Two days passed in the blink of an eye, marking the end of the second exam. Out of all the participants, 26 successfully made it through.
The third exam was the most important stage of the Chunin Exams. It was a grand event attended by feudal lords, dignitaries, and the leaders of major shinobi villages.
Civilians were also allowed to watch the matches, and many spectators traveled from far and wide just to witness the spectacle.
Because of that, the number of participants had to be trimmed down. Only the strongest would be selected to make the final rounds more thrilling and visually impactful.
After all, the image of the villages was on the line. Future funding from the daimyos, business partnerships, and mission requests all depended on the success of the event.
In the stadium, the remaining examinees stood in neat rows. A sickly-looking Konoha ninja with a notebook and pen stepped in front of them.
This was Hayate Gekkō, who possessed the kekkei genkai Permeation Release, an ability that let him turn invisible. Unfortunately, that same bloodline limit came with a chronic illness.
(T/N: This is a joke)
Hyuga Gakuya had once commented: "He's got a protagonist's name, but none of the protagonist's luck."
"The preliminary round will be one-on-one matches," Hayate explained, his voice hoarse. "With 26 of you left, that means 13 fights. The winners will advance to the third round."
"There are no rules. The match continues until one side is knocked out, killed, or voluntarily surrenders. So if you don't want to die, surrender early."
"You still have time to withdraw now if you're having second thoughts."
Uzumaki Karin and Uchiha Hikari raised their hands without hesitation.
"We're withdrawing."
Everyone looked at the two in shock. Their strength was more than enough to breeze through the preliminaries, so why quit now?
Neither of them offered an explanation. They simply walked off toward the stands.
Of course, this was all under Gakuya's orders. The two of them were too strong and unpredictable—if they went all out, it might reveal too much and interfere with his plans.
Plus, he was interested in watching how the rest of the participants performed.
"Alright, with two dropping out, we're down to 24. To avoid any unnecessary deaths, I'll step in to stop matches when needed. Now then..."
A digital screen unfolded behind Hayate.
"This electronic board will randomly select the combatants for each match. Let's see who's up for the first fight."
The screen flashed, names spinning before settling on two.
Match One: Uchiha Sasuke vs. Atsui
A grin spread across Sasuke's face. He had been itching to take this guy down.
Atsui, just as eager, turned toward Sasuke.
Can't beat that monster? Fine. But I can definitely beat you.
...
The rest of the examinees climbed up to the viewing platform, gathering in small groups to watch the fight.
Atsui brandished his longsword and launched into the signature Cloud Sword Style of Kumogakure, putting heavy pressure on Sasuke.
But none of his strikes landed. Sasuke's Sharingan saw right through him.
What surprised Gakuya, though, was that Sasuke didn't use his usual Lion Barrage. Instead, he used a move that looked awfully familiar.
(T/N: This technique is unique to Sasuke Uchiha, relying on his advanced physical condition and his "knack" for rapid combo attacks. Sasuke kicks a target into the air and follows close behind them. While in the air, Sasuke provokes the target into attacking him, giving him the chance to counter them and, in turn, kick them higher into the air at increasingly greater speeds and/or to flank their sides with another kick. )
At just the right moment, Sasuke launched a flurry of strikes that ended the match in a clean finish.
Atsui was left beaten senseless and hauled back to the infirmary, barely conscious again.
That final combo was clearly a knockoff of Gakuya technique, which he had demonstrated before the first exam even started.
All eyes turned toward Gakuya, silently asking,
Did you teach him that?
Gakuya just shrugged. "Don't look at me. He figured it out on his own."
Everyone stared in awe at Sasuke, standing tall at the center of the arena. Just one look at someone else's technique, and he could reproduce it?
This is the world of geniuses...
If Gakuya knew what they were thinking, he'd scoff. That's nothing. You haven't seen his brother.
