Konoha: Gu Master

Shinho Aburame nodded slightly.

The Golden Silk Armor Gu's defense was indeed impressive.

Sasuke's swordsmanship combined with Chidori pushed his attack power to its limits. Most jōnin would struggle to block even a single strike of his.

When Shinho had used the Heavenly Mugwort Gu previously, he could still feel a faint sting from similar attacks.

But now, there was nothing, not even a hint of pain.

This confirmed that Sasuke's conventional methods were ineffective against him.

"Sasuke," Shinho said calmly, "I learned a new jutsu in Roran."

A new jutsu?

Alerted, Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and the Lightnin-Fire sword surged with power, enveloping not just the sword but his entire body in arcs of electricity.

Chidori Stream!

Now, Sasuke appeared almost like a thunder god. 

While his defense wasn't as robust as Shinho's, the electrical field offered a layer of both offense and defense with the added effect of paralyzing anyone who got too close.

It gave him a small sense of security.

Djinn Transformation!

Shinho activated three different Gu simultaneously: Djinn Heart Gu, Djinn Body Gu, and Djinn Mind Gu.

Instantly, Shinho's body grew in perfect proportion, towering over five meters tall.

"What is this?" Sasuke instinctively took a step back.

Looking up at Shinho, who was now a massive figure, Sasuke felt an intense shock.

The audience buzzed with excitement.

"He's huge!"

Tsunade gaped in amazement.

Where on earth had this kid learned such a technique?

"Is this the Expansion Jutsu?" Gaara asked, puzzled.

"It shouldn't be," Tsunade replied, shaking her head. "The Expansion Jutsu is a secret technique of the Akimichi clan—they wouldn't teach it to an outsider."

Just then, a booming sound echoed across the arena.

It was as if the entire place had gone silent, leaving only stunned expressions on the spectators' faces.

Sasuke retracted his Lightning-Fire Sword, forming a sequence of hand seals with both hands.

Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!

A massive, dragon-shaped flame shot from his mouth.

Thick black smoke roared across the arena, and the intense heat distorted the air like molten lava.

Shinho's response was simple.

He swung his enormous palm downward.

With it, a phantom of the Dragon-Elephant Phantom manifested.

The fire dragon, which had looked invincible, was snuffed out like a cigarette butt under his hand.

It didn't stop there; Shinho's palm met the ground, leaving a massive handprint embedded in the earth, shattered from the impact.

Dust clouds surged out in waves.

Sasuke, transformed into a streak of lightning, retreated to the edge of the arena.

"That's definitely not the Expansion Jutsu!" Tsunade exclaimed, her pupils contracting.

When the Akimichi clan used the Expansion Jutsu, their strength increased, but not to this extent.

If it were truly this powerful, the Akimichi would have become unstoppable long ago.

"Agreed," Gaara said slowly.

He was equally stunned.

Shinho's strength seemed to have multiplied two or three times over.

Had Shinho been holding back when they fought a month ago?

Or had he actually grown this much stronger in just a few weeks?

Either possibility left him speechless.

What was left for Sunagakure to compete with if this was the future?

The edge of the arena:

"The gap is getting even wider," Neji Hyūga murmured.

"So strong!" Karin said, blushing as she covered her face with her hands.

"…"

Ino gave her a sidelong look.

Are you running a fever or something?

It seemed that, compared to Hinata, Karin was her real rival.

This girl was far too direct. One misstep, and Shinho-kun would be swept right into her clutches.

"As sane people, we shouldn't bother comparing ourselves to him," Shino Aburame adjusted his glasses, maintaining a calm expression.

"That's a fair point," Yakumo Kurama agreed.

She'd sensed it when Shinho helped her seal Idō, but now the feeling was much stronger.

"Sasuke's in a tough spot," Neji murmured, relieved he'd been eliminated earlier.

Had he faced Shinho's overwhelming power, his Gentle Fist would've felt hopelessly ineffective.

Everyone around him fell silent.

In the arena:

Sasuke was desperately dodging Shinho's giant fists.

Each strike landed with a thunderous boom.

In theory, such a large body should slow Shinho down. Yet Shinho's speed seemed to have increased after the Djinn Transformation.

With a dark expression, Sasuke tossed a smoke bomb.

Shinho's line of sight was blocked.

However, Sasuke, relying on his Sharingan, remained unaffected.

He jumped high, bringing himself level with Shinho's eyes.

Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique!

The moment their eyes met, Sasuke unleashed a genjutsu.

As expected, Shinho faltered for just a moment before the Gu inside his aperture dispelled the illusion.

But a moment was all Sasuke needed.

The sound of a thousand chirping birds filled the air as lightning surged through his sword.

