Chapter 62: The Lottery of Fate
"Alright, let me announce that the preliminary rounds of the third Chunin Exam are now concluded!"
Moonlight Hayate's raspy voice echoed through the hall, officially marking the end of the brutal elimination matches.
After the fierce competition, only ten genin remained victorious:
Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Hyūga Neji, Gaara, Kankuro, Aburame Shino, Temari, Dosu, Nara Shikamaru, and Aizen Sōsuke.
"Congratulations to all of you who have advanced," Hayate continued, "Though some of your comrades could not join you, your achievements are commendable."
Behind him, the Third Hokage's wise eyes scanned the ten young faces. Six from Konoha, one from Oto, and three from Suna, he thought internally. Konoha holds the majority. This is an acceptable result.
"Lord Third, the floor is yours to announce the next steps," Moonlight Hayate said, bowing respectfully and stepping back.
"As I stated earlier," the Third Hokage began, his voice imbued with a natural, commanding authority, "the main tournament will be held before the Feudal Lord and the elite jōnin of every nation. Therefore, the official finals have been scheduled for one month from today."
"What? That long?" several of the genin exclaimed, caught by surprise. They had assumed the finals would begin almost immediately.
This one-month delay is a gift from the gods themselves, Aizen thought, his face a mask of calm over a surge of immense satisfaction.
Although his month in Konoha had allowed him to recover a significant portion of his strength and master the basic principles of the five elemental natures, his current power was still a far cry from his peak. In his prime, he could cleave mountains and part seas with a single stroke, effortlessly dominating Captains of the Gotei 13. This extra month provided a priceless opportunity to accelerate his recovery, adding another layer of certainty to his planned defection and the ensuing chaos.
"Do not underestimate this month," the Third Hokage warned, as if reading the room. "In the preliminaries, you did not know your opponents beforehand. In the finals, you will. Therefore, we will now hold a lottery to determine the tournament bracket."
His words landed like a thunderclap, causing a fresh wave of murmurs and anxious energy among the finalists.
"A lottery?" many of them muttered, feeling unprepared for this sudden twist.
Moonlight Hayate stepped forward again, this time holding a simple black box.
He held it aloft. "Inside this box are ten lots. They will determine your opponents and the order of your matches."
"The rules are simple," he explained. "The person who draws the first slot will fight the person who draws the second. The third will fight the fourth, and so on, following the numerical order."
With the rules set, the ten finalists were called forward one by one to draw their lots.
Uzumaki Naruto went first, reaching into the box with his characteristic bravado and pulling out a slip of paper. He unfolded it to reveal the number one.
"Hey, all right! Number one!" he cheered, puffing out his chest. "I wonder which unlucky guy's gonna have to face me!"
The others followed in turn, each drawing their number and discovering their fate.
Soon, the match-ups for the first round of the finals were decided:
Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyūga Neji
Nara Shikamaru vs. Temari
Uchiha Sasuke vs. Dosu
Aburame Shino vs. Kankuro
And finally, the last match-up, the one that drew a collective, sharp intake of breath from everyone present:
Gaara of the Sand vs. Aizen Sōsuke of the Leaf!