"The first match ends! Uchiha Aozora wins!"
As the referee's announcement rang out, the barrier over the arena slowly faded away.
At once, thunderous cheers erupted across the stadium, sweeping through the stands like rolling waves!
Amid the roaring celebration arose murmurs of doubt and disbelief. Fortunately, few ordinary villagers had come to watch, so their voices were quickly drowned out by the louder applause around them.
Hearing the deafening cries of excitement from all sides, Aozora formed a hand seal for reconciliation toward Mukashi, who stood dejected before him, then said, "Thank you for letting me win, dear kinsman."
"Letting you win my ass! I lost in every aspect—ninja arts, body combat, illusions—and even my thoughts were completely read by you. Where's the courtesy in that?"
Rolling his eyes, Mukashi gave a bitter smile. "First Shisui, now Aozora. You two are stealing all the glory!"
Sighing, Mukashi completed the gesture of reconciliation, then swiftly Body Flickered back to his seat.
This time, he didn't bother with any flashy movements to draw attention.
"Hmph… interesting indeed. I didn't expect such a person to exist among the Uchiha!"
Aozora rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched the retreating figure with genuine interest.
The Uchiha are born exhibitionists—it's a habit they can never kick! Most Uchiha simply do it without openly expressing their desire to show off.
Mukashi was different—he truly wanted to show off and earn applause, and he didn't try to hide his intentions at all.
In short, other Uchiha were reserved show-offs; Mukashi was bold and shameless about it!
Keeping Mukashi in mind, Aozora nodded slightly to the referee before lightly stepping forward, gliding back to his seat with calm confidence.
All the while, countless ardent gazes focused upon him, accompanied by constant, enthusiastic shrieks.
More often than not, reputation went hand-in-hand with strength and achievements—but appearance always played a role too.
When the Fourth rose rapidly in popularity, surpassing even veterans like Orochimaru, no one could ignore his deep, ocean-like eyes and charmingly handsome face.
Good-looking prodigies always had a way of capturing people's hearts.
Aozora hadn't realized just how much winning the Flying Tigers' instructor position would elevate his standing within both the clan and the village!
Feeling the cheers and stares from all directions, Shinki, who had been deeply unsettled by Aozora's display of power, could hold himself back no longer.
Why should he, fighting on the battlefield and earning merits, receive no appreciation or recognition from the clan, while Aozora gained favor merely by putting on a flashy performance?
A glint of resentment flashed through his eyes, and he coldly muttered to Aozora, "Just two pansy dancers strutting around! In real battle, you'll only end up as cannon fodder!"
Before Aozora could retort, many people around them shot hostile glares at Shinki.
Shisui shot Shinki a death glare over his shoulder.
If they weren't from the same clan, Shisui would've already made him taste his enhanced Mangekyou-infused Kakei Jō.
Shinki felt a chill crawl down his spine but still stubbornly muttered, "What? Did I say something wrong?"
As Shisui opened his mouth to respond, Aozora held him back gently, saying, "Shinki-san is just complimenting how stylish my fighting looked!"
"This trash talk won't mean a thing if you can't back it up on the battlefield."
Seeing Shinki's arrogant demeanor, it was clear he wouldn't be taken down easily.
Meanwhile, new names lit up the big screen as more matches began.
In the third match, Aozora finally saw Shinki in action.
Facing a clan member at the special jonin level who specialized in Fire Release, Shinki demonstrated overwhelming strength—or rather, decisively superior judgment.
Time and again, he chose the most appropriate and direct methods. That skill was honed through real combat experience.
Under his ruthless offensive, his clearly hesitant opponent was forced into continuous retreat until Shinki kicked him straight into the barrier, sealing his defeat.
After defeating his opponent, Shinki swaggered back to his seat.
As he passed Aozora's seat, he intentionally paused, coldly stating, "Do you really think wearing a forehead protector and knowing some jutsu makes you a real ninja? A true ninja is someone constantly teetering between life and death. Without experiencing the trials of battle, you're ultimately just helpless rookies."
