I'm at chapter 313...and uaggh this is becoming really annoying?Og Naruto is already kind enough? Now he wants to times that by 100? It's disgusting! I don't like it.
Chapter 232: Match Concluded
The next three preliminary matches proceeded with processes and results similar to the "original work" trajectory in Naruto's memory.
The first match: Akimichi Choji versus Tsurugi Misumi.
Looking at the Sound ninja wrapped in bandages in the arena, Naruto's gaze unconsciously lingered a moment longer. In another world, this man was called "Six Paths"... well, that joke's a bit old.
Choji's form explosively expanded in the arena as he used the Akimichi clan's secret technique—"Human Bullet Tank!" The massive sphere thundered toward Tsurugi.
However, the current "Human Bullet Tank" was obviously still far from mature. Not only did it appear quite clumsy when rotating, more importantly, its direction was difficult to control precisely.
In the original work, this move required Shikamaru to guide it with Shadow Possession Technique like controlling a "yo-yo" to hit the target. Right now, Choji simply slammed headfirst into the arena's wall.
Tsurugi obviously wouldn't miss this opportunity. He raised the arm embedded with a special device, aiming at Choji who was somewhat dazed from the impact.
Launching a sound wave attack, Choji immediately covered his ears tightly, trying to block this invisible assault. However, Tsurugi's sound wave attack could actually transmit through bone!
Violent vibrations violently impacted Choji's inner ear and brain. Choji immediately saw stars, his body released the secret technique, and he collapsed unconscious.
The second match: Tenten versus Temari.
Perhaps having witnessed the fierce confrontation between Naruto and Satsuki that far exceeded genin level, Temari didn't adopt that condescending mocking attitude from the original work.
Instead, she displayed obvious caution. She stood steadily in place, her massive three-star fan already half-opened from the start.
Tenten, as one of Konoha's outstanding genin, was especially expert in ninja tool applications. At the battle's start, she summoned various ninja tools from her scrolls—kunai, shuriken, senbon... like a violent storm shooting toward Temari from all sorts of tricky angles.
However, she'd encountered precisely the natural enemy of a "ninja tool master." With her three-star fan, Temari needed no hand seals—just swinging that massive fan, Wind Release techniques easily scattered all incoming ninja tools.
All of Tenten's attacks appeared futile against Temari holding this fan with virtually "no skill cooldown." Temari only needed to simply "fan the wind" to neutralize all of Tenten's exquisite offensives.
Finally, Temari fully opened her three-star fan and used Summoning Jutsu: Slashing Wind Dance.
The Sickle Weasel was summoned forth, merging with the Wind Release chakra Temari unleashed to form a small tornado! Tenten couldn't dodge—her figure was instantly swept up by the violent airflow before finally crashing to the ground, losing her combat ability.
Perhaps because she maintained a cautious mindset, Temari didn't end the battle in that insulting manner from the original work, but rather won victory in a relatively "dignified" way.
The third match: Nara Shikamaru versus Kin Tsuchi.
This confrontation was filled with Nara Shikamaru's style from the very beginning. When the electronic screen displayed his name, the "what a drag" expression on this guy's face practically overflowed—he looked ready to just forfeit.
However, a teacher knows his student well. Sarutobi Asuma had already anticipated his reaction. The moment he was about to raise his hand to speak, Asuma grabbed his collar and, like tossing trash, unceremoniously threw him directly from the spectator seats into the arena below.
Compared to Tsurugi and Zaku, this Sound kunoichi named Kin seemed slightly inferior in strength. Her attack method relied on bells, using specific sounds produced by shaking them to cast genjutsu.
However, Naruto sensed that the genjutsu she cast was quite low-level, merely able to simulate some visual illusion interference—she couldn't even completely pull opponents into a genjutsu space of her own construction.
Compared to the powerful genjutsu cast by Satsuki's three-tomoe Sharingan that could briefly trap even Kakashi, this was like comparing heaven and earth.
Though Shikamaru kept complaining verbally, his brain had already begun racing. He used the arena's characteristics and his opponent's attack patterns, first pretending to dodge in embarrassment while secretly setting up his strategy.
Finally, when Kin's bells rang again and countless illusory threads rushed forward, Shikamaru seized the moment. His black shadow, controlled by chakra, rapidly contracted, condensing into an extremely thin shadow line.
