Watanabe saw that everyone around him seemed to be trudging forward with a small mountain on their backs, their steps slow and their bodies swaying. He couldn't help feeling surprised.
Was Uchiha Chiri's Illusion Technique really that powerful?
He felt no discomfort at all. In fact, his mind was growing clearer and clearer, as if he had stayed up for several nights in a row.
[Put under by an Illusion Technique: Willpower +9, Spirit +9, Alertness +8...]
After a brief moment of thought, Watanabe decided to wait and see. Karma Reversal was his greatest secret, and he couldn't let anyone notice anything unusual.
So he formed Hand Seals just like the others, pretending to struggle as he took each step.
"Thump, thump..."
He'd taken only two steps when many people around him suddenly collapsed, eyes tightly shut, losing consciousness completely.
Some of the other examinees were still standing, but they couldn't move any farther. They simply stood there and promptly fell fast asleep.
"This Illusion Technique is pretty terrifying."
Watching Jiraiya fall asleep after taking five steps, Watanabe was secretly amazed.
A reputation like hers was well earned. Uchiha Chiri was indeed Konoha's most renowned Elite Jonin. Her Illusion Technique could even threaten the Hokage. Only someone like him, with the ability to reverse cause and effect, could withstand her Sharingan—otherwise, he might not have lasted long.
"Orochimaru is still walking, but from the way he looks, he's nearly at his limit."
By now, only two people were left walking ahead of Watanabe: Orochimaru and Hyuga Rei, a girl from the neighboring class. She looked small and frail, but she was surprisingly resilient.
"Clan Leader Hyuga, your daughter may be the examinee who can resist Chiri's Illusion Technique the longest."
The Nara Clan Leader smiled as he spoke to Hyuga Tenfu from the judges' seats.
The Hatake Clan Leader nodded in agreement. "For someone her age, that's quite an impressive showing."
"The results aren't in yet. It's too early to say," Hyuga Tenfu replied, his two Byakugan fixed on Hyuga Rei, who was keeping pace with Orochimaru in the distance.
Hyuga Rei was only his youngest daughter. She had already been assigned to the Branch Family and branded with the Caged Bird Seal. The one who would truly inherit the Hyuga Clan was his eldest son, Hyuga Mirai.
Unfortunately, Hyuga Mirai had missed his chance to become Hiruzen Sarutobi's student. Many opportunities only came once in a lifetime.
Hyuga Tenfu, of course, wanted to compete for the Hokage position. His failure to beat Hiruzen Sarutobi was the greatest regret of his life, and now he could only hope that one of his descendants might become Hokage someday.
So the previous night, Hyuga Tenfu had spoken with his daughter. He'd told her frankly that if she could defeat all the other candidates and become Hiruzen's student, he would remove her Caged Bird Seal and reconsider who should inherit the Main Family.
With the status of a Hokage's student, and the Hyuga Clan's full support, Hyuga Rei could compete with even Tsunade for the position of Fourth Hokage.
I believe you won't disappoint me. If you can't even beat these peers, you'll have no chance against Tsunade.
Hyuga Tenfu silently repeated the thought, placing great hopes in his daughter.
Just then, Orochimaru and Hyuga Rei, who had been walking side by side, abruptly stopped. Their eyelids slowly closed, and they both fell unconscious.
"A tie?"
Hyuga Tenfu breathed a sigh of relief. A tie was fine. At least his daughter hadn't proved inferior to anyone, and she was still among the leading candidates to become Hiruzen Sarutobi's student.
"It looks like the Illusion Technique test is over..." the Nara Clan Leader said with a smile.
"It isn't."
Danzo, who'd been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke. "Someone's still standing."
"Someone else?"
Everyone was taken aback. Then they followed Danzo's gaze and saw, sure enough, a boy slowly making his way forward behind Orochimaru and Hyuga Rei.
"It's him!"
Their expressions changed.
They'd all attended Tsunade's birthday that night and had been deeply impressed by Watanabe. Some had even looked into him afterward and discovered that he was close friends with Tsunade at school. There was a good chance he would become the Senju Clan's future son-in-law.
"How far can he go?"
As he watched Watanabe draw closer to his daughter, Hyuga Tenfu grew anxious. He didn't want Rei to lose to him.
But he couldn't change the outcome. The moment Watanabe passed the two unconscious candidates, Hyuga Tenfu let out a long sigh.
"Seven steps."
Watanabe kept track of his steps. Gekko Hayate had said earlier that each step earned ten points. He'd already earned seventy.
He hadn't scored full marks on the written exam, so he'd have to make up for it in other areas. Illusion Techniques happened to be his strong suit. If he didn't rack up points now, when would he?
With that in mind, Watanabe took the eighth step with ease, now just inches away from the black stockings that had Jiraiya drooling.
"His talent for Illusion Techniques is far beyond the ordinary."
Uchiha Chiri watched Watanabe without revealing her thoughts, silently appraising him.
"It's a shame he isn't an Uchiha..."
"That's far enough. You've done well just to make it this far."
Before the test began, Uchiha Chiri had already decided that she wouldn't let anyone pass her Illusion Technique test with a perfect score. No particular reason—Uchiha were always proud.
The next second, Uchiha Chiri increased the flow of chakra to her eyes. Her Sharingan blazed red.
[Put under by an Illusion Technique: Willpower +17...]
Watanabe formed Hand Seals and kept up his act of struggling as he took the ninth step.
Uchiha Chiri froze.
How could he still be walking?
Shouldn't he have stopped by now?
Without hesitation, Uchiha Chiri immediately pushed her Illusion Technique to its limits. The tomoe in her eyes whirled like vortices.
Everyone who met Uchiha Chiri's gaze, including the spectators in the stands, was suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful drowsiness. Their minds grew groggy.
[Put under by an Illusion Technique: Willpower +35...]
Huh? That increase seemed pretty big this time.
Sensing that the Illusion Technique had grown stronger, Watanabe reflexively looked up. His gaze shifted from the black stockings to Uchiha Chiri's face. He saw the six spinning tomoe and, for some reason, felt as if she were making eyes at him.
He still dares to look me in the eye? Then he definitely can't hold out much longer.
Uchiha Chiri thought to herself.
At such close range, face-to-face, no matter how gifted he was at Illusion Techniques, he was bound to lose consciousness...
"Tap."
A calm footfall.
Watanabe took his final step and passed Uchiha Chiri.
Uchiha Chiri's cool, beautiful face filled with shock. All her thoughts vanished in an instant!
He made it through?
He actually made it through??
She'd clearly used her Illusion Technique to that extent—
"Thank you for the guidance, Chiri-senpai."
Watanabe bowed slightly and politely thanked her.
"Full marks!"
Someone in the stands finally reacted and cried out in astonishment.
"That kid walked right past Chiri! He went farther than anyone else, so he must have gotten full marks!"
"That's amazing! He passed Chiri's test with flying colors."
"Did Chiri go easy on him?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would Chiri go easy on him? It just shows that Konoha is full of talented people!"
Before you continue