Suguru would thus come to observe the next fights with great intrigue. Eyeing, especially, the fights involving the Hoshi-nins who had somehow made it through.
'This is nothing like the original…' He thought, glancing at the two genin who walked into the arena.
[Tenten vs Ameyuri]
Suguru couldn't help but compare the two.
'That Ameyuri… looks worse for wear.'
Bruises and newly-healed cuts, torn and scorched clothes, patches of blood… It was clear that they went through a lot more to get their required scrolls after encountering Team 7.
Recalling the memories of another one of his clones, Suguru chuckled.
'They had to crawl their way through… I can admire their perseverance. Did Sensei threaten them, perhaps?'
He wondered if they could still use their mystical Star Chakra Jutsu, given how tired they were. Especially Ameyuri, whose expression of discomfort had grown deeper since the last time Suguru had observed her.
However, the girl would not be given any time to rest.
"Start!"
Hayate's voice would thus signify the beginning of the fight.
—Clang!
And the sound of Tenten's kunai against Ameyuri's own was nearly instantaneous.
* * *
Despite Ameyuri's inherent exhaustion, she still found a way to outwit Tenten using what remained of her chakra. All it took was a small lapse in judgment and a burst of unique strength.
Tenten thus found herself with a sharp feather just inches away from her throat.
"…Ah,"
Frustration was evident on Tenten's face. For most of the fight, she dominated using her array of weapons. Furthermore, the difference in their chakra reserves had been an advantage made apparent due to Ameyuri's constantly avoidant battle style.
Unfortunately for Ameyuri, she slipped up. In the brief lull between her attacks, when she had to summon another bundle of shuriken from her scrolls, Ameyuri burst out with gleaming purple chakra.
Astonished by the unfamiliar sight, Tenten fumbled.
The feathers, made out of star chakra, flew according to Ameyuri's will, forcing Tenten to respond.
From there, the battle ended in the very next breath.
"Winner, Ameyuri of Hoshigakure!"
Hayate's announcement thus delivered the sad reality of Tenten's defeat.
'…At least she lost with a little more dignity,' Suguru thought as he saw this.
Compared to her fight with Temari in the original…
Yeah.
Suguru shook his head. There was no need to think too much about Tenten's confidence. His attention was already set on Ameyuri's figure, analyzing the little wisps of her aura with the Shinrakugan.
Having already observed the Hoshi-nins with his Byakugan and Sharingan in the Forest of Death, he felt that he could supplement his knowledge with another one of his available Dojutsu.
And he was not disappointed.
'Could this meteor have arrived from a still-thriving place in space?'
Suguru felt a shiver.
Given that having a God Tree on a planet siphons said planet of life, killing all life and its inhabitants… could this meteorite have originated from a location that had yet to experience such siphoning?
'A world rich in Natural Energy, perhaps?'
While Suguru had these thoughts, the next match-up proceeded.
[Nara Shikamaru vs. Tsuchi Kin]
"Oh,"
This one, like Neji vs Hinata, occurred just like original. When Suguru witnessed Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Jutsu, he knew that everything was set, even against the sound-based Genjutsu that Kin was capable of.
The strategy would complete itself from there.
And it did…
With a resounding:
—Thud!
Tsuchi Kin's head slammed against the arena wall, knocking her unconscious and allowing Shikamaru to take the win.
"Winner, Nara Shikamaru!"
Suguru held back a chuckle. As one of the exam proctors, he upheld a certain professional detachment. Although it wasn't required of him, he still felt it necessary.
Even for someone who was practically destined for death.
'I wonder if Orochimaru will still use them,' Suguru thought, eyeing the Oto-nins who would've been the mediums for the Kinjutsu, Edo Tensei.
After all, he had already made a certain deal. Without Orochimaru causing chaos, Suguru was able to 'eliminate' a variable for the price of collaboration.
Perhaps it was Hiruzen's luck that Orochimaru and Suguru weren't too familiar with each other. Had the former been familiar with the latter's desire to create chaos…
A lot of things might've gone differently in that deal.
Suguru realized this as well, and he couldn't help but reassess himself.
'…Why did I do that?'
A hint of suspicion flashed past his gaze.
Ever since his return to Konoha, there have indeed been a lot of suspicious points in his behavior. Subtle, but obvious in retrospect.
Although he had been acting as he normally would, there was a clear bias in the way he thought.
'A bias that I would've avoided, had I been more lucid..?'
Realizing this, Suguru pulled his chakra into himself. His already-active Shinrakugan summoned its red dust, creating a light hue of crimson throughout the air.
"…"
For a moment, Suguru went silent.
"Just… who..?"
A name tried to surface in his mind, and Suguru's gaze drifted off towards the side of the arena. However, he couldn't recall who he was trying to recall.
Moreover…
He saw nothing.
And yet, Suguru instinctively felt that someone was there…
There, standing completely still, was a man who was nonexistent in the eyes of everyone present. No one had noticed him, nor had any intention of noticing him.
Suguru was stunned.
What was this..?
The dissonance he felt with his own senses. The clear disturbances in the air that occurred only when someone breathed…
It was as if it was…
'Some sort of… Genjutsu invisibility?'
Suguru shuddered. Although he was unfamiliar with the technique, he realized how potent it was. If he wasn't going insane, and his instincts were indeed telling him that someone else was here, watching the proceeding matches…
Then…
Suguru pried his gaze away. Acting as if he hadn't noticed any abnormalities.
It was then.
—Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed in his ears, creating a valid reason for his distraction.
"Hiryu Suguru,"
A masked shinobi appeared beside him, crouched and silent in her work. The long ponytail that cascaded down her back bore dyed streaks of light brown contrasted with black.
"That's me…" Suguru nodded before realizing what he had forgotten. "Right! I was told to visit that place."
The Anbu kunoichi shook her head. "It's not about that. Lord Hokage is requesting your help with a few other things."
Hearing this, Suguru raised a brow.
"A few things? Hmm, I see. Should I send a Shadow Clone?"
"…Yes," The Anbu, who was about to continue with Hiruzen's request, faltered upon realizing that their intentions had been read like a book.
Opting not to speak any longer lest she reveal her own secrets, she silently handed Suguru a scroll.
"…"
Suguru gave it a cursory glance before opening one of his pouches and grabbing a shrunken scroll.
Then, with a poof, it returned to its original size.
"I've studied this before, so there's no need for me to send a clone. Here, bring this to Hokage-sama's helpers."
"…Yes," the Anbu kunoichi promptly replied.
Hearing this, Suguru's lips twitched. Was this Anbu girl still wet behind the ears? Her demeanor was too faulty if she was trying to hide her secrets.
However, he did not act on it. Whatever secrets she had would stay secret.
He wouldn't pry.
—Swish.
As the Anbu kunoichi flickered away, Suguru couldn't help but smile.
'At least, for now.'
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