"That means before the third stage, there's going to be a preliminary round." Hayate Gekkō's tired eyes swept across the gathered candidates as he spoke slowly.
The genin below froze in confusion. They had already made it through the second stage wasn't the next step supposed to be the third exam? Why was there suddenly a preliminary?
Even those who had taken the Chunin Exams more than once were bewildered. This wasn't something they had ever heard of.
Shikamaru immediately raised his voice, frustration written across his face. "What do you mean by preliminaries?"
He had already planned to show up for the third stage, throw in the towel, and be done with it. Now, he was being told he had to fight another round? That was the exact opposite of his plan to avoid trouble.
Asuma's promise of a barbeque feast suddenly didn't seem like much of a reward anymore.
Sakura frowned and spoke up, her tone uneasy. "I don't understand, sensei. Why can't everyone who passed the second test just move straight on to the third stage? Why is there a need for a preliminary round?"
Hayate's expression didn't change. His voice was flat, but his cough punctuated almost every sentence. "Because this time, both the first and second tests were apparently too easy. Too many of you passed. According to the rules of the Chunin Exams, we need to reduce the number of participants before the main matches."
He coughed again, covering his mouth with one hand. "Besides, the feudal lords and nobles who come to watch don't have the patience to sit through so many matches."
Sakura bit her lip, discouraged. She had already pushed herself to the limit just to get this far. Now, they were saying there were too many candidates, so some had to be eliminated? She doubted she could stand out against so many stronger opponents.
She wanted to flip a table in frustration.
Hayate continued in his weary tone. "Anyone who feels unwell or doesn't wish to continue may withdraw now. Withdrawing won't affect your teammates. Cough… cough… So, who wants to quit?"
Kiba spat to the side. "We came this far, who's gonna give up now? No way I'm backing out."
But then, a calm voice cut through the air. "Sorry. I quit."
Everyone turned to look. A silver-haired young man slowly raised his hand.
"Sempai Kabuto?" Sakura gasped in surprise.
It was none other than the upperclassman who had helped quiet the room during the first test.
Sasuke only spared him a glance before dismissing him entirely. Someone who had taken the exams seven times and still never passed wasn't worth his attention.
Naruto stifled a yawn. This was getting boring. He'd rather be training than wasting time here.
"Very well, Kabuto Yakushi, you may leave." Hayate checked the roster and gave a nod.
Kabuto bowed slightly and walked out without another word.
The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes as he watched him go. "Strange… I've seen him quit like this several times, always right before the final stage. What exactly is that boy up to?"
Ibiki Morino, the examiner from the first test, stiffened. As a man who specialized in interrogation, he was sensitive to these kinds of irregularities. He turned toward Anko, who was already flipping through her files.
"According to the records," Anko said after scanning the page, "Kabuto has failed six consecutive exams. Nothing unusual stands out in his background… except for one thing. He was originally found on the battlefield, a survivor from the enemy's side."
Ibiki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "An enemy survivor brought back to the village… He could be a spy. Hokage-sama, allow me to investigate."
The Third Hokage gave a short nod, his expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, back among the genin, Shikamaru let out a long groan. "This is so troublesome."
Beside him, Choji clutched his stomach. "And I haven't even had lunch yet. All I ate were Naruto's chips earlier. High in calories, sure, but not filling at all."
Hayate's coughing fit dragged on for several seconds before he spoke again. "If no one else is withdrawing, then we'll begin. The preliminaries will be one-on-one battles. With twenty participants, ten winners will advance to the third stage."
He glanced around the room, his pale face tight with effort. "There are no restrictions on how you fight. A match continues until one side is dead or surrenders. If you don't want to die, you'd better admit defeat before it's too late. Cough, cough…"
Some of the candidates shifted uncomfortably at the blunt declaration.
Hayate raised his hand again. "However, if I determine the outcome is already clear, I'll intervene to stop the match. I won't allow unnecessary deaths."
With a wave of his arm, an electronic board lit up at the far end of the hall. The names of all the candidates spun rapidly across the screen before stopping on the first two.
Sasuke's lips curved into a slight smirk. So he'd be the opening act.
"The first match," Hayate announced, "Sasuke Uchiha versus Yoroi Akado. Any objections?"
"None!" both contestants answered.
"Then let the match begin." Hayate stepped aside, giving them space.
Sasuke tilted his head and cracked his neck, his dark eyes calm but sharp. "Since you're a fellow Leaf ninja, I'll leave you alive."
Yoroi's expression twisted in anger. "Arrogant brat! You'll regret those words. Die!" He lunged forward, both hands reaching for Sasuke as if to drain him dry.
But Sasuke's smirk only deepened. "Pathetic."
In a blink, he was gone.
Yoroi froze, his hands clawing at empty air. He spun around wildly, unable to sense where his opponent had gone.
"I'm behind you." Sasuke's voice was cold and certain, echoing at Yoroi's back.
Before Yoroi could even turn, a crushing blow slammed into him. Pain exploded through his body as he was launched into the air.
"How… how can this be?" Yoroi's mind reeled. "Why would Lord Orochimaru send me against someone this strong? Did he just want me to die?"
His dazed thoughts were cut short when Sasuke appeared directly in front of him, eyes blazing. A vicious kick slammed into his chest.
"Boom!" Yoroi hit the ground hard, blood spilling from his mouth. His body twitched, unable to rise.
"Such speed…" Kurenai narrowed her eyes. Even she hadn't caught all of Sasuke's movements just now.
But Asuma, Kakashi, and Guy remained calm. To them, Sasuke's victory was expected. He was part of Naruto's generation, and that group seemed blessed with talent beyond reason.
"The winner: Sasuke Uchiha." Hayate's weak voice carried the official announcement.
In the stands, Gaara's eyes burned with intensity as he stared at Sasuke. His hand trembled slightly, a dangerous anticipation coursing through him.
Temari frowned deeply. "This boy… He's stronger than I imagined."
Shikamaru sighed again. "What a drag. If we end up against Sasuke's team, I say we just forfeit."
Ino and Sakura, on the other hand, couldn't contain their cheers. "Yes! Sasuke passed!"
Choji groaned, rubbing his stomach. "Still hungry…"
Meanwhile, Tenten leaned on the railing, her voice thoughtful. "If the matches are like this, our chances of winning don't look good at all."
The preliminaries had only just begun, but already the tension in the hall had risen to a razor's edge.
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