Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 269 Joint Chunin Exam 11

Neji Hyuga's sudden attack surprised many present. In that instant, he had defeated more than four Jonin-level Konoha ninjas with astonishing speed and power. If Kanan Hyuga hadn't intervened in time, the battle would likely have resulted in serious casualties.

Hyuga Kanan lost all interest in the match and left the preliminary round arena without hesitation, taking Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Hinata with her. Her actions completely ignored the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, as if she cared nothing for his presence.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't offer any comment, simply watching them leave in silence. Even though Neji Hyuga had injured several Konoha ninjas earlier, he hadn't said anything. He clearly sensed that if he dared to utter a single word, Kanan Hyuga would attack without hesitation. As for why he hadn't attacked earlier, and instead stopped Neji Hyuga, Hiruzen didn't actually understand the reason. But he knew it wasn't because they cared about their safety.

The Sand Village's Jonin leader's lips curled into a sinister smile. When he saw Hyuga Kanan appear in Konoha, he had already secretly planned to immediately order the village to halt further operations and begin investigating Orochimaru, his partner. This entire operation was orchestrated by Orochimaru, but with a powerful figure like Hyuga Kanan within Konoha, the plan had become a colossal joke. However, after witnessing the relationship between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Hyuga Kanan, he felt this might be a golden opportunity. He had previously worried that Hyuga Kanan would mercilessly slaughter Hiruzen and his men, completely altering the current situation in Konoha. If that happened, Hyuga Kanan could very well ascend to the Hokage position, forcing the operation to be canceled. After all, Hyuga Kanan had single-handedly annihilated over eight thousand elite troops from Kumogakure, a testament to his astonishing strength. Even if the Sand Village and the Sound Village joined forces, they would probably find it difficult to withstand the suppression of Hyuga Kanan alone.

However, Hyuga Kanan's behavior was very strange and unpredictable. His eyes clearly showed he genuinely wanted to eliminate Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, but for some reason, he ultimately abandoned the idea. This aroused suspicion in the Sand Shinobi, who began to wonder if Hyuga Kanan was hiding some secret or conspiracy. Did he have other motives? Or was he simply waiting for a better opportunity? These questions swirled in the Sand Shinobi's mind, making him uneasy and confused. However, the Sand Shinobi did not give up easily. He knew that Hyuga Kanan's existence could have a significant impact on their plans, and without understanding his true intentions, their subsequent actions would be fraught with uncertainty. Therefore, the Sand Shinobi decided to contact Orochimaru and ask him to gather more information about Hyuga Kanan. Only through in-depth investigation could they reveal his true motives and goals. This way, they could adjust their strategy according to the actual situation and ensure the smooth progress of their plan.

The once bustling competition venue now appeared somewhat deserted. The Jonin leading their teams were all distracted, each lost in their own thoughts. The other participants, however, were deeply shocked by Hyuga Neji's performance. Several Jonin had tried to stop him, only to be easily defeated. Had it not been for Hyuga Kanan's intervention, the scene would likely have been a bloodbath. Keep in mind that Hyuga Neji was roughly the same age as these participants, yet his displayed strength far surpassed theirs, leaving them deeply disheartened.

Gaara's expression twisted into a ferocious grimace. The instant Hyuga Neji attacked, he felt an intense pressure and a sense of urgency. He knew perfectly well that the man before him was far more powerful than he appeared, and defeating such an opponent would greatly prove his worth. Meanwhile, Uchiha Sasuke, standing nearby, revealed a fanatical expression. Just as Kakashi-sensei had said, Hyuga Neji indeed possessed extraordinary strength, even surpassing that of ordinary Jonin. Neji's ability to reach that level was due to the tutelage of Hyuga Kanan. Sasuke was incredibly confident in his own talent, believing that if he could one day receive guidance from Kanan, his strength would advance by leaps and bounds, rapidly reaching a point where he could defeat that man. Thinking of this, Uchiha Sasuke was filled with anticipation and longing.

Even the usually energetic Naruto Uzumaki looked utterly devastated. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape, as if he could swallow an egg. His gaze was filled with disbelief and despair, as if he were witnessing the end of the world. The power Neji Hyuga had displayed was simply too overwhelming; it was a superhuman strength that instilled despair.

