Scene Seventeen: The matchmaking continues!

"Idiot! What nonsense are you spouting!"
Without thinking, Temari gave a sharp flick to his forehead. Her gaze drifted to Shikamaru, and, almost involuntarily, her mind began a thorough evaluation of him...

Hmm, the Nara clan—the most brilliant strategic family in the Hidden Leaf... They raise deer, deer antlers are quite valuable, so marrying into their family wouldn’t mean hardship... Our child would surely be clever... The entire family is henpecked, so I could manage the finances...

Bah, what am I thinking! How could I, Temari, possibly marry one of those Leaf Village idiots!

Shikamaru, on the other hand, only thought it all a hassle!
He just wanted to nap at home, to rest in peace—why be forced into these matches? And why did the third round of the exam suddenly start to feel like a matchmaking event?

He was still so young! No way did he want a wife who’d nag him like a mother!

Little did he know, up in the stands, his mother, Yoshino Nara, was already discussing with his father, Shikaku Nara, just what kind of bride price it would take for the Sand Village to marry off their daughter.

"The third match, Temari versus Shikamaru—begin!"

"Ninjutsu: Sickle Weasel!"

"Ninjutsu: Substitution Technique!"

Their bout was truly spectacular. Temari wielded the great fan on her back with expert skill, unleashing formidable Wind Release techniques. Shikamaru, after dodging several attacks, calmly used his clan’s signature Shadow Imitation Technique to capture Temari’s shadow, ultimately winning the match.

Afterward, however, his mother was far from pleased, believing that Shikamaru’s performance had just increased the bride price their family would have to pay.

"Fourth match, time to draw lots!"

The screen flickered... Up in the stands, Ino and Sakura prayed endlessly...

"Let it be me and Sasuke... me and Sasuke..."

"Ino Yamanaka versus Shino Aburame!"

Ino and Sakura exchanged a glance, Sakura’s eyes bursting with delight...

Hao Yun had already sat down, completely disappointed in the lot drawing. What a joke of a tournament, what a farce of a third round... This was nothing but a public display of affection.

Yeah, even if Ino was destined to marry Sai, there was no way she’d be allowed to fight Sakura!

Finally, as the remaining names dwindled, it came to Sakura and Sasuke’s turn.

Hao Yun sat up straight at last—finally, a match with at least a bit of excitement!

"Fifth match: Sakura Haruno versus Sasuke Uchiha!"

The others barely flicked their eyes over; everyone knew Sakura was obsessed with Sasuke. This would be just another confession scene, like all the others.

Yet what they didn’t know was that Sakura had never aspired to be the woman behind Sasuke. What she wanted was to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, to be comrades-in-arms, partners through life and death.

So she would hold nothing back—she would show her true strength!

"Sakura Haruno, please guide me!"

"Sasuke Uchiha, please guide me!"

"Ninjutsu: Heavenly Foot of Pain!"

At the very start, Sakura soared into the air, chakra enveloping her body, concentrating even more beneath her feet, and from above she struck down with an earth-shattering force!

Sasuke had no intention of going easy—he braced himself with one hand, launching both feet to meet her head-on!

Boom!

The violent collision sent a shockwave across the arena... In the stands, Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma, and the others couldn’t help but shield themselves from the sudden gust, staring in shock at the duelists at the center.

"Kakashi, aren’t your two students stronger than you now?"

Though Asuma phrased it as a question, his certainty was beyond doubt. Such sheer power—he’d never even seen it in his own father!

Kakashi simply smiled, "They surpassed me long ago."

His tone brimmed with pride.

No teacher would ever hope for less; Kakashi was not a petty man. The greater Sakura and Sasuke’s strength, the more delighted he became.

Kurenai and Might Guy glanced at their own students and silently offered a candle in their hearts... Sigh, against Kakashi’s monsters, surrender is the wisest choice.

On the field, Sasuke’s defense was no match for Sakura’s gathered strength—her kick gouged the ground, nearly burying Sasuke in the earth.

Sakura flipped backward and sneered, "Sasuke, this isn’t your true level!"

"Then try this! Ninjutsu: Lightning Release—Chidori!"

Sasuke sprang from the ground, right hand crackling with lightning, forging a blade of pure energy—its sharp, flickering arc left no doubt of its danger.

Sakura didn’t retreat at all. With Armament Haki fully unleashed, her right hand turned jet black as she drew power from the ground, gathering it through her entire body, meeting his attack head-on!

"Ninjutsu: Monster Strength Fist!"

Boom!

Chidori shattered, blood sprayed—Sakura’s Armament Haki was broken in the clash, but Sasuke was sent flying by her overwhelming strength, smashing into the wall of the stands and leaving a deep, human-shaped dent.

The Third Hokage couldn’t help clicking his tongue—was he watching Tsunade in battle? This girl was clearly the next generation’s Tsunade!

"Let’s not waste any more time—settle it in a single move!"

"Just what I wanted!"

Both leapt into the air, hands forming seals, unleashing peerless chakra that collided in the heavens!

"Sage Art: Majestic Fire Annihilation!"

"Sage Art: Great Breakthrough!"

Flames roared, gales exploded! Two techniques on par with Kage-level power clashed at full force; not even the proctors could intervene, and the Third Hokage himself had to leap to the farthest edge of the stands.

When the blast subsided, the arena was melted by fire, leaving only a vast, magma-like pit.

On either side, Sakura and Sasuke faced each other, showing none of the weakness one might expect after such a devastating exchange.

"I lost this round," Sakura admitted, flipping her pink hair back decisively. "But next time, I’ll win it back!"

"An Uchiha never admits defeat!" Sasuke retorted, eyes now tinged with approval and admiration for Sakura, no longer distant as before.

From afar, Ino watched them quietly. She knew she no longer had the heart to compete with Sakura for Sasuke. The girl who’d once needed her help had truly grown up.

Proctor Hayate Gekkou glanced from Sakura to Sasuke, inwardly tormented...

Hey, I am the proctor here—could you spare a little face for me? I may not be able to beat you, but don’t think I can’t fail you all!

But remembering how Ibiki Morino had fared in the first round, Hayate swallowed his dissatisfaction and announced the winner.

"The victor of the fifth match is Sasuke Uchiha!"

After such a duel, neither Lee’s Fifth Gate battle against Gaara nor Kankuro’s swift victory over the Sound ninja could capture the crowd’s attention.

The gap between genin and Kage-level was simply too vast—after a feast fit for kings, who could be interested in plain gruel?

And honestly, who in their right mind wanted to fight those monsters from Team 7? They’d stopped caring about winning—they just wanted to lose and get it over with!