novel-bin Chapter 267 Joint Chunin Exam 9
Chapter 267 Joint Chunin Exam 9
While everyone was still marveling at the event, the Chunin Exams preliminary rounds officially began. Uchiha Sasuke snapped out of his reverie, realizing how crucial this exam was for him. Only by passing this competition could he qualify for the Chunin Exams. His goal wasn't just to become a Chunin, but more importantly, to impress Hyuga Kanan with his strength and potential, thus becoming her disciple.
Sasuke Uchiha knew all too well that becoming Hyuga Kanan's disciple would not be easy. First, he had to demonstrate sufficient strength and talent. Second, he had to show respect and admiration for Hyuga Kanan. Finally, he needed a steadfast heart and the ability to continuously strive for improvement.
Therefore, Sasuke Uchiha decided to give it his all in this preliminary round and perform at his best. He believed that as long as he worked hard, he would definitely gain Hyuga Kanan's approval. At the same time, he also wanted to show the other ninjas his strength and prove that he was a true genius.
As the rules were announced, everyone's attention turned to the big screen, eager to know who would be the first contestant to go on stage. The names on the screen began to flash, finally settling on Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akabane Armor.
Sasuke Uchiha's lips curled into a confident smile. He secretly rejoiced, feeling that drawing the first player was perfectly timed. This gave him the opportunity to showcase his strength and brilliance from the very beginning, astonishing everyone. More importantly, he hoped that through this match, Hyuga Kanan would witness his outstanding performance immediately. This thought filled Sasuke with anticipation and motivation.
With a light stomp of his foot, Uchiha Sasuke appeared on the field. His appearance was as swift as lightning, stunning the audience. This dashing entrance instantly drew cheers and screams from many in the audience, especially the girls, who shouted wildly, their eyes sparkling with excitement.
The appearance of Uchiha Sasuke brought the atmosphere to a fever pitch, with cheers erupting and deafening. His figure shone brightly, like a dazzling star. His deep eyes, cool expression, and unique charisma were irresistible.
The Jonin present couldn't help but show a slight hint of surprise. They were astonished by the speed Uchiha Sasuke displayed using the Body Flicker Technique. This speed far exceeded the level of ordinary Chunin, and could even rival some Jonin. This demonstrated that Uchiha Sasuke possessed extraordinary talent and potential in terms of strength, and his future achievements were limitless.
Uchiha Sasuke stood on the field, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding crowd before settling on Hyuga Kanan, his face radiating confidence and determination. He knew he carried the honor of the Uchiha clan on his shoulders, and also hoped to impress Hyuga Kanan; therefore, he had to demonstrate his strongest abilities in this match. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and prepared to face the challenge ahead.
Hyuga Kanan remained completely calm, showing no expression whatsoever, as did Hyuga Neji beside him. In Neji's eyes, what Uchiha Sasuke had displayed was far too ordinary and utterly unremarkable. If even members of the Hyuga clan, living in their training grounds, could easily achieve this, it didn't attract much of his attention.
Sasuke Uchiha was slightly disappointed when he saw that Kanan Hyuga didn't respond. However, he believed that his future actions would definitely move Kanan and gain her approval.
The battle quickly unfolded, and Uchiha Sasuke, living up to his reputation as the last surviving member of the prestigious Uchiha clan, displayed the clan's talents to the fullest. Even a ninja of the Red Copper Armor caliber posed no threat to him, easily defeated by Sasuke. Many present could sense that Sasuke hadn't used much of his strength to subdue his opponent, proving a significant difference in power between them.
Orochimaru, lurking in the shadows, smiled knowingly. He knew Sasuke's strength all too well; this level of combat was child's play. His previous attack on Sasuke was solely due to Sasuke's defeat at the hands of Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan during his years of defection. He wanted to see if Sasuke possessed Itachi's talent. Unfortunately, while Sasuke's talent was decent, it paled in comparison to Itachi's. Furthermore, their personalities and temperaments differed greatly, leaving Orochimaru somewhat disappointed. Otherwise, he might have been interested in nurturing Sasuke and making him his subordinate. However, Sasuke seemed less powerful than he had imagined, which bored him. Perhaps he should find a more interesting opponent. Orochimaru thought to himself, continuing to observe the upcoming battle. He wanted to see if any outstanding geniuses had emerged from the younger generation of Konoha under Hiruzen Sarutobi's rule.
