Shōgetsu stood over Darui, whose body lay motionless on the ground, seemingly moments from death at his hands. A faint smile crept across Shōgetsu's face.
But in the very next instant, his eyes widened in disbelief—Darui's body dissolved into a wooden log.
"I surrender…"
At that moment, the real Darui, bloodied and battered, reappeared a short distance to Shōgetsu's left. Ragged breaths escaped his lips as he uttered the three words.
A surge of killing intent exploded from Uchiha Shōgetsu. His kunai stabbed deep into the substitution log, while his Sharingan locked onto Izuma Shiranu, who had stepped in as referee.
"The match is over."
"With Darui's forfeit, the victor is Uchiha Shōgetsu."
Just as Shōgetsu was about to unleash a genjutsu on Darui, Izuma Shiranu blocked his line of sight, loudly declaring the outcome.
"So close…"
"I was so damn close…"
Shōgetsu seethed with frustration. He hated himself—hated that he had let Darui slip through his fingers. Just a fraction more… and he could've finished it.
"GRAAAHHH!"
With a twisted grimace, Shōgetsu roared in fury, the sound echoing as he glared at Izuma Shiranu.
Privately, Shiranu understood Shōgetsu's rage. But as the proctor of the Chūnin Exams, there were lines even he could not allow to be crossed. That was why he stood between them now.
"Medical team!"
His shout rang out as medics hurried toward the barely-standing Darui. It was clear to everyone watching—Darui was in rough shape.
With the second match concluded, the arena entered a brief intermission. Up next was Veigar Koshima versus Samui.
Veigar stepped forward, approaching Shōgetsu, who had just returned to the viewing platform. His voice was soft.
"You okay?"
But something was off. Ever since returning, Shōgetsu had kept his head down, his aura cold and volatile.
"I don't think Hoshino would blame you," Veigar added, awkwardly trying to offer comfort.
He didn't realize it wasn't guilt that consumed Shōgetsu—but loathing. Loathing for his own weakness. Loathing that he had failed to kill Darui. Loathing that he hadn't noticed the Teleportation Jutsu, hadn't seen through the Substitution Technique. That he'd fallen short—just by a hair's breadth.
At Veigar's second sentence, Shōgetsu slowly raised his gaze.
When Veigar saw the blood streaming from Shōgetsu's eyes—mixing with tears—he froze.
His heart pounded as he realized what had changed.
Shōgetsu's left eye had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.
"I will kill him."
The words, laced with chilling intent, sent a shiver down Veigar's spine. Coupled with the gleam of the fully-evolved Sharingan, Shōgetsu's killing aura was suffocating.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Veigar didn't reply. He simply gave a firm nod.
Shōgetsu closed his eyes, a grimace etched across his face. When he reopened them, the three-tomoe Sharingan was gone.
The suffocating cold vanished—leaving only a sharp, focused killing intent.
This was the third match of the Chūnin Exams. So far, Konoha and Kumogakure were tied at one win each. But the mood was somber—most spectators felt Konoha had lost the advantage.
Because Hoshino Sarutobi had died… and Darui had not.
Now, across from Veigar and Shōgetsu, stood their next opponent.
Her skin pale as porcelain, hair short and golden, eyes an icy mix of blue and green—Samui looked every bit the composed kunoichi. With a short blade in hand, she glanced at the injured Roy and Darui sitting by the sidelines and deadpanned:
"You two call yourselves shinobi? That was so not cool."
Darui scratched the back of his head, still winded.
"Such a drag…" he muttered.
"Right, Roy?"
But Roy, unmoved, replied coolly:
"You're just lazy."
Samui was about to fire back when Izuma Shiranu's voice boomed across the field.
"Now commencing Match Three of the Third Round of the Chūnin Exams."
"Will the combatants please enter the arena."
Samui turned away from Roy and Darui, tossing her head with practiced flair.
"A ninja should always look cool."
With that, she vaulted cleanly into the center of the arena.
Veigar followed, stepping down from the observation platform to stand opposite her.
Seeing Samui tighten her grip on her short blade, Veigar unsheathed the ninjatō slung across his hip.
Up in the stands, Furuyama Renchi narrowed his eyes. A dangerous gleam flickered in them as he stared at Veigar's blade.
"So that's the weapon…"
He didn't have much intel on Veigar Koshima. But now—watching closely—Renchi hoped to confirm whether this was the same person who had killed Furuyama Renbu.
With both combatants poised and ready, Izuma Shiranu raised his right hand high.
"The third round of the third match is now—BEGIN!"
"Haaah!"
Even before the final syllable left his mouth, Samui was already on the move—short blade flashing as she lunged straight for Veigar.
Choosing to strike first wasn't a reckless decision. It was her strategy.
If Veigar, even after seeing her weapon, still opted for close-range combat with his ninjatō, then he clearly had faith in his own blade skills.
Which meant Samui would beat him at his own game.
And she'd do it in style.
Over the past month, Samui hadn't learned much about Veigar. But what she did know was enough—he had once been hailed as a prodigy.
He might be obscure now, but the fact that Konoha allowed him to participate solo in the Chūnin Exams—and that he'd made it this far—meant he was no pushover.
"In the way of the blade: an inch shorter, an inch closer to danger."
Samui lived by that doctrine. Her fighting style was all about seizing the initiative.
If she didn't strike first, she'd risk losing momentum. And even if she won after that, it wouldn't look cool.
And that was unacceptable.
-----------------------
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON