From Cat Nosuke's bold declarations to his dramatic entrance, to his exaggerated posturing, and then to his complete defeat—everything transpired in no more than three minutes. Of that time, two minutes and fifty-nine seconds were dedicated to grandstanding. The actual battle lasted just a single second.
A mere moment after the fight began, Cat Nosuke was sprawled out on the ground, dazed, seeing stars in broad daylight.
"…That was—"
"Looks like I overdid it."
Mizuki Ryosuke sighed inwardly, realizing he had gone too far. In the end, he could only attribute it to his lack of precise control. I just trained, so my strength isn't as refined as my technique.
"I was planning to test out other abilities…"
"What a pity."
Mizuki Ryosuke shook his head. It was unfortunate. The power of this technique in close combat was almost unfair—it only took one well-placed punch to neutralize an opponent instantly. It was no wonder that Tsunade, despite her supposed lack of offensive prowess, had still secured her position as the Fifth Hokage, supported by her monstrous strength alone.
Cat Nosuke was no ordinary ninja cat. His species already had a higher physical baseline than humans, and with the added boost from Yang Release-based enhancement techniques, his body's resilience far exceeded that of most ninja cats. If an average human had taken that punch, their skull would have likely been reduced to pulp on the spot.
For a brief moment, the entire audience—both the ninja cats and the Kirigakure jōnin watching via the water mirror—fell into absolute silence.
…That's it?
Some of the Kirigakure jōnin even began to wonder if the match had been rigged.
In the stands, a few devoted female ninja cats wailed dramatically, tears welling up in their eyes.
The entire battlefield was eerily quiet.
The Cat Boss covered his face with one paw, sighing in exasperation as he looked at his fallen apprentice. Shame flickered in his eyes—an emotion he had not expected to feel so strongly.
Despite his prior warnings, Cat Nosuke had been too arrogant to take them seriously.
Of course, the Cat Boss knew that his apprentice was stronger than this. He hadn't lost due to lack of ability—he had simply underestimated his opponent and paid the price.
This human is truly terrifying…
The Cat Boss had initially assumed that Ryosuke's strength lay purely in his ninjutsu. However, after witnessing this display, he realized that Ryosuke was just as proficient in Yang Release.
With his trained eye, the Cat Boss could clearly see that Ryosuke had utilized the Chakra-Enhanced Strength technique—a formidable application of Yang Release that enhanced one's physical power to monstrous levels.
But if Cat Nosuke lost so easily, it wouldn't just be his personal embarrassment—it would be a disgrace to the entire ninja cat clan.
The Cat Boss had no choice but to intervene.
He felt a pang of guilt for what he was about to do, but the pride of the clan came first.
"Cat Nosuke, you brat! Get up this instant!"
His voice boomed through the arena. It wasn't just a shout—it carried an underlying power, a special auditory genjutsu technique designed to jolt the subconscious.
As if responding to an unshakable command, Cat Nosuke, who had been lying motionless, suddenly struggled to his feet.
His movements were still sluggish, and he wobbled as if intoxicated, but he was standing.
On the opposite side, Ryosuke watched with an amused expression but didn't interfere.
He was well aware that Cat Nosuke had not risen by his own will—the Cat Boss had used a technique to forcibly snap him back to consciousness.
The old cat's gaze met Ryosuke's, a silent apology flickering in his eyes.
Ryosuke merely smiled.
He didn't mind. If anything, he welcomed it.
A rematch meant another chance to test his Yin-Yang Release techniques.
A worthy sparring partner was a rare find, after all.
Cat Nosuke stumbled in place for a few moments, still partially dazed from the lingering effects of his "concussion." However, with his feline resilience, his recovery was significantly faster than that of a human.
He shook his head, his vision still slightly blurred, but otherwise, he was ready.
However, his once-proud and "handsome" appearance was utterly ruined.
His jaw had been fractured from Ryosuke's punch, leaving his mouth twisted at an unnatural angle—a true Crooked God of War.
Even the tuft of fur on his forehead, which had been meticulously styled to distinguish him from other ninja cats, was now a chaotic mess, sticking out in all directions like the leaves of a pineapple.
Cat Nosuke, now far less concerned with appearance, fixed his gaze on Ryosuke with newfound seriousness.
At this moment, he finally acknowledged that the Cat Boss had not exaggerated—the human before him was terrifyingly strong.
Even though it was obvious that Cat Nosuke had already lost, the female ninja cats in the audience ignored reality. They were overjoyed simply because their idol had gotten back up.
It was as if they were celebrating the New Year.
Meanwhile, the male ninja cats looked like they were attending a funeral.
They silently prayed for Ryosuke to land another devastating punch and end this farce.
On the battlefield, Ryosuke, oblivious to his newfound status as the hero of the tomcats and the villain of the female cats, smirked slightly.
Raising an arm, he beckoned to Cat Nosuke with a taunting gesture.
The message was clear: Come at me.
This time, Cat Nosuke didn't underestimate his opponent.
Rather than rushing in recklessly, he suddenly crossed his arms over his chest.
"Ssshh—!"
With a sharp inhale, his body began to expand once more.
His already towering form grew even larger—his height surged to five meters, his frame broadened to three meters, and his muscle density increased exponentially. Even more shocking, a second pair of arms sprouted from his back.
Now a four-armed, five-meter-tall titan, Cat Nosuke resembled a kaiju straight out of a Kaiju Wars film.
And he wasn't finished yet.
Suddenly, he extended his limbs, and countless fur needles shot outward like a steel rain, enveloping Ryosuke in a deadly barrage.
However, Ryosuke remained unfazed.
The corners of his lips curled slightly.
As the attack closed in, a translucent layer of ice rapidly formed around his body.
The Frost Armor manifested for the first time in battle, its crystalline wings spreading wide, shimmering with a brilliant, glacial sheen.
The armor wasn't just defensive—it was a work of art, radiating a chilling beauty.
Cat Nosuke's fur barrage, which had the force to pierce through steel, was utterly ineffective against the armor's impenetrable surface.
But Cat Nosuke had expected this.
The hair attack was merely a diversion.
His true strategy lay in close combat.
Using his four muscular arms, he lunged at Ryosuke with blinding speed, his claws slicing through the air with a sharp, whistling sound.
Victory gleamed in Cat Nosuke's eyes.
With his enhanced physique and four-armed technique, anyone who engaged him at close range was as good as finished.
Even if Ryosuke could match his strength, the additional arms gave Cat Nosuke the overwhelming advantage.
His claws aimed for Ryosuke's neck, chest, abdomen, and lumbar spine simultaneously.
Just as they were about to connect—
His expression froze.
A sudden, terrifying realization struck him.
Something was very, very wrong.
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