Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Competition Begins!

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Match Begins!

Thank you all for your support! Just a little effort from you—invite your friends to read, and give me a recommendation if you have one, or simply add the book to your collection. Every bit of encouragement fuels me to write more, and with motivation comes inspiration!

Now, the story continues.

“The stars of this match are you all!” Genma Shiranui said, his back turned to the group.

The Third Hokage looked down at the genin assembled for the competition and couldn’t help but feel the weight of age upon him.

“Whoosh!” In a flash, Shuster appeared beside the Third Hokage, bowing respectfully.

“Ah, you’re here. Everything is ready, I trust?” The Third asked, seated in his chair.

“Yes, everything is in place,” Shuster replied, stepping behind the Hokage. With a transformation jutsu, he took the form of Raiden, the Hokage’s regular attendant.

Footsteps echoed nearby. Both turned to look—

“Oh, welcome, welcome, Lord Kazekage,” the Third Hokage greeted with a smile. The man known as Drunken Sleep wore attire similar to the Hokage’s, though the red was replaced with blue, and the symbol for “Wind” was inscribed on his hat.

“It’s nothing. Holding the event in the Leaf Village is ideal. You’re still young, but this journey must have been arduous for you, Lord Hokage. Perhaps it’s time to consider your successor for the Fifth?” Though their words were polite, the air was thick with tension.

“Oh? Haha, don’t write me off as old just yet! I plan to stay in office for another five years! ...Well then, it’s almost time to begin!” The Third Hokage stood, smiling as he walked to the railing, overlooking the genin below. In a deep voice, he addressed them.

After a necessary round of speeches, the match began.

First match: Neji versus Naruto.

The two faced off—details of their abilities have been mentioned before, but more will unfold below.

“Looks like you still have something to say?” Neji’s tone was dismissive; despite Naruto’s impressive showing in the preliminaries, his reputation as the underdog made Neji look down on him.

“Hmph, just like before! I’m definitely going to win!” Naruto declared, raising his fist.

What a pointless boast, Neji thought. Yet Naruto’s eyes were filled with genuine confidence, not bravado. Perhaps I should be more cautious. Neji activated his Byakugan.

“Heh, that’s what makes this interesting. I want to see your face when reality finally hits you,” Neji said, readying his Eight Trigrams stance.

“Enough talk! Let’s get started!” Naruto gathered chakra, kicking up a cloud of dust, his fighting spirit and anger at their peak.

“Then, let the first match begin!” Genma Shiranui announced.

“Shadow Clone Jutsu!” Naruto opened with his signature move.

“Tch, such a trick won’t work on me,” Neji scoffed, observing the clones.

“How will you know without trying?” Naruto shot back, undeterred.

“You’re all talk,” Neji muttered, though he was clearly on guard.

Naruto directed his shadow clones to charge at Neji.

“Eight Trigrams: Rotation!” Neji instantly unleashed his ultimate defense, spinning and creating a massive chakra shield around himself.

The scene shifted to a tree outside the arena.

An Anbu lay sprawled on a tree branch, two kunai embedded in his body.

“Heh, at least give me some fun, Naruto!” Kabuto said, removing the Anbu mask, his glasses gleaming with a cold light.

“Oh? Then you should entertain me as well, Kabuto!” Shuster’s voice sounded from behind.

“What?!” Kabuto’s face drained of color as he immediately took a defensive stance.

Interesting—so the system has given me this task. Not bad; the reward is worth it.

One minute earlier—

“Ding! An A-rank storyline mission has been detected: eliminate Kabuto Yakushi. Reward: 50,000 Soul Crystals, and the Skill Scroll: Kabuto Yakushi’s Medical Ninjutsu Insights.”

Shuster was momentarily stunned. He calmly requested leave from the Third Hokage to go to the restroom, created a shadow clone to remain with the Hokage, then used Body Flicker to reach the location specified by the system—leading to this very moment!

“So, you’re the Lightning of the Leaf. What, trying to stop me?” Kabuto asked, gathering chakra into his hands.

“Hmm? Chakra Scalpel? An excellent technique. Let’s see whose blade is sharper,” Shuster replied, drawing his Blood-Dancing Crescent Moon.

“Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!” With immense magical energy, Shuster conjured a thick mist, shrouding himself from sight.

“What?! Lightning-type ninja using Water Style’s Hidden Mist? This is bad,” Kabuto thought, startled by the unexpected jutsu. That moment of distraction cost him the initiative, and he lost his bearings in the fog.

“He’s behind me!” Kabuto spun, striking at the shadow rushing toward him.

“Boom!” “What?!” Kabuto found himself gripped by a massive, translucent blue hand.

“Heh, surprised? This is what it means to be human—trembling before the unknown,” Shuster said, a blue specter looming behind him, its arm pinning Kabuto—a fully demonized Shuster.

“You… you’re not human?!” Kabuto stared at Shuster in horror. In the next instant, Shuster’s hand tightened, and Kabuto was crushed into a mist of blood.

“Ding! Target eliminated. You have received 50,000 Soul Crystals and the Skill Scroll: Kabuto Yakushi’s Medical Ninjutsu Insights. Please check your inventory in the Infinite Space.”

“Whew, demonization really drains me, even if it’s just for a minute.” As the mist cleared, Shuster was revealed kneeling, hands braced on the ground, murmuring to himself.

The scene shifted back to the arena.

“The winner—Naruto Uzumaki!” Genma Shiranui raised his hand, announcing the result as Neji collapsed.

“Heh, yeah!” Naruto waved to the cheering crowd, running a lap around the arena in triumph.

In the stands, an Anbu used Healing Palm to treat Hinata, who had fainted from her injuries after being severely hurt by Neji in the preliminaries.

“She just needs to rest now. And Akamaru, don’t make a fuss—I’m on duty!” the Anbu said, standing up.

“Uh, thanks,” Kiba called out from the side.

“Woof woof,” Akamaru barked quietly from Kiba’s shoulder.

“What’s up with him?” Kiba muttered in surprise.

The Anbu was, in fact, Shuster. After eliminating Kabuto and recovering from a minute of weakness, he had studied his newly acquired scroll. To avoid suspicion from Orochimaru, he took over Kabuto’s duties, but seeing Hinata faint from worry after Naruto was hurt, he stepped in to heal her with his newly learned Healing Palm.

The second match was supposed to be Gaara versus Sasuke, but Sasuke had not yet arrived.

“Apologies, everyone. Since the next contestant is absent, we’ll postpone the match and proceed to the third round,” Genma announced.

“Hey! Why? We came to watch the Uchiha fight!” someone shouted from the crowd.

“Yeah, what’s the deal?” others chimed in.

“Next up: Kankuro versus Shino Aburame!” Genma ignored the complaints and pressed on.

“Damn, I can’t waste chakra here—I have other tasks to handle later!” Kankuro thought to himself.

“Referee! I forfeit! Please proceed to the next match!” Kankuro shouted unwillingly.

“What?!” Genma was taken aback.

“Come on, is this Chunin exam even worth watching anymore?”

“Yeah! Can we get a real fight?” the spectators grumbled, increasingly dissatisfied.

“Well, since Kankuro has forfeited, Shino Aburame wins by default,” Genma announced, his own enthusiasm waning.

“Heh!” Temari unfolded her fan and, with a powerful swing, rode a gust of wind down into the arena.

“Hmm? What are you doing here?” Genma asked, puzzled.

“Isn’t the next match mine?” Temari replied, steadying herself with her fan.

Only two more chapters remain in this volume!