he cries!"

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