Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 268 Joint Chunin Exam 10

Konoha's qualification spots this time were basically decided through internal competition, causing Hyuga Kanan to raise an eyebrow slightly. Hiruzen Sarutobi, this Hokage, really has no shame whatsoever.

When Hinata Hyuga vs. Fu Yamanaka appeared on the big screen, Kanan Hyuga frowned slightly. Although his opponent was wearing a Konoha ninja headband, Kanan sensed a strong killing intent emanating from Fu Yamanaka, and the smell of blood on him was also very strong, comparable to that brat from the Sand Village.

Hyuga Neji also showed a hint of worry. He had been back in Konoha for so long, yet he didn't recognize this Yamanaka Fu ninja at all. Moreover, he clearly sensed the chilling aura emanating from the other man. He could clearly perceive that this man was no ordinary Konoha genin; he was filled with killing intent towards Hyuga Hinata.

As an elite Jonin with an intimate knowledge of Konoha, Kakashi Hatake immediately sensed an unusually familiar aura emanating from Yamanaka Fu when he appeared before him. Having previously worked in the Anbu, he possessed a deep understanding of the Root organization hidden deep within Konoha. Therefore, he could instantly recognize Yamanaka Fu as a member of the Root. However, what puzzled Kakashi was Yamanaka Fu's intense killing intent towards the seemingly harmless Hinata Hyuga. This made him realize something was amiss. Hinata Hyuga now bore the crucial responsibility of being the heir to the Hyuga clan; if she were to be killed by a Root ninja, it would trigger an unprecedented internal conflict. This situation would not only weaken Konoha's strength but could also allow other villages to take advantage of the situation. Kakashi Hatake understood the gravity of the situation, and a sense of unease welled up within him.

From the very start of the battle, Yamanaka Fu displayed intense killing intent. His eyes were cold and ruthless, as if he wanted to kill Hinata. His attacks were merciless, each strike aimed at Hinata's vital points, showing absolutely no mercy. This was no ordinary preliminary match; it was a battlefield of life and death! Such a battle was undoubtedly a tremendous challenge for the kind and shy Hinata Hyuga.

Hinata Hyuga possesses exceptional strength and superb combat skills, but her kind nature becomes her weakness. She cannot bring herself to inflict serious damage on fellow Konoha ninja; even when given the opportunity to severely injure an opponent, she hesitates at crucial moments, sometimes even halting her attack just as it is about to strike. This hesitation not only causes her to miss many opportunities to attack but also exposes numerous weaknesses to her opponents.

Yamanaka Fu fully exploited Hinata's weakness, launching a relentless and fierce offensive that forced her into a defensive posture. His attacks grew increasingly ferocious, each strike aimed at Hinata's vital points, attempting to break through her defenses. Although Hinata fought valiantly, she gradually found herself overwhelmed by Yamanaka Fu's relentless onslaught.

The Jonin present were no fools; they could immediately see that these Root ninjas were clearly after Hinata Hyuga. However, they didn't act rashly, instead turning their gazes to Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, awaiting his decision. Hiruzen Sarutobi, at this moment, was also deeply conflicted. Initially, he was quite satisfied with Shimura Danzo sending Root's elite to the assessment. After all, Root ninjas were always selected from Konoha's most talented individuals and had undergone the most rigorous training. Their participation was seen as helping Konoha restore its reputation. However, Hiruzen Sarutobi never expected that Shimura Danzo's target was Hinata Hyuga! This filled him with doubt and worry.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was already dissatisfied with the Hyuga clan's current attitude towards Konoha. He felt the Hyuga clan was too powerful in the village and unwilling to submit to him. He hoped to put pressure on the Hyuga clan through this incident, making them realize Konoha's strength and determination. At the same time, he believed that Shimura Danzo must have been absolutely certain of success to dare to act so recklessly. Therefore, he decided to observe the situation first and not take any action. He believed that even if Hinata Hyuga were to be harmed in front of everyone, Hyuga Kanan wouldn't be able to blame him. After all, accidents during the Chunin Exams were quite normal.

"Bang!" Hinata Hyuga was violently sent flying by Yamanaka Kaze, crashing into the wall. In that instant, Hinata could have severely injured her opponent, but she stopped attacking at the last moment. Her opponent seized this opening, stabbing her kunai into a vital spot while simultaneously kicking her away with a whip kick.

Already burning with rage, Hyuga Neji could no longer contain himself and instantly appeared on the field. He first checked Hinata's injuries and, finding her severely wounded and even in danger of death, unleashed his full power. In a flash, he appeared before Yamanaka Fu, his sword aimed at Fu's throat.

