ALL NOVEL Chapter 42: Chapter 42
For a full ten seconds, Uchiha Mikoto struggled to stabilize herself, half-kneeling amidst shattered stones.
"Is he really this strong?"
"The son of the Third Raikage… Tetsuya was right. You truly are a monster!"
Mikoto winced as she clutched her abdomen where the blow had landed. A flush of red spread across her otherwise composed face.
Her ribs were broken—at least three of them. If not for the kunai she'd brought up to block just in time, that single punch would have left her completely incapacitated.
"Mikoto Uchiha! Surrender now!"
"You've seen it yourself—the gap between us is undeniable. Against the speed and power of the Yotsuki clan, there's no way for you to win!"
Cough… cough!
"The Uchiha clan has never known surrender!"
"I haven't lost yet!"
Under the intense gaze of the audience, Mikoto's slender frame staggered but once more pushed herself up. Despite the searing pain radiating from her abdomen, she rushed toward A again.
"Mikoto Uchiha! I acknowledge you. Just for this resolve alone, you've earned the right to challenge me."
"Lightning Style: Lariat!"
Mikoto was defeated.
Amidst the gasps of disbelief from the onlookers, her delicate figure was sent crashing through the air.
"Mikoto!"
Seeing her fall, Tetsuya couldn't stand idle anymore. Ignoring the tournament rules, he flickered into the arena in an instant, leaping up to catch her falling body.
"Mikoto! Mikoto!"
"Wake up! Say something!"
Someone like Ay—single-minded and without a shred of mercy—had no sense of restraint when dealing blows. His brutal attack had worsened Mikoto's injuries, and she'd passed out completely. No matter how loudly Tetsuya called her name, there was no response.
"Kid! The match isn't over yet!"
"You know what it means to interfere now, don't you?"
Just as Tetsuya was about to carry Mikoto out of the arena, Tsunade suddenly stepped in front of him, her tone tinged with dissatisfaction.
"Tsunade-sama!"
"The match is over, isn't it? Or are you telling me you want to see Konoha's genius crushed by some Cloud ninja?"
Tetsuya's gaze sharpened. In his mind, Tsunade had every power and ability to stop the match earlier. She could have intervened—should have intervened—but she hadn't. Maybe it was pride, maybe it was because Mikoto was an Uchiha, or maybe some other reason altogether.
But none of those reasons mattered to Tetsuya right now. He couldn't forgive Tsunade's inaction.
Looking up, his usually calm and respectful eyes were now cold, far from the warmth and admiration he once showed.
"If you have nothing else to say, Tsunade-sama, please step aside."
"The next match is about to begin."
Seeing that Tsunade remained unmoved, Tetsuya didn't bother to argue further. Side-stepping her, he carried Mikoto past her, only pausing momentarily when the medical-nin arrived in the arena. He turned and cast a long, hard look at A, still standing in the ring.
"Ay! I'll remember what you did to Mikoto today!"
"Whatever you did to her, I'll pay you back—double."
---
After Tetsuya handed Mikoto over to the medics, they quickly whisked her away to the hospital, accompanied by several members of the Uchiha clan. Although his heart was full of concern for her, Tetsuya knew he couldn't afford any distractions now. The battle ahead was his to face.
He wasn't just fighting for himself. He was fighting for the honor of the Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi clans. More than that—he was fighting for the pride of Konoha.
With Mikoto's defeat, Tetsuya was now the last remaining Konoha genin in the tournament.
"Orochimaru!"
"Do you think the Fujiwara kid can beat both Rasa and Ay?"
Tsunade, feeling the pressure mounting on Konoha's side, voiced her concern. After all, dignitaries from the Land of Fire and many of Konoha's wealthiest merchants were watching the exam closely. These people were the village's patrons, contributing heavily to Konoha's coffers each year.
If Tetsuya lost, the negative fallout would be a headache for the village leaders.
"Sensei, it's hard to say."
"Maybe that kid has a few tricks left. You never know."
Orochimaru was well aware of his teacher's worries. Still, that was something for the Hokage and his advisors to deal with. For now, it didn't concern him directly.
At Tsunade's signal, the two figures entered the arena.
Tetsuya's expression was as icy as ever. His rage hadn't subsided.
"Seal the match."
Once Tsunade announced the start of the match, she swiftly retreated from the center of the arena, giving Tetsuya and Rasa plenty of room to fight.
"Leaf brat, this is as far as you go."
As Rasa's lips curled into a smug grin, countless streams of gold sand rose to encircle him, forming multiple layers of defense.
"A villain's speech, huh?"
"I'm in a bad mood today, Rasa. So, do me a favor—try not to die too quickly."
"Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Without wasting time, Tetsuya's water clones completed their hand seals, and two massive water dragons materialized in the arena. The fierce beasts roared toward Rasa, smashing directly into his golden sand barrier.
The sheer force of the collision made the ground tremble, causing the spectators to feel as if the very earth beneath them was shaking.
"Look at this kid!"
"Facing an opponent like Rasa, and he's wasting his chakra like that. Foolish!"
Onlookers in the stands, many of them genin who had already been eliminated from the exams, watched the scene with a mixture of disbelief and disdain.
Despite being rivals of Konoha, they all stood on the same battlefield today.
"He's not being foolish—you are."
"Look at the arena. That kid's using the Water Dragon Jutsu not just to attack, but to change the battlefield itself."
Though the mighty water dragons had blasted open two massive craters in Rasa's golden sand defenses, Tetsuya's true goal was becoming clear.
The once-dry arena was now drenched in water, shifting the terrain entirely.
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