Everyone avoided him, sneering as they cast sharp looks, their faces full of disdain.
Even the Konoha students who hadn't drawn lots yet were secretly praying: please, don't let me be in the same team as Hyuga Shigeo.
At that moment, the staff began announcing the teams for the first round.
"Group One: Sunagakure's Temari, Amegakure's Kazekai, Kirigakure's Kumo. Group Two: Iwagakure's Deidara, Kusagakure's Furi… Group Three: Konohagakure's Hyuga Shigeo, Takigakure's Fū, Kumogakure's Nii Yugito…"
When Shigeo's name rang out, Nara Shikaku immediately noticed the look of hatred from the Iwagakure shinobi. If it weren't for the crowded scene, they would have already tried to tear him apart.
So the rumors weren't false after all. Shikaku wondered—what method could a child have possibly used to nearly destroy Iwagakure in a single night, forcing them to withdraw from the Third Great War?
While Shikaku was puzzling over this, a man from Kirigakure with one eye hidden under a strip of black cloth walked forward.
He stopped in front of Shigeo, staring down at him. "It's you. It's you, isn't it?"
At those words, the Konoha students fell silent. Everyone turned to watch the tall man facing the smaller boy.
Shigeo lifted his head, feigning ignorance. "What?"
"It's you…"
Ao glanced around. There were things he couldn't say aloud in public, but he could hint:
"That night, someone threw a stone at my window, drawing me outside. Later, on the glass, eight characters appeared. Thanks to that, we avoided disaster. It was your doing that saved Kirigakure."
At this revelation, not only the Konoha students but even Kakashi, Maito Gai, and Shikaku looked stunned. Their eyes all turned toward Shigeo.
They all knew the boy had been away from Konoha for a year. Could it be… he'd gone to Kirigakure? And more than that, he'd helped them with something critical. But what exactly?
Shigeo shook his head coolly. "No. You've got the wrong person."
Ao gave a small nod. "I understand. I won't press. But I know the truth: you helped us. Whatever your reasons, I'll remember the debt. Thank you."
Then, in front of everyone, Ao bowed to Hyuga Shigeo.
Gai nudged Kakashi. "That's Ao of Kirigakure's intelligence corps. He actually bowed to Shigeo!"
Kakashi stayed silent, but behind them, the other students were dumbstruck. Even those who had mocked Shigeo earlier were unsettled—if someone like that one-eyed Kirigakure shinobi bowed to him, who exactly was Shigeo?
Ao straightened up, gave Shigeo a smile, then turned back to his own village's group.
Shigeo himself stood calm and expressionless, as if accepting such a bow was no big deal.
Meanwhile, the staff continued reading the lists until all **51 contestants—seventeen teams in total—**were announced.
"Now you have fifteen minutes for free interaction. Please gather with your teammates so you can introduce yourselves to the audience tomorrow."
Everyone moved quickly to find their groups.
"Hello, I'm Fū from Takigakure. Nice to meet you both."
A petite girl bounded over with a cheerful smile. She had bright green hair, vivid orange eyes, and wore a short skirt—her presence lively and full of energy.
"I am Nii Yugito," the Kumogakure kunoichi said calmly.
Shigeo gave a polite nod. "Hyuga Shigeo. Glad to meet you."
Fū tilted her head, studying him closely. "Are you blind? Do you need me to look after you tomorrow?"
"I can't see with my eyes," Shigeo explained, "but I can sense everything around me. I'll manage."
"Ohh, I see. Don't worry then! But if anything happens, I'm strong—I'll protect you!" Fū grinned and patted his shoulder, already treating him as the weak one in the group.
Yugito, meanwhile, stood quietly, her sharp eyes scanning the other teams and making mental notes of their potential.
After the allotted time, everyone returned to their village groups, and the session was adjourned. The teams filed out of the massive arena and back to their inns.
Out in the streets, the city of Bujo was more lively than ever.
In just half a day, newspapers had already spread across the city, each issue listing all 51 contestants with basic data: names, villages, heights. Reporters had little else to go on, but even so, every face was printed for the public.
Soon after, tabloids appeared too, detailing the group assignments from that afternoon.
On the street, bystanders whispered excitedly:
"He looks strong, from Kirigakure, tall and solid. He'll probably win. Which group is he in?"
"Sixteen. But his teammates don't look that great," someone replied.
"You don't understand! Strength isn't everything. Ninja battles need strategy. We can't breathe fire or reshape terrain—but they can. Don't just judge by looks."
Another leaned in, pointing at the list. "Alright then—who's strongest, who's weakest? Who'll win tomorrow?"
The first man scanned the names. "That fifth group looks solid—they've got a member of the Uchiha. But the weakest? This one. Look, the kid's eyes are closed. Is he blind?"
"Right! I heard Konoha sent a blind kid. Must be this one. That team's doomed—one blind boy, two girls? Definitely losers."
Unbeknownst to them, Hyuga Shigeo stood right behind. He tapped one of the men on the shoulder.
"Don't poke me, we're analyzing here," the man muttered irritably.
Shigeo's voice came calm but sharp: "Uncle, analyze if you want—but don't keep saying 'blind.' You don't know: we blind ones see what others can't. We sense details from voices, from the tiniest cues. So… please show me some respect."
(End of Chapter)
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