Konoha.
With the joint Chunin Exams in Konoha approaching, nobles, Daimyo, and merchants from many countries had all come to attend this grand event.
The Chunin Exams could demonstrate a village's core strength and help it build a reputation among nobles, Daimyo, and merchants, allowing it to compete for a greater share of future missions.
Neji Hyuga walked along Konoha's commercial pedestrian street. Food stalls lined both sides, children skipped about, and travelers from different countries in strange and exotic attire flowed endlessly through the streets, adding even more prosperity and liveliness to Konoha.
Neji Hyuga walked through the bustling nightscape with a faint smile.
In the past, Tenten had always dragged Neji Hyuga along to such lively lantern festivals. Nearly every year had brought different lantern festivals, and Tenten had dragged Neji Hyuga to every one of them.
But this year was different. Now, Neji Hyuga was simply taking a casual stroll by himself.
After becoming the Queen of Heaven of the Land of Rain, Tenten had begun governing with the perspective of ruling the Shinobi World. Having found a place to fulfill her ambitions, she no longer had time to visit lantern festivals.
Having awakened her career-driven side, Tenten spent every day planning and reorganizing the Land of Rain. She had originally intended not to return for the Chunin Exams, but considering that she had yet to unify the Shinobi World and still needed to show Konoha's Hokage some courtesy to prevent them from investigating her whereabouts, she decided to attend the Chunin Exams after all. Still, it would only take a moment and would not delay her from continuing her governmental work.
With the Flying Thunder God, she could make it in time no matter what.
While strolling around, Neji Hyuga ran into Naruto, Ino-Shika-Cho, Sakura, and