From Earth to Infinity: A Second Chance

Tenten vs Kin Tsuchi

Following Kiba's victory, the third match was announced: Tenten versus Kin.

"Good luck, Tenten!" I called out to her, offering a word of encouragement. She acknowledged it with a confident smile, then turned to face her opponent.

As both combatants took their stances, Hayate Gekko gave the signal, "Begin!"

The moment the match commenced, Tenten wasted no time. She unfurled a scroll, releasing a flurry of ninja tools into the air. With precision and skill, she launched a barrage of shuriken, kunai, and other weapons at Kin, forcing her opponent onto the defensive.

Kin swiftly evaded Tenten's barrage of ninja tools, weaving through the onslaught with agile movements. As she closed the distance between them, Kin attempted to disrupt Tenten's rhythm with a counterattack.

"Not bad," Tenten remarked, unfazed as she noticed Kin closing in. "But you'll have to do better than that!"

With a flick of her wrist, Tenten unleashed another wave of weapons, this time using her mastery of weapon manipulation to control the trajectory mid-air. The kunai and shuriken seemed to curve around Kin's movements, forcing her to dodge unpredictably.

Kin, realizing the danger, quickly retaliated by throwing several senbon needles with bells attached, intending to confuse Tenten with the sound and distract her with subtle genjutsu. The ringing of the bells filled the arena, creating a disorienting effect.

However, Tenten remained composed. She expertly swung her large scroll and summoned a barrage of spiked chains, wrapping them around the approaching needles to deflect the attack. "Your tricks won't work on me," she declared confidently.

With that, she executed a swift maneuver, closing the distance herself and delivering a powerful kick aimed at Kin's midsection.

With a swift kick, Tenten forced Kin to stumble back, but Kin quickly regained her footing, determination burning in her eyes. "If this keeps up, I'll lose," she thought, realizing she needed a different approach. She swiftly performed a series of hand signs, preparing to change the course of the battle.

"Illusion Technique: Bell Sound Clone!" Kin called out. Instantly, multiple clones appeared around her, each emitting a sound like a ringing bell—a disorienting and irritating noise that filled the arena. The sound disrupted Tenten's focus momentarily, providing Kin with the opening she needed. She hurled a needle aimed directly at Tenten, hoping to capitalize on the distraction.

However, Tenten swiftly recovered, raising her kunai to block the projectile with expert precision. Seeing that Kin had closed the distance, she decided to press the advantage. Gripping her kunai tightly, she rushed forward, aiming for a decisive close-quarters strike.

Kin struggled to maintain her ground; her strengths lay in mid-to-long-range combat, and she was clearly outmatched in a direct confrontation. As Tenten's relentless assault continued, it was only a matter of time before Kin faltered.

With the final strike, Kin was unable to continue, and Hayate Gekko raised his hand, declaring, "The winner is Tenten."

Triumphant, Tenten ran over and embraced me in a joyful hug. Her eyes sparkled with pride, the hard work she'd put into her training finally paying off in a crucial moment.

"You did a great job," I said, wrapping my arms around her in return. "All that training really showed today."

Tenten beamed at the praise and tightened her embrace before stepping back, a satisfied smile on her face. "Thanks, Naruto. I've been working hard, and it paid off," she said proudly. She then rejoined her teammates, still glowing with the joy of her victory.

Naruto vs Shino

The next match was mine, and I stepped down into the arena to face Shino. As we squared off, I couldn't help but try to lighten the mood.

"Let's make this an interesting fight, Shino," I called out, a grin tugging at my lips.

Shino adjusted his glasses, giving a slight nod. "I intend to."

He always had that calm, collected demeanor, the kind that could come off as a bit too cool for some. But I knew that despite his quiet nature, he was no pushover. The Aburame Clan's unique bond with insects made them formidable opponents—though it often left Shino isolated from others. After all, not many people could handle the idea of being a walking insect nest, especially when it came to girls who had a natural aversion to bugs. But for the Aburame, it was simply their way of life.

As we both readied ourselves, I knew this fight would be anything but ordinary.

We both took our stances, Shino allowing his insects to swarm out from his sleeves, while I drew my katana, gripping it firmly as I prepared for the battle ahead.

"Begin!" Hayate Gekko announced, his voice strained by a persistent cough. How has he managed to keep going with that awful cough? I wondered briefly, before focusing on the fight.

Without wasting a moment, I formed a series of hand signs, knowing that bugs were naturally weak against fire. "Great Fireball Technique!" I shouted as a massive ball of flames erupted from my mouth, hurtling toward Shino. The wave of heat swept over the insects he had released, reducing many of them to ashes.

However, I knew a fireball alone wouldn't be enough to take him down; after all, fire jutsu rarely finished off an opponent in one go, and there were no records of a shinobi meeting their end from a fireball alone. True to form, Shino swiftly dodged the fireball, allowing it to crash onto the floor behind him, leaving charred markings in its wake.

Seizing the opportunity while he was distracted, I rushed forward. As Shino completed his evasive maneuver, I closed the gap and swung my katana in a swift, clean arc aimed at his neck. The blade stopped just short, leaving him with no choice but to acknowledge the threat.

A bead of sweat rolled down Shino's temple. "I surrender," he declared, his voice calm but resigned.

Hayate raised his hand, announcing, "The winner is Naruto."