"…Oh no." Chōji's eyes narrowed, his cheeks puffing slightly. He clutched the bag close to his chest like a man guarding treasure. "Don't even think about it."
Akamaru whimpered, shifting gears instantly, his eyes widening into full-blown puppy-dog mode. "Oww… Wrrfff…"
The crowd roared again, but around C-Column seats, the little drama earned smothered chuckles.
"You better not drool over any of my chips!" Chōji declared firmly, wagging a finger at Akamaru like he was scolding a wayward child. His serious tone would've suited a life-or-death battlefield, but here it was directed at a fluffy white pup.
"Aww…" Ino pressed her hands against her cheeks, her heart melting. "Look at those eyes. He's begging! How could anyone resist that?"
"Pffft, tch," Chōji huffed, popping another chip into his mouth with exaggerated defiance. "I'll tell you how... self-control."
Kiba smirked and leaned back, arms crossed. "Don't worry about it, Akamaru. Forget that stingy glutton. I'll get you snacks during the break."
Akamaru's tail wagged furiously, his tongue lolling out happily. "WOOF!"
"Honestly," Ino sighed, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the scene. "To think you'd actually bicker with a dog over food, Chōji…"
"Hmph!" Chōji puffed his cheeks, eyes flashing with unshakable resolve. "If it were another flavor, I might've considered sharing. But BBQ? Never."
And with that, he tipped the bag back and shoveled a small handful into his mouth, crunching victoriously.
Akamaru whimpered once more, only for Kiba to scratch his head soothingly. "See? Told ya, boy. Let him be, he's just hopeless."
Ino groaned, sinking into her seat. "Unbelievable…"
Lee, meanwhile, pumped his fist with fiery conviction. "Such passion! Even for chips! Truly, the spirit of Konoha shines in every form!"
Hinata lowered her gaze to hide her small smile, her fingers folded neatly in her lap. Her eyes, however, drifted away soon after, pulling back toward the waiting room area, searching for someone who still hadn't appeared.
'Have they sorted things out yet?' Shikamaru's lazy eyes drifted over the lineup, his chin tilted ever so slightly in annoyance. His arms hung loosely at his sides, but inside his mind, the calculations spun like shogi pieces in motion.
The crowd's cheers echoed faintly in his ears, but he filtered them out with practiced indifference.
'I'm the only unlucky one of this entire bunch who has to battle twice in the first round… what a drag. The first one's in the bag, no doubt, but the second? Pfft. Forget it. I'll probably have to forfeit…' His eyes slanted toward Dosu, the bandaged shinobi whose aura was sharp and humming with malice. 'No way I'm wasting energy on that guy. But if that girl, Temari, wins instead…'
His gaze lingered on her fan, resting casually on her shoulder, the edges gleaming under the sunlight. She stood tall, confident, her smirk faint but present as if she already knew her worth.
'Tch. That'd be troublesome. Against a girl like her, if I withdraw, it'll be a pride thing. It'll look like I chickened out. That'd be a drag in its own way…' Shikamaru sighed inwardly, his fingers twitching slightly as he shoved them into his pockets.
Not far away, Sakura stood upright, her hands balled into fists at her sides. Her emerald eyes narrowed, determination boiling in their depths.
'There's no doubt... I'll win against Shikamaru!' she thought fiercely. Her heart hammered in her chest, though she masked it with a sharp glare aimed directly at him.
But her focus slipped, sliding sideways to the pair standing a meter apart: Dosu with his ever-present aura of quiet menace, and Temari, who radiated a dangerous mix of confidence and calculation.
'But between those two… who will it be?' Sakura bit her lip, the thought burning through her.
Dosu's bandages gave him a faceless menace, unreadable, while Temari's piercing eyes and cocky stance practically shouted that she wouldn't go down easily.
A faint rustle of sand drew her eyes elsewhere.
Gaara's gaze was fixed on Dosu, sharp and unblinking, but his thoughts lingered elsewhere. Deep in his memory, the faint echo of a conversation surfaced.
