**Chapter 24: Easy Victory and Sasuke's Demonstration**
"Teacher Iruka?"
As the smoke cleared, Naruto recognized the figure inside and called out cheerfully.
"Yes, Naruto, it's me," Iruka nodded. "I'm the guardian for this exam. I was wondering what I would do if you had opened your scroll without gathering both."
"Teacher Iruka, what would you have done according to the rules?" Sakura asked, puzzled.
"According to the rules, I would have had to knock you unconscious until the end of the second Chunin Exam."
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Good thing we didn't think about opening the scroll to check..."
"Now, congratulations on passing! Go ahead inside. The third Chunin Exam awaits you." Iruka smiled warmly at Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke.
"Alright, Teacher Iruka, see you later!" Naruto waved goodbye and led Sakura and Sasuke through a side door.
"Naruto, you've truly grown. You don't need me to worry about you anymore. I'm so proud..." Iruka gazed up at the ceiling, his face a mixture of relief and a hint of wistful nostalgia.
"Hmm... So many teams have already arrived at the tower."
Naruto looked around the vast arena at the assembled genin with surprise.
"It's all your fault, Naruto..." Sakura pouted at him. "If you hadn't been so slow, we wouldn't have finished the second stage of the Chunin Exams so late."
"Heh heh..."
Knowing he was in the wrong, Naruto didn't argue, just offered an awkward smile.
"Alright, time's up," the Third Hokage said, exhaling a leisurely puff of smoke as he stood before the assembled genin. "Now, I'll announce the details of the third stage. Before I do, one last question: Does anyone wish to withdraw?"
"No one?"
After a moment of silence, the Third Hokage continued, "The third stage of the Chunin Exams will test your individual strengths..."
He proceeded to explain a lengthy set of rules and regulations, leaving the remaining details to the suddenly appearing proctor, Hayate Gekko.
"Now, the first match-ups will be displayed on the electronic bulletin board. *Ahem*..." Hayate coughed a few times before pointing to a massive screen in the distance.
"Uchiha Sasuke versus Akadō Yoroi!"
After a period of flickering, the electronic bulletin board displayed two names:
"Already my turn? Uchiha Sasuke? Who's this nobody?" Akadō Yoroi's voice dripped with arrogance.
"Hmph, Akadō Yoroi? Let's hope you're not too weak," Sasuke chuckled softly as he stepped forward.
"Contestants, please come to the front. All others, please take your seats in the stands across the arena to observe," Hayate Gekko announced.
Amidst the murmuring crowd, the spectators began filing into the stands.
"Uchiha Sasuke, huh? Just looking at your ridiculous outfit tells me your skills must be utterly pathetic," Akadō Yoroi sneered, glancing at Sasuke's waist.
"Hmph! I actually had some expectations for this match. Now it seems like a complete waste of time. I'd be better off going back to training," Sasuke retorted, his gaze equally contemptuous.
"You little brat! I'll make you suffer a miserable death!" Akadō Yoroi roared, clearly enraged. How dare a mere child look down on him like this?
"Then, let the match begin!" Hayate Gekko declared, waving his hand downward as he leaped back to observe from the sidelines.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Before Hayate Gekko's words had even finished echoing, Sasuke formed a hand seal and unleashed a massive torrent of flames from his mouth.
"What?!" Akadō Yoroi exclaimed in shock. "How is this possible?!"
*Boom!*
With no escape, Akadō Yoroi's bronze armor was instantly engulfed in flames.
Sasuke's fire had blanketed the entire arena, including the air above.
Without his chakra-absorbing ability, Akadō Yoroi was utterly useless.
*Huff...*
As the flames dissipated, they revealed Akadō Yoroi inside, severely burned and barely clinging to life.
"The first match goes to Uchiha Sasuke!" Hayate Gekko declared decisively, needing no further confirmation.
"So strong! He won with a single strike!"
"Incredible! He can unleash such a powerful, wide-range Fire Release technique!"
Murmurs of awe rippled through the stands. With this battle, Sasuke had instantly become a legend.
"Heh... Uchiha Sasuke? It seems this place is full of people who pique my interest..." Gaara's emotions began to spiral into instability once more.
"Tch, boring." Sasuke glanced disdainfully at Akadō Yoroi before striding back to the stands.
"Sasuke, great job!" Naruto clapped Sasuke hard on the shoulder, beaming with pride as Sasuke approached with his usual aloof expression.
"You idiot! That hurt!" Sasuke glared at Naruto, rubbing his shoulder, but inwardly he felt a surge of satisfaction.
He had finally earned Naruto's recognition.
"Now, let's proceed with the selection of the next pair of combatants..." Hayate Gekko announced shortly after.
...................
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(End of Chapter)