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The selection tournament was divided into three stages.
The first stage was similar to the elimination rounds of many competitions. Once the initial matchups were set, the opponents for the second round would be the winners from another group. Out of the remaining 25 participants, the one with the longest total match time would be eliminated, leaving only 24.
The second stage followed a similar format, with the 24 contestants being rearranged into new matchups. However, the pairings were carefully structured based on match duration. In principle, the top six fastest fighters would be seeded, ensuring they wouldn't face each other in the two rounds of this stage.
The third round was determined by a draw. The six remaining fighters would compete in a single round, with the three winners securing the remaining spots in the Seven Swordsmen.
Theoretically, if the six seeded fighters were strong enough, they all had a chance to advance to the final round.
Because of this, Midorima already knew who his next opponent would be as soon as his match ended.
The only problem was that at the time, he had been assisting the medical team and hadn't actually watched that match.
When Midorima found Zabuza training in the practice field, the latter nearly kicked him out on the spot.
Too busy with the medical team during the match, and now you're in a hurry!?
But Midorima had a counterargument.
"How long did her match last?"
"One minute."
"Exactly. What could I possibly learn in one minute? At most, I'd know whether she went all out, but I'd have no clue what other tricks she has up her sleeve. To truly understand an opponent, you need at least two hours of observation."
"Whatever. Just know this—you took five minutes in the first round. That's not the slowest, but it's not in the top ten either. If we end up in the same bracket in the second stage, don't expect me to go easy on you."
Midorima felt a little awkward. He had messed around a bit too much in the first round, wasting time by sticking to basic ninjutsu and holding back on taijutsu. He'd done it deliberately—if he performed too well, he'd draw too much attention from Igawa.
His goal wasn't to show off; it was to win in the end.
"Don't worry, neither will I," Midorima said.
Zabuza assumed Midorima was just talking back and didn't take it seriously.
"Have you seen the cuts on the bodies of the dead?" Zabuza asked suddenly.
"Cuts?" Midorima's expression stiffened.
He'd heard of "wounds" on corpses, but "cuts" was a term he rarely encountered.
Of course, that might have been because he hadn't seen many dead bodies. Battlefield casualties were usually buried on the spot, and even though he was a medical ninja, he hadn't spent that much time with the medical corps.
"Yeah. Heads nearly sliced clean off. But that's not even the most important part. Do you know what was special about the wounds?"
Midorima shook his head.
"Every single one was on a joint, and the tendons were severed. That's the key detail," Zabuza emphasized.
"I get that," Midorima nodded. "It means there was a huge gap in strength between them."
Zabuza froze. That wasn't what he meant at all—but he couldn't exactly argue against it.
Of course the difference in strength was huge. Otherwise, the joints wouldn't have been targeted so precisely.
"What I'm saying is, she knows joints are weak points. Understand?"
Midorima nodded again. "I know that too."
No matter how much he slacked off, he was still a medical ninja. He had to understand human anatomy—bones, organs, everything—or he wouldn't be able to perform surgeries.
He didn't just know major joints like elbows; even small ones like thumbs were second nature to him.
When it came to human anatomy, he was a professional.
Zabuza's brow twitched—or rather, the skin where his eyebrows would have been twitched, making the movement even more obvious.
He couldn't out-argue Midorima, and what was worse, Midorima wasn't even wrong.
Killing someone only required stabbing them once. How could a regular ninja compete with a medical ninja in understanding the human body?
"Are you just messing with me?" Zabuza snapped.
"I wouldn't dare."
Midorima gave Zabuza a look of mild disgust, as if to say, I didn't know you were into that.
Wait—
Given Zabuza's relationship with Haku, maybe that wasn't entirely impossible.
I'm such an idiot…
Midorima's expression shifted to one of reluctant understanding, which only made Zabuza's blood boil further.
This guy is so damn annoying!
"Are you doing this on purpose?" Zabuza growled.
"Uh… just keep going," Midorima said. He was only stating facts, but it seemed like they were having two completely different conversations.
Zabuza took a deep breath, forcing down his irritation.
"Against an opponent like this, ninjutsu becomes less important. Don't look at me like that—for most ninja facing this kind of fighter for the first time, it's extremely disorienting. If they can't form hand seals quickly, they'll be completely overwhelmed. One mistake, and it's over. So, whether you can adapt to this fighting style determines whether you win or lose."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zabuza swung his sword.
His original intention was just to let Midorima feel the speed of the blade, but Midorima blocked it effortlessly with a kunai.
Oh, hell no.
Zabuza immediately launched a series of attacks, channeling all his pent-up frustration into each strike—but every single one was deflected.
Little brat, I refuse to believe I can't break through.
Zabuza, now fully invested, went all out, attacking relentlessly for over a dozen exchanges without breaching Midorima's defenses.
Fine. If that's how you want to play.
With a surge of chakra, water coiled around Zabuza's blade, transforming it into a roaring dragon that lunged at Midorima.
Midorima dodged, but Zabuza closed the distance instantly, raising his sword for another strike—only for Midorima to suddenly spit a stream of water directly into his face.
Zabuza staggered back, wiping his face.
"Was that necessary?"
He'd expected a high-level water jutsu, but it was just… water.
"Wasn't planning on it, but now I'm getting into it," Midorima said, rolling his shoulders before walking over to the weapon rack and selecting a ninja sword. "The real match starts now."
Up until now, he'd been sparring with the Third Mizukage, who fought like a raging storm without holding back. Midorima had been forced into constant defense, never getting a chance to counterattack.
Now that he finally had a skilled opponent to practice with, he wasn't about to waste the opportunity.
"Good. Don't disappoint me," Zabuza smirked, his own competitive spirit flaring.
…
Over the past two days, Akimoto Ruri had been mulling over the offer from the Anbu.
A debt of 2.2 million ryo wasn't small—even if she took on S-rank missions, she'd need to complete six or seven of them.
It wasn't that S-rank missions didn't pay well, but given her current status, it was nearly impossible to secure a steady stream of them through official channels.
In other words, she was stuck with "freelance" rates.
And S-rank missions were never easy. They were life-or-death jobs where a single misstep could mean the end.
Of course, her life belonged to her parents—losing it wouldn't be the worst thing. But what about her bedridden mother? What about her younger brother?
Ruri massaged her temples, her frown deepening. Only when the first rays of dawn spilled through the window, casting light over her, did she finally open her eyes.
And in that moment, the answer in her heart became clearer than ever.