"Temari," He had called, his tone flat, but laced with something heavier beneath.
Temari had turned, her brows furrowed. "Hmm?"
Gaara's teal eyes glimmered faintly, his voice low but absolute. "When it is your turn… I want you to give it your all."
The weight of his stare made Temari's throat tighten. Her grip on her fan shifted, her smirk faltering for just a second.
"…Gaara," She whispered, his name heavy on her tongue. Her gaze fell to the ground, her lips pressing together. And then, with a quiet strength, she nodded. "I will."
Now, in the arena, as the crowd thundered with anticipation, Temari's hand brushed against the fan on her shoulder. Her eyes flickered to Gaara briefly, and for just a heartbeat, her usual confidence gave way to resolve sharpened by his words.
Dosu shifted slightly, the metal plate on his arm catching the sunlight. His bandaged face betrayed nothing, but his silence was sharp, dangerous.
The tension between them wasn't just rivalry anymore. It was a web, strung tight with pride, strategy, and the unspoken weight of expectations.
And in the middle of it all, Shikamaru yawned.
"What a drag…" He muttered under his breath, though his sharp eyes missed nothing.
------
Back on the battlefield, the air was tense. The faint breeze carried dust across the arena floor, swirling lazily as if waiting for the clash to begin.
Kankurō's sharp eyes locked onto Shino, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.
"You guys probably don't know the real terror of this world," He said, his tone dripping with arrogance, every word deliberate, meant to pierce his opponent's calm demeanor.
Shino tilted his head slightly, his face unreadable behind the dark shades and high-collared jacket. His voice came out low and steady, carrying an unshakable calm.
"In that case… will you teach me that terror?"
Kankurō chuckled, a mocking sound that echoed faintly across the quiet arena. He leaned forward, his expression sharp.
"Hmph! Hiding your face behind those sunglasses and that oversized jacket… I wonder…" He narrowed his eyes, as if trying to bore into Shino's soul. "What kind of expression do you have underneath? Is it fear?"
Shino didn't flinch and lifted his hand slowly, extending outward, the movement deliberately calm and confident.
"Why don't you find out?"
The silence that followed was broken by the faint click of joints as Kankurō lowered the large, cloth-wrapped bundle from his back. He unfastened the covering with a practiced motion, and the sound of fabric tearing open was soon replaced by the sharp hum of chakra strings snapping into place.
Five shimmering threads of chakra shot from each of his fingers, binding themselves to the hidden form within.
Tk! Tk! Tk! Tk!
The sound of joints shifting echoed across the stone floor. From the cloth emerged a grotesque puppet. It was a thing of three glaring eyes and four gnarled arms, its wooden frame creaking as it crawled across Kankurō's shoulders.
With a sudden snap, the puppet latched onto his body, its limbs locking into place like armor, forming an eerie silhouette of man and machine fused together.
The sight would have made most genin pale, but Shino only adjusted his stance, quiet and unshaken.
A low buzzing filled the air until it sounded like the hum of countless wings. From the darkness of Shino's sleeves, swarms of insects spilled out, coiling and circling his body.
Shino's voice cut through the sound like steel. "When we fight, we never underestimate our opponent. No matter what puny insects they may be…"
The swarm thickened around him, his words carrying weight that felt like a vow. "…I will advance with full force."
Kankurō's eye twitched. 'Puny insects? Did he just—?'
"Hah! Big words…" Kankurō snapped back, his grin returning, sharper than before. "Bring it on then!"
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
📢 Author's Note 📢
If you're enjoying this story and want more chapters right now, I invite you to check out my Patreon. There you'll find:
✅ Daily updates – never miss a day of new content
✅ Advanced chapters – read far ahead of public releases
✅ Exclusive perks & extras – only available to patrons
Your support not only gives you early access but also helps me dedicate more time to writing and expanding this story. Every reader who joins makes a huge difference.
👉 Dive into more chapters today: patreon.com/Myth_Valley
Let's keep the adventure alive! 🔥📚✨