The brutality of the final match of the Chunin Exams Preliminary Tournament had exceeded everyone's imagination. Rock Lee had displayed explosive power and speed far beyond that of an ordinary Jonin, yet he still failed to secure the final victory. Gaara had won a narrow victory at the cost of severe injuries and advanced to the Chunin Exams formal tournament.
At the third Joint Chunin Exams formal tournament, many major figures from the Land of Fire and other countries would come to watch. Even Fourth Kazekage Rasa had personally come this time, making the occasion extremely grand.
A total of twelve contestants had advanced to the Chunin Exams formal tournament. They were Konoha's Team 1 members Karin, Toneri, and Kabuto; Team 7 members Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura; Hyuga Neji; Shino Aburame; Nara Shikamaru; and the remaining three-person team from Sunagakure—Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara.
The twelve had been arranged into six matches: Naruto versus Hyuga Neji, Sakura versus Karin, Toneri versus Kankuro, Kabuto Yakushi versus Shino Aburame, Shikamaru versus Temari, and finally Sasuke versus Gaara.
For the third round of the Chunin Exams, the judge was Genma Shiranui, formerly a member of Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's guard unit. As for the kidney-deficient man Gekko Hayate, he had not happened to run into Baki conspiring with someone this time, so he would not have to die prematurely.
"Hey, hey, you brats, watch your image. The big shots are watching you."
Genma Shiranui looked lazy, and with a senbon hanging from his mouth, he had absolutely no bearing whatsoever. Yet he was reminding the competing Genin to watch their image. It was truly ridiculous.
The first match of the Chunin formal tournament was Naruto versus Neji. It was also a battle that surprised many people. Hyuga Neji had been a famous genius at