Chapter 146: In the Ninja World, Hard Work Really Can't Compare to Background
Morning sunlight spilled onto the streets of Konoha. Haruko yawned and pushed open the door.
Today was the finals of the Chunin Exams. Logically, he should be nervous, but he really couldn't muster any energy—at least the qualifiers had Kabuto, a Jonin, but the finals were just pure child's play.
"My dear, are you still not awake?" Kaede chuckled, reaching out to help Haruko smooth his messy hair. "If you fall asleep in the arena, the whole village will see it."
"This is called... being relaxed."
Haruko looked back; Tayuya and Kin were both looking excited.
"Heh, let's go."
Pushing open the courtyard gate, a familiar figure was waiting at the entrance.
"Natsu? Why are you here?" Kaede leaned in front of her, narrowing her eyes. "Don't tell me... you're here to cheer us on?"
Hyuga Natsu bowed politely first, then took out a letter with a faint fragrance from her bosom and handed it to Haruko, her cheeks slightly red: "Lady Hinata couldn't come to watch the match today, so she specifically asked me to deliver this."
"Also..." Natsu hesitated, lowering her voice to add, "I also wish 'Lord Haruko " a great victory. It's a pity I can't go to watch the match..."
"Thank you, I'll take it." Haruko took the letter and tucked it into his pocket.
'I'll read it later..."
Kaede smiled and raised an eyebrow at Natsu: "Natsu, are you really here to flirt with my Haruko?"
"Kaede!" Hyuga Natsu's face turned even redder, "I was just... just acting on behalf of Lady Hinata..."
"Alright, alright, stop teasing her." Haruko pulled Kaede back, "Let's go, we'll be late if we don't leave now."
...
The arena was bustling with noise, the clamor almost lifting the roof.
"So many people." Inuzuka Hana muttered quietly, "I'm a bit nervous."
"Relax." Uchiha Izumi patted her shoulder, "We have already done sufficient training; now is the time to show the results."
As she spoke, she glanced at Haruko—the greatest opponent she had to face.
Haruko didn't care at all, just closed his eyes, using his Byakugan to scan the audience listlessly.
Dense crowds of heads; it felt like there were tens of thousands of people.
His gaze roamed through the crowd, quickly locking onto a few key positions.
In a corner of the general stands, Teuchi, Ayame, Kin, and Tayuya were sitting together.
Kaede and Kagero were guarding them on the left and right.
Behind them were Tsunade, Shizune, and Karin.
'With this lineup, even if someone tries to cause trouble, it should be enough to ensure safety."
Haruko felt relieved.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat at the highest point, with envoys from various villages and clan heads of Konoha beside him.
Taketori Sanuki and Hyuga Hiashi sat side by side, seemingly discussing something.
'What is that old man planning again?"
Recalling how Hyuga Natsu called him "Lord Haruko" this morning instead of the usual "Mr. Haruko," he felt a bad premonition.
The team sent by Hidden Cloud Village, except for Atsui, the eleven people sat together, their unique skin color and physique very easy to identify.
Samui was not sitting with them, but alone in a corner on the other side.
"Contestants, please enter the arena!"
Shiranui Genma's voice interrupted Haruko's thoughts.
Eight contestants walked into the arena one by one.
The audience erupted into deafening cheers.
Haruko walked in the middle of the team, his expression indifferent.
He could feel countless gazes falling on him—curious, wary, expectant.
After all, his performance in the first round was too conspicuous, plus the high-profile renovation of the Ramen Shop in the village, it was hard not to attract attention.
"Cough, cough!"
The Third Hokage slowly stood up, his voice spreading throughout the arena with the help of Chakra: "Welcome everyone to Konoha..."
The old guy's speech was still long and tedious. Haruko pretended to listen carefully, but in reality, he was scanning the audience. Of course, with his eyes open.
'Oh, found Kakashi. Is that Izumo and Kotetsu behind him?... That guy with glasses is Kabuto, right..."
"...Next, I announce, the match officially begins!" The Third finally finished his speech.
"The first match, Muta Aburame versus Ryūzetsu. Both contestants stay, everyone else leave!"
Hearing Genma's order, Haruko turned and walked towards the contestant waiting area.
...
