Everyone in the arena fell silent at that moment — whether it was the examiner Hayate Gekkō, the unconscious Karui, or the spectators from both sides.
But in the very next instant, roaring cheers exploded from the stands!
"Oh my god! Is this the true power of the Hyūga clan?! That was insanely fast! I couldn't even see it — and she was already down in seconds?!"
"Hahaha! I knew Neji wouldn't disappoint! I bet 100,000 — and now it's 180,000! I'm taking y'all out for medical-grade spa therapy tonight!"
"I want technician number 18!"
"Can I order two?"
Neji silently twirled the ninja tool with his fingers, gave his forearm a flick to release the tension, then resealed the weapon back into his scroll. Without a word, he turned and looked calmly at Hayate Gekkō.
"Examiner, did I win?"
Hayate snapped out of his daze, raised Neji's right hand, and shouted:
"Winner: Hyūga Neji!"
Neji leapt from the arena stage and returned along the path. As he walked back, he crossed paths with Naruto Uzumaki.
That lucky kid... to have Uchiha Hikaru's favor...
"Hey, don't drag your feet," Neji said coldly. "Konoha only accepts victory — not failure."
"Don't let Lord Hikaru down."
His tone was cold, but to Naruto, those words burned like fuel. They didn't feel like ridicule — they felt like... encouragement.
"Osu! Don't worry — I've got a new move in store!"
"I'll never let Big Bro Hikaru down!"
As they passed each other, Neji glanced back at Naruto's back, then turned toward his prep room.
He's enviable... but I won't be jealous.
High above the stands, Uchiha Hikaru narrowed his eyes, watching quietly.
Wait a damn minute... am I the transmigrator, or is it Hyūga Neji?
All I did was share a long-range chakra sniping theory with Hyuga — and now this guy's out here with a chakra-powered pistol? The scroll wasn't even fully unsealed. Is there a sniper rifle in there? A chakra SMG?
Neji really is a genius. He figured out Rotation all on his own — no main family instruction. I need to talk to him later.
For now... let's see what the next match brings.
In the arena, Hayate Gekkō passionately called out the next match-up.
"Thanks to Hyūga Neji and Karui for an electrifying battle!"
"But don't blink! Next on stage — from Konoha: the passionate, unpredictable, gutsy ninja — Uzumaki Naruto!"
"And his opponent — from Kumogakure, the cautious, calculating swordsman — Omoi!"
"Let's welcome them with thunderous applause!"
Hayate's booming voice echoed through the stadium. The graceful dominance of the Gentle Fist, the unexpected finish by chakra weapons — the first fight had ignited everyone's blood.
Those who won their bets were hungry for more wins. Those who lost were desperate to recover!
From the Kumogakure stands, furious voices cried out:
"Omoi! Beat that Konoha brat into the dirt!"
"Come on, white-haired, dark-skinned bro! We can't lose again! My dad turned purple with rage after Karui lost!"
"Wait... wasn't he already dark?"
Naruto and Omoi stepped into the ring, forming the seal of confrontation. Hayate backed away and fired the signal gun.
Bang!
The match began.
Omoi immediately jumped back, forming hand seals while retreating.
He bit down, crushing the lollipop in his mouth. Sugar flooded his brain — heightening his cognition and reaction speed.
I've been sugar-loading in the prep room for an hour. Now my mind's razor-sharp. Every move you make, I'll see through it in an instant!
I am peak caution incarnate!
He pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it at the ground. White smoke exploded outward.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Three Omoi clones burst from the smokescreen, swords drawn, surrounding Naruto from the sides and front.
Naruto grinned.
"Shadow clones?"
"Let me show you the real way to use those."
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM—!
Dozens of Narutos suddenly burst into existence, flooding the battlefield.
"Go! Uzumaki Naruto's army — show him what numbers really mean!"
"Don't accuse us of ganging up! Technically, we're all the same person!"
"We're all ninjas — don't call me petty~!"
