"What?!"
The people nearby who were in the middle of their matches turned toward the commotion. Seeing Watanabe's hundreds of Shadow Clones on Ring 8, they were all stunned.
"So many Shadow Clones! How did he do that?"
Hiruzen was utterly incredulous, wondering if he had fallen victim to an Illusion Technique. Watanabe had once been a dead-last student far weaker than him, yet now he could perform ninjutsu beyond anything Hiruzen had imagined.
"Damn, Watanabe! You've been hiding your strength well!"
Jiraiya suddenly understood what Watanabe had meant at noon when he said his strength had improved greatly. This wasn't just an improvement—it was a qualitative transformation. Watanabe could simply overwhelm someone with Shadow Clones until they were beaten to death. No one could withstand that.
A serious look flickered in Hyuga Rei's eyes.
"He really is strong."
She was now certain that Watanabe was the most formidable opponent among all the candidates this year.
Fortunately, she had deliberately used her charms to lure him in at noon. That had been a setup that would let her catch him off guard and win.
"Y-You..."
Inuzuka Kiba's legs trembled with fear.
He had never faced anything like this before. Standing alone against hundreds of enemies, he felt an overwhelming pressure bearing down on him like a crashing tidal wave.
Green Maru, who had been snarling ferociously just moments ago, was now cowering on the ground. It was a clever dog: when its side had the numbers, it could act tough with its owner backing it up, but when outnumbered, all it could do was tuck its tail between its legs.
"Would you like to leave with a little dignity?"
Watanabe asked calmly.
If Watanabe had faced Inuzuka Kiba before Tsunade left, winning would have been quite difficult. But now he had mastered many of the ninjutsu Tobirama had left behind, enough to defeat Kiba without breaking a sweat.
He had used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique because of its dramatic visual impact. It was sure to attract Hiruzen Sarutobi's attention.
Inuzuka Kiba gritted his teeth, then suddenly glared at Watanabe.
"Don't try to fool me with fake clones! I'll fight you!"
With that, he charged fearlessly toward the army of Shadow Clones, Green Maru at his side.
Before long, Inuzuka Kiba was carried away, his face swollen and bruised. The battle had been a foregone conclusion.
"Not bad, kid. You're strong."
The referee praised Watanabe in astonishment. There was no doubt that a monster had emerged among this year's candidates.
"You've won your first practical match. Go wait over there. Someone will call you when you're matched with your next opponent."
"Okay."
Watanabe dispelled his Shadow Clones and walked calmly off the ring amid the crowd's astonished cries.
"That was incredible! Absolutely incredible!"
"I've never been this excited watching the Chunin Ninja Exams before!"
"This kid is terrifying!"
"That boy named Watanabe is so strong. I wish every student were as capable as him. Even if the Second Shinobi World War broke out, Konoha wouldn't have to fear!"
"..."
Compared to the uproar in the stands, the atmosphere among the judges was rather strange.
"Isn't the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique a forbidden technique?"
The Nara Clan Leader was puzzled. "Even if Tsunade taught him the technique, how could he have learned a forbidden technique?"
The others fell silent. They all understood what the Nara Clan Leader meant.
Konoha's Ninjutsu Library held many sealed techniques, and the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique was one of them. But unlike other ninjutsu, it was classified as forbidden.
Other ninjutsu could be learned in exchange for money or meritorious service, but forbidden techniques were off limits. Their only purpose was to remain sealed.
Using the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique required an enormous amount of Chakra. Even an Elite Jonin who used it risked their life by exhausting their Chakra.
After Tobirama developed the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, he realized that only a select few with especially vast Chakra reserves could master it. Otherwise, anyone who used it would die. So Hashirama had classified it as a forbidden technique, prohibiting anyone from learning it.
His Chakra reserves are extraordinary.
Uchiha Chiri thought to herself.
When she had first seen Watanabe create hundreds of Shadow Clones, she had assumed he was showing off and would soon collapse unconscious, on the verge of death from depleted Chakra. But even after Inuzuka Kiba had been carried off with his face swollen and bruised, Watanabe still looked completely fine.
Chiri couldn't think of any other explanation besides his extraordinary Chakra reserves.
"Not only is he exceptionally talented at Illusion Techniques, his Chakra reserves are astonishing too. I haven't seen a genius like this in a long time."
Chiri's curiosity about Watanabe grew stronger. It was the first time she had ever taken an active interest in someone.
After defeating Inuzuka Kiba, Watanabe waited in the rest area. Before long, he heard his name announced over the loudspeaker.
"Dan Katō and Watanabe, proceed to Ring 13."
Dan Katō?
Watanabe felt there was something fishy about this match. First Inuzuka Kiba, then Dan Katō—were they just going to keep matching him against his romantic rivals?
He followed the announcement to Ring 13, where he met his second "rival."
Calling Dan Katō a rival was giving him too much credit. Watanabe knew perfectly well that Tsunade had never given any boy besides him a second glance.
"Watanabe, I didn't expect to run into you here," Dan Katō said, his tone complicated.
"Let's skip the pleasantries and get this over with," Watanabe replied.
Dan Katō nodded. "All right."
The referee at Ring 13 followed the usual procedure, checking both of their exam passes and announcing the start of the match once he had confirmed they were in order.
"I won't give you a chance to make Shadow Clones!"
Dan Katō thought as he sprang forward the instant the match began, charging at Watanabe like an arrow.
"The Kato Clan kid is pretty clever," the Nara Clan Leader said approvingly. Watanabe had become the center of attention, drawing the eyes of the spectators as well as the clan leaders.
"With an attack that swift, it'll be difficult for Watanabe to use the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique again—"
Before the Nara Clan Leader could finish, Watanabe formed a hand seal he had never seen before.
In the next instant, a translucent soul emerged from Watanabe's body and collided head-on with the charging Dan Katō.
"What is that?!"
Dan Katō was shocked. He had never imagined Watanabe could use such a bizarre technique, and instinctively tried to dodge.
But the spirit moved too fast, and Dan Katō had been completely unprepared. He had barely managed to put a little distance between himself and Watanabe before the spirit slammed into him, forcing its way into his body.
"Watanabe, what did you do to me?"
Dan Katō looked terrified as he watched helplessly, unable to control his body as it stood motionless.
"That's the Spirit Transformation Technique!"
At the judges' table, Danzo spoke slowly, enunciating every word.
Chiri and the Nara Clan Leader were deeply shaken. Even Hiruzen, who had barely reacted to anything until now, was moved.
A schoolboy who hadn't even graduated yet had mastered the Spirit Transformation Technique, an S-Rank technique?!
"Watanabe is so young, and his talent is truly terrifying!"
The Hatake Clan Leader sighed in admiration. He didn't think even his grandson, Hatake Sakumo, had been as outstanding as Watanabe at that age.
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