Only this time, he wasn't done.

Controlling his Lightning Chakra, he caused it to spin rapidly.

In an instant, his Lightning-fire Sword transformed into a whirling spiral blade.

The lightning wrapped around the sword, spinning with deadly brilliance.

It was a combination of Chidori and Rasengan, creating a weapon of unmatched lethality.

Sasuke gripped his spiraling Lightning-Fire Sword with both hands, descending from above to stab directly at Shinho.

Flying Bone Shield Gu!

With a thought, Shinho conjured three bone shields in front of him.

Crack!

The bone shields shattered under the spiral blade, spinning away in fragments.

The power of Sasuke's weapon surprised even Shinho.

Extending his hand, he reached to intercept Sasuke's strike.

Golden Silk Armor Gu!

The Lightning-Fire Sword hit Shinho's palm.

A powerful surge of chakra erupted, sending a mix of lightning and shockwaves into the air like a pillar of smoke.

From the spectators' perspective, it looked like fire ignited by rubbing sticks together.

"Damn it!" Sasuke gritted his teeth, his face twisted with frustration.

He had poured every ounce of his chakra into this strike, yet he hadn't so much as scratched Shinho.

As Shinho's massive fingers closed around him, Sasuke had no choice but to use Body Flicker to escape.

The field of lightning dissipated, swallowed up in Shinho's hand.

In the stands:

Gaara could only shake his head in resignation.

When the Akimichi used the Expansion Jutsu, they relied solely on their increased size and strength in battle.

While they could take secret pills to boost power, the side effects were severe.

But Shinho was different. He suffered no side effects and could wield an array of his own unique techniques.

In other words, he could unleash multiple times his strength at any given moment.

If Shinho were an ally, Gaara would feel relief.

Unfortunately, Sunagakure and Konoha were still rivals.

Even though they were allies for now, who wouldn't want the chance to come out on top?

"This kid…" Tsunade muttered, rubbing her temples.

Had he really learned all of this during his three years in Roran?

It was truly frightening.

Without a doubt, Shinho had already surpassed her.

And he was still so young.

He would only grow stronger.

Amid her shock, Tsunade couldn't help feeling a surge of pride.

After all, this was her student.

The stronger Shinho became, the more Tsunade's reputation flourished.

Though she didn't particularly seek fame, it was still a welcome bonus.

In the arena, Shinho glanced at his palm.

There was a small red mark where Sasuke's Spiral Blade had struck, but it was barely noticeable.

"Do you want to keep going?" Shinho asked, looking down at Sasuke.

"…."

Sasuke's face was a mixture of frustration and stubborn determination.

Was this really as far as he could go?

As an Uchiha, he was humiliated to be defeated so thoroughly.

How could he even dream of avenging himself against that man if he couldn't overcome an opponent here?

Chakra surged within Sasuke, his emotions intensifying as they poured into his eyes, making the red of his Sharingan deepen.

Sasuke paused, momentarily surprised.

Although he hadn't unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan, he felt himself growing stronger.

"I don't believe you can hold this form for long!" he declared, gripping his Lightning-Fire Sword tightly.

Shinho raised an eyebrow.

Was this what they called a mid-battle breakthrough? Sasuke was coming dangerously close to unlocking new abilities on the spot.

For a moment, Shinho thought Sasuke might actually awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

But it seemed it wasn't going to be that easy.

Before he could ponder further, Sasuke was already charging at him again.

His movements were quick and unpredictable, but his Lightning-Fire Sword was even faster, striking with a deadly, erratic rhythm.

This was Sakumo Hatake's swordsmanship.

Sasuke dodged Shinho's punches with agility, weaving through the attacks as he struck and withdrew in rapid succession.

The clash of steel rang out repeatedly.

To Shinho, it felt like a high-stakes game of dodging attacks at the last moment, almost like a Souls-style game where Sasuke kept chipping away at him with precision.

With the three-tomoe Sharingan paired with Sakumo's assassin-like sword techniques, Sasuke was managing to hold his own longer than Shinho expected.

"This is as far as you go, Sasuke."

Shinho shook his head.

Immobilization Gu!

Sasuke's evasive, eel-like movements froze as he was rooted to the spot.

Shinho's fist rocketed forward, stopping mere inches from Sasuke's face.

Even so, the power behind it was enough to make Sasuke's face pale, giving him the chilling sensation of having brushed past the gates of death.

"I… I concede," Sasuke muttered, sheathing his Lightning-Fire Sword.

While he had fought well, he had expended a considerable amount of chakra and energy.

Even without the Immobilization Gu, he couldn't have held out much longer.

Shinho looked over at Genma Shiranui, who snapped out of his stupor and announced, "The winner is Shinho Aburame!"

