After handing Neji over to the medical team's stretcher, Naruto turned and walked away.
On the stretcher, Neji watched Naruto's back, the mask of indifference he had worn for over a decade seemingly cracking.
Just then, Hiashi slowly approached.
—
After parting with Neji, Naruto walked toward the stairs of the contestant tunnel.
Shikamaru was leaning on the railing in a lazy posture. Seeing Naruto approach, he said, "Naruto, you have shocked everyone. You even learned that person's signature Ninjutsu. What on earth have you been doing this past month?"
"I met an interesting teacher and spent a month training with him."
Naruto walked up to Shikamaru and put his hand on his shoulder.
He glanced at Gaara and his two siblings, then, having thought of something, leaned over and whispered into Shikamaru's ear, "Tell me, Shikamaru, if you were to face your future wife, would you go easy on her?"
Upon hearing this, Shikamaru jolted backward as if he had been electrocuted.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Wives and the like are the most troublesome things ever. Besides, I don't even have a girlfriend, so where would a wife come from!?"
"My next match is against that female ninja from Sunagakure who carries the big fan. What does that have to do with a wife?"
Naruto pulled his hand back from Shikamaru's shoulder, a mysterious smile on his face. "I didn't say anything."
Shino walked over from the corner of the waiting area. "Naruto, I suggest you should be more concerned about your comrade, Sasuke, right now. He hasn't even arrived yet. If he doesn't arrive within the allotted time, according to the exam rules, he will be disqualified."
Shikamaru glanced at the entrance and then looked up at the spectators, some of whom were already becoming impatient and whispering to each other.
"Naruto, everyone's attention is on Sasuke right now. You are the closest to him, aren't you worried?"
"If Sasuke gets disqualified for being late, for someone with his pride, that would be even more shameful than losing the match."
Naruto leaned against the railing, arms crossed over his chest. "Don't worry. Even if Sasuke is truly late, he won't be disqualified."
Shikamaru's brow furrowed slightly. "Naruto, what do you mean by that?"
He had vaguely guessed something, but he hadn't fully pieced it together.
Naruto didn't beat around the bush and said, "The biggest highlight of the Chunin Exams is the match between Sasuke and Gaara."
"The Daimyo, nobles, and heads of trade delegations from various countries sitting in the stands today—at least half of them came here specifically for the Uchiha name."
"The Uchiha Clan was once Konoha's strongest clan. The sole survivor is going to fight publicly in this exam. Do you know what that means?"
"It means the spectator stands for this match have been filled with countless eyes carrying political considerations and commercial interests."
"If the organizers announce now that Sasuke is disqualified, what will those powerful people who traveled all the way to Konoha just to catch a glimpse of the Uchiha survivor think?"
"They will think that Konoha cannot even manage the most basic exam schedule. The damage this would cause to Konoha's diplomatic image and commercial reputation far exceeds the dissatisfaction caused by delaying a Genin's eligibility by a few minutes."
"So don't worry. Even if Sasuke is late, his eligibility for the match will not be canceled."
"I see." Shikamaru exhaled.
Naruto's words weren't just analyzing Sasuke's situation, but also analyzing the operational logic of Konoha's entire power structure.
After not seeing him for a month, Naruto hadn't just changed in terms of strength, even his perspective on issues was different.
"What on earth did you train while you were in the mountains this past month?"
Kankuro and Temari, who were nearby, exchanged a glance. Neither of them spoke, but they both read the same message in each other's eyes.
If Sasuke were truly disqualified, their deployment in the arena would be completely disrupted.
Since Konoha was willing to break its own exam rules for the Uchiha survivor, it meant Konoha's emphasis on this match was exactly as their intelligence had indicated. This way, the original plan could still proceed.
Sure enough.
The allotted time arrived, and Sasuke did not appear.
A harsh gong sound rang out from the spectator stands, and the entire audience began to whisper and stir.
Several nobles from the Land of Fire in the front row covered their faces with fans while whispering to each other, and the trade delegation representative from the Land of Wind frowned and frequently looked toward the VIP seating area.
The Anbu at the tunnel entrance looked calmly toward Hiruzen, waiting for further instructions from their superior.
In the VIP seating area, Hiruzen turned his head toward Shiranui Genma, about to signal for him to announce Sasuke's disqualification according to the standard procedure.
The Kazekage, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up, "Hokage, Sasuke from your village is one of the most prominent examinees in this exam. A significant portion of the Daimyo and VIPs from various countries sitting here came specifically for him."
"If you announce his disqualification now, I fear it will make the guests who have traveled from afar disappointed with Konoha's arrangements."
"Why not delay his match by one group and wait for him a while? It would also be a way to provide an explanation to the guests."
Hiruzen was silent for a moment, then nodded.
He whispered a few instructions to the Anbu beside him. The Anbu quickly walked to the railing and made a gesture to Shiranui Genma in the center of the arena below. Soon, the message was conveyed to the center of the arena.