Chapter 83: I Won't Waste Too Much of Your Time"Next group, Uzumaki Naruto VS Rock Lee!"As soon as this match list was announced, it instantly triggered a scream."Wuhu! It's finally my turn to take the stage!"Everyone's gaze focused on Rock Lee, who was wearing a green jumpsuit and jumping up excitedly.Uzumaki Naruto flipped into the arena, and Lee followed with a swish, landing right in front of him."I didn't expect to be able to fight you so soon, I'm so happy!"Lee's face was full of excitement as he struck a combat pose against Uzumaki Naruto."Me too."Uzumaki Naruto responded flatly.On the stands not far away, Might Guy crossed his arms, full of confidence: "Kakashi, is this the child you said might surpass the Fourth Hokage? He doesn't look very impressive."Hearing this, Uchiha Sasuke and Sakura Haruno, who were beside Kakashi Hatake, couldn't help but roll their eyes.They hadn't seen the Fourth Hokage's style, but they knew very well how terrifying Uzumaki Naruto's talent was.This Guy in front of them actually said Uzumaki Naruto didn't look very impressive?That was way too arrogant!Kakashi Hatake's reaction wasn't as extreme; he just looked at Uzumaki Naruto's figure with a smile: "Although I don't know how much of your true teachings Lee has acquired, you can rest assured that Uzumaki Naruto will definitely not lose to him!""Want to bet?" Might Guy turned his head."Let's bet a month's worth of dango, how about it? Whoever loses treats."Kakashi Hatake held up a finger, and Might Guynodded heavily: "It's a deal!""Huh? These two Guys are betting right in front of the students..."Sakura Haruno and Tenten looked at each other nearby, both seeing the speechless look in each other's eyes, instantly feeling a sense of mutual sympathy.At this moment, Gekkō Hayate waved his hand: "Match start!"Tap!With a light sound of footsteps, Lee's figure blurred for a moment and appeared in front of Uzumaki Naruto.He swept a flying kick across, aiming straight for Uzumaki Naruto's forehead.Konoha Senpu!Bang!Only a dull thud was heard as Uzumaki Narutoraised his arm, blocking Lee's kick.Lee couldn't help but widen his eyes, feeling as if he had kicked an impenetrable wall.Never mind any effect, Uzumaki Naruto's body didn't even sway in the slightest.Just as Lee was surprised, Uzumaki Narutograbbed his calf with a backhand.Lee tried to pull his leg back with force, but felt the other's hand was like an iron pincer, firmly clamped and completely unable to move.Then Uzumaki Naruto exerted force, directly throwing Lee's entire person flying.Seeing himself rapidly approaching the wall at the edge of the arena, Lee quickly flipped several times in the air.While shedding the force, he took control of his body, his toes tapping the ground a few times, finally stopping before hitting the wall."Phew~ that was close!"Lee patted his chest, then looked at Uzumaki Naruto solemnly.Originally, he had been very confident in his taijutsu.Although he had lost to Uchiha Sasuke before, that was because he fell into the other's genjutsu.In terms of taijutsu alone, Lee didn't think he would lose to anyone other than Hyuga Neji.But the strength Uzumaki Naruto just displayed made him waver a bit.At least in terms of power, he was no match for Uzumaki Naruto at this moment.Not only Lee himself, but even the onlookers realized this."Compared to Uzumaki Naruto, Lee has no advantage in taijutsu. If he wants to win, he can only start from Ninjutsu and genjutsu."Sakura Haruno analyzed with a frown, but Might Guy shook his head upon hearing this: "Unfortunately, Lee can hardly use any Ninjutsu or genjutsu."Uchiha Sasuke looked over in surprise: "No way? Then how did he pass the previous exams?"Might Guy put his hands in his pockets, a sentimental expression of remembering the past appearing on his face: "When I first met Lee, he had no talent, so he put in more effort than anyone else to become a Ninja who can only use taijutsu...""So he has no way to defeat Uzumaki Naruto now." Uchiha Sasuke said with little interest."Wrong!" Might Guy squinted at Uchiha Sasuke, "It's because of this that he can win!"After saying that, he gave a thumbs up to Lee in the arena: "Lee, take those things off!"Under the surprised gazes of everyone, Lee looked over with both surprise and joy: "But Guy-sensei, didn't you say that was only when protecting something important...""I allow it!"Might Guy loudly interrupted Lee's question.Seeing this, Lee nodded heavily, bent down to take off his leg warmers, and took out a row of weights with the word 'Guts' written on them."What, is it just taking off weights?"Now even Sakura Haruno couldn't help but curl her lips."Hehe, how boring.""Just a few weights, what use could removing them have?"Even Kakashi Hatake turned his head to look at Might Guy: "Why is Guy making Lee do such useless training?"However, in the next second, almost everyone's jaws dropped.Lee casually tossed the weights from his legs aside, and the moment they touched the ground, a huge explosion erupted.Boom!Dust flew, soaring into the sky.Obviously, the weight of these weights was far more terrifying than it looked.Lee jumped twice on the spot, feeling as if he were about to fly, his face beaming with a smile: "Great! This feels much lighter!""Tsk, this kind of training is a bit too much, isn't it?"Kakashi Hatake, who was dismissive just now, couldn't help but click his tongue.Might Guy ignored him and shouted: "Go, Lee!""Okay!"Lee agreed, and with a zip, he disappeared.At least ninety percent of the observing candidates couldn't react at all, unable to see Lee's movements clearly.But Uzumaki Naruto was not one of them.The moment he sensed Lee's position, he turned and kicked out directly.Responding to him was Lee's uncompromising kick.Bang!The surrounding floor tiles shattered due to the shockwave generated by the two clashing.Amidst the flying bricks, Uzumaki Naruto and Lee each stumbled back.Uzumaki Naruto retreated four steps, while Lee only retreated three."So strong!"Temari leaned over the railing in surprise.In terms of power, Lee had already surpassed Uzumaki Naruto at this moment.Plus his abnormally fast speed after removing the weights.Could it be... Uzumaki Naruto is going to lose?Temari's large eyes blinked as she stared intently at Uzumaki Naruto, trying to find panic on his face.To her disappointment, however, Uzumaki Naruto's expression didn't change at all, still maintaining that calm look.He just hopped on the spot, seemingly shaking off the pain and numbness in his leg from the collision."To be able to have power nearly equal to mine after I've removed my weights, it seems you really are a genius, Naruto!"Lee looked at Uzumaki Naruto seriously, saying every word clearly."But I will defeat you here! Keep your eyes open, or the battle will end in an instant!""A genius, huh..."Uzumaki Naruto tilted his head slightly, as if reflecting.But Lee didn't plan to wait for his reflection to end; his figure disappeared again.This time, Lee continued to increase his speed, preparing to end the battle in one blow.However, when he came behind Uzumaki Naruto, he couldn't help but widen his eyes: "How is this possible!"Uzumaki Naruto disappeared from his spot so quickly that even Lee didn't notice.Then, hearing a fierce wind from behind his ear, Lee immediately turned around, only to find that Uzumaki Naruto had somehow circled behind him, sweeping a powerful whip-kick.Lee was too late to dodge and could only raise his arms across his body to block.Bang!A muffled sound rang out, like hitting solid leather.Lee was kicked flying by Uzumaki Naruto.This time he didn't have time to shed the force, and his whole body slammed heavily into the wall, coughing out a mouthful of blood.Lee slid powerlessly to the ground, panting heavily.Sharp pain swept over him, but it couldn't dispel the doubt in his heart: "Why? Why is Naruto's speed so fast? Even faster than me after removing my weights?"Under Lee's gaze full of confusion, Uzumaki Narutowalked over slowly, his expression still as calm as ever.He scratched his hair, then grinned: "You were right just now, the battle will end soon, and it won't waste too much of your time!"