He watched me perform a B-rank fire-augmented taijutsu once and mastered it instantly. That move fuses ninjutsu and taijutsu—requires both chakra control and precise physical execution.
"Well done, Sasuke!" Naruto cheered from the stands. He didn't care what technique Sasuke used—all he saw was his friend pummeling that cocky Kumogakure shinobi.
...
Match Two: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba
Using his Beast Human Clone, Kiba kept Naruto on the defensive from start to finish. Naruto could only stay in the game by mixing Transformation Jutsu with Shadow Clones to create confusion.
But despite the advantage, Kiba's enhanced sense of smell backfired—Naruto let off a stink bomb of a fart that knocked him out cold.
...
Match Three: Omoi vs. a no-name genin
Omoi used a series of feints and flashy blade work to win with ease.
...
Match Four: Aburame Shino vs. Kankuro
Shino used his signature move: letting his bugs corrode the chakra threads on Kankuro's puppets.
But Kankuro had prepared for this. He coated his weapons in poison, forcing a double elimination when both went down.
...
Match Five: Hyuga Neji vs. Hyuga Hinata
Just like in the original timeline, Neji started by trying to talk Hinata out of it. But this time, he was less aggressive and more sincere.
"Hinata, you're not suited to be a shinobi," he said. "I know you want revenge for what happened to Gakuya, but... with your natural talent, you'll never catch up to him. Let me handle that matter."
Hinata shook her head, eyes firm.
"No… I can't keep relying on others. Even if I'm not as gifted, I'll work as hard as I can."
Neji tried again: "You'd be better off focusing on rebuilding the Hyuga Clan. Find a good husband. That's the proper path."
At the mention of "husband," Hinata blushed faintly and sneaked a glance at Gakuya.
Then she shook her head again. "No, Brother Neji. Don't try to talk me out of this. I've already made up my mind."
Neji sighed and formed a hand seal.
"Then I'll defeat you with the techniques I inherited from Gakuya. That'll show you the gap between you and him."
Flames danced along Neji's arms as he dropped into the starting stance of Konoha's Strong Fist Style.
"I won't hold back either," Hinata said, channeling blue chakra into her palms.
Team 7 immediately turned to look at Kakashi.
Naruto whispered, "Kakashi-sensei, isn't that your move?"
Kakashi nearly got lost in thought. "No… They both learned it from someone else."
Sasuke chimed in, "You mean the guy who supposedly wiped out an entire clan and didn't leave a single body behind—Hyuga Gakuya?"
"Exactly."
...
The match began, fists and palms colliding in rapid bursts. Hinata was completely outmatched.
Even when she managed to block an attack, Neji's strikes still left burn marks on her arms.
Gakuya noticed that Neji was clearly holding back—his flames were weak, and his punches had no real power behind them.
He was trying to get Hinata to surrender.
But Hinata refused. Even with her arms burned and bruised, she kept getting back up after every blow.
Eventually, Neji ended the match swiftly and cleanly.
...
Time for me to step in and play the caring big brother, Gakuya thought as he jumped down from the stands.
He knelt beside the unconscious Hinata, green chakra already glowing around his hand as he pressed it gently to her chest.
Hinata stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Thank you, Mokushū-kun…"
"It's nothing," Gakuya replied with a gentle smile. He placed both hands over her delicate arms, and the burns healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Even the medical-nin who arrived later were stunned when they saw Hinata moving her arms freely again.
"This is unbelievable. What kind of medical jutsu did you use to heal her this quickly?"
Gakuya just smiled mysteriously. "Just a little trick of mine."
The doctors saw he didn't want to elaborate and chose not to press the matter.
"I'm fine now. There's no need for the infirmary," Hinata said, trying to refuse the stretcher the medics brought over.
But Gakuya gently insisted. "Let them check for internal injuries. Just to be safe."
Hinata nodded and let the doctors take her.
Gakuya returned to the stands, eyes following her until she was out of sight.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo