"Where is Konoha's training ground?" The white-haired youth grumbled. "The architecture here is so different from the Kumogakure."
In Konoha, buildings were neatly aligned along both sides of the roads, whereas in the Kumogakure, structures were perched among misty mountain peaks.
It was no surprise the youth felt out of place.
A glance at his forehead protector revealed he hailed from the Kumogakure.
Over the past month, it had become common to spot shinobi from the other four great ninja villages in Konoha. The Chunin Exams, a rare event that brought all five villages together, were underway, an extraordinary occasion that Konoha's villagers barely batted an eye at the sight of outsiders.
This youth was none other than Killer Bee, the renowned Eight-Tails Jinchuriki of the Kumogakure.
Months ago, Tengen had overwhelmed Killer Bee using the Eight Inner Gates, leaving him battered. It had taken a long period of recovery for Killer Bee to regain his strength.
Taking advantage of the Chunin Exams, Killer Bee had accompanied the future Fourth Raikage, A, to Konoha.
At that moment, Killer Bee recalled a fleeting glimpse of a familiar silhouette he'd seen days earlier.
"Tengen." He murmured, then shook his head. "No way. No one could survive opening the final gate."
He remembered Tengen's terrifying power during their last encounter. Even when Killer Bee had transformed into the Eight-Tails, he was powerless, utterly dominated. If Tengen hadn't faltered, Killer Bee might have died then and there.
"Faltered? Did he really falter?" Killer Bee froze, his expression shifting.
"Hm." His steps halted abruptly, his face twisting in confusion. The boy standing before him looked strikingly familiar.
Killer Bee quickened his pace, closing the distance to Tengen. His eyes scanned the boy. Despite slight changes, there was no mistaking him.
"You're Tengen. You used the Eight Gates and didn't die." Killer Bee said, his tone probing.
"Who's Tengen? Eight Gates? You've got the wrong guy." Tengen replied, his gaze innocent, sowing doubt in Killer Bee's mind. Could he have been mistaken? Was there really someone so similar?
"Was I wrong?" Killer Bee sighed softly, feeling off-kilter ever since their battle. "Damn it, fool."
"Alright, Konoha kid, I'm out." Killer Bee turned to leave, convinced that, no matter how much this boy resembled Tengen, he wasn't him.
But Tengen's next words stopped him cold.
"Killer Bee, didn't expect you to miss me so much." Tengen said with a smirk. "Last time, even your Eight-Tails form was no match for me."
"Tengen." Killer Bee spun around, enunciating each syllable. "You just tricked me."
Tengen's words confirmed his identity. How else would a Konoha kid know who Killer Bee was, let alone stand so calmly before him?
"Just a joke." Tengen said, shrugging.
"Damn it, yo." Killer Bee's expression darkened, his hand twitching toward his long blade.
"Killer Bee, you wouldn't dare start a fight in Konoha, would you? Or do you want to feel that defeat again? Maybe the Eight-Tails Gyuki understands it better than you do." Tengen said coolly.
"Even if you didn't die from the Eight Gates last time, there's got to be a limit. You can't use it endlessly, or it'd take a long time to recover." Killer Bee said slowly.
Tengen's eyes flickered. Killer Bee wasn't entirely wrong. Opening the Eight Gates inflicted severe damage on the body. Tengen had only survived by using the power of a Senzu Bean to restore his broken form.
He still had one Senzu Bean left, but fighting Killer Bee in Konoha? That would be madness.
He wasn't ready to reveal his full strength just yet.
With his Mangekyo Sharingan, Tengen didn't fear Killer Bee. But without the Eight Gates, taking on the Eight-Tails would require immense effort, effort Tengen had no interest in wasting on a pointless fight.
"Killer Bee, you're right. I can't use the Eight Gates limitlessly. But you can't take me down quickly either. So, what, you want to fight me in Konoha? Start a war between the Kumogakure and Konoha? Or maybe you and the Third Raikage's son get stuck here." Tengen said calmly.
"You." Killer Bee's face tightened. If shinobi from other villages attacked Konoha's ninja without cause, the Third Hokage might indeed retaliate.
This was a time for Konoha to display its strength, not appear weak.
Konoha was still formidable, with the Three Sannin present and the Third Shinobi World War yet to come.
As Tengen pointed out, even without opening the final gate, Killer Bee was wary of Tengen's taijutsu. What he didn't know was that, after training with a pseudo-One Punch Man method, Tengen's base strength had grown even more formidable.
At this moment, Tengen could hold his own against Killer Bee without the Eight Gates, provided Killer Bee didn't use the Eight-Tails' power.
"Damn it, fool." Killer Bee gritted his teeth, sheathing his blade.
"Tengen, remember this: I'll fight you again, and we'll settle the score." With that, Killer Bee stormed out of the training ground.
He feared that staying any longer would push him to start a fight he couldn't resist.
Watching Killer Bee leave, Tengen shrugged. He wasn't afraid of Killer Bee lashing out here, but there was no mission reward for fighting him now. Tengen saw no reason to waste his energy.
If there were a reward, say, something high-definition, he might have invited Killer Bee to spar elsewhere.
Some time later.
"Hey, Tengen, how's it going? Still haven't gotten the hang of the Rasengan? No worries, I'll guide you." Jiraiya said, spotting Tengen lounging boredly on a tree.
Jiraiya assumed Tengen was resting, unable to master the technique.
"Oh, Pervy Sage." Tengen said, hopping down from the tree. A surge of powerful chakra swirled in his hand like a hurricane, forming a pale blue orb that spun relentlessly before calming.
"Rasengan." Tengen thrust the Rasengan into the tree beside him.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The massive tree was marked with countless spiral indentations, and then the sound of shattering echoed through the air.
Boom!
The tree was pierced clean through.
The collapsing timber and Jiraiya's stunned expression painted a striking scene.
***
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