Chapter 84: I Can Still Fight!"Cough, cough. Why is Naruto's speed so fast? Even faster than me after removing my weights?"Rock Lee coughed, each cough sending sharp pains through his body.Yet, this pain could not dispel the confusion in his heart. Rock Lee looked up at Naruto, who was walking slowly toward him, completely baffled.However, Naruto did not give him a chance to ponder. He scratched his hair and said, "The battle will end soon. Don't worry, it won't take too much of your time."Not just Rock Lee, even the watching examinees had realized how terrifying Naruto's strength was.Even Orochimaru, hiding in the crowd, could not help but take an extra look at Naruto.Naruto had only revealed his true strength in front of him previously, but because the battle was too short, Orochimaru's understanding of Naruto was not very clear.Looking at it now, Naruto's strength was likely far above Sasuke's. He was truly worthy of being the son of the Fourth Hokage.Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth, a burning sense of jealousy suddenly rising in his heart.He had worked himself to the bone in the Ninja World to abduct a few good seedlings, yet Konohacould produce so many geniuses in a single Chunin Exams.It was a waste of talent that these geniuses could only stay in a greenhouse like Konoha.Orochimaru's malicious gaze swept over the Third Hokage, further strengthening his resolve to execute the plan to destroy Konoha.On the other side, Sakura, on the observation deck, was full of confidence: "It seems the winner has been decided!"Might Guy, however, shook his head: "No! Not necessarily!""It seems you have high expectations for Rock Lee," Kakashi said, turning his head."Of course! Because he is just like me."Might Guy stared at Rock Lee, his eyes full of expectation: "Unable to use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, that is why Rock Lee can devote all his time, spirit, and effort to Taijutsu training!""Although he doesn't know other techniques, he is an expert in Taijutsu and will absolutely not lose to anyone!"Kakashi frowned, really not knowing where Might Guy's powerful confidence came from.However, because of his understanding of his close friend, he quickly thought of a possibility: "Could it be that you taught that technique to Rock Lee?""What technique?" Sasuke saw Kakashi's serious expression and couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.Might Guy did not answer, only smiling: "Watch closely, the Lotus of Konoha will bloom here!"Saying this, he raised his voice: "Begin your performance, Rock Lee!"Rock Lee raised his head, exchanged a glance with his teacher, and nodded seriously.Naruto also looked back at Might Guy and frowned: "Are you going to use your trump card?""Hah!" Before he could even turn his head back, a fierce wind attacked from behind his head.Naruto didn't even have time to look at the enemy; he flew out like an arrow released from a bow."So fast!" Rock Lee's pupils shrank.He never expected that this strike, which he was sure would land, had actually missed.On the other side, Naruto, having retreated to a distance, was still shaken and watched Rock Lee vigilantly.He had originally thought that after removing his weights, Rock Lee's speed had reached its limit. He didn't expect this guy could actually increase his speed even further!"The duration of [Gate of Opening] is not long. I must end the battle during this time!"Rock Lee took a deep breath, made up his mind, and suddenly disappeared from Naruto's field of vision."It's here!" Naruto was startled. Lacking time to sense the opponent's life fluctuations, he stepped and also disappeared from his spot.With a swish, Rock Lee's attack missed again.Watching Naruto, who had escaped to the distance again, Rock Lee laughed: "So that's it.""You figured it out." Meeting Rock Lee's gaze, Naruto showed an appreciative look.Rock Lee nodded: "Your speed is about the same as mine after I remove my weights. After I increased my speed again, you couldn't keep up. I just don't know what method you use to explosively increase your speed, but because you can't react in time, you can only move in a straight line, right?"Naruto did not speak, essentially tacitly agreeing with Rock Lee's guess, and subconsciously touched his wrist.That was where the device for creating bubbles was hidden, and it was also the secret to his high-speed movement.He only needed to create Vibration Releasebubbles on his palms or feet and detonate them, and he could use the powerful repulsive force to form thrust, thereby achieving explosive speed increases.But as Rock Lee said, Naruto had difficulty controlling this speed and could only move in a straight line."But even so, it is enough to deal with you."Naruto put away his playful thoughts, slightly arched his body, and tensed his nerves.Whoosh—Rock Lee moved again, his body bringing a whistling gale that sounded in Naruto's ears.Vibration Release: Blast Dash!Naruto subconsciously used the bubbles again, leaving the spot at high speed and appearing at the other end of the arena.However, just as he stabilized his stance, the sound of the wind brought by Rock Lee reached his ears again.With no other choice, Naruto dodged away again.But no matter where he went, that whistling sound kept echoing in his ears.After several times, Naruto also realized that Rock Lee was observing his movement pattern.After all, Rock Lee himself could not maintain this high-speed state for long, so he had to ensure a decisive strike.Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have the strength for a second strike.As the saying goes, the first battle is the decisive battle; one battle determines the outcome!"Too bad!" Naruto shook his head and disappeared with a dodge again.But this time, he did not appear at the edge of the arena, but arrived at the center.And even though he heard the wind by his ears, Naruto did not dodge, but bent over and slapped the ground.The high-speed moving Rock Lee spotted the opportunity, so he decisively attacked, kicking toward Naruto's chin."Front Lotus..." Rock Lee's voice came to an abrupt stop.In its place was a roaring sound."What is that?" Sasuke had the sharpest eyes and immediately discovered the change in the arena.On the arena, a large expanse of bubbles had floated up at some point.They were completely transparent when they were first generated, but now they shimmered with colorful light under the illumination of the lights.Bubbles containing Vibration Release Chakra filled the entire space, forming a three-dimensional minefield.Rock Lee had rushed into this situation and detonated a large number of bubbles.The shockwave swept in, swallowing him whole and kicking up a large cloud of dust.When the mist dissipated, Rock Lee was seen lying weakly on the ground, his clothes tattered, and a pool of blood flowing out from beneath him.At this moment, he looked on the verge of death, and even his breathing had become weak."Sorry, while you were calculating my movement pattern, I was also calculating you. The result is already obvious."Naruto looked at Rock Lee, his voice filled with apology.He had to admit that Rock Lee's strength was indeed not to be underestimated. To defeat him, he could not hold back, which resulted in Rock Lee being seriously injured.Meanwhile, the examinees on the observation deck were also evaluating Naruto's strength."Using bubbles? Hmph, this level of attack cannot defeat Gaara!"Temari and Kankuro exchanged a glance, clearly quite confident in Gaara's strength.Neji curled his lip: "Using Gentle Fist, I can completely break the bubbles in advance. His techniques pose no threat to me at all."Sakura, who knew Naruto well, asked with confusion: "Doesn't Naruto have a technique called [Bubble Array]? Why didn't he just release the bubbles directly?"Kakashi explained: "Naruto wanted to end the battle. If he used Bubble Array directly, the bubbles would be too conspicuous. Even if Rock Lee were foolish, he would test them. Once he discovered the power of the bubbles, Rock Lee would not easily approach, and this battle would drag on into a long, drawn-out grind.""It seems your student is very smart, Kakashi." Might Guy turned his head.Kakashi nodded in agreement: "That's right. Narutohas already realized that even in the preliminaries, the combat situation will be taken into consideration to decide who can be promoted to Chunin. Otherwise, there would be no need for the Hokage-sama and many Jonin to be watching the battle here.""The battle is..." Seeing Rock Lee's miserable state, Gekkō Hayate stepped forward, preparing to announce the result.But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Rock Lee's weak voice: "No! The battle... the battle is not over yet..."Rock Lee forced himself up, his bruised and battered body wobbling as he stood: "I can still fight!"
Chapter 85: What is a "Great Ninja"?Given Rock Lee's miserable state, Gekkō Hayatestepped forward, preparing to announce the result."The match is...""No! The match... the match isn't over yet..."But before he could finish, Lee's weak voice interrupted him.Under the gaze of the surprised crowd, he forced his battered body to stand up shakily."I can still fight!"Uzumaki Naruto frowned: "What are you doing? You should realize that your body has reached its limit, right?"As he spoke, he paused.Although he couldn't sense Chakra, Uzumaki Naruto could feel that the momentum on Lee was rising, not at all like someone who was critically injured.Those in the stands felt the same, so people reacted immediately."Sharingan, activate!""Byakugan, activate!"Kakashi Hatake, Uchiha Sasuke, and Hyuga Neji, all simultaneously used their ocular jutsu to observe Lee's condition."How is this possible? Chakra is surging out? And the Chakra inside Lee is even stronger than before!"Uchiha Sasuke muttered to himself, while Hyuga Neji saw more: "The Chakra is surging from the brain, could it be the [Gate of Opening]? No! That's not it!"Although Kakashi Hatake couldn't see as clearly as Hyuga Neji, his vast knowledge made him the first to understand everything.He furrowed his brows, his tone carrying blame for the first time: "You should know, Might Guy? That move, in particular, must not be taught to a student!""That move?"The surrounding examinees looked over one after another.Meeting the inquisitive gazes of Uchiha Sasuke and Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake explained: "The Eight Gates, it is a forbidden technique that a Genin cannot handle. Its secret lies in unlocking the eight Chakra concentration points in the human body's meridians, thereby gaining Chakra beyond the limit and enhancing one's strength.""But powerful strength comes with powerful side effects. Lee's previous Omote Renge was unlocking the first point, the [Gate of Opening], which puts a huge burden on the body, but this is still within the range a Genin can bear. Opening the subsequent gates increases the danger factor exponentially!"Saying this, Kakashi Hatake took a deep breath, enunciating each word: "I really misjudged you, Might Guy!"Might Guy was not angry, but said calmly: "Do you understand that child?"Meanwhile, Lee looked at Uzumaki Naruto, set up a fighting stance, and revealed a bitter smile on his face."Unlike a genius like you, I cannot use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, I can only practice Taijutsu bitterly. From childhood to now, my ears have been filled with the mockery of my classmates.""In order to become a Ninja, I put in double the effort, but even so, I am far inferior to my teammate Hyuga Neji, challenged again and again, defeated again and again.""It was Might Guy-sensei who encouraged me! He let me know that as long as I keep trying, working harder than anyone else, I can keep getting stronger!"Uzumaki Naruto narrowed his eyes, watching Lee's skin gradually turn red, and his momentum rising step by step."I want to prove that even if I can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, I can still become a great Ninja! This is my Nindo!""Third Gate, [Gate of Life], open!"Lee's Chakra surged, and visible Chakrafluctuations even erupted from his body."And today is the day I carry out my Nindo!""Fourth Gate, [Gate of Pain], open!"Lee's hair stood on end from the impact, his eyes wide open, and blood flowed from his nose."Uzumaki Naruto, I will use this technique to prove to you that effort can overcome genius!""I will win this fight! Even if I risk my life!""Is that so?"Uzumaki Naruto put away his usual gentle smile, his expression unexpectedly stern, his eyes carrying undisguised coldness."Are these the ideals Might Guy taught you? Is this all he taught you?""That's right! It is precisely because of Might Guy-sensei's teachings that I can reach this realm!"As Lee answered, he gathered his strength, rushing toward the next barrier."Then he, like you, is a complete idiot!"Uzumaki Naruto was blunt, one could even say hateful.Hearing these