Naruto once thought his efforts and growth were enough to catch up with those so-called "geniuses," but now he realizes how vast the gap is. He begins to doubt whether he can truly become an excellent ninja and whether he can achieve his dream. At this moment, he feels incredibly frustrated and helpless, even somewhat resigned to his fate.

Kakashi Hatake didn't know how to comfort Naruto Uzumaki. He had always been the envy of others since childhood, so he didn't know how to comfort him. But he soon realized he was overthinking things.

Naruto Uzumaki, who had been feeling incredibly frustrated and helpless, suddenly regained his energy, smiled, and loudly declared, "I will definitely defeat Neji Hyuga and make him acknowledge my existence."

Rock Lee's expression, however, was extremely serious and focused, his heart filled with doubt and self-doubt. He had always firmly believed that as long as he trained relentlessly, he would one day catch up with those so-called geniuses. Yet, facing a formidable opponent like Hyuga Neji, he couldn't help but question his own abilities. Was his years of effort truly inadequate compared to these geniuses?

At this moment, Locke Lee felt lost and even began to doubt whether his beliefs were correct. He had originally thought that as long as he worked hard enough, he could surpass others, but now it seemed that it was not so simple.

Seeing the change in Locke Lee's expression, McKay knew he had suffered a heavy blow. Knowing the young ninja's vulnerability, he walked over and gently patted his shoulder, saying, "Lee, don't be discouraged. This is just the beginning. We have a long way to go and many opportunities to improve ourselves. You should be happy. You now have a clear goal. You just need to continue to train very hard towards your goal, and one day you'll catch up with him."

Locke Lee raised his head, his eyes shining with determination. He took a deep breath, composed himself, and rallied. He decided to stop letting others' opinions influence his beliefs and instead continue to relentlessly pursue his dreams.

Mike encouraged him, "Lee, I believe you can do it! As long as you maintain this passion and determination, you will definitely become an excellent ninja. Remember, don't give up easily, and believe in your own strength."

Locke Lee nodded vigorously, indicating that he would definitely work even harder to live up to Mike Kay's expectations. He turned his gaze into the distance again, his eyes filled with fighting spirit and determination. From today onwards, he would train even harder, continuously improve his strength, and prove his worth with practical actions.

Although Neji Hyuga's outstanding performance affected the mindset of everyone present in the preliminaries, the assessment still had to continue.

However, fate dealt Rock Lee a formidable opponent—Gaara, the strongest examiner from Sunagakure. Gaara was not only a top performer in the exam but also possessed unparalleled strength. Worse still, Gaara's forte was defense, which undoubtedly plunged Rock Lee into an unprecedented predicament.

The most spectacular battle occurred during the epic duel between Rock Lee and Gaara. Rock Lee's fighting style was unique; he used only taijutsu, yet displayed the strength of a Jonin. His "Eight Gates Technique" was even more astonishing, with both speed and power making the ninjas present realize for the first time that taijutsu could be trained to such an amazing level.

In this fierce battle, Rock Lee, with his agility and immense strength, constantly posed a threat to Gaara. Gaara, relying on his absolute sand defense, repeatedly withstood Rock Lee's attacks. However, as time passed, Rock Lee gradually opened more gates, unleashing even greater power. By the time he opened the fourth gate, his speed was lightning fast, and every punch carried tremendous force. Gaara's absolute defense began to crack, and the situation became increasingly unfavorable for him.

Finally, Rock Lee opened the Fifth Gate—the Gate of View—his body surrounded by blue steam, signifying that he had surpassed the limits of an ordinary ninja. At this moment, Rock Lee possessed the power to defeat Gaara, but his body was also under immense strain. In the final moment, Rock Lee unleashed his strongest technique—the Reverse Lotus—slamming Gaara to the ground. Just when everyone thought the match was over, Gaara suddenly crawled out of the sand, revealing his true, terrifying strength.

Gaara manipulated the sand, creating a massive sandstorm that trapped Rock Lee inside. Despite Rock Lee's desperate struggles, he was ultimately unable to escape. Gaara's sand tightly bound Rock Lee's hands and feet, causing him immense pain. However, Rock Lee did not give up; he used all his strength to try and break free of this predicament.

Ultimately, Rock Lee failed to break through the sandstorm, but his body was severely damaged from overusing the Eight Gates Technique, and the bones in his hands and feet were shattered by the sand. He collapsed to the ground, unable to continue fighting. Gaara, too, was exhausted from excessive chakra consumption. The referee announced the result: Gaara won.