The Third Exam Begins

Ignoring Issui and Hinata's objections, Fini slipped straight in on Issui's left, with Hinata on his right.

Hinata couldn't take it anymore. She sat up and said to Fini, "Hey, you're Fini, right? Don't you know humans and ninja beasts can't fool around like that? Issui-kun is already being generous by letting you stay in the human world, so don't push your luck. Besides, Issui-kun and I are engaged, so it's perfectly normal for us to be together. We're not sneaking around, so you need to understand."

Issui nodded in wholehearted agreement. Lady Hinata is angry. Even if you look like Mirajane, there's nothing I can do.

Seeing the two of them so obviously rejecting her, Fini burst into tears. "That's not true! Is the prince going to abandon his princess? Fini is sad too."

Issui panicked as soon as he saw Fini crying. She has the figure, the looks, and the strength. Was it easy for her to leave her home and follow you? She might be a little scatterbrained, but you can't be so heartless, can you? She even wants to have baby dragons with you. There's no precedent for humans and beasts getting together, but there are cases of humans getting together with beautiful beastwomen in otherworld novels. How can you be sure humans can't have baby dragons with flying dragons?

Seeing how heartbroken Fini was, Hinata felt a little guilty too. After all, Fini wasn't used to thinking like a human yet. And from the looks of it, Issui-kun had obviously tricked her into coming back with him. Otherwise, why would someone so powerful be so devoted to following him?

"Now, now, Fini, I was wrong. But I'm human, and you're a flying dragon. There might be a chance, but it's extremely slim. We're not the same species," Issui said, picking Fini up to comfort her.

"Hmph, I don't care. How will we know if we don't try? Don't princes and princesses face lots of trials in adventure novels? I don't believe it. I'm going to have baby dragons with you," Fini said stubbornly.

"B-b-baby dragons?" Hinata's face turned red in an instant. She touched Fini's forehead. She doesn't have a fever. Isn't this child's imagination running a little too wild?

Issui shook his head helplessly. Forget it, let her be. I'd better go fix the bedroom door. Otherwise, when everyone gets up tomorrow, they'll think some disaster happened.

Hinata said to Fini, "All right, since you want to sleep here, you can stay. But starting tomorrow, I'm going to teach you some basic human common sense. Honestly, I don't know what to do with you."

In the second battle between the young women, Fini scored a KO!!! Hinata won once again.

When Issui got up the next day, he had dark circles around both eyes. Damn it, he hadn't slept well all night. He'd thought he could spend a wonderful evening with Hinata, but Fini had launched a surprise attack. In the end, the two girls had gone to sleep while Issui spent the whole night fixing the door. What a miserable life. When would it ever end?

Seeing how tired Issui looked, Hinata said, "Issui-kun, why don't you sleep a little longer? I'll call you when it's time to eat."

Issui gave Hinata a delighted look. Hinata really understands me. She's such a sweetheart.

When Fini heard that Issui was going back to sleep, she said happily, "If the prince is going to sleep, the princess can't get up either."

Issui was utterly speechless. Forget it, I'd better not sleep. Did Miss Demon Mirajane transmigrate into the Hokage world as Fini? She's so scheming...

Life became very interesting after that. With the scatterbrained Fini joining Issui's group, strange incidents cropped up every day: "If the prince goes to the toilet, the princess has to go too," "Even after learning the difference between humans and ninja beasts, Fini still wants to have baby dragons with the prince. It's a trial from the god of love," "Fini loves sleeping, and no one can stop her"...

In short, Fini the crystal flying dragon brought plenty of laughter and exasperating incidents into Issui and the others' lives.

The days passed, and at last the day of the official selection matches arrived: August 6, Konoha year 60.

On July 31, Issui had taken Hinata and the others to visit Naruto and Rock Lee at the ninja hospital. He had also stopped Gaara from assassinating Rock Lee, earning Might Guy's thanks.

Early that morning, after breakfast, Issui and the others set out with Hinata for the exam venue. Haku and Fini took seats in the stands as spectators.

The Hokage, the Kazekage, the daimyos of various nations, the leaders of the ninja villages, and all the spectators had already arrived.

The crowd was roaring, and the sight was magnificent. Only the Chunin Exams could bring so many people together. Issui, an examiner only twelve years old, was also a major attraction. They had all seen him when he was promoted to Chunin. He had astonished everyone then, defeating every opponent in no more than three exchanges, and all the prominent figures and spectators had remembered him. To think that the kid from back then had already become a Jonin and was serving as an examiner for the Chunin Ninja Exams selection matches. This showed that Issui was currently Konoha's greatest genius. It also showed the strength of Konoha's next generation: Konoha was about to enter another golden age.