words, Lee's already flushed face grew even deeper in color, and a strong turbulence erupted around his body."Do! Not! You! Insult! Might Guy-sensei!"As he spoke, Lee started like a high-speed locomotive, instantly erupting with terrifying speed and rushing over.His movements even created a sonic boom, and the violent shockwave spread out; even those in the stands felt the massive impact.Uzumaki Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest, bubbles surged on his arms, forming a foam shield.Immediately after, Lee flew in with a kick, the violent impact force directly crushed the Vibration Release bubbles, kicking Uzumaki Naruto flying away.With a bang, Uzumaki Naruto flew dozens of meters, smashing hard into the wall, even leaving a human-shaped crater on the hard wall.But even so, Uzumaki Naruto remained calm, jumping lightly to the ground, seemingly having suffered no damage.On the other side, Lee was also knocked back more than ten meters due to the recoil of the Vibration Release bubbles.However, after landing and steadying his body, he launched an attack without delay.This time Lee chose to dive, reaching in front of Uzumaki Naruto, he leaned down and kicked Uzumaki Naruto's chin, who couldn't react in time, kicking him into mid-air.Then he used the surrounding walls as a foothold, continuously attacking Uzumaki Naruto in mid-air, hitting him so he wouldn't fall.However, this kind of attack did not last long.Not only because the powerful explosive force tore Lee's muscles, but also because he discovered that bubbles were emerging everywhere on Uzumaki Naruto's body.These bubbles were incredibly tough and contained immense power. Although Lee's attacks could break them, it consumed too much strength, and hitting Uzumaki Naruto caused him almost no damage."In that case! Fifth Gate, [Gate of Limit], open!"Realizing everything, Lee made a desperate gamble, taking his last breath, and lifted the restriction of the Gate of Limit.His Chakra immediately surged, roared, increased, and exploded!And Lee poured all his strength into his hands and feet, leaped above Uzumaki Naruto, and launched the final blow from above."Vibration Release: Sage Way Ripple Rigid Wall Foam!"Uzumaki Naruto was undaunted, pushing his Chakra to the limit, and raised a huge bubble wrapping himself from his whole body.Lee's fists and feet bombarded the bubble, causing a huge depression, almost touching the Uzumaki Naruto inside.But in front of the tough bubble that Uzumaki Naruto fully poured into, his attack finally stopped there, failing to touch Uzumaki Naruto at all.Pop!The bubble fell and shattered. Under the impact of the recoil, Lee's whole body was sore and weak, flying backward like a piece of paper.But the next second, Uzumaki Naruto suddenly made a move, grabbed his collar, actually pulled Lee back directly, and slammed him onto the ground backhanded."Ugh!"Lee spat out a mouthful of blood, but Uzumaki Naruto was unrelenting, sitting directly on him, and smashed his face heavily with a punch.Bang!Lee was stunned by this punch, then immediately reacted.Uzumaki Naruto's fist... didn't infuse Chakra?"You and your teacher are the same kind of fools!"Uzumaki Naruto kept throwing punches while angrily shouting sharply."You live in a fantasy that believes [as long as you work hard, you can solve all problems]!""Look at the real reality and life properly! What bullshit effort can overcome genius? Are effort and talent opposites? That's just your wishful thinking!""And what's this about winning the match even if you risk your life? Bullshit! Is your life that cheap? To throw away your life like trash for a meaningless preliminary match?""By defeating me here, winning a trivial victory, can it prove that effort can overcome genius? I tell you, someone like you who tries to win by [risking your life for a mutual destruction] will not be allowed by heaven to keep winning!""If this is what you said, wanting to become a [great Ninja], then get lost and go home early. The cruel Ninja world isn't missing one more cannon fodder like you!"Uzumaki Naruto's fists fell one after another, beating Lee until he was bruised and swollen.But what was heavier were Uzumaki Naruto's words, which were even more powerful than his fists, pounding on Lee's heart again and again."Enough, Uzumaki Naruto!"Kakashi Hatake appeared behind Uzumaki Narutoat some point, pressing down on his shoulder.Uzumaki Naruto's fist stopped less than a centimeter from Lee's cheek, blood from the fist dripping onto the highly swollen face.He turned his head, not looking at Kakashi Hatake, but at Might Guy who was standing on the side in silence, his gaze fierce.Might Guy, who was usually thick-skinned, met Uzumaki Naruto's gaze and somehow felt a sense of guilt, bowing his head to look at his disciple.Uzumaki Naruto stood up slowly, looking down at Lee: "Unlike what you imagine, when I was at the Ninja Academy, I was also a dead last, mocked by my classmates, so seeing you is like seeing myself.""But I am not naive enough to think that geniuses like Hyuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke don't have troubles. Don't put the cart before the horse, think carefully about what the [great Ninja] you keep talking about really is!"After speaking, he turned and left, arriving at the center of the arena.Gekkō Hayate stepped forward, watching Lee, who was listless, being helped off the field by Might Guy, and announced the result of the match."The winner has been decided, the match is over, Uzumaki Naruto, wins!"
Chapter 86: The Dead Are Speaking"The outcome is decided. The match is over. Uzumaki Naruto is the winner!"Gekkō Hayate announced the result of the match.Naruto smiled at Kakashi and returned to the spectator stand.The Jonin present exchanged glances, their eyes filled with admiration."It seems Kakashi-senpai has really struck gold.""No wonder he said Naruto might catch up to or even surpass the Fourth Hokage; his strength and mental fortitude are ridiculously strong.""In my opinion, this match alone is enough to promote him to Chunin."Unlike the Jonin, who valued Naruto's mental fortitude, the examinees looked at Naruto with expressions full of awe.After all, everyone had witnessed how strong Rock Lee was after opening the Eight Gates.It could be said that, except for a few who still had confidence, everyone else believed they would have lost to him.But what about Naruto?Not only did he not lose, but he had almost no external injuries, and even his clothes were still neat and tidy.Although Naruto did not fully control the initiative during the battle.But Rock Lee was seriously injured while he was virtually unscathed, which could be considered a complete domination."This guy seems to be the strongest in Konoha!"Gaara's breathing became a bit heavier, his gaze fixed intently on Naruto.Temari and Kankuro exchanged a glance, reading helplessness in each other's eyes.But out of fear of Gaara, neither of them dared to say much."Hmph, so he really has some skills. No wonder he dared to jump out and brag, but I will prove who the strongest Genin of Konoha is on the stage of the official match!"Neji crossed his arms, his gaze sweeping past.On the other side of the stand, Karin leaned against the railing, looking over with a complicated expression: "This person is amazing, and he has the surname [Uzumaki], but why isn't his hair red?"Thinking of this, she couldn't help but sigh: "Uzumaki, huh..."Possessing the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan, she had not inherited the surname.That was why she couldn't help but sigh when she saw a genius like Naruto bearing the [Uzumaki] surname today.But just then, she was roughly pushed by someone.Karin turned her head and found that the person who pushed her was her teammate, Muso."What are you spacing out for? It's your turn!"Muso looked at her coldly.Karin shuddered and hurriedly looked at the electronic screen, where she indeed found her name."Next match, Ino Yamanaka vs. Karin!"Karin obediently went down the stairs and arrived at the center of the arena.Standing opposite her was a blonde girl with a long ponytail."My name is Ino Yamanaka. Please take care of me."Ino smiled at Karin.Karin was stunned for a moment, then answered flusteredly: "Ah, um, my name is Karin. Please take care of me too.""The match begins!"The next second, Gekkō Hayate swung his hand down.Ino rushed forward without hesitation, throwing a punch toward Karin's chin.Karin didn't have much combat experience, and she didn't expect Ino, who had been smiling just a moment ago, to suddenly change her expression and launch a surprise attack.So she could only instinctively step back, stumbling and almost falling to the ground.After the punch missed, Ino pursued relentlessly, throwing another punch.This time, unable to dodge in time, Karin could only raise her arms to block.Bang!After taking the hit, Karin staggered back several steps.It wasn't that her taijutsu was poor; it was just that she was too weak at the moment.Although she possessed the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan, Karin was not good at fighting; the talent bestowed upon her by her special constitution was in medical arts.So, throughout the journey, Karin had been acting as the [medical kit] for the team; whenever Muso or Ransho suffered minor injuries, they would bite her to recover their stamina and heal their wounds.After arriving at the tower, Karin had come straight to participate in the preliminaries without getting proper rest, so she couldn't refine much Chakra at all.Therefore, facing Ino's relentless attacks, Karincould only retreat repeatedly and was soon cornered."I, I surrender!"Feeling the solid wall behind her, Karin knew she had no room to counterattack and could only raise her hand to surrender.Even though she felt two sharp gazes from her teammates overhead, she couldn't care about that anymore."You're smart."Ino stopped, proudly wrinkling her nose.She turned around, waving happily to her teammates, her teacher, and, of course, Naruto.Karin kept her head down and returned to the spectator stand in silence."Hmph! You've lost all face for Kusagakure Village!"Muso looked at her, anger appearing on his face.Ransho also added sinisterly: "To be forced to surrender by such basic taijutsu, can you really be considered a Ninja?"Hearing their mockery, Karin didn't dare to say a word, burying her head even lower like an ostrich.Only when she occasionally looked up did she glance at Naruto in the distance, her eyes filled with hope and longing."If only... I could be as strong as him!"No matter what Karin was thinking, the preliminaries continued.Soon, the matchup list for the next group came out."Gaara vs. Muso!"Seeing his name appear, Muso stepped on the railing and jumped directly into the arena.Then he looked up at Gaara, who was standing on the spectator stand, his face full of provocation: "It's finally my turn! Are you my next opponent, Panda Eyes?"Gaara's expression didn't change at all, but Kankuro and Temari, who were standing beside him, twitched their lips.A bumpkin from a small village, has he never died before?Clearly, Muso had never died before.Seeing that Gaara was unmoved, he continued to spout nonsense: "Hey? Why haven't you come down yet? Are you already scared? Don't worry, I will end the battle quickly and won't waste too much of your time!"Kankuro turned his neck to look at Temari: "The dead are speaking."Temari rolled her eyes: "Isn't this phrase plagiarizing Naruto from earlier? He doesn't even have any originality when talking trash; no wonder he dies quickly."That's right, in the way they looked at Muso, Temari and Kankuro had already treated him as a dead man.Just as Muso was about to continue speaking, Gaara finally moved.He dissolved into a cloud of sand, then reformed in the center of the arena.Gaara did not look at Muso, but asked Gekkō Hayate in a hoarse voice: "Can the match begin?""Of course! The match begins!"Gekkō Hayate nodded.Muso immediately became serious.Although he was arrogant, he was not a fool.After seeing Gaara's Sand Body Flicker, Musobecame alert immediately, quickly forming hand seals to use Ninjutsu.Fire Release: Flame Sword!Muso gathered Fire Release Chakra in his hands, condensing and sublimating it into the shape of a long sword.He twirled the sword and glared fiercely at Gaara.As long as the enemy is stabbed by this sword, they will be burned to death by the fire!It will only take one hit, and I will be able to..."Ahhh!!!"Muso's fantasy didn't have time to be put into practice before extreme pain engulfed him completely."Sand Binding Coffin!"Gaara raised his hand, and a large amount of sand had unknowingly bound Muso's body.He just gave a light squeeze, and blood burst out from the sand, staining the entire ground beneath his feet red."The winner is Gaara!"Gekkō Hayate didn't even have time to step into the arena before announcing the obvious result of the match.
Chapter 87: Naruto, You Need to Cheer for Me Too!"The winner is, Gaara!"After Gekkō Hayate finished the announcement, Gaara turned into a swirl of sand once more and returned to the viewing platform.He crossed his arms, his expression remaining calm and indifferent, as if he hadn't moved at all.Meanwhile, the medical team entered the arena to check on Muso's condition.Fortunately, Gaara had maintained his composure and didn't deliver a fatal blow; Muso's bones and muscle tissue were merely crushed, but he was still clinging to life.Of course, no one could say for sure how long he would hold on.At least he hadn't died right there on the battlefield."Muso!"Ransho jumped down from the viewing platform and approached, looking at his companion's miserable state with a mix of anger and fear in his heart.The arrogant youth realized that the strength of Ninjas from the Five Great Ninja Villages, like Konoha and the Hidden Sand Village, was not something that Ninjas from smaller villages could rival.Just then, the names on the electronic screen refreshed."Next match, Ransho vs. Temari!"Ransho shuddered, then saw the young girl standing beside Gaara leap into the arena.With a clatter, Temari planted her giant fan on the ground and tilted her head to look over.Her brows were full of spirit, a playful smile hung on her face as she curiously looked Ransho up and down.Gulp!Ransho swallowed hard and steeled himself to walk forward.He didn't know how strong Temari was, but since she could be teammates with a monster like Gaara, she certainly wouldn't be weak.The blood that had sprayed out when Muso was crushed by the Sand Binding Coffin had only been hastily cleaned up, and the heavy smell of blood assaulted his nose, making the fear in Ransho's heart grow even stronger.He had wanted to just surrender, but being the center of attention, he couldn't bring himself to lose face.'I'll just cast a few Ninjutsu to put on a show, and then I'll surrender!'Ransho made up his mind, and then heard Gekkō Hayate announce the start of the match."Fire Release: Ghost Lantern Jutsu!"With the hand seals, several fireballs the size of human heads appeared around Ransho and smashed toward Temari.Seeing this, Temari almost couldn't hold back a laugh.Because resources were scarce, the Hidden Sand Village had always pursued an elitist policy, concentrating resources to cultivate a few geniuses.And as the eldest daughter of the Kazekage, Temari was the elite among elites; the Ninjas she usually encountered, even the weakest ones, certainly did not lack talent.Seeing these Genin from small villages playing around, she really couldn't help but find it ridiculous.Fortunately, Temari didn't have any malicious hobbies. "Is that it? One star is enough!"As she spoke, she opened her fan slightly, revealing a cross-star pattern on the fan's surface."Wind Release: Sickle Weasel!"A whistling sound of wind arose; Temari swung her giant fan to create a rapid flow of air, forming a massive gale that swept forward.With a puff, the incoming fireballs were instantly extinguished in the face of the violent gale.Ransho's face turned panicked, and he opened his mouth to say, "I surren..."But before he could finish, the gale swept in, drowning out his voice.Ransho was carried away by the violent turbulence, flying backward and slamming heavily into the wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.But that wasn't the end of it.Since he hadn't finished saying "surrender," the battle wasn't over, and Temari swung her giant fan again."Wind Release: Wind Scythe!"The airflow was surging, but this time it didn't form a gale; instead, it transformed into several thin blades of air that flew out.Ransho let out a scream as his hands and feet were severed in an instant, blood spraying like a fountain.Gekkō Hayate frowned and stepped in front of Temari.Temari shrugged, closed her fan, and held her head high, indicating she wouldn't attack again.Don't be fooled by how cautious she acted in front of Gaara; as the flower of the Hidden Sand Village, Temari was a proud and haughty person."The outcome is decided. The match is over. The winner is, Temari."After Gekkō Hayate finished speaking, Temariturned and walked away, returning to the viewing platform, garnering the attention of many.Especially the Konoha Genin, who couldn't help but feel a sense of vigilance.There was no helping it; the performance of the Hidden Sand Village trio was simply too brutal.Kankuro used his puppet jutsu to cripple Misumi Tsurugi, Gaara instantly crushed Muso, and now Temari had severed Ransho's limbs after he was already severely injured; this series of actions made everyone feel physically uncomfortable.However, Temari didn't care what others thought; instead, her gaze turned toward Karin not far away.The distance between the Hidden Sand Village trio and the Kusagakure Village trio wasn't too far, so Temari had witnessed exactly how Muso and Ransho had treated Karin earlier.Perhaps it was empathy, or perhaps she simply couldn't stand to watch, but in any case, Temarihad gone a bit heavy-handed, which served to vent some of the anger in her heart.Ignoring what everyone was thinking, the electronic screen updated once more."Next match, Tenten vs. Sakura Haruno!"The two girls looked at each other and tacitly headed down to the arena."Tenten, do your best! Don't forget the passion of youth! Use the power of youth!"Might Guy stood on the viewing platform, cupping his hands around his mouth to form a megaphone, cheering loudly for his subordinate.He had just checked on Rock Lee's condition; although he was seriously injured, he only needed some rest to recover.Now back at the exam site, Might Guy had returned to his usual vibrant self.Then he looked at Kakashi: "Hey, Kakashi, this is the second time our subordinates have faced each other, right? Aren't you going to cheer for your subordinate?"Kakashi rolled his eyes at him without answering and turned his head to look at Naruto.Feeling his teacher's gaze, Naruto nodded, leaned over the railing, and cheered loudly for his companion: "Sakura! You can do it! I believe in you! Defeat your opponent soundly and win some glory for Kakashi-sensei!"Sakura turned back, a smile blooming on her rosy face: "Don't worry! I'll definitely be fine!"Tenten sighed, covering her forehead helplessly: "Why is my luck so bad? The one cheering for me is Guy-sensei, while the one cheering for her is a handsome guy like Naruto?"Then she looked at Naruto with dissatisfaction, raising her hands in protest: "Hey! We're both girls; you're being so biased toward her, it's really heartbreaking, you know?! Can't you cheer for me too?"Naruto was stunned by her outrageous words, chuckled dryly, and said: "Uh... well... then I wish you a good performance as well..."Tenten wanted to say something more, but Sakuraspoke first: "Alright! Let's get started. If you perform well, you might be able to last a little longer!"Inner Personality: "That hateful woman! What does she mean? Trying to steal my man?"Tenten pulled out two scrolls and retorted tit-for-tat: "I was going to say the exact same thing to you!"The two girls' gazes were like torches, sparking in mid-air, making the match full of gunpowder-like tension before it even began."..."The onlookers were speechless.Come on! You're supposed to be in a match! Why is there a smell of jealousy in the air?"The match begins!"Gekkō Hayate didn't care about any of that; with a wave of his hand, he started the battle.