"Shinho-kun!" Karin cheered from the sidelines, waving excitedly.

"No surprises there," Neji noted, adding, "Sasuke did exceptionally well."

After watching the match, Neji realized that not only was he outmatched by Shinho, but Sasuke would likely defeat him, too.

Hinata gazed at Shinho with admiration.

His victory may have been expected, but she was genuinely happy for him.

"I need to work even harder!" Ino whispered, clenching her fists.

Not only did she need to strengthen herself, but she had to stay ahead of Hinata and Karin if she wanted to "win" Shinho's favour.

In the stands:

"Congratulations, Lady Hokage," Gaara said, taking a deep breath. "You have an exceptional student."

After witnessing the match, Gaara resolved to avoid provoking Konoha for the foreseeable future.

Not unless Sunagakure managed to produce a genius of Shinho's caliber.

But Gaara knew the odds were slim.

The best his village had produced in years was Shira, with his Seven Heavens Breathing technique.

What a pity, he thought, remembering Sasori, the Red Sand.

Chiyo had once told him that her grandson's puppet techniques surpassed her own.

If only he'd return to the village.

"That kid's performance was indeed impressive," Tsunade admitted, her lips curving into a slight smile, not bothering with false modesty.

She was in an excellent mood.

Everything had gone as planned—Shinho had secured first place, and Konoha had displayed its prowess before the dignitaries from other nations.

This would undoubtedly increase mission requests for the following year.

After all, the young generation of a village symbolized its future.

And Konoha's future looked incredibly promising.

Her only remaining question was what reward to bestow upon this remarkable student of hers.

Shinho released his Djinn Transformation.

Cheers erupted from all directions.

Smiling, he waved back at the crowd.

The majority of the audience, comprised of villagers and nobles from various countries, didn't think too deeply; they were simply thrilled by the spectacular match.

Then, two lines of text appeared before Shinho's eyes.

[Achievement Unlocked: "When Are You Ever Number One?" Reward: Nine-Eyed Wine Gu]

[Nine-Eyed Wine Gu: Rank 4 Gu worm, refined from the Seven-Fragrance Wine Gu. Can concentrate one's Primaeval Essense, advancing it a minor realm.]

Shinho's smile grew wider.

Finally!

With the Nine-Eyed Wine Gu, he could now wield Primaeval Essense at the peak of Tier 4, even though he was technically only a high-rank Tier 4 user.

This was a solid step up in his strength.

"Shinho-kun!"

The moment Shinho stepped down from the arena, Ino and Karin swarmed him, filling the air with the mingling scents of their perfumes.

Hinata, having hesitated a moment too long, could only watch from a short distance, hoping for her turn.

"Congratulations!" Neji and others offered their congratulations as well.

"Shinho!" called Choji and Shikamaru, walking toward him.

Suddenly, a pink-headed figure emerged from the crowd; it was Sakura Haruno.

But she wasn't heading for Shinho; she was running toward Sasuke.

"Sasuke, are you all right?" Sakura asked, concerned.

She knew Sasuke was proud, and nothing stung him more than a loss.

"I'm fine," Sasuke said calmly. "Losing to Shinho is no big deal."

Sakura froze, taken aback.

That didn't sound like the Sasuke she knew.

Just then, Tsunade's voice rang out from the platform.

She didn't waste any words, simply announcing the conclusion of the Chūnin Exams.

As the crowd began to disperse in an orderly fashion, Tsunade caught sight of Shinho surrounded by the three girls and couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Still, she had to handle Sunagakure's delegation before she could pull him aside.

She'd have to wait until evening.

"Kakashi, looks like it's your turn to treat us," Asuma Sarutobi said with a grin.

Sasuke and Shinho had both made it to the finals.

Although Naruto hadn't participated due to his training journey, his earlier achievements had already been remarkable.

Team 7 had truly shone, their skill levels far outpacing those of other genin teams.

"No problem," Kakashi replied with a smile.

"Are you sure about that?" Might Guy chimed in with a boisterous laugh. "Their youthful spirits have been so inspiring; we sensei can't let our own flames die down!"

"Asuma, what do you think about barbecue?" Kakashi asked, completely ignoring Guy's outburst of enthusiasm.

"Perfect," Asuma nodded.

Guy slumped, his hopes dashed.

"What do you say, Kurenai?" Asuma turned to her.

"Barbecue sounds great," Kurenai said, chuckling at Guy's reaction.

"Shall we invite the kids too?" Asuma asked, gesturing toward the genin.

"No need to rush," Kakashi replied, watching Shinho and the others with a smile. "Let them enjoy their victory for now."

join my patreon for 125+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/HyppoTL