As the match began, Muta first released a swarm of insects to form a black cloud pressing towards Ryūzetsu, and Ryūzetsu countered with the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
Part of the insect cloud dodged the fireball, but the Great Fireball was just a diversion; the dozen or so Ghost Lanterns that followed completely burned the insect cloud that had bypassed the flames.
Muta did not give up, releasing more insects to build a defense, trying to close the distance for a taijutsu battle; Ryūzetsu retreated while releasing Fire Release, continuously consuming Muta's Chakra and insect swarm.
Finally, Muta made a desperate move, condensing all the insects into an "Insect Sphere" to wrap around himself and forcibly break through, punching Ryūzetsu—
Only to find it was a substitution, and he was already surrounded by Ghost Lanterns.
"The first match, Ryūzetsu wins!"
As Muta helplessly conceded, Genma announced the result.
Haruko leaned against the wall, eyes half-closed.
Attribute suppression is just that cruel. Muta Aburame's tactics and execution were not a big problem, but he just couldn't win against Fire Release.
This is the reality of the Ninja World—often, hard work really cannot compare to innate advantages.
...
"The second match, Uchiha Izumi versus Akimichi Maruten, please both contestants enter the arena!"
Following the referee Genma's announcement, Izumi flipped into the arena, landing silently, as light as a swallow.
On the other side—
Thud!
Like a meteorite falling to the ground, Akimichi Maruten also jumped down, cracking the ground.
His already huge size, combined with his boiling fighting spirit, gave a full sense of oppression.
"Uchiha versus Akimichi, this will be worth watching."
"I bet on Akimichi; that size alone makes it hard to breathe just by standing there. How long can the little Uchiha girl hold out?"
The audience's discussions buzzed.
Haruko listened, his mouth twitching.
The size difference was indeed stark.
Izumi stood in front of Maruten like a bird that had strayed into a bear's den.
But that bird's eyes were blood-red.
"Start!"
"Partial Multi-Size Technique!"
Maruten made the first move, his giant fist, bigger than a person, carrying the sound of wind, crashing towards Izumi like a dump truck.
"Too slow."
Izumi easily dodged with a side step, her hair swept back by the wind of the fist.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
At the same time, several shuriken drew arcs in the air, bypassing the huge fist and heading straight for Maruten's main body.
"Hmph—"
Maruten snorted coldly, using his fist as a fulcrum to move his body and avoid the shuriken.
More shuriken and Kunai were shot out. Although Izumi's shuriken technique was excellent, it didn't take down Maruten.
But he didn't notice that the steel wires wrapped around the shuriken were gradually interweaving into an invisible web.
When he came to his senses, Maruten was already wrapped in several steel wires.
"This kind of thing, as long as I use force..."
Maruten wanted to rely on brute force to struggle free, but found that the shuriken that were originally just stuck in the ground had been firmly nailed to the ground by the Kunai thrown by Izumi at some point.
"This is the end."
Izumi rushed up, wielding a Kunai, preparing to give Maruten the final blow, her Sharingan flashing with scarlet light.
"Multi-Size Technique!"
Maruten snorted coldly, his body suddenly expanding.
Amidst the sound of tearing clothes, his size soared several times, and the originally tight steel wires were forcibly stretched open, making an unbearable creaking sound.
"Now!"
Maruten's body suddenly shrank, pulling himself out from the loosened gap—
But he couldn't move an inch.
Looking down, the steel wires were still wrapped around him.
He hadn't broken free at all.
Izumi's Kunai was pressed against Maruten's neck. Genma looked at the immobilized Maruten and raised his hand: "The second match, Uchiha Izumi wins!"
"Genjutsu, huh..."
Looking at Izumi's Sharingan flashing with red light opposite him, Maruten got the answer and shook his head helplessly.
"It's my turn next..."
Haruko watched Izumi untie the restraints for Maruten, yawned, and swayed down from the contestant's stand.
Meeting Izumi returning to the stand, Haruko praised: "The tactics were quite targeted; it seems you have carefully studied your opponent."
"I have studied you the most, so don't let my preparations go to waste."
"Is that so? Then I'm looking forward to it..." Haruko waved his hand indifferently, "Although it will definitely go to waste."
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