Chapter 88: Iron Fist Invincible Sakura HarunoWith Gekkō Hayate's exit, this battle, filled with the scent of gunpowder and jealousy, officially began.Tenten made the first move, snapping open a scroll.With a poof, smoke exploded, and a massive number of projectiles were summoned."Ninjutsu: Hundred Weapons Shigure!"Shuriken, Kunai, senbon, sickles, meteor hammers, and other weapons rained down upon Sakura like a torrential downpour."A Ninja who uses Ninja tools?"Sakura retreated rapidly while thinking to herself.As a teammate of Naruto and Sasuke, her Taijutsu was not weak.Especially after being taught Hamon by Naruto a few days ago, Sakura's Taijutsu had reached a new level.Because of this, her speed was high, and although Tenten had unleashed a vast array of weapons, she had not even grazed the hem of Sakura's clothes."Tsk, you dodged my attack so plainly? That is really hurtful."Seeing Sakura's movements, Tenten could not help but click her tongue, though there was no sign of defeat on her face."Are you concentrating Chakra into your feet to increase your speed? Then let me see just how fast you can be!"As she spoke, she opened another scroll."Ninjutsu: Hidden Weapon Barrage!"This time, the hidden weapons Tenten summoned did not just rain down all at once, but appeared in a continuous, rapid-fire assault.As Sakura dodged, Tenten continuously adjusted the direction.A large volume of hidden weapons pursued Sakura, clanging as they embedded into the spots where she had just been."It is just like machine gun fire," Naruto said, clicking his tongue.He had not expected Tenten to be so extravagant, able to throw out such a massive quantity of Ninjatools.He turned and poked Sasuke: "Hey, do you think Tenten will collect these weapons after the match ends?""Probably not? That would be too embarrassing," Sasuke replied, then raised an eyebrow. "Why?"Naruto shook his head: "If these Ninja tools are discarded, even at their lowest value, it is a huge sum of money. Tenten really is a rich girl!""Instead of worrying about that, you would be better off worrying about Sakura," Sasuke said, his mouth twitching.He truly found it hard to understand Naruto's sometimes abstract train of thought."Hmph, young master of a great clan, do not look down on the poor."Naruto shook his fist at Sasuke.Of course, he was just joking.Although he was an orphan, in Naruto's memory, he had never lacked money.Moreover, he spent very little money; besides hoarding large amounts of instant ramen, milk, and Ninjutsu scrolls, at most he would occasionally buy dozens of buckets of paint to voluntarily undertake the Hokage Rock beautification project."Besides..."Naruto pulled his thoughts back and looked at the battle in the arena, a smirk playing on his lips: "Sakura will not lose!"The battle continued.By the time Tenten had exhausted the weapon inventory in her scrolls, Sakura's speed had not diminished in the slightest."Not bad at all." Tenten applauded Sakura and threw away the two scrolls in her hands."Now it is my turn!"Having dodged for so long, Sakura also had some pent-up frustration.She flexed her wrists, preparing to charge forward.Unfortunately, Tenten reached into her Ninja tool pouch again and pulled out several more scrolls: "Too bad, it is not over yet!""Ninjutsu: Hidden Weapon Barrage!"Seeing Tenten tear open the scrolls and once again transform into a ruthless hidden weapon launcher, Sakura's expression changed drastically.While moving rapidly, she could not help but grumble inwardly: "Again? Will this ever end!""You are planning to exhaust my weapon arsenal, right? But sorry, my weapon reserves are still very sufficient!"Tenten said loudly, a look of triumph on her face.Hearing her opponent call out her plan, Sakura's gaze sharpened.Her original plan was to wait for Tenten to exhaust her weapons, then close the distance and use Taijutsu to end the battle.But looking at it now, she had to take the initiative!Thinking of this, Sakura also reached into her Ninjatool pouch, pulled out a few pellets, and scattered them at her feet.Poof!A thick, brownish-grey mist exploded, shrouding a large area and obscuring Sakura's figure."Thinking of using a smoke bomb to block my vision? Naive!"Tenten curled the corner of her mouth and fired a Kunai into both ends of the smoke.The ends of the Kunai were tied with burning explosive tags, and as they embedded into the ground, the explosive tags detonated.Boom!The violent shockwave from the explosion created a gale, dispersing the smoke completely.However, what appeared before Tenten was an empty field, save for the weapons scattered everywhere."Escaped? When?"Seeing this, Tenten's pupils contracted sharply.Because she had been keeping an eye on the situation in the smoke the whole time, yet she had completely failed to notice when Sakura had escaped."Equipment Manipulation: Hundred Weapons Entanglement!"Not seeing Sakura's figure, Tenten did not dare to slack off; she tore open a scroll and summoned a wire tied with a large number of weapons.She flicked her hand, and a swish-swish sound rang out.The wire rose like a long snake, spinning rapidly around Tenten and forming a defensive net that wrapped around her entire body.This was a defensive technique Tenten had developed based on Neji's [Kaiten], capable of defending against attacks from any angle or direction."Sakura does not have any powerful attack methods. To break through the defense of Hundred Weapons Entanglement, it would take at least a few seconds, which is enough time for Tenten to react and launch an attack. It looks like Tenten has won this match."Might Guy commented, but heard Naruto beside him shake his head: "Wrong, Tenten is destined to lose."Hearing this, Might Guy turned to look: "Oh?""Tenten is being too impulsive. She is too focused on the outcome of the match, keeping her nerves on edge, so she cannot even distinguish a simple Transformation Technique."Naruto pointed to the spot where Sakura had disappeared earlier.The next second, with a poof, one of the Kunai on the ground transformed back into Sakura.As the most basic of the Three Body Techniques, the Transformation Technique actually only requires careful observation to spot the flaws.But Tenten clearly did not have time to think carefully, assuming that Sakura must have escaped her line of sight through some method, and was instead deceived by the simplest Ninjutsu."But even so, Tenten would not necessarily lose, would she?"Might Guy frowned.He admitted that failing to recognize Sakura's Transformation Technique was a mistake on Tenten's part, but that error should not be fatal."It is precisely because of the influence of this mindset that, for the sake of caution, Tenten used Hundred Weapons Entanglement, which actually hastened her defeat."Naruto smiled.Although a look of confusion appeared in Might Guy's eyes, he did not explain any further, just saying: "Just watch."Sasuke, on the side, had seen the clues: "Metal is a good conductor for Hamon. By actively using the wire, she has instead given Sakura an opportunity."Things developed just as he had said.Seeing the weapon shield formed around Tenten, Sakura smiled, stepped forward, and grabbed the rapidly spinning wire.Although her body was cut by the weapons tied to it, she simultaneously infused it with Hamon, which traveled along the wire and into Tenten's body.Hum~Tenten's body went rigid, and she felt a numbing sensation spread throughout her entire body.This sensation lasted only a few seconds before it was dispelled by her own Chakra.But Sakura took advantage of this opportunity to grab the wire and pull hard.Tenten felt a great force come from it, and her whole body was pulled flying toward Sakura.Then, in her field of vision, a clenched fist grew rapidly, until—Bang!Sakura's fist landed heavily on her opponent's face, filled with Hamon.Tenten was knocked to the ground, her brain in chaos, and the Hamon that had surged in through the fist also paralyzed her body.In a daze, she only heard Gekkō Hayate's voice ring out."The winner has been decided. The match is over. The winner is Sakura Haruno."
