"I… I forfeit!" Before Genma Shiranui could even finish speaking, Kankuro's hand shot into the air. He wanted no part of a fight with his monstrous younger brother. Gaara, for his part, remained expressionless, completely unmoved.

"I understand," Genma said, crossing Kankuro's name off the list. "I declare Gaara the winner of the first match. Shino Aburame, Izumi Uchiha, you two, prepare for your match."

Soon, only Shino Aburame and Izumi Uchiha remained on the field, standing opposite each other. Seeing an Uchiha was competing in the very first round, the various high-ranking officials and leaders in the audience leaned forward in their seats, their interest piqued.

"Oh? That girl is an Uchiha. She's quite pretty."

"After being away from Konoha for so long, I wonder how much their clan's power has diminished."

"Let's observe her strength. The strength of a clan's new generation is often representative of the clan as a whole. If she is acceptable, we can secretly contact the Uchiha after the competition and try to win them over to our side."

"Hahahaha, plotting right out in the open? Do you really think I don't exist? You're not the only one who wants the Uchiha clan!"

"Hmph, we shall see who is more capable."

Inside the arena, Shino Aburame stood with his hands in his pockets, his demeanor as calm as ever. On his back was a large jar, something he had not carried during the preliminaries. Izumi clenched her fists, her expression serious. She knew of the Aburame clan's secret techniques. As long as she could avoid the insects and get in close with her taijutsu, the match would be hers.

"Then… let the match begin."

With Genma's announcement, the battle officially began.

Shino spread his hands, and a black mass of insects appeared around him. The parasitic kikaichū crawled up his sleeves and onto his fingertips, gleaming like amethysts in the sunlight. "I suggest you forfeit. It would be better for you. At least then, you will not be harmed."

"Haha." Izumi laughed instead of taking offense. "You are arrogant. That is a line I should be saying to you."

"Then there is no other way. I will have to kill you. Do not blame me for what I must do." A powerful, murderous aura suddenly erupted from Shino's body. "Secret Technique: Insect Sphere!"

The black swarm of insects instantly surrounded Izumi, moving at an incredible speed and leaving no blind spots. Izumi was shocked. She hadn't expected Shino's insect control to be so fast that even her Sharingan couldn't track it completely.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!"

Several shuriken wrapped in flames shot from her mouth, penetrating the insect swarm. The blazing fire flowed across the surface of the insects, and thousands of them exploded in the heat, the sizzling mucus diluting the flames into a cloud of blue smoke.

Shino took a half-step back, and a bug clone quietly formed in his place.

Izumi charged forward, her feet treading on the still-smoking scorched earth, her three-tomoe Sharingan locked onto every twitch of Shino's muscles. As her kunai pierced the insect clone, the real Shino rose from the shadow behind her, his own swarm of insects transforming into a sharp blade aimed at the back of her neck.

"A sneak attack? Ridiculous! I saw through it long ago!"

Poof!

Izumi's body dissolved into a puff of white smoke.

"It's time to end this boring little test," her voice echoed from across the arena.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Shino replied calmly.

The two combatants' wonderful exchange of feints and counter-attacks drew a roar of approval from the audience.

"So that was just a test? Are all the Genin this strong nowadays?"

"As expected of the Aburame clan."

"The Uchiha clan is not to be underestimated, either!"