Chapter 253: Unnecessary Emotions Taking Root
After the results was officially announced, Lee's body, which had been barely holding on, finally gave out. As his willpower relaxed, he collapsed limply to the ground.
Might Guy, no longer able to contain himself, immediately rushed into the arena, clutching his exhausted student tightly in his embrace and sobbing loudly, scalding tears falling onto his disciple's bodysuit.
"Lee—! Did you see it! Everyone witnessed your youth—!"
Though many present understood these were tears of joy and pride, Guy's excessively passionate way of expressing emotion through waterfall tears still left quite a few spectators feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
Respectful... but uncomprehending.
It wasn't until the medical team arrived that they managed with difficulty to pull away the emotional Guy. They carefully loaded both the unconscious Lee and the equally injured, immobile Neji onto stretchers, sending them to the treatment room.
The discussion in the spectator stands took a long time to settle. Almost everyone was shocked by that confrontation—relying solely on taijutsu could produce such earth-shattering power?
It seemed Lee's promotion to chunin was already a foregone conclusion... though the strength both Lee and Neji displayed had far exceeded ordinary chunin level, reaching even jonin level.
The normally cold Satsuki now showed a grave expression on her face. She never expected that Lee, from that "youth master-student pair" she'd found distasteful, had hidden such terrifying strength.
With her three-tomoe Sharingan, though she could see Lee's movement trajectory after opening five gates, her heart had to admit that her own physical speed might not fully keep up with that kind of explosion.
Of course, in Satsuki's heart, the strongest was always Naruto. Though Lee's performance was impressive enough, thinking back to that day in the Forest of Death when Naruto fought that mysterious ninja standing atop the giant snake... Lee's power ultimately fell far too short.
After the brief amazement and discussion, the entire audience's enthusiasm quickly shifted to anticipation for the next match. After all, many ninja village leaders who'd traveled from afar, even various nations' daimyo, their primary goal for this trip wasn't to appreciate a passionate taijutsu battle.
Their attention had long been locked on that rumored name—personally designated by the Third Hokage as "the strongest genin in Konoha's entire history since its founding," Uzumaki Naruto.
Of course, perhaps because the highly anticipated Uchiha descendant unexpectedly failed to advance, Konoha deliberately released such exaggerated news to attract attention and sell expensive tickets? But regardless, that match was already destined to become the focus of everyone's attention.
In the contestant waiting area, Naruto watched as Neji was carried away on a medical stretcher. Even from this distance, he could clearly see the expression on Neji's face mixing unwillingness, pain, and deep regret...
"Next match contestants, Nara Shikamaru, Temari, please enter immediately."
Genma's voice rang out again. Though Temari worried about her brother Gaara's increasingly unstable state and hoped the plan would proceed smoothly, at this moment she could only collect herself.
Her form leaped lightly, landing in the arena center like a falling leaf, her massive three-star fan slamming down beside her with a "bang," full of momentum.
On the other side, Shikamaru looked at the sharp-eyed Sand kunoichi in the arena who was clearly not to be trifled with, and felt his scalp tingle. His trouble-avoiding nature made him almost want to immediately retreat.
Really don't want to fight... damn it... it's just the first Chunin Exam, why do I have to go this far? Might as well just forfeit...
Thinking of Asuma sitting with Kurenai in the spectator stands, surely his teacher wouldn't directly throw him down this time, right? So he slowly raised his hand, preparing to signal forfeit to the proctor.
"Do your best, Shikamaru—ninja can't flee from battle."
Suddenly, an irresistible force came from behind him! Shikamaru looked back in surprise. In the final moment of losing balance and falling into the arena, what met his eyes was Uzumaki Naruto's face with its harmless smile.
Though the Shikamaru who'd fallen into the arena now wore an expression of "betrayed by a close friend," doubting life itself, in Naruto's view, this match not only bought time but could also facilitate a good romance in the future... why not do such a favor when the opportunity arose?
No longer paying attention to the arena situation, Naruto turned around, seemingly preparing to leave the rest area.
"Naruto, where are you going?" The silent Aburame Shino reminded him. "My opponent still hasn't arrived. Your turn might come very soon."
Facing Shino's concern, Naruto only responded with a reassuring expression, his tone relaxed.
"Won't take long—just going to the restroom."
With that, he directly left the waiting room. However, the moment he turned around, the silent Gaara's gaze locked tightly onto Naruto's departing back... the surging killing desire within him suddenly intensified!
Those strange, disturbing emotions produced because of Naruto writhed like insects in his heart. He obsessively believed that as long as he killed this blonde youth, these emotions that shouldn't exist would completely disappear, and he could return to being that complete self...
'Mother... wait just a bit longer...' He chanted internally, forcibly suppressing the savage expression almost surfacing on his face. 'Soon... I'll be able to silence him...'
Though he struggled to restrain himself, the uncontrolled, bone-chilling killing intent he released still made the perceptive Aburame Shino beside him instantly on high alert, his brows beneath the sunglasses furrowing tightly.
---
In the medical room, green chakra light slowly dissipated. After confirming that Neji's broken ribs and organ shocks had basically healed, the medical ninja instructed him to rest quietly for a while before leaving the room.
However, Neji slowly sat up in the hospital bed, the turmoil in his heart far more intense than his physical wounds. He looked down at his bandage-wrapped hands, his eyes filled with confusion and self-doubt.
'With sufficient power, you can change predetermined fate...' This had been the life creed supporting him through darkness, constantly growing stronger. For this, he'd devoted far more effort than ordinary people, tempering himself day and night, firmly believing that with this power, someday he could break free from so-called 'destiny.'
But today, his life creed was practiced and proven in the most direct, shocking way by another person—that Lee, whom he'd always regarded as the 'dropout,' relying on life-burning struggle, had truly, fairly defeated himself, praised as a genius!
Lee changed his 'fate,' breaking the curse that 'genius must win'... so what exactly had he been doing all these years?! Neji harshly questioned himself internally, unconsciously biting down hard on his lower lip, trying to use sharp pain to suppress the turbulent upheaval in his heart.
Desperate effort risking one's life... could really achieve this level... Does someone like me really deserve... to pursue that person's footsteps?
Intense self-loathing kept growing within. Just as Neji's tightly bitten lip was about to seep blood—
"Yo, long time no see, Neji. These years, you've grown quite a bit."
The medical room door was silently pushed open. Neji instinctively looked up. The moment he clearly saw who it was, he froze in place like struck by lightning, his mind completely blank!
That figure that had appeared countless times in his dreams, so familiar, stood in the doorway. That signature fox mask, and the steady voice coming from beneath it.
Menma pushed the door and entered, speaking to the completely stunned Neji.
****
80+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces