After conceding, Kimimaro turned and walked out decisively.
Both of their physiques were extraordinarily resilient—one a sage body fused with the First's cells, the other a sage body with the 'Shikotsumyaku.' So while their clash in the grove had caused quite a ruckus, neither lost their ability to move.
In truth…
Kimimaro still had plenty of trump cards up his sleeve, unplayed.
For instance, he hadn't pushed his 'Shikotsumyaku' to its limit during the fight, holding back many of its deadliest techniques.
Additionally, since the secret scroll for the 'Eight Gates Release' he'd been training with came from Orochimaru, he hadn't used that either in this duel.
But even so, his performance in the fight was enough to uphold his status as one of the shinobi academy's four geniuses, so he admitted defeat cleanly.
On a nearby treetop…
Kakashi shook his head, "I didn't expect even Kimimaro to lose!"
Jiraiya laughed, "That kid from the Kaguya Clan's definitely still hiding something."
Tsunade, arms crossed casually, said, "So what? Don't forget, Yakumo didn't go all out either!"
Jiraiya fell silent.
Yakumo's use of the Koryugan and the First's cells was still at its most basic level, meaning she too had plenty of cards left to play.
For example, if she eased some of her restraint on the First's cells within her, she could instantly tap into their power to unleash 'Wood Release.'
So, as Tsunade said, no matter what Kimimaro was holding back, his loss wasn't undeserved.
Outside the grove…
Seeing Kimimaro emerge from the trees first, Sasuke and Neji assumed he'd won, their expressions a mix of complexity.
Then Sasuke stepped forward to confirm, "You won?"
Kimimaro shook his head, then walked past Sasuke and Neji without a word.
"W-What!?" Neji jolted, murmuring, "That leaves just Shinji!"
Sasuke's face turned ashen, "All three of us lost—Shinji probably isn't her match either! Damn it, this is a huge embarrassment for all four of us!"
The Hidden Leaf shinobi watching around the grove had varied reactions.
"The Kurama Clan's young lady got this strong?"
"What's with her eyes?"
"Are the kids at the shinobi academy all this ridiculous now?"
Questions and soft sighs sprouted in their minds.
In an inconspicuous corner, two Root shinobi fixed their gazes on Yakumo in the forest.
One said, "Kurama Yakumo's surgery seems to have succeeded—her eyes show an unknown mutation. We need to report this to Lord Danzo immediately!"
The other Root shinobi nodded, "You go. I'll stay here and keep watch!"
Meanwhile…
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage shifted his gaze from the crystal ball.
No doubt, even the Third had been quietly observing Yakumo's series of challenges against the academy's four geniuses.
In less than half a day, word of Kimimaro's defeat spread like wildfire—one to ten, ten to a hundred—rippling through the village.
If Yakumo's challenge to Sasuke had only stirred attention within the academy, her subsequent victories over Neji—conquering the Uchiha and Hyuga, two dojutsu kekkei genkai clans—had begun to amplify the event's impact rapidly.
And today, with Yakumo challenging and defeating Kimimaro of the Kaguya Clan, the scope of this affair grew even larger and wider.
Almost the entire village started paying attention to this contest among the shinobi academy students.
The Uchiha, Hyuga, and Kaguya—bloodline clans passed down from the Warring States era—suddenly became the hot topic among the villagers.
And the long-declined Kurama Clan became the center of this spotlight!
"Tomorrow, the Kurama Clan's main daughter will probably challenge Uchiha Shinji, right?"
"Uchiha Shinji's the last bastion of our village's dojutsu kekkei genkai clans. If he loses too, the Kurama Clan's really going to shine!"
"Uchiha Shinji can't win—the Kurama girl's apprenticed to Tsunade-hime!"
"Hey, are the old era's geniuses at the shinobi academy about to fall at the hands of the Kurama Clan's daughter?"
Streets, alleys, taverns, tea houses…
Almost every gathering spot buzzed with talk of this showdown among the bloodline clan geniuses.
Rising powerfully from a crippled state, apprenticed to Hidden Leaf's princess, and consecutively defeating the Uchiha, Hyuga, and Kaguya geniuses—Kurama Yakumo had, in a short time, become the village's star of tomorrow!
Nighttime…
At a training field…
Sasuke stopped his practice, panting heavily.
Sakura quickly handed him a towel, asking, "Sasuke, what's wrong?"
Naruto sidled up too, "Yeah, you seem kinda out of it!"
Wiping his sweat with the towel, Sasuke said, "What do you guys know!? If Shinji loses tomorrow, our Uchiha Clan will have lost to the Kurama Clan!"
Then he gazed into the distance, muttering, "Shinji…"
At the Hyuga Clan's main estate…
Neji bowed deeply to the clan head, Hiashi, "I'm sorry—I've brought shame to the clan."
"Sigh!"
Hiashi let out a breath.
He couldn't really blame Neji—after all, his own daughter, Hinata, the main family's young lady, was even weaker.
At least Sasuke and Kimimaro had lost too, so while the Hyuga Clan had lost face, they had the Uchiha and Kaguya for company.
After a moment, he asked, "Do you think Uchiha Shinji can hold off Kurama Yakumo tomorrow?"
Neji instinctively wanted to shake his head.
To him, Yakumo's strength had clearly surpassed all four of them by a tier. But thinking back to Shinji's past performances, he felt Shinji wasn't entirely without a chance.
So he said, "Hard to say."
"Then we'll wait and see!" Pausing, Hiashi added with genuine admiration, "Kurama Murakumo raised a fine daughter!"
In a hidden grove…
Orochimaru, cloaked, stared at Kimimaro with keen interest, "You lost?"
"I've disappointed you!"
A rare flicker of panic crossed Kimimaro's usually stoic face.
Orochimaru licked his lips, "Is that kid really that strong?"
"Very strong! And…" Recalling the daytime duel, Kimimaro said, "Her eyes seem to have undergone some kind of mutation!"
"No wonder Tsunade suddenly took her as a disciple!"
Orochimaru fell into thought.
He'd rushed to Hidden Leaf this time partly because he'd heard his spy in the village, Mizuki, had been exposed as an Akatsuki mole, and partly because he'd learned through special channels that Tsunade had dared to personally oversee a First's cell transplant surgery.
Seeing Orochimaru's apparent interest in Yakumo, Kimimaro quickly added, "Tomorrow, Yakumo might challenge Shinji!"
Orochimaru's lips curled, "Uchiha Shinji, huh…"