"Uzumaki Naruto's going wild!!"
A swarm of Narutos rushed the three Omois.
Omoi's clones were instantly overwhelmed.
What the hell is this chakra volume? He made dozens of shadow clones?! I know he's a Jinchūriki, but he doesn't even show signs of Tailed Beast influence!
What kind of freak is he?!
The audience roared.
"This chakra is monstrous!"
"Go, little yellow-haired devil! Wipe him out!"
"C'mon, white-haired devil! Don't you dare lose!"
On the field, the Omois were being driven back. Their swords took down a dozen clones, but one Omoi slipped, failed to dodge — and was clobbered by Narutos.
In the middle of it all, one Naruto in the back smiled.
"Looks like you're at the end of the line, huh?"
But Omoi — the real one — saw this. His eyes narrowed.
He let one of his clones charge forward — and took the hit on purpose, vanishing in a puff of smoke.
The last Omoi threw another smoke bomb and tried to escape.
But Naruto wasn't letting him go.
He summoned even more clones, unaware of something critical:
Among the debris — was a shuriken.
Leftover from Neji's fight. Karui had sliced them all in half — there should have been twelve pieces.
But if Naruto had counted carefully...
There was one extra.
White smoke rose off the fragment — it transformed into Omoi.
A sharp smirk crossed his face.
"This is my trump card…"
"Cloud-Style: Deceitful Slash!"
Omoi lunged.
The blade flashed cold, silver light as it slashed down toward Naruto's back.
"This is the vigilance a ninja should have."
"Victory is mine!"
BANG!
Naruto exploded into white smoke.
Another clone!
Omoi's eyes went wide as dozens of clones surged toward him.
What?! That wasn't the real one?!
It had been a lazy clone trying to slack off.
With Naruto's shadow clones, that was perfectly in character.
Omoi's brain kicked into overdrive.
Wait — was this all a setup? Did he know I was hiding in the shuriken?
He's terrifying… more cautious than even me!
He looks dumb on the surface, but it's all an act! Is this the real terror of Konoha ninjas?!
Fine... no more games!
"Lightning Release: Thunderstorm Barrage!"
Omoi gripped his blade, flipped it, and rapidly formed hand seals.
Two glowing thunder orbs formed in his palms. He hurled them forward, then backflipped to create distance.
The balls pulsed — lightning erupted in all directions, electrocuting dozens of Naruto clones!
Half his army was obliterated.
Only the clones at the edge survived, having been just out of range.
Omoi spat the lollipop stick to the ground, frustrated.
"Damn it… worthy of a Konoha ninja. That was crafty. And I still didn't hit the real one..."
But the remaining Naruto clones didn't give him time to think.
Two stepped forward.
One raised a palm. The other began spinning chakra rapidly into it.
Vrrrrrrrm—!
A glowing blue sphere of chakra swirled into existence — Rasengan.
The assisting clone vanished, chakra exhausted.
The remaining Naruto roared and charged forward, Rasengan in hand.
"Eat this! Kidney-rupturing, liver-exploding strike!!"
The name made no sense.
But the audience didn't care.
People cried. People screamed. People pumped their fists.
Konoha's stands erupted in unity.
This kid — this "fox demon" who'd been spat on during the Sandaime's reign... he was here, now, fighting for them.
No longer rumor. No longer exile. Naruto Uzumaki was real — and he was theirs.
"That's… the Rasengan!"
"That's the Fourth Hokage's technique! And Jiraiya's too!"
"Impossible — it's an A-rank jutsu! How the hell does that little brat—?!"
"Say 'fox demon' again and I'll break your jaw!"
"O-oh, sorry! Slip of the tongue! Total slip!"
In the viewing box, Uchiha Hikaru watched with a small smile tugging at his lips.
Even though he already knew Naruto had mastered the Rasengan before the Chūnin Exams…
Seeing it unfold with his own eyes, with such blazing spirit...
It was satisfying beyond words.
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