"Uchiha Sasuke, I will definitely defeat you and prove my worth."
As soon as Sasuke descended into the hall, he heard Zaku Abumi across from him declare this with confidence.
"Huh?"
Sasuke frowned slightly, clearly puzzled. Seeing someone from a small ninja village acting so arrogant made him smirk in disdain.
"Save your sleep talk for when you're actually dreaming."
"Hmph, you'll see," Zaku retorted.
Recalling the information Orochimaru had given him, Zaku smiled, radiating confidence.
"Are you ready? Then let's begin," Gekkō Hayate announced as he stepped back, signaling the start of the second round.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
Sasuke swiftly pulled out three shuriken from his ninja tool pouch and flung them toward Zaku. He was probing—testing his opponent's strength.
"Slicing Sound Wave!"
Rather than dodging or countering with his own weapons, Zaku raised his right hand, revealing a hole in his palm. Forming a hand seal, he channeled chakra through a special mechanism embedded in his arm, converting it into compressed air pressure, and unleashed it through the wind holes in his palms.
The resulting burst of air, similar in effect to a Wind Release jutsu, deflected the shuriken midair and, retaining its velocity, surged toward Sasuke with terrifying force.
This attack differed significantly from Tossan Kinuta's sound waves. Sasuke's condescending expression quickly disappeared. His black pupils turned scarlet, activating his double tomoe Sharingan, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
"So fast!"
Exclamations erupted from the stands.
While many Genin were amazed, the experienced Jōnin narrowed their eyes, sensing something deeper behind Sasuke's swift movement.
Zaku, however, wasn't surprised—in fact, he looked thrilled.
"This is what I've been waiting for!"
Crouching low, he slammed both hands onto the ground.
"Slicing Sound Super Wave!"
All of Zaku's chakra surged into his palms, converted into a massive wave of sound and air pressure that distorted the very air itself. The hall trembled as the invisible waves expanded, engulfing everything in their path.
Even Gekkō Hayate, a Special Jōnin, felt uncomfortable from the oppressive vibrations. He was forced to Shunshin to the second-floor stands, bracing himself for intervention.
At that moment, Sasuke reappeared—this time behind Zaku. He was covering his ears, visibly in pain.
Sensing Sasuke's presence, Zaku turned swiftly, directing both palms toward him. A fierce burst of air pressure struck Sasuke head-on and sent him flying.
Fortunately, most of the attack's force hit the floor, sparing Sasuke from a potentially devastating blow. Even so, he felt a powerful jolt reverberate through his body, his head spinning.
Just like Tossan Kinuta had previously incapacitated Akimichi Choji, Zaku's sound waves were targeting Sasuke internally, exploiting the fluid within his body.
Zaku smirked triumphantly as Sasuke struggled to stabilize himself. Sasuke gritted his teeth, channeled chakra to his feet, and stuck to the nearby wall to brace against the lingering air pressure.
As the wave subsided, Sasuke quickly formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
With a pop, two shadow clones appeared on either side of him.
The next moment, all three Sasuke figures vanished simultaneously.
Zaku's expression tensed. He began to panic but attempted to keep his composure.
He crouched again, preparing to unleash another round of his powerful area attack.
Zaku failed to realize that in ninja combat, information is everything. He had enjoyed the advantage earlier, but once he failed to decisively defeat Sasuke, the balance had shifted.
"Slicing Sound Super Wave!"
Zaku slammed his hands into the ground once more. The hall was once again enveloped by the powerful, invisible distortion of airwaves.
This time, the two high-speed shadow clones—imperceptible just moments before—were exposed. They clutched their heads in pain before dissipating into smoke with a pop.
Zaku relaxed for a moment, thinking he had eliminated Sasuke.
But then—
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A sudden burst of intense heat erupted from above. Zaku looked up, only to see a massive fireball descending toward him.
Before he could raise his hands to defend himself, the searing fire engulfed him.
No one moved to help—not even Orochimaru, who had instructed Zaku earlier. Gekkō Hayate, though prepared to intervene, remained still; after all, the ninja in danger wasn't from his own village.
"AHHHHHH!"
Zaku's screams echoed as the fireball exploded, creating a crater on the floor. He writhed in agony, flames licking his body.
At the last moment, a stream of water extinguished the flames.
"Medical team, come here!" Gekkō Hayate called out through his transceiver.
Moments later, two white-robed medical ninja arrived with a stretcher, carrying Zaku away.
Throughout the ordeal, Orochimaru, Tossan Kinuta, and Kin Tsuchi remained emotionless, as if Zaku's life meant nothing to them.
This heartlessness unsettled many of the examinees.
To the observing Jōnin, it became abundantly clear—Sound Village was a brutal place, one where only the strong survived.
Suddenly, the large screen began displaying names again.
The lineup for the next match appeared:
Hyuga Hinata VS Kin Tsuchi
"Hinata, good luck!" Kurenai Yuhi called out from the stands. "If you win, I'll treat you to a big meal!"
Izanami, standing nearby, silently rolled up his sleeve and revealed a wristband-sized storage scroll. He formed a hand seal and retrieved a camera, smiling at Hinata.
"Look cool, Hinata—I'm taking a picture for Hanabi to see."
"Okay," Hinata replied with a soft smile, nodding. She then turned and began walking toward the arena stairs.
As she descended, the other Rookies cheered her on.
Even Sasuke, who was climbing back up to the stands, called out to her, "Be careful of their weapons and hidden devices—they use them to manipulate sound."
"I understand," Hinata nodded again, her expression calm but confident.
Down in the hall, Kin Tsuchi had already arrived, standing to Gekkō Hayate's left. She had been waiting.
As Hinata took her place opposite her, Kin Tsuchi instinctively felt a sense of inferiority.
But unlike Karin—who felt a mixture of envy and admiration—Kin Tsuchi's emotions were rooted in pure jealousy.
They both had long, straight, black hair, but Hinata's seemed to shimmer. She wore an elegant kimono made of fabric so fine that Kin Tsuchi knew she'd never be able to afford it in her lifetime.
Hinata's figure, posture, and grace were all far beyond what anyone their age should have possessed. She exuded the poise of a true heiress—untouchable, like someone from another world.
Kin Tsuchi couldn't help but compare:
She was an orphan, struggling just to survive and claw her way into the Chunin Exams. Meanwhile, Hinata stood there naturally, effortlessly, as if it were her birthright.
Rage and jealousy boiled within Kin Tsuchi.
Why?!
Why does she get to be a noble, while I'm just trash from nowhere?
I'll ruin that pretty face.
I'll cut her hair, scar her skin, and drag her down to my level.
A sinister grin crept across Kin Tsuchi's lips as these dark thoughts consumed her.
No one around knew what was going through her mind.
But as she smiled unnaturally, Hinata noticed—and her expression changed.
Her gentle gaze hardened, and the veins on her temples bulged.
The Byakugan had activated.
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