"Big brother, this is for you!"
A little girl ran up and handed Shigeo a bouquet of white dragon pearl flowers.
"Thank you!" Shigeo accepted the two gifts, quickly bowing his head in gratitude.
His simple thanks, meant only to not disappoint their kindness, ended up working like a trigger. Suddenly, from shops and homes all around the street, people began pouring out in droves.
"Shigeo, I want to apologize. You didn't win by luck—you have real strength! You're the strongest, the best—you saved us all!"
"That's right, that's right! This is an embroidered backpack I made. Please accept it!"
"We were blind before. We spoke badly about you during the matches, yet you didn't hold it against us. Instead, you saved us. We really don't know what else to say… this is some jerky I made, please take it!"
"Hero Shigeo, can I take a photo with you?"
"Give me your autograph!"
The crowd surrounded him in the middle of the street, completely blocking traffic. More and more people came flooding in, voices of apology and gratitude blending into a chaotic roar.
Shigeo, trapped in the middle, could hardly hear what anyone was saying over the noise. He shouted for everyone not to block the road, but no one budged.
Finally, out of desperation, he suddenly shouted, "Look, what's that up there?" while pointing dramatically toward the sky.
Everyone's heads turned upward instinctively. In that instant, he leapt up and vaulted right over them, vanishing down the street in a blur.
In an empty alley, he exhaled, clutching his chest. "As I thought… being mobbed by fans is the scariest thing of all."
Now that he had shaken them off, he focused back on his real task. But how could he track down the tournament organizers?
The city was massive. The arena had already been destroyed, and the office of the organizers was packed with angry citizens demanding explanations. The higher-ups would never stay there.
Shigeo smirked. He couldn't walk around in his real appearance anymore—not if he wanted to avoid more chaos. Forming a seal, he transformed into a Takigakure ninja.
Back on the streets, he skirted around those still searching for him. He spotted an Iwagakure staff member and strode up.
"Excuse me, where did the leaders move to? I just came back from the hospital—the higher-ups asked me to report the situation immediately."
The man gave him a quick look, then whispered, "They're at the top floor of the ninja hotel."
He pointed toward the tallest building on the street. Shigeo looked up, then vanished with a space-shift.
He reappeared instantly inside the top-floor suite.
The officials inside nearly jumped out of their skins. When he released the Transformation Jutsu, revealing his true self, their jaws practically hit the floor.
Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage, froze with an awkward expression, his heart hammering. He hadn't expected to be caught here.
He took a few steps back, eyes flickering nervously. Did this boy—this child who held a beast's power inside—already know the whole tournament was a trap to kill him? Was he here for revenge?
Shigeo scanned the room. Present were the Takigakure village chief, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki, the Daimyō of the Land of Waterfalls, and two other men he didn't recognize—likely lords of the city or other prominent officials.
So, these were the very people behind this whole farce.
"Esteemed leaders," Shigeo said calmly, standing tall in their midst, "is the tournament over? Where's my prize money and my trophy? Hand them over."
The room fell silent for several seconds—so silent it felt like no one dared breathe—until Shigeo's words finally registered.
"P-prize money and trophy? Yes, yes, of course. Though the final was interrupted, there's no denying it—you resolved the crisis. With your strength, declaring you first place is only natural. Lord of the city, where are the rewards?"
The Daimyō tried to speak steadily, but beneath his robes his legs were trembling. This boy wasn't human—he had suppressed two full tailed beasts and even a summoned monster with a single outburst.
And that power… the chakra he released had dwarfed even complete tailed beast forms. It was terrifying.
"Y-yes, I'll fetch them immediately! Hero Shigeo, just wait a moment!"
The city lord hurried out.
Shigeo casually sat down on the sofa, staring at the officials. The room grew stiflingly quiet again.
Onoki's sallow face had turned red. Standing there, he felt suffocated, hoping desperately Shigeo wouldn't confront him directly.
Finally, the city lord returned, arms full: a certificate, a trophy, and a heavy envelope of money. He handed them to the Daimyō.
Though only a few minutes had passed, to the men in that room it felt like centuries.
The Daimyō, hands trembling, cleared his throat. "I hereby declare the winner of this Chūnin Candidate Joint Exam—Shigeo of Konoha!"
The others quickly applauded, forcing smiles. The Daimyō opened the certificate—Shigeo's name was neatly written, and the trophy bore the engraving of Konoha. Everything looked official.
Shigeo accepted the rewards with a nod. "As it should be. Thank you."
He turned to leave.
The Takigakure village chief called after him, nervous and ingratiating. "Won't you stay a while longer? Perhaps join us for dinner?"
The others chuckled along awkwardly. Only Onoki, alarmed, yanked at the village chief's sleeve, shaking his head furiously in warning.
But the man didn't catch the hint. Smiling earnestly, he repeated, "Please, why don't you stay? Tonight I'll treat you personally!"
(End of Chapter)
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