Naruto: Power in Play

Chapter 22

"Winner, Ando Yoshio!" The referee's voice rang out, followed by a smattering of cheers and applause from the crowd.

Ando straightened, his breathing steady, and stepped back from Hamada, who lay sprawled on the ground, his chest rising and falling heavily. For a moment, Ando simply looked at him, his expression unreadable. Then, he extended a hand.

Hamada turned his head, his gaze locking onto Ando's outstretched arm. His fists tightened against the ground, and for a moment, it seemed like he might refuse. The pride that had driven him to push so hard was now at odds with the sting of defeat. But as the silence stretched on, he let out a slow, shaky breath and gritted his teeth. His hand moved, hesitant at first, but then firmly clasped Ando's.

With a steady pull, Ando helped Hamada to his feet. The movement was quick, almost effortless, as Hamada stumbled briefly before regaining his footing. The two stood face-to-face for a moment, the weight of the fight lingering in the air.

"You've come a long way," Ando said, his tone neutral but not unkind. "Keep pushing. You'll get there."

Hamada's jaw clenched, his pride still raw, but he gave a small nod. "Next time," he muttered, more a promise to himself than to Ando.

Ando didn't respond, offering only a faint nod in return before turning away. As he walked away, the noise of the crowd faded into the background. At the edge of the ring, Ando paused, glancing back briefly.

Hamada still stood there, his head lowered, fists clenched at his sides. His shoulders rose and fell with heavy breaths, but he made no move to leave.

For a brief moment, Ando considered whether he should have gone easier on Hamada. The thought came and went quickly. Holding back would have been more disrespectful to him.

Between the two, what had started as a rivalry, fueled by their past animosity, had changed ever since Ando defeated Hamada months ago. Hamada now saw Ando as a benchmark, a goal to surpass. As for Ando, he was simply focused on keeping his edge, determined to stay ahead and not let anyone catch up.

As Ando mulled over his thoughts, a man appeared beside Hamada—a tall figure clad in a standard flak jounin jacket. His presence was commanding but calm.

"You did good," the man said, his voice quiet but carrying faintly across the distance to where Ando stood.

Hamada stiffened, his fists loosening slightly as he turned his head toward the man. His gaze remained downcast, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—recognition, or perhaps frustration.

The man crouched slightly to meet Hamada's eye level. "You've improved," he continued, "But improvement isn't enough on its own. You need to think. Adapt. Use what you've learned to overcome, not just endure."

Hamada's lips tightened, and he gave a small nod, his jaw still clenched.

The jounin straightened, his gaze briefly flicking toward Ando, who stood silently observing the exchange. Their eyes met for an instant, and Ando felt a subtle but unmistakable weight behind the man's calm expression. It wasn't hostility, nor was it admiration. It was an appraisal, the look of someone gauging potential and quietly taking measure.

Curious, Ando activated Observe on the man, but to his shock, nothing appeared. No stats, no question marks—just an empty void where information should have been. His brow furrowed as he tried again, willing the system to respond, but the result was the same: nothing.

A pang of unease settled in his chest. To test whether Observe was malfunctioning, Ando shifted his gaze to Hamada, still standing nearby with his head lowered. The information appeared immediately, crisp and clear: Hamada Yutaka, Level 14. Everything was functioning normally.