"The third match is between Misumi Tsurugi and Kankuro. Will the competitors please step forward."

Misumi Tsurugi stepped into the arena with a strange smile, his body stretching and contorting like rubber. Across from him, Kankuro, carrying a large, bandaged puppet on his back, slowly walked onto the field.

"A puppeteer from the Sand Village?" Misumi licked his lips. "Let's see what you've got."

Kankuro didn't answer, instead silently undoing the bandages on his back. His puppet, Crow, revealed its ferocious face, its many joints flashing with a cold, metallic light.

"Begin!"

Misumi attacked first, his arms suddenly elongating, lashing out at Kankuro like a pair of fleshy whips. "Physique Modification: Arm Whip!"

Kankuro moved with a casual grace, dodging the attack with a light leap. As he did, the Crow puppet silently maneuvered behind Misumi. "Too slow," Kankuro sneered.

The puppet's mouth opened, spraying a volley of poison-tipped senbon. Misumi hastily retracted his body, narrowly avoiding the deadly projectiles. "You're not bad," Misumi said, his neck stretching to an unnatural length. "But an attack of that level won't hurt me."

His body suddenly twisted, snapping towards Kankuro like a tightly wound rubber band. "Physique Modification: Body Ejection!"

Kankuro quickly retreated, manipulating Crow to block the attack. Misumi's fist struck the puppet with a dull thud. "It's useless," Misumi said proudly. "My body can absorb any impact…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Crow's arms suddenly shot out, grabbing Misumi in an unbreakable grip. "What?" Misumi struggled, but the puppet's strength was far greater than he had anticipated.

Kankuro smiled confidently. "Did you think my puppet was just for show?" He quickly formed a series of hand seals, and sharp blades instantly popped out from every joint on the Crow puppet. "Puppet Art: Dance of a Thousand Blades!"

The blades began to spin, threatening to slice Misumi to ribbons. He desperately tried to retract his body but was still caught by the attack, suffering several deep cuts. "Damn it!" Misumi roared, his body suddenly swelling to several times its normal size, forcibly breaking free from the puppet's grasp.

Kankuro's brow furrowed slightly. "Looks like I'll have to get serious."

He once again controlled the puppet. Crow's mouth opened, but this time, it sprayed a cloud of thick, purple smoke. "Poison mist?" Misumi scoffed, covering his mouth and nose. "Useless. My body can…"

Before he could finish, a wave of weakness washed over him. He looked down to see purple spots blooming across his skin. "This… this is…" Misumi fell to his knees, staring at his hands in disbelief.

"It's not just a poison mist," Kankuro explained calmly. "It's mixed with a nerve-numbing powder. Your special body only allows the toxins to penetrate more easily."

Misumi tried to stand, but his body was completely unresponsive. He raised his head with a final, desperate effort. "You… you planned this from the start."

Kankuro did not answer, instead commanding Crow to deliver the final, decisive blow.

"The winner is Kankuro," Gekko Hayate announced.

Kankuro recalled his puppet, wrapping it once more in its bandages. He glanced up at Gaara in the stands, whose expression remained a cold, emotionless mask. "Nice work," Temari praised.

Kankuro shrugged. "The opponent was too weak. It wasn't even a proper warm-up."

"The fourth match is Haruno Sakura versus Yamanaka Ino. Please step forward."

The two girls walked onto the field, their eyes meeting. They had once been the closest of friends, but now, they stood as rivals.

"Begin!"

Ino was the first to act, forming a hand seal. "Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

But Sakura was ready. She bit down hard on her finger, the sharp pain keeping her mind clear and focused. At the same time, she threw a powerful punch at Ino.

BAM!

Ino barely dodged, a bead of cold sweat running down her forehead. She hadn't expected Sakura's taijutsu to have improved so much.

"Ino, we both know each other's strengths and weaknesses," Sakura said. "Let's settle this with one final move."

Ino nodded, her expression just as determined. The two girls formed their hand seals in unison.

"Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

"Chakra Focus!"

Their spiritual energies clashed in the center of the arena, sending invisible waves rippling through the air. Finally, with a simultaneous gasp, both girls collapsed to the ground.

"It's a draw," Gekko Hayate announced, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment. "Both contestants are unconscious and unable to continue. Therefore, both are disqualified from advancing to the finals."