The battle between Kushina and Rinto erupted quickly.
In the eyes of most people, this was expected to be a closely matched showdown.
The two would fight for 300 rounds without a clear winner.
Finally, one of them would seize an opportunity and deliver a decisive blow.
That was the script. That was how the battle should unfold.
Even Rinto himself believed this was how things would develop.
He had already prepared for a fierce battle.
He intended to use his rock-solid will to teach this little girl a proper lesson.
However, when they had just exchanged their first moves, and he was sent flying by a single punch from Kushina, Rinto was completely stunned.
"Hiss~ So fast! Such immense strength!"
Feeling the pain surging through his body, Rinto rubbed his bruises, stood up, and looked at Kushina. His heart sank.
Now, he needed to determine whether Kushina had been hiding her taijutsu as her trump card or if everyone had simply underestimated her true strength.
Sage Art: Earth Flow Spears!
Forming hand seals at high speed, Rinto immediately activated Sage Jutsu. Suddenly, enormous spikes of earth erupted from the ground beneath Kushina.
The attack covered a wide area, making it difficult to escape just by moving on foot.
However, this type of attack didn't have a wide range from the ground level. So, the natural reaction of most peoplewould be to jump into the air.
And if they did, they would fall right into the trap.
Because once airborne, there was no way to leverage force to evade.
Kushina actually had better ways to avoid this attack, but she chose not to.
Instead, she leaped into the air.
The moment she ascended, two massive, thick earth walls rose rapidly from both sides, closing in on her like a trap.
It was a siege so to speak.
Since this was Sage Jutsu, the range of the technique was vast.
It seemed as though Kushina had no way to escape.
But Rinto didn't let his guard down, nor did he assume he had secured victory.
On the contrary, he remained highly vigilant, keeping his eyes locked onto Kushina, ready to attack or dodge at any moment.
High above, Kushina watched the scene unfold and felt slightly disappointed.
This guy is too cautious. He refuses to take the bait.
Originally, she had wanted to end things easily. But now, it seemed she would have to reveal some of her true strength.
As she thought this, a radiant glow emanated from her body.
In the next instant, golden chains burst out from within her.
These chains were thick and radiated a brilliant golden light, exuding an overwhelming aura of power.
And indeed, their power was immense.
The chains shot out swiftly, lashing toward the two enclosing earth walls.
In an instant, the walls crumbled into rubble.
Rinto gasped sharply at the sight. As one of the chains came hurtling toward him, he instinctively dodged without hesitation.
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion rang out.
When Rinto turned to look, he saw that the spot where he had been standing was now a deep crater.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
"That power… it's terrifying!"
It wasn't just Rinto, Kushina's sudden surge in strength had shocked almost everyone watching the battle.
No one had expected that she had been concealing so much power all along!
Only a handful of people who truly understood Kushina weren't surprised by this scene.
The initial strike failed, but the chains did not stop. Instead, multiple chains surged forward simultaneously, launching a relentless assault on Rinto.
The golden chains danced through the air like a group of dragons, coordinating with each other as they pursued Rinto like a predator hunting its prey.
Under this terrifying assault, Rinto found himself in a dire situation. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he struggled to evade.
However, while the chains were attacking, Kushina wasn't idle. She took advantage of the gaps between her chain attacks to prepare another move.
At a certain moment, Kushina's eyes lit up, and in an explosive burst of speed, she instantly appeared next to Rinto.
With a single punch, Rinto's body was sent plummeting from the sky, crashing heavily into the ground, creating a massive crater in the arena.
Yet, Kushina did not stop there.
As Rinto fell, she controlled her chains, merging 78 of them together into a single, enormous chain that resembled a towering pillar, or a massive spear. The massive chain followed his descent, aiming to smash down with crushing force.
If this attack landed, even if Rinto didn't die, he would undoubtedly be crippled.
Boom!!!
A thunderous explosion echoed as the ground cracked apart. Even those standing far away could feel the tremors beneath their feet.
Gasps filled the air as spectators' hearts clenched in shock.
"Did he dodge it?"
Staring at the now-empty crater, Kushina muttered to herself.
"But can he really escape?"
Activating her sensory abilities, she instantly detected a surge of chakra beneath her feet.
Without hesitation, she stomped down with full force.
Crack!!!
The earth trembled once more as cracks spread rapidly in all directions.
From within one of the fissures, a figure emerged.
It was Rinto.
At this moment, he looked miserable. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his face was pale.
"It seems this battle is mine to win," Kushina declared.
The gap in strength was too great. For her, defeating Rinto was effortless.
Hearing this, Rinto revealed a bitter smile.
He didn't want to admit it, but the truth was undeniable.
He was severely injured. If the fight continued, his chances of victory were almost nonexistent.
But no matter how low the odds, as long as there was a chance, he had to try.
Just as Rinto lifted his hand to form hand seals and unleash a Sage Jutsu, Kushina had already appeared beside him.
With a single punch to his abdomen, Rinto's entire body curled up in pain, his eyes bulging and his face twisted in agony.
"I told you, you lost."
Kushina's voice was calm. She had anticipated that Rinto wouldn't surrender easily, so she had already prepared her next attack while speaking.
That last strike had been her full-speed burst.
"Rinto has lost and will enter the losers' bracket. Uzumaki Kushina wins and advances to the Outstanding Youth Ranking!"
Nawaki stepped forward, officially announcing the result.
Rinto was completely unable to stand. In fact, he was in so much pain that he was on the verge of losing consciousness.
"Congratulations, Kushina! You're the first to secure a spot on the Outstanding Youth Ranking." Nawaki grinned at her as he used a vine to lift Rinto and send him over to Hui for medical attention.
"Hahaha, it's nothing!" Kushina laughed heartily. Though there were thirty spots available, being the first to claim one was still something to be proud of.
The announcement of the match's outcome sent shockwaves through the audience.
No one had expected Kushina to be this powerful, this was absolutely the strength of a championship contender!
This young girl had hidden her true power far too well!
At the same time, several competitors secretly felt relieved.
"Thank goodness I didn't have to face Uzumaki Kushina. If I had, I'd be the one suffering in the losers' bracket!"