When Sasuke Uchiha returned to Kakashi Hatake's side, his gaze remained fixed on Kanan Hyuga. He hoped to gain Kanan's approval. Unfortunately, Kanan maintained his expressionless demeanor. Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, on the other hand, came to his side repeatedly congratulating him on his victory and advancement to the finals.
The subsequent preliminary rounds were even more uninteresting, practically a battle of weaklings. This greatly disappointed Hyuga Kanan, who had been hoping to see some exciting matches, but it seemed these players weren't going to offer him much of a surprise.
Especially the ninjas from Konoha's ninja clans; their performance particularly displeased Hyuga Kanan. Although these people came from Konoha's ninja clans, their strength was far inferior to the ninjas Hyuga Kanan had witnessed years before. During the Second Shinobi World War, Hyuga Kanan had personally witnessed the valiant performance of Konoha's ninjas. At that time, even the most ordinary genin possessed combat power and skills far superior to these Chunin preliminaries.
Hyuga Kanan couldn't help but recall that time, a sense of loss welling up inside him. He felt that Konoha Village had lost its former glory, and the once-admirable spirit of the ninja seemed to have gradually disappeared. Those ninjas who fought desperately for Konoha on the battlefield and died, only to see Konoha decay and decline in return, must surely feel some resentment!
What they sacrificed their lives for was not the prosperity of Konoha Village, but the enrichment of Konoha's high-ranking officials like Hiruzen Sarutobi. I wonder if they will regret it.
Hyuga Kanan couldn't help but glance at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose face was covered in age spots and who maintained a fake smile, his disdain intensifying. But he quickly calmed down; Konoha, in the end, had little to do with him. He only felt sorry for the Konoha ninja who had fought so bravely and died on the battlefield. Since Konoha had accepted Hiruzen Sarutobi's rule for so many years, it proved that the villagers of Konoha approved of their policies, and they had to bear the consequences themselves.
Kakashi Hatake and the other Konoha Jonin looked at the Sand Village team and a sense of unease welled up in their hearts. What they were seeing was truly unbearable. These young ninjas from Sand Village displayed astonishing strength and teamwork, seemingly crushing the Konoha candidates with ease. Their movements were fluid and precise, each attack carrying a deadly threat.
The Konoha candidates, despite their best efforts, were utterly outmatched by their opponents. They couldn't even force their opponents to unleash their full power before being defeated. This stark contrast caused Kakashi Hatake and the others to furrow their brows, their faces showing embarrassment. After all, as Konoha's Jonin, they bore the heavy responsibility of nurturing the next generation of ninjas; how could they not feel heartbroken seeing this situation?
Even more worrying is that the strongest kid from Sunagakure, the one carrying the gourd, hasn't even made a move yet, and Konoha's contestant is already in trouble. Once he joins the battle, Konoha will likely suffer an even more devastating defeat. Thinking of this, Kakashi Hatake's expression grew increasingly serious. This competition is not just a simple selection process, but a severe test of Konoha's ninja strength. Facing such a powerful opponent, they must find a solution as soon as possible, otherwise Konoha's future is unimaginable.
The crucial point is that these Konoha candidates couldn't even defeat ninjas from a newly established small village like Otogakure—it's incredibly shameful! Keep in mind, Otogakure is a newly established village! This has deeply disappointed the ninjas who have always been proud of Konoha, with some even questioning whether Konoha's strength is truly as great as it seems. The elite members of Konoha feel even more ashamed. After all, they've always considered themselves the best in Konoha, but now it seems they aren't so formidable. Moreover, this Chunin Exam is being held in Konoha, practically their home turf. Not only that, Konoha has the most participants, yet they were easily defeated by Sunagakure and Otogakure—it's a disgrace! If this preliminary round were made public, wouldn't the whole world witness Konoha's defeat and weakness? Konoha's reputation would be severely damaged, potentially even affecting its future development. Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others felt a chill run down their spines. Fortunately, this qualifying match was not open to the public; otherwise, their attempt to showcase their strength would have been a complete joke.