Except for Sasuke, who had yet to arrive, and Naruto, who was finally driven there by a herd of cattle, the other contestants had all arrived.

The Third politely greeted all the spectators, then announced the official start of the Chunin Exams.

Issui addressed all the contestants. "Quiet, everyone. First, I'll explain the rules. Once a fight begins, it ends when one side dies or admits defeat. You may use anything related to combat during the match, such as ninja tools, ninja beasts, or Explosive Tags. Once I can see that the winner has clearly been decided, you must stop fighting to prevent unnecessary killing. Otherwise, I won't go easy on you. Nod if you understand."

Everyone nodded like well-behaved students.

Satisfied, Issui said, "All right, Neji Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki, stay here for the first match. Everyone else, please go to the waiting room."

Naruto said impatiently, "Come on, let's start!"

Issui nodded and said, "Then, round one, begin!"

Naruto and Neji's fight was spectacular. At first, Naruto fought Neji at close range, but his blows kept missing, and then Neji struck his pressure points. Naruto had no choice but to retreat. He divided his Chakra evenly into five portions and used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, but Neji countered every one of his attacks.

Neji once again preached his theory that fate was predetermined, mocking Naruto for thinking a dead last like him could become Hokage. A Hokage was someone born destined to become Hokage, while a dead last could only remain a dead last forever. Everyone's fate was set the moment they were born.

Ignoring Neji's theory of fate, Naruto made even more Shadow Clones and attacked again. He left one Shadow Clone out of the attack while he and the others charged Neji, making Neji think the clone that wasn't attacking was actually the real Naruto. Neji fell for it, and Naruto attacked him from behind.

Of course, Neji couldn't be hit so easily. He used the Hyuga Secret Technique, the absolute defense-Eight Trigrams Rotation Palm-and Naruto's attack failed again. But Naruto still refused to give up. He continued attacking with Multi Shadow Clones, only for them to prove ineffective again and be sent flying by Neji's Rotation.

Neji was thoroughly fed up with Naruto's relentless attacks. He used another Secret Technique of the Hyuga Byakugan on Naruto: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Sixty of Naruto's pressure points were sealed, leaving him unable to use Chakra.

Neji truly was a genius at training the Byakugan. Without anyone to teach him, he had actually mastered both Eight Trigrams Rotation Palm and Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms on his own.

Looking at the defeated Naruto, Neji once again touted his theory of predetermined fate, urging Naruto to give up his pointless resistance as soon as possible. But would Naruto accept that?

Naruto cut Neji's speech short, saying he didn't believe in that bullshit about fate, and asked Neji why he kept talking about it.

Neji removed his ninja Forehead Protector and told Naruto about the hatred between the Hyuga Main Family and Branch Family. Naruto saw that Neji's constant preaching about predetermined fate was actually his own attempt to resist his fate. Naruto wanted to use his own strength to show Neji that fate could be changed.

Finally, Naruto awakened the Nine-Tails Chakra within him, startling everyone and drawing the spectators' full attention. Naruto used the Nine-Tails' Chakra to clash with Neji's Rotation.

Both of them were sent flying and ended up lying in separate small craters. Naruto used his wits again, leaving a clone in his crater while he dug down to launch a surprise attack on Neji.

After getting out of his crater, Neji struggled to his feet and walked toward Naruto's Shadow Clone, continuing to preach his theory of predetermined fate. He just wouldn't give up until he reached the Yellow River.

In the end, Naruto burst out of the ground beneath Neji's feet and knocked him down with a punch, winning the match. He told Neji that fate could be changed, that no one was born destined to be Hokage or a dead last, and that even a genius could be defeated if he didn't work hard.

Neji thought he had been defeated by Naruto's specialty, the Shadow Clone, but Naruto told him it was actually what he was worst at.

Issui stepped forward with a smile and announced loudly, "The winner-Naruto Uzumaki!!!"

"Oh..."

Naruto jumped around with joy, shouting back to the spectators who congratulated him. More and more people were finally acknowledging him.

Issui crouched beside Neji and said, "Even a bird locked in a cage can peck the door open with its beak and escape, as long as it's clever enough. Naruto's success wasn't predestined. It was the result of hard work. He's lived alone since he was little and worked hard to earn other people's acknowledgment. Stop dwelling on those unrealistic ideas about fate. You forge your own destiny, as long as you work hard enough."

Naruto had emerged as an enormous dark horse. His success showed everyone that nothing in life was truly impossible!