Chapter 89: Do Not Underestimate the Bond Between Me and the KikaichuTime flew by, and nine matches had already concluded.Even without looking at the electronic screen, the next pair of opponents could be determined."It's your turn, Shikamaru."Asuma patted Shikamaru on the shoulder, the force of his palm causing Shikamaru to cough twice."What a drag. If I could, I really wouldn't want to run into that guy."Shikamaru stuffed his hands into his pockets, sighed, and slowly walked down the stairs.On the other side, Kurenai Yuhi looked at her student: "Good luck, make sure you perform well, Shino!""Mm."Shino nodded and likewise slowly walked down the stairs.Arriving in the arena, both of them had a very lackluster appearance.Shikamaru was yawning with a look of exhaustion, while Shino was as cold and silent as usual.Even after Gekkō Hayate announced the start of the match, both of them tacitly refrained from making a move.After a moment of silence, Shino spoke in an impassive tone: "If you fight me, you will be defeated, so you had better forfeit quickly.""I was actually planning on doing just that," Shikamaru scratched his head helplessly, then pointed toward the stands, "but if I did that, I would definitely get scolded when I go back.""If that's the case..."Shino took his hands out of his jacket pockets, then frowned and retreated quickly.*Zzz~*Amidst the faint sound, Shikamaru's shadow was seen extending, attacking toward Shino's shadow.Shadow Possession Jutsu!Shino did not stop his pace, retreating rapidly the whole way.But even as he approached the edge of the arena, Shikamaru's shadow was still extending.Shino shifted his body to the side, dodging.The shadow on the ground made a turn and continued to attack toward Shino."The shadow's extension range is very long, at least over twenty meters!"Shino made a judgment while simultaneously pulling out two Kunai and throwing them at Shikamaru.Seeing this, Shikamaru couldn't afford to control the shadow and hurriedly ducked to dodge."As expected, once distracted, the shadow's speed slows down."Shino looked at the shadow, whose extension speed had decreased significantly, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.Maintaining high-speed movement was not his forte; if Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Jutsu were always this fast, it would truly be a drag.On the other side, Shikamaru observed after dodging the Kunai and, finding no traces of steel wire, felt slightly disappointed.After all, there were many people in the Ninja World who liked to tie steel wires to Kunai, then use that method to control the Kunai and catch their enemies off guard.Shikamaru liked these kinds of guys the most, because the faint shadow of the steel wire cast on the ground could also become a medium for the Shadow Possession Jutsu.It was a pity that Shino was not... What?!Shikamaru glanced back at the two Kunai, and his heart was shocked.Because behind him, a large swarm of Kikaichu had appeared, he didn't know when."These are the Kikaichu I raise, which feed on human Chakra. If you don't want to have your Chakra devoured by them, then surrender."Shino returned to his posture of having both hands inserted into his jacket pockets and spoke indifferently once again.Shikamaru sighed: "What a drag."After saying this, he stomped his foot and charged toward Shino.Shino frowned, and after just a moment of thought, he saw through Shikamaru's intention."Charging at me, on one hand, is to avoid the Kikaichu behind him, and on the other hand, it is to close the distance so that the Shadow Possession Jutsu is easier to hit, right?"He certainly wouldn't let Shikamaru get his way, so while retreating, he released a large swarm of Kikaichu in front of him.And simply blocking Shikamaru's path was not enough; Shino also threw a few Shuriken to reduce Shikamaru's speed.After being interfered with by the Shuriken, Shikamaru indeed paused for an instant.Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shinomanipulated the Kikaichu to form a perimeter, surrounding him completely.Shikamaru scanned his surroundings and discovered that unless he could fly out, he had no way to escape.But even facing such a predicament, he still had no intention of admitting defeat."Why continue to persist? We are all classmates; there's no need to fight until one side loses the ability to battle, right?"Shino had the Kikaichu pause their movements temporarily, maintaining a deterrent, and frowned as he advised.Shikamaru scratched his head: "I remember you didn't talk this much before, Shino.""That's because you didn't understand me." Shinoanswered indifferently.After finishing, he no longer held back and ordered the Kikaichu to surge forward like a tide."Waaaaah!!!"Shikamaru retreated repeatedly, but he was still crawled upon by a large number of Kikaichu.He stumbled, fell to the ground, and rolled back and forth, seemingly wanting to crush these Kikaichu.But as Kikaichu specially raised by the Aburameclan, these Kikaichu had extremely strong vitality.In just a few short seconds, the swarm of insects engulfed Shikamaru entirely, as if covering him with a black blanket.Seeing this scene, and hearing Shikamaru's cries, many among the examinees showed expressions of pity."This idiot Shikamaru, why hasn't he surrendered yet? It's completely unlike his personality!"Ino leaned against the railing worriedly, looking anxiously toward her teacher.However, Asuma was watching the situation in the arena calmly: "Don't worry, Ino, Shikamaru will be fine.""How is that possible, Shikamaru he..."Ino spoke anxiously, but quickly stopped her words, stunned by the scene before her."Shadow Possession Jutsu, success!"Shikamaru climbed up from the ground, and the Kikaichu on his body fell to the ground one after another."How is that possible?"Shino's body froze, and he muttered to himself in disbelief."My Shadow Possession Jutsu can extend through the shadows of other objects, and although your Kikaichu are small individually, they form a large shadow when gathered together." Shikamaruexplained.Shino still had his brows tightly locked: "But my Kikaichu had clearly already crawled onto your body?"Shikamaru tilted his head and smiled: "That was what I intentionally did for you to see. After your Kikaichu crawled onto my body, they were already controlled by my Shadow Possession Jutsu. It only looked scary, but in reality, it didn't cause me any harm. Instead, I took advantage of the psychology that you thought you had victory in your grasp, suddenly activated the Shadow Possession Jutsu, and successfully controlled you.""So that's how it is." Shino sighed. "As expected of Shikamaru.""Then will you surrender?" Shikamaru asked."My answer is the same as yours."Hearing Shino's words, Shikamaru nodded knowingly.Then he reached into his ninja tool pouch and pulled out a Shuriken.Shino's movements were synchronized with Shikamaru's, and he also pulled out a Shuriken."What are you trying to do?" Shino frowned."Isn't it obvious?"As Shikamaru said this, he threw the Shurikentoward the other person.Shino was naturally synchronized as well, throwing the Shuriken toward Shikamaru.This was a completely mutually destructive move, making the surrounding examinees unable to help but feel puzzled.Only Shino's brows relaxed, as if he had seen through Shikamaru's thoughts.Seeing the Shuriken arrive in front of him, Shikamaru suddenly leaned back and bent his waist."Tch, still chickened out."Temari sneered, then her expression changed slightly, as if she had discovered something.It turned out that Shikamaru was in the center of the arena, so leaning back was naturally not a problem.But Shino was different; he had been forced to the wall by the Shadow Possession Jutsu earlier, and now with a lean back, his head would hit the wall directly."It looks like that kid won."Temari made her judgment, but the next second her eyes widened: "What?"The situation reversed in an instant.Shikamaru was knocked to the ground, while Shinostood up unscathed.And beside Shikamaru, another Shino had appeared, he didn't know when.It was him who had suddenly appeared just now and knocked Shikamaru down with a punch."In order to control me, you relaxed your control over the Kikaichu around you."The Shino beside Shikamaru spoke while disintegrating into a black swarm of Kikaichu.Insect Clone!"Also, my Kikaichu live inside my body, so I don't need to move; as long as I issue an order, they can move on their own."The Shino by the wall pointed at the back of his head, where a cushion composed of Kikaichu was covering it.It was by relying on these that he didn't get knocked unconscious."I'm sorry, you are no match for me and the Kikaichu. Do not underestimate the bond between us.""It can't be helped," Shikamaru smiled bitterly and raised his hand, "I surrender."
Chapter 90: Temari's Whereabouts"Well then, I announce once again that the preliminary rounds for the third stage of the Chunin Exams have officially concluded!"Seeing Shikamaru surrender, Gekkō Hayatestepped onto the arena, coughed twice, and raised his voice to make the announcement.Then, under his guidance, the ten examinees came to the center of the arena."Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Neji, Kankuro, Akado Kai, Uzumaki Naruto, Ino Yamanaka, Gaara, Temari, Sakura Haruno, and Shino Aburame.""These ten individuals will advance to the upcoming official exams."Only then did Naruto notice that all ten people who had passed the preliminary rounds were Ninjas from the Five Great Ninja Villages, such as Konoha and the Hidden Sand Village.It seemed that what Kakashi had said earlier—that the Five Great Ninja Villages possessed overwhelming strength compared to the smaller Ninja villages—was not just empty talk.The Hidden Sand Village could not be underestimated either, because unlike Konoha, they did not have a large number of participants; from start to finish, only three of them had entered the competition.Yet, despite this, all three of their participants had broken through to the official matches of the third stage of the exams.Thinking this, Naruto cast a glance toward Gaara.It just so happened that Gaara also turned his head, and his gaze collided squarely with Naruto's.His eyes also carried a strong fighting spirit.Unlike Sasuke and Neji, who had easily dealt with their opponents, the battle between Naruto and Rock Lee had been quite intense.Furthermore, the strength and willpower Rock Lee had displayed were far beyond what Hinata and Kiba could compare to.Yet even so, Naruto had still won with a massive advantage, and he had even clearly held back some trump cards.This made Gaara conclude that Naruto was the strongest existence among Konoha's Genin."If I could kill him! That would surely be a wonderful thing!"Gaara reined in his emotions, but the excitement igniting within his heart was burning fiercely.At this moment, the Third Hokage stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the Genin."As outstanding talents, you all represent your respective nations. To ensure you can display your full strength, it has been decided after consultation that the final official matches will be held one month from now."Hearing that the official exams were scheduled for a month later, the Genin couldn't help but start whispering among themselves.The Third Hokage paid no mind to this noise and continued, "This month is preparation time, intended to allow you to rest well so you can fight with your full power. At the same time, it gives you enough time to analyze intelligence on potential opponents you might encounter."As he spoke, he waved his hand, and Anko walked over carrying a box."Next, you will draw numbers from this box. Your opponents and the order of combat will be determined based on the numbers you draw."Amidst the Third Hokage's explanation, Ankowalked up to Naruto, the corners of her mouth curling slightly. "Each person can only draw one. Kid, if you dare to cheat, I'll beat you up.""Then you had better pray that I draw a strong enough opponent, Ms. Anko," Naruto replied with a grin, "otherwise, even if I have to risk cheating, I'm going to switch opponents."After saying this, he pulled a slip of paper from the box, opened it, and saw that it clearly had the number ten written on it.Anko weighed the box in her hands, shuffling the order of the slips inside, and gave Naruto a wink. "Rest assured, I'll definitely find a way to arrange a powerful opponent for you. After all, if the official matches aren't exciting enough, the spectator tickets for future Chunin Exams won't sell well.""Hey, are you two ever going to finish?"Kankuro, standing to the side, impatiently interrupted.Anko turned her head, not looking at Kankuro, but instead sweeping her gaze over Sakura, Ino, and Temari—the three girls who were radiating fiery anger.It was understandable for Sakura and Ino, but Temari from the Hidden Sand Village was also revealing an unfriendly glare.Anko looked at Naruto with a knowing smile, the teasing in her eyes self-evident.Naruto shrugged, looking helpless.Then, Anko walked up to Kankuro, and as he reached out to draw a slip, she said with a smile, "I really hope to see you on the battlefield in the future; when that time comes, I'll be the first to slaughter you."Kankuro's pupils