140 Naruto Mobile Game

"Battle start!"

The Second pressed Super armor the instant the countdown ended, then used Water Dragon Vortex-style water-surface dash, trying to rush straight into the First's face.

Obito's thinking was simple: normally, when someone carrying Dispel sees the opponent activate Super armor, they tend to remove the Super armor first before fighting—human nature.

So his plan was: open with Super armor into second skill, then just as he got close to Senju Hashirama, press basic attack to release Water Dragon Vortex.

That way, Senju Tobirama would immediately be wrapped head to toe in a column of water, violently churned.

Not only would he seize the initiative, he'd also dodge the Dispel.

For this opening, Minato's response was very simple—he reacted and pressed second skill.

The First's wood clone is hands-off; even if the First gets knocked away, the wood clone can still leap out and attack.

Not to mention Minato's reaction speed—before the Second even finished rushing over, he had already used second skill, catching the Second mid-way.

Because the Second had Super armor, he was knocked straight to the ground—but no panic. The First used a Dispel to force him up.

Against this, Obito had no solution. He could only substitute and chain into Drunken Advance to take it from the backhand.

He thought to himself that Minato's off-screen reaction skills were natural, nerves so sharp—worthy of the name Yellow Flash.

Ahem—Obito probably once again understood how it felt for those who faced Minato on the battlefield.

Still, he really did get a breather, because after two stages of advance, the third-stage clone pullback meant he didn't dare continue the combo.

Then the First climbed up from the ground and advanced with pressure, shrinking the Second's movement space. Finally, lining up on the X-axis—Wood Dragon Charge.

Alright, now both front hand and back hand were gone.

Watching that version of himself on the big screen brutally beating his younger brother, Hashirama in the audience felt a bit awkward.

After all, it was always Tobirama who bullied him—when had he ever dared do this?

But strangely enough, watching himself substitute down every time, then ride a Wood Dragon to slam Tobirama flying, there was an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

"Madara, the Fourth's playstyle seems pretty strong. That masked kid has no answer at all," Hashirama said to Madara beside him.

"I've experienced it in the arena. If your ninja starts with anything other than Wood Dragon, this round is basically over," Madara replied calmly.

"Eh? Why?"

"Are you dumb? No matter what I do after substituting, Wood Dragon pursuit neutralizes it."

"Oh~ so that's how it is. So my ninja is actually that strong? I thought it was just okay at first, but after playing it, it feels kind of average."

Hashirama scratched his head. Madara was speechless.

As expected of Hashirama—his thought process really was different from everyone else. [Senju Hashirama] was clearly a mainstay in the duel arena.

Still, Madara felt pretty good inside. At least when it came to understanding Ninja Mobile Game, he was above Hashirama.

As for why these two were sitting together again...

Wasn't it just Hashirama? He told Mito that sitting around was boring and he wanted to wander, so he came looking for Madara.

But since live audience seats were scarce and almost everyone who drew a ticket would show up, Madara already had someone sitting next to him.

After Hashirama arrived, he relied on sheer reputation to successfully swap seats—or maybe the other person just really didn't want to keep sitting next to Madara.

After watching for a while, Hashirama suddenly asked:

"So Madara, you had a ninja in the pool just now, right? Why did nobody pick them? Don't tell me… they think you're useless?"

"..."

Madara shot him a sideways glance and saw Hashirama grinning mischievously. Veins instantly popped on his forehead.

"Bastard! Don't mention that stupid ninja!"

"Eh—eh?! S-sorry, Madara. I didn't think you'd react so strongly. Y-you can hit me if you want." Hashirama lowered his head, looking dejected.

Madara opened his mouth, then finally sighed helplessly.

"Forget it. That ninja being poorly made is a universally acknowledged fact. You're not wrong."

"Mm-hm! But still, I have to tell you a fact… no matter how weak, it's still your main, you know~"

"...Hashirama!!"

Leaving aside the daily bickering of these two relics of the old era, the match had now entered its most intense moment.

The Second couldn't beat the First and was already gg. Now fighting was the Rotor Raikage.

Though the Second was sacrificed, he at least saved up four beans, so Obito still had the strength to fight once more.

"Come on, duck neck!"

The Raikage charged at the First with a loving hug, while the First's wood clone had already flown out, rushing toward him head-on.

The Raikage suddenly stood upright—he got hijacked.

But even though the First reacted, there was nothing he could do, because shuriken were circling around the Raikage.

Seeing this, Obito thought that this Summon · Guard Shuriken Secret Scroll was actually quite useful for taijutsu ninjas, making opponents wary.

"Lightning!"

The Raikage leapt high and chopped down at the First. The First wanted to save Wood Dragon, so he used Dispel to tank it.

But unexpectedly, the Raikage was just feinting—he jumped away in the opposite direction. The entire purpose was to bait out the First's Dispel.

Obito couldn't help but feel a bit excited.

After playing one and a half rounds, he finally managed to bait Minato once. That really wasn't easy.

The fight continued.

The First's Wood Dragon pursuit wasn't very effective against a Raikage with Lightning Armor; instead, the second skill's grab was crucial.

In the end, under the brothers' pincer attack from the Raikage and Killer Bee, the First fell in the duel arena.

Minato's second slot was Tiger Skin.

This ninja should be very hard to use against the Raikage, because the grabs are unstable… yes, it should have been like that.

"What the f**k! You dare to A here?!"

Obito suddenly cursed. That damned Tiger Skin… that powerful and charming Tiger Skin waved its little iron whip, empty-A'd a few times, then did a 3A turn-around to suck air—only to perfectly pull the charging Raikage into the Kamui space.

He didn't even know whether to be happy or sad. His own Raikage was getting divine punishment from his own main?

Tiger Skin's strength lay in one thing: seizing an opening to create an absurd HP gap.

In the end, the Raikage, with only one bean left, was still forcibly whipped to death by Tiger Skin's chains.

Watching his third-slot ninja wielding a big stick, Obito's heart gradually sank to the bottom.

How do you counter this?

The opponent still had two high-damage ninjas left. Each one could grind off half his HP—this round was over.

Obito raised his head for the second time to look at Minato.

From the start of the match until now, was everything really within your expectations, Minato-sensei…?

"Match over! Namikaze Minato wins!"

Clap clap clap—

The audience below erupted in applause. Compared to before, this match was clearly far more exciting.

Obito and Minato stood up at the same time and met at center stage. Unlike some ill-mannered players, they shook hands with each other.

"Well played, Fourth," Obito said in a deep voice. Wearing a mask, his expression couldn't be seen.

"You fought very well too. But I have to ask—are you really okay using only one eye?" Minato smiled, as if teasing Obito's one-eyed mask.

"That's none of your concern. Remember what I said? I'll strike back. Just you wait."

After speaking, Obito released Minato's hand and walked off without looking back.

Minato clasped his hands behind his back and bowed slightly to the audience below in respect, then turned and entered the players' tunnel.

This match was over. For most of the audience, it was just one bout in the Unlimited Class Tournament.

But for the competitors, it directly affected the battles to come.

The winner entered the winners' bracket. The loser entered the losers' bracket. When they met again, it would be either after several rounds in the losers' bracket—or…

The grand finals for the championship!