This shadow line mixed into the shadows of the threads Kin used to control her bells... "Thud!" With a dull sound, Kin didn't even understand what happened before her vision went black and she fainted.
Throughout the entire battle, Shikamaru engaged in almost no direct confrontation, relying entirely on strategy and precise timing to achieve victory.
Though the absolute strength he displayed was far less shocking than Naruto, Satsuki, or Lee, this high-IQ battle process of purely relying on brains, overcoming the strong with the weak—or rather, winning through intelligence—surprised almost all spectators present.
Watching his subordinate's victory, Asuma explained to Kakashi and the others beside him in a tone mixing helplessness with undisguised pride, almost showing off—Shikamaru's IQ was 200, a genuine genius, unfortunately just too lazy...
---
"Ahem... then... all victorious contestants please gather at the arena center."
After all preliminaries ended, Gekko Hayate stepped forward to announce.
Hearing this, the eight candidates who'd emerged from the recent series of intense battles—Uzumaki Naruto, Gaara, Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji, Tsurugi Misumi, Aburame Shino, Temari, and Nara Shikamaru—complied, walking from the spectator seats or arena edges to gather before Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Gekko Hayate retreated half a step, returning authority to the Hokage. Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze swept over these young faces representing Konoha and allied villages' new generation.
"The preliminaries conclude here. Everyone, congratulations on successfully advancing. The third and final exam of the Chunin Exams—the official matches—will be held one month from now."
Noticing some candidates showing confusion about "why wait so long," the Third Hokage supplemented his explanation.
"The reason for the one-month interval is that the official matches will invite distinguished guests and important figures from the Land of Fire and other nations to observe. They need sufficient time to travel from their residences to Konoha, and simultaneously, the venue requires appropriate preparation and arrangement."
"Please make good use of this month to train diligently and adjust yourselves to peak condition before the official matches begin."
"The official matches will proceed through one-on-one public combat. Next, your opponents will be determined through drawing lots."
While the Third Hokage explained the rules, Naruto stood quietly on the surface, but his heart was far from calm. Because that "friend" in his mental world had become restless.
Within the sealing space, Nine-Tails irritably echoed in Naruto's mind with a low voice full of resentment.
"Hey! Naruto! You brat! The matches are all over, right?! That One-Tail jinchuriki! What if he takes the chance to slip away?!"
Kurama grew more annoyed the more it thought, as if seeing Shukaku's mocking tanuki face swaying before its eyes. It continued instigating:
"I say, find some excuse right now and go beat that red-haired brat senseless! Knock him down, beat that stupid tanuki out of his body!"
Sensing Nine-Tails' desire becoming almost tangible, Naruto could only divide part of his attention to soothe this hot-tempered partner. "Calm down, Kurama, calm down! With so many people here now, be patient a bit longer. There'll be a chance..."
Simultaneously, Naruto himself pondered with some uncertainty. What if Orochimaru really got scared, cancelled his plan, and Gaara left... wouldn't my promise to Kurama about beating Shukaku fall through?
When this guy throws a tantrum, I'll probably need to coax it for quite a while... Of course, from another perspective, if Orochimaru truly abandons his plan, Satsuki would be safe, no need to worry about her being targeted. That would be good news—just the price of soothing Nine-Tails probably wouldn't be small...
Just as Naruto was immersed in his thoughts, somewhat distracted, the Third Hokage's voice pulled him back to reality. "Uzumaki Naruto, what's your number?"
Naruto instinctively, with a bit of confusion, reported the number he'd drawn earlier.
As all candidates' numbers were confirmed, Morino Ibiki beside them unfolded a prepared board with the first round official match lineup, presenting it before everyone.
The moment Naruto's gaze swept across that match list—
In his mind, Kurama, who'd been constantly muttering, complaining, and instigating, seemed to have a mute button pressed. All sound abruptly ceased.
Immediately after, an irrepressible emotion mixing wild joy and "finally got you" excitement transmitted from the sealing space, making Naruto almost able to "see" Nine-Tails' mouth splitting wide, corners involuntarily rising in a grin.
Because on that match list, it clearly read:
[Uzumaki Naruto VS Gaara]
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