constricted sharply as a fierce murderous intent and immense pressure washed over him simultaneously.In a daze, he felt as if he saw a vision of his own neck being pierced through by a Kunai, and his breathing stalled as a result."This woman?! So strong! You really can't tell at all from her appearance!"At this moment, this was the only thought remaining in his brain.He truly couldn't understand how this person, who seemed so carefree, could possess such formidable strength.It was no wonder, after all, Anko had once been a student of Orochimaru.Both in terms of her own talent and the instruction she had received, she was top-tier throughout all of Konoha.Furthermore, she possessed far more combat experience and history, so naturally, she was far beyond what Kankuro could reach at present."The number is six, what a pity."Anko patted Kankuro on the shoulder and walked toward the next person with a smile.Her departure took that biting murderous intent with it, and Kankuro's breathing finally stabilized a little.Coming back to his senses, he clutched his chest and looked at Naruto with suspicion and uncertainty.At this moment, his eyes became clear, and the disdain and contempt in his gaze turned into a hint of admiration.This guy actually dared to provoke a woman even more ferocious than Temari, and even under her very nose, he could still flirt with other women—he was truly a role model for us all!If Naruto weren't a Konoha Ninja destined to be an enemy, Kankuro would really have liked to make friends with him.Naruto noticed his gaze and returned a comforting smile, which left Kankuro stunned.In Naruto's view, this Kankuro was also just an unlucky guy with a constitution that attracted mockery.Previously he had been beaten up by Gaarawithout being taken seriously, and now he had been quietly taught a lesson by Anko—he was truly a pitiful person.Setting aside this little interlude, the examinees who had passed the preliminary rounds quickly finished drawing lots, and the battle pairings and order were released—"Akado Kai vs. Shino Aburame, Uchiha Sasuke vs. Temari, Hyuga Neji vs. Kankuro, Ino Yamanaka vs. Sakura Haruno, Uzumaki Naruto vs. Gaara."Naruto sniffled and cast a strange glance at Anko.This battle list felt like it had been arranged very deliberately.He, Sasuke, and Neji—the strongest among Konoha's Genin—had precisely been matched up against the trio from the Hidden Sand Village.Was it really necessary to go to such lengths just to boost the show's entertainment value and sell tickets?"Although the official matches are an elimination format and there can ultimately only be one winner, we will be observing your performance in battle to provide evaluations and conclusions. Ultimately, we will decide whether each of you can be promoted to Chunin based on this, so everyone has a chance."The Third Hokage puffed on his pipe and said, "So for the next month, whether you rest or train is entirely up to you. In short, we will see you in a month. Dismissed!"After announcing everything, he left with the group of proctors.The examinees instantly relaxed and began discussing the previous matches and their upcoming opponents with their companions."Congratulations to you all, for actually passing the preliminary rounds."Kakashi walked up, smiling as he spoke.The Three Little Ones and the Hidden Sand Village trio were the only two squads where all members had advanced, which could be said to be standing out from the crowd.As their Jonin instructor, Kakashi also felt honored and proud of his students.Therefore, he decided to break the bank for once: "Is there anything you want to eat? Dinner is on me tonight!""I still have to go train." Sasuke said, hands in his pockets, aloof as ever."I've been exhausted these past few days and have absolutely no appetite. I'm going to go home, take a nice bath, and rest." Sakura stretched lazily, also showing little interest.What unlovable students...Kakashi's dead fish eyes drooped, and he immediately looked at Naruto: "How about you, Naruto?""Well," Naruto said, resting his chin in his hand as he pondered, "can we eat whatever we want?""Of course!""Can I bring other friends along?""Uh... Of course!" Kakashi paused for a moment, but ultimately agreed."Hey! Choji!" Naruto waved upon hearing this, "Kakashi-sensei is treating us to barbecue today; your squad should come along too!""Huh?"Kakashi was startled.Choji was a big eater; if he were allowed to eat to his heart's content, Kakashi's wallet would be in trouble.But before he could open his mouth to refuse, Asuma rushed over, knelt on both knees in front of Kakashi, and tightly gripped the hands Kakashiwas about to wave in protest: "You're truly a lifesaver, Kakashi!"I'm not, I didn't!Kakashi had wanted to shout this, but seeing Asuma's tear-streaked face, he sighed instead: "Fine..."Seeing this scene, Naruto laughed very happily; he had finally managed to prank Kakashi.However, he quickly put away his smile: "Hm?"Naruto shifted his gaze to the side and discovered that Temari had separated from the Hidden Sand Village trio and was walking toward the infirmary, curiosity stirring in his heart: "What is she going to do?"
Chapter 91: An Unbreakable AllianceInside the infirmary.Muso and Ransho from Kusagakure Village lay on their hospital beds, their nostrils filled with the heavy scent of disinfectant.Ransho was easier to deal with; he had only had his hands and feet severed by Temari.Muso, however, was in a miserable state, with his bones crushed throughout his body and extensive muscle necrosis.It could be said that the fact he was still alive was nothing short of a miracle.As a selection tournament to test Ninjas, the Chunin Exams naturally carried a certain degree of danger.Therefore, a certain level of attrition among the examinees was within reasonable limits.Ransho and Muso were now just that—reasonable attrition.After performing some simple emergency measures, the Konoha medical team left.Ransho knew they had been abandoned.After all, with such severe injuries, let alone continuing to be Ninjas, even living like normal people would likely be a tremendous difficulty.The world of Ninjas was just that cruel.A moment of carelessness, and one would fall off a cliff.But Ransho was unwilling to accept this; he was extremely unwilling.One had to know that he and Muso were considered dazzling geniuses in Kusagakure Village.When they still had such bright futures, how could they just be wasted here?So Ransho screamed hysterically: "Karin! Karin! You bastard, where have you run off to? Hurry up and let me bite you, and I'll recover immediately!"Karin, guarding outside the ward, shuddered.For a long time, Ransho and Muso had been entities that oppressed her.Although both were now severely injured, upon hearing Ransho's reprimand, Karin still felt fear subconsciously.However, even so, Karin did not move.She had seen Ransho and Muso's injuries clearly from the stands earlier; those were severe injuries that were absolutely impossible to heal.From now on, those two would never be able to exploit her again!Whenever she thought of this, Karin's heart filled with the pleasure of revenge, and at the same time, she couldn't help but sigh.This was her situation in Kusagakure Village; even her hatred was so lowly, only able to be enjoyed in this manner."Is this your situation in Kusagakure Village? Even the way you harbor hatred is so pathetic."A voice suddenly rang out, piercing through Karin's thoughts and giving her a start.Karin hurriedly looked over and discovered that the speaker was a yellow-haired girl.She recognized the other party; it was the Sunagakure Ninja who had defeated Ranshoearlier and severed his hands and feet—Temari!"It's you?"The moment she recognized the other party's identity, Karin trembled.After all, Temari's previous performance had been quite terrifying, practically like a female tyrannosaurus; she couldn't help but be afraid."You're just waiting out here like this?"Temari walked over slowly and smiled."What do you mean?""The one who fought me earlier, Ransho, right? Screaming like a slaughtered pig in here, don't you find it annoying?"Temari crossed her arms, her words carrying a hint of killing intent.Karin swallowed, looking around, attempting to find others."I've seen how your two companions treat you. While they're lying on their hospital beds, you have a chance for revenge, don't you?"Temari stepped forward again, her voice filled with temptation."A chance for revenge?" Karin repeated her words."That's right!" Temari stood in front of Karin. "Think about it. Those bastards who once oppressed you are now completely powerless. Even the Konohamedical team has abandoned them. You only need one Kunai to slit their throats and enjoy the pleasure of watching their lives ebb away before your eyes…"Hearing Temari's description, Karin swallowed hard.She couldn't help but fantasize about the scene of Ransho and Muso dying under her Kunai, the light in their eyes gradually fading away."The Jonin from your Kusagakure Village haven't come over, right? As long as you do it now and then clear your name afterward, no one will be able to come after you."Temari continued speaking, painting a beautiful blueprint for Karin."Think about it, will you ever have another chance like this to take revenge with your own hands and not get into trouble?"Karin looked at the approaching Temari; in her heart, there was no pleasure at the possibility of revenge, only fear.She was not someone who took pleasure in killing, nor did she have an obsession with killing others to exact revenge.At the thought of killing Muso and Ransho with her own hands, she felt not happiness, but a kind of profound fear.But in front of Temari, Karin dared not express her inner thoughts and could only tremble uncontrollably.However, even so, Temari saw through Karin's heart from her micro-expressions and body language.This made Temari feel a sense of frustration: "Hey, don't tell me you don't even have the courage to take action?""I, I'm not…" Karin hurriedly explained.But Temari interrupted her and casually shoved a Kunai into Karin's hand: "Then go do it.""…"Karin held the Kunai, feeling helpless for a moment, her body trembling violently.What should I do? I don't want to! Is there anyone… is there anyone who can save me?Just when Karin was feeling panicked, another voice rang out, sounding like music to her ears: "I can't just pretend I didn't see this."And this voice, Karin was very familiar with—familiar enough that she recognized the owner without even turning around!Temari was the same, so she didn't turn around, anger appearing on her face: "You Konoha Ninjas are really annoying, Uzumaki Naruto!"Naruto slowly revealed himself, a reassuring smile on his face.At least at the moment she saw him, Karin felt immense relief.As a genius not inferior to Gaara, and a Ninja from a major village like Konoha, he would absolutely not fear Temari and would surely be able to protect her.Furthermore, he was also of the Uzumaki Clan…Karin looked at Naruto, a trace of admiration flashing in her eyes."Instigating others to commit murder, and in a place like the infirmary, what exactly is your goal?"Naruto walked over, watching Temari.He had also seen the bullying Karin suffered from her companions.Therefore, he believed that part of the reason Temari was stirring up Karin's emotions was out of a sense of righteous indignation.But he also believed that a Sunagakure elite like Temari would not act impulsively out of righteous indignation.She must have a deeper reason for doing this."If I had to say, it's that I saw myself in her."Facing Naruto's questioning, Temari was silent for a moment before her voice dropped a few octaves."That feeling of living in long-term fear of one's companions, wanting to kill one's teammates and complete one's revenge—it fascinates me."Watching Temari speak, Karin thought of the gloomy Gaara.Although it was only a brief contact, his aura of "keep away" and the fear Temari and Kankuro had for him were still vivid in her mind.She had almost no doubt and believed the other party, feeling empathetic."I see."Naruto nodded, then walked over and patted Karinon the shoulder: "You leave here first. People from Kusagakure Village will come soon to take those two away."Karin did not refute and left silently.Seeing her figure disappear into the hallway, Naruto turned his head and looked at Temari with a grin: "Can you tell the truth now?""What?" Temari raised an eyebrow."Hatred for Gaara? I only saw that you are a bit afraid of him."Naruto spread his hands: "At the end of the day, you are siblings, right? It's a pity you ended up with two problem brothers; otherwise, I believe you would be a good sister.""You…" Temari was speechless.After a long time, she sighed: "If some vicious incident occurs after the match, you Konoha will be in a difficult spot, or at least it will be troublesome."Speaking, Temari turned her head to look at Naruto's face and smiled: "Being able to cause you Konoha some trouble, even if it's just a little bit, is a good thing.""Huh? I thought we were allies." Naruto responded with a smile as well."Is there any unbreakable alliance in this world? So you had best stay vigilant."Temari dropped that sentence and turned to leave gracefully.