In that instant, several Jonin from Konoha suddenly appeared beside Hyuga Neji. Kakashi Hatake swiftly grabbed Neji's arm, attempting to change his attack direction. Simultaneously, another Jonin forcefully pulled Yamanaka Fu aside to prevent him from being injured. Several other Jonin stood in front of Neji, trying to stop his continued attack. However, to everyone's astonishment, Neji's strength exceeded all expectations. He easily threw Kakashi aside, causing him to lose his balance and be thrown away. At the same time, the Jonin who tried to stop him were also severely injured, blasted away by the powerful force emanating from his sword-like fingers. Just as Neji was about to launch another attack, Kanan Hyuga suddenly appeared beside him. He gently placed his palm on Neji's shoulder; this action seemed to possess a special power, causing Neji to stop his attack.

After glancing at Hiruzen Sarutobi, he pulled Neji Hyuga to Hinata Hyuga's side. Hyuga Kanan then gently placed his palm on Hinata's chest, and a surge of vibrant life energy began to flow into her body. This energy, like a gentle spring breeze, was warm and soothing, quickly nourishing Hinata's injured body.

As time passed, Hinata Hyuga's originally pale face gradually regained its color, and her wounds healed at a visible speed. Soon, Hinata Hyuga's injuries were completely healed, as if she had never been injured at all.

Seeing this, Hyuga Kanan nodded in satisfaction, then gestured for Hyuga Neji to help the man up, and together they returned to the stands. At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart was filled with immense panic and unease. The look Hyuga Kanan had given him just now was as if he were looking at a dying man, sending chills down his spine.

He understood perfectly well that he had truly enraged Hyuga Kanan this time, and the latter was no longer paying attention to his attempts to shirk responsibility. Moreover, the fact that the Konoha Jonin had intervened to stop Hyuga Neji was probably the real reason why Hyuga Kanan had revealed that murderous glint in his eyes.

The expressions on the faces of the people around them were varied and different. Some were worried about Hinata Hyuga's injuries, some were worried about the situation in Konoha, some were confused and helpless, and some had profound meaning.

Kakashi Hatake was filled with conflicting emotions and confusion. Just moments before, he had caught the cold indifference and disdain in Kanan Hyuga's gaze as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. That look made Kakashi realize that Hiruzen, the Hokage, might be facing immense trouble. That look, treating people as if they were already dead, conveyed unsettling messages, foreshadowing the impending chaos in Konoha.

In reality, Kakashi Hatake simply couldn't comprehend Hiruzen Sarutobi's thinking as Hokage. He actually attempted to arrange for the assassination of the Hyuga clan's heir right in front of Kanan Hyuga. Wasn't he blatantly treating all the Jonin present as fools? Everyone could clearly see that in this preliminary battle, the opponent was clearly aiming to kill Hinata Hyuga, and had cleverly exploited Hinata's kindness and tolerance towards her Konoha comrades.

Kakashi Hatake couldn't help but wonder, "What on earth is Hiruzen Sarutobi thinking?" Such foolish behavior was truly baffling.

Orochimaru, watching from afar, wore a playful expression. He understood Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions perfectly. He knew Hiruzen was planning to use public opinion to his advantage again. Even if Hinata died in the trial, the Hyuga clan would still face public pressure in Konoha and would have no choice but to endure it. This tactic had driven Sakumo Hatake to his death, forced Tsunade to leave, and even led to his own demise, ultimately causing the Uchiha clan's downfall due to public opinion. Now, he wanted to make the Hyuga clan the next target. However, Hiruzen and his group forgot that Kanan Hyuga wouldn't care about Konoha's public opinion. If Hiruzen wanted to, he could destroy Konoha at any time.

Over the years, they had become accustomed to believing that as long as they controlled the narrative in Konoha, they could constantly force those who genuinely loved the village to back down. They always arrogantly thought they could control everything and toy with other people's lives at will. But Hyuga Kanan was not someone they could control. He only made concessions time and time again because he found it troublesome, and that was only when it was within his bottom line. But what just happened clearly crossed Hyuga Kanan's bottom line.

Orochimaru understood the meaning behind Hyuga Kanan's earlier glance. Kanan was giving him face, allowing him to successfully complete his plan. Otherwise, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others would all have died here, and Konoha Village might very well have been destroyed.

Orochimaru's eyes grew increasingly cold. He had completely seen through his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi. The latter had never considered the future of Konoha, caring only about a little bit of power. If Konoha continued to be in their hands, its destruction was only a matter of time.