Chapter 123
Shikamaru's performance was outstanding—his tactical use of the Kagemane no Jutsu (Shadow Possession Technique) was a sight to behold. The daimyo and the higher-ups were full of praise. Moreover, as the heir of the Nara clan, Shikamaru's status was highly regarded.
It could be said that all the buffs were stacked onto Shikamaru, making his promotion to Chūnin almost a certainty.
"Shikamaru, that was awesome!"
As soon as Shikamaru returned, Ino gave him a big thumbs-up. After all, she'd been bullied terribly by Megumi just now, so seeing Shikamaru defeat Megumi's boyfriend was a satisfying revenge for her.
Shikamaru couldn't help but roll his eyes, finding the topic boring and tiresome.
"Alright, let's focus on the matches. The real highlights are coming up."
Indeed, the next fourth, fifth, and sixth matches were all between skilled fighters, and the final match was a heavyweight bout that would definitely wow the crowd. Everyone was eagerly anticipating it.
"Fourth match: Tenten from Konoha versus Dosu from Otogakure!"
Tenten gave Natsuki a reassuring look and nodded at her friends before confidently stepping into the arena.
In the spectator stands, a section erupted in cheers—mainly from Tenten's shopkeeper father and the neighborhood folks. They were overjoyed to see Tenten about to shine on the grand stage.
Tenten smiled and waved to the stands, sparking another round of cheers.
Dosu also sauntered onto the field, but unlike in the original timeline, he didn't provoke Gaara this time. Clearly, some events had changed. He was looking forward to a match with Tenten after all—she had managed to hold off Orochimaru for a few moves before, which was no small feat.