Chapter 92: Can You Take Me In?The preliminary rounds of the Chunin Exams finally ended, and the Third Hokage left the Forest of Death and returned to the Hokage Office.His steps were hurried, and his expression carried a hint of gravity.Although in front of his subordinates, the Third Hokage appeared quite relaxed.Even after hearing news of Orochimaru, he only responded with a chuckle, appearing as if he didn't take this rogue disciple seriously.In reality, however, the Third Hokage was quite worried.After all, the current Konoha could only be described as strong on the outside but weak on the inside.Having gone through a series of events like the Third Shinobi World War, the Nine-Tailed incident, the Fire-Lightning War, and the Uchiha Clan Downfall, Konoha's combat strength had reached an all-time low.The new generation of young Ninja had not yet grown up, and the older generation of Ninja, like Kakashi, also had their own respective problems.Facing Orochimaru, who was hiding some unknown conspiracy, and the Sunagakure, which was eyeing them covetously during these Chunin Exams, the Third Hokage could not help but feel physically and mentally exhausted.However, this mood only lasted until he pushed open the door to his office; upon seeing the figure waiting in front of his desk, the Third Hokage's heart was filled with joy."Yo, long time no see, old man."Hearing the door open, the white-haired middle-aged man wearing a red haori over a brown Ninjaoutfit turned his head and greeted the Third Hokage."Indeed, long time no see, Jiraiya."Seeing his former disciple, the Third Hokage was no longer as worried as before. After closing the door, he strolled slowly to the desk, the corners of his mouth curling upward from his heart: "I've been sending people to look for you for a long time.""You should know that I don't like staying in the Village, right?" Jiraiya suppressed the emotion in his heart and said with a cheeky grin."Naturally, there is a reason for finding you." The Third Hokage became serious.Seeing this, Jiraiya also reined in his smile: "I also have something very important to do.""Is it more important than the safety of the Village?" the Third Hokage asked in return.Jiraiya nodded: "It concerns the safety of the entire Ninja World!"The Third Hokage stared at him, and from his eyes, he could tell that Jiraiya was not lying."Tell me, what's going on? Does it have anything to do with Orochimaru?" The Third Hokage sat down in his chair."It has some connection," Jiraiya said in a deep voice, "Orochimaru previously joined an organization called [Akatsuki], whose members are mostly S-rank rogue Ninja from various countries. Recently, however, he suddenly left this organization for some reason."At this point, Jiraiya paused and frowned with worry: "According to my investigation, this organization is still recruiting, and it seems to be planning operations targeting Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki.""I see," the Third Hokage nodded in understanding, "That's perfect. The mission I'm about to give you next has to do with a Jinchuriki.""What?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.Subsequently, the Third Hokage explained how Naruto, in order to develop Vibration Release, had inadvertently weakened the Eight Trigrams Sealwithin his body."Huh? That kid Naruto is only twelve this year, right? He's already developing a Bloodline Limit?"Jiraiya's eyes widened like copper bells, making one worry if his eyeballs might pop out.But this was normal. After all, developing a Bloodline Limit at twelve was quite shocking, even in the Ninja World where people matured early.Moreover, the Vibration Release that Narutodeveloped clearly possessed some extremely powerful characteristics.At the very least, Jiraiya had never heard of any kind of Chakra that could weaken the Eight Trigrams Seal just by existing."Should I say it's worthy of Minato's son? This kid Naruto's talent is simply even more outrageous than his father's."Watching Jiraiya shake his head and sigh, the Third Hokage couldn't help but proudly lift his chin: "More than that, in my opinion, Naruto is an existence that has surpassed Minato!""Really? Even you, old man, are saying that?" Jiraiyalooked at his teacher in disbelief.You have to know, the Third Hokage had been in charge of Konoha for decades; what kind of genius hadn't he seen?From the older generation's Sannin and White Fang, to the middle generation's Minato, and then to the later Kakashi, Shisui, and Itachi.Even he himself was a super genius whose Ninjutsu talent surpassed the Second Hokage.But when mentioning Naruto's talent, the Third Hokage showed such an expression, which really made one curious and want to get to know Narutobetter."You'll understand once you interact with him a little. Naruto is different from Minato. As a Jinchuriki, he has been alienated by people in the Village since he was young, his grades have always been at the bottom, and he isn't very popular with women, much like you used to be."Hearing his teacher's words, Jiraiya's mouth twitched.We were talking just fine, why bring me into this all of a sudden?The Third Hokage didn't pay attention and continued: "Naruto doesn't have the conditions Minato had, but he can make everyone who knows him want to follow him. This is the most precious thing. I hope you can guide him well.""Hey, hey, hey, old man, what's with this act of training a successor?" Jiraiya picked his ear. "You aren't thinking of just letting Naruto become the Fifth Hokage, are you?""Why not?" The Third Hokage laughed at his disciple's teasing. "These old bones of mine can still hold out for a few years. By then, Naruto will be even more dazzling than he is now; anything is possible.""Then I really have to go and take a good look at that kid."Jiraiya stood up, unable to hide the curiosity on his face."At least when it comes to popularity with women, I, Jiraiya, absolutely refuse to accept defeat!"...Knock! Knock! Knock!Naruto heard a crisp knocking sound.He leaped out of bed, his gaze looking vigilantly toward the window.By the bright moonlight outside the window, Naruto saw the situation outside clearly. After a moment of surprise, he stepped forward and opened his window."Please, please, let me hide for a while!"The young girl jumped in through the window, her breathing rapid and her tone panicked."Karin?"Naruto rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating.That's right, the girl in front of him was indeed the Kusagakure Village Ninja, Karin.At this moment, she looked like she was being hunted, her eyes full of panic and pleading.In the middle of the night, for a young girl to climb through his window into his home was already bizarre enough, and her identity added an even more magical touch to the situation.Naruto frowned, preparing to ask what exactly was going on.But before he could speak, Karin grabbed Naruto's hand.Naruto only felt that Karin's hand had the unique smoothness of a young girl, while also radiating a chill.That was a symptom that would only appear from long-term lack of vitality. Thinking back to how Karin was bullied by her companions...Naruto's heart softened. He nodded without saying much and turned to close the window.Soon, a burst of hurried footsteps swept past outside.Under Naruto's arrangement, Karin temporarily hid under the bed, shivering after hearing the sounds outside.Naruto closed the window and lay back on the bed, acting as if nothing had happened.He closed his eyes slightly, but the Hamon in his body began to circulate.He could feel that two people had lingered in front of his window for a while, seemingly observing inside through the window.At the same time, the sound of conversation faintly drifted over."Her tracks disappeared right around here...""That damn woman actually dared to...""This is Konoha, don't make a scene, proceed with caution...""Go search other places..."Naruto remained motionless.Because he sensed that although the people outside said they were leaving, their life fluctuations still lingered in front of the window.It was not until several minutes later that the two, having gained nothing, left sullenly.Only then did Naruto pat the bed.Receiving the signal, Karin crawled out from under the bed. Naruto looked at her, just about to ask what had happened, when he felt a fragrant breeze sweep past.Karin threw herself into Naruto's arms, holding him, and sobbed softly: "I know my request is very unreasonable, but can you take me in for the sake of us both being of the Uzumaki Clan?""Huh?"