Upon hearing these words, Aozora silently shook his head.
It's admirable to fight for one's clan and village, but does that give someone the right to look down on those who haven't fought on the battlefield?
Next, several opponents at the jonin level appeared, among them Junping, Hidemi, and Ryoichi caught Aozora's attention.
Junping amazed everyone with his basic yet impressive Manipulated Shuriken Technique, suppressing his opponent so thoroughly that they couldn't even counter before being defeated.
Hidemi unleashed a sword slash combining wind and fire, blending ninjutsu with swordsmanship. His powerful combination of physical and elemental techniques overwhelmed his opponent instantly.
Ryoichi's opponent was another experienced jonin-ranked ninja, yet against Ryoichi he repeatedly exposed openings. After several missteps, he could no longer resist and conceded defeat. Based on Aozora's estimation, Ryoichi must have possessed exceptional skill in genjutsu.
Besides their fights, the other matches were equally spectacular.
Even those who hadn't reached jonin status bravely stepped forward to join the Flying Tigers' instructor selection. Though they weren't top-tier, each contestant had specialized expertise in ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu, and held at least elite chunin or special jonin-level skills.
The audience marveled at close-range fistfights, dazzling ninja tool throws, explosive Fire Release duels, and mind-bending genjutsu showdowns.
In a corner of the stands, the three major Inuzuka clan jonin—Inuzuka Wolf, Inuzuka Tsume, and Inuzuka Yū—closely observed two Uchiha engaged in battle on the arena floor.
Watching their proficient use of ninjutsu and genjutsu, Inuzuka Tsume couldn't help but swallow nervously, remarking, "Are the Uchiha really this strong? It's only a contest for an instructor position, yet six or seven jonin have already appeared. The entry standard alone seems to be elite chunin."
Inuzuka Wolf solemnly nodded. Considering that the sixteen candidates alone surpassed the Inuzuka clan's entire high-level combat strength, he felt the heavy pressure of leading his clan.
Reflecting on Konoha's current situation, Inuzuka Wolf asked, "I heard the Police Force patrol officer recruitment hasn't concluded yet?"
Inuzuka Tsume nodded and replied, "Since the Police Force requires more personnel, they've extended the registration period accordingly, although it will close next week."
Nodding slightly, Inuzuka Wolf gave instructions to the two beside him, "Recruit some young ninja from our clan to officially register. When it comes to tracking and investigation, our Inuzuka clan definitely has an advantage over other clans. By the way..."
Suddenly, as if recalling something, Inuzuka Wolf turned toward Inuzuka Yū and asked, "Yū, I remember your daughter Aya is teammates with Uchiha Aozora, who won the first round?"
Upon hearing this, Inuzuka Yū's expression darkened, but he softly replied, "Ye...yes! However, they stopped contacting each other after the Chunin Exams!"
Inuzuka Wolf said in surprise, "How can that be? How could bonds formed during the Genin team period just be cast aside? Let Aya try applying for the Police Force too!"
Hearing this, Inuzuka Yū remained silent.
After the Uchiha staged a public protest, he had received a direct warning from the Anbu, instructing his daughter to distance herself and isolate Uchiha Aozora.
It appeared not so awkward only because of the sudden commencement of the Chunin Exams.
What he hadn't expected was how drastically the situation would change within just a few months.
Ever since Danzō defected from the village and the elder council underwent a major reshuffle, the Uchiha clan, once universally condemned, had instead become the most powerful faction in Konoha today.
And back then, the Genin Uchiha Aozora had now become an emerging star of the Uchiha, whose strength had grown not inferior to Inuzuka Yū's own, and even made him Assistant to the Chief of the Police Force.
Still lost in thought, Inuzuka Wolf asked, "Yū, are we clear on that?"
Snapping back to reality, Inuzuka Yū nodded repeatedly.
The scene taking place on the stands with the Inuzuka clan wasn't particularly unusual; similar situations were simultaneously happening among many smaller and mid-level clans.
In the ever-shifting, cutthroat world of shinobi, following the strong will always remain the best survival strategy for the weak.
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