"Senior Shisui, Senior Itachi." Qingyu hurriedly greeted them.
"Don't be nervous." Shisui patted him on the shoulder. "Just treat it like ordinary training, except there are a few more spectators."
Qingyu looked toward the stands. They were packed with people, and there were all kinds of banners and little flags. Some people had even brought binoculars.
This was "a few more"? There were more people here than at a concert in his previous life!
Still, there should be fewer than at the Era Heavenly Kings Group's concerts.
Obito had let a lot of people down, but there was one thing he'd never let down: Naruto Mobile! The combat design team!
Did they even know what "card advantage" was?
"Clan Head is in the VIP box," Itachi suddenly said, his voice calm and even.
"The Third Hokage, the advisory elders, and all the jōnin team leaders are here too. Do your best."
Qingyu followed his gaze. The VIP box stood at the highest point to the north.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat up there, with Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, the two advisors, beside him.
Fugaku Uchiha, Hyuga Hiashi, and the heads of the other major clans sat next to them.
Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, and the other jōnin team leaders sat in a lower row.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the waiting area.
Qingyu swallowed.
"How does it feel?" Shisui asked.
"Like... a monkey being watched at the zoo," Qingyu answered honestly.
Shisui laughed. "Not a bad comparison. But monkeys can't use ninjutsu. Relax and treat it like a demonstration for Clan Head and Lord Hokage."
Qingyu smiled bitterly, his heart pounding even faster.
A demonstration? That just made it more stressful!
[Beep!]
[System notification: The host's heart rate is dangerously high, and adrenaline levels are excessive. Activating "Calm Mode (Trial Version)."]
[Effect: Heart rate forcibly stabilized, trembling hands alleviated, nervousness converted into mild excitement (side effect: you may feel a little light-headed).]
Qingyu: "System, you have a feature like this? Wait, what do you mean by 'trial version'? What does 'a little light-headed' mean?"
But he had no time to ask. The drawing ceremony had begun.
An Anbu Ninja stepped into the center of the arena. His voice rang out through an amplification technique:
"The final round of the Chunin Ninja Exams! The drawing ceremony begins now! All twenty-four candidates, please come forward in numerical order!"
Qingyu lowered his eyes to the number tag on his chest: Konoha—Number Seven.
"Pretty close to the front..." he muttered.
The first to step forward was Kankuro of Sunagakure.
He drew a numbered ball and handed it to the referee. The referee announced loudly, "Sunagakure's Kankuro versus Konoha's Kiba Inuzuka!"
A stir went through the stands.
The second was Temari, who drew an unknown Genin from Konoha.
The third was Gaara. The entire arena fell silent.
Gaara drew a ball without expression.
The referee glanced at it, then raised his voice. "Sunagakure's Gaara versus Konoha's Sasuke Uchiha!"
A commotion erupted!
Even louder this time!
"A Uchiha versus a Jinchuriki from Sunagakure!"
"Now that's a match worth watching!"
"Isn't that Sasuke Uchiha the Clan Head's son?"
"I heard he's a genius..."
In the waiting area, Sasuke's expression finally changed. His eyes sharpened as he fixed them on Gaara.
Gaara opened his eyes too and glanced at Sasuke. The faintest, almost cruel smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Qingyu's heart sank. "This is bad. Sasuke's up against Gaara... Wasn't this match different in the original story?"
"A Jinchuriki against a Uchiha prodigy," Izuna remarked. "That's an interesting matchup."
"The risk is high," Tobirama said.
"The red-haired kid has something inside him... It's unstable. If he goes on a rampage, the entire arena could be affected."
Qingyu began worrying about his own safety.
The drawing continued.
Shikamaru drew a ninja from Amegakure. He looked quite calm, probably thinking, "What a hassle, but I can handle it."
When Neji Hyuga stepped forward, the arena fell silent for a moment once more.
The Hyuga Clan prodigy was famous throughout Konoha.
Neji drew a ball and handed it to the referee.
The referee looked at it, paused, then announced clearly, "Konoha's Neji Hyuga versus Konoha's Qingyu Uchiha!"
Qingyu: "...Huh?"
He wondered if he'd heard wrong.
But the stands had already erupted:
"Hyuga versus Uchiha! Byakugan against Sharingan!"
"Wait, who's Qingyu Uchiha? I've never heard of him!"
"I think he just emerged this year..."
"Neji Hyuga's a recognized genius. Isn't this a guaranteed loss?"
Every eye in the waiting area turned toward Qingyu.
Some were sympathetic, some curious, and some openly delighted.
Neji looked at Qingyu too. His pure-white eyes held no emotion. He gave a slight nod in greeting.
Qingyu stiffly nodded back.
Two voices rang out in his mind at the same time:
"The Hyuga Clan..." Izuna's tone was complicated. "I never thought I'd see a showdown between the Byakugan and Sharingan sixty years later."
"Let's analyze the situation." Tobirama immediately shifted into work mode. "Neji Hyuga, a prodigy of the Hyuga Branch Family. He specializes in the Gentle Fist and the Byakugan's ability to see through things."
"Advantages: unbeatable in close combat, and able to see chakra pathways and pressure points. Disadvantages: limited long-range attacks. His defense relies on Rotation, which consumes a lot of chakra."
"Recommended strategy: keep your distance, wear him down with Shuriken and ninjutsu, force him to use Rotation, then wait for his chakra to run low before looking for an opening."
Qingyu: "...You analyzed that quickly, but my legs are trembling."
"Useless," Izuna snapped. "Where's the Uchiha pride? So what if your opponent's a Hyuga prodigy? My brother once fought three Hyuga elders alone and didn't back down!"
"That was your brother," Qingyu said, on the verge of tears. "I'm just a Genin!"
"Not anymore," Tobirama corrected him. "After your special training, your practical combat ability has reached the upper ranks of Chunin. With our guidance and your Water and Fire Release techniques, you might well be able to fight him."
"Besides," Izuna said suddenly with a laugh, his voice brimming with fighting spirit, "isn't this perfect? You can use Uchiha techniques to defeat a Hyuga prodigy in front of everyone. What better chance could there be to make a name for yourself?"
Qingyu froze.
That... kind of made sense?
If he won, or even just fought well, he could establish himself within the Uchiha Clan and gain more resources and support.
If he lost... well, there was no shame in losing to Neji Hyuga. He was a recognized genius, after all.
Wait, why was he comforting himself with "if I lose"?
Neji: "Hmph! Regret your fate of being born without the Byakugan!"
"Qingyu," Shisui said, bringing him back to reality. "It's your turn."
Only then did Qingyu realize that everyone ahead of him had finished drawing. Now it was his turn, as number seven.
He took a deep breath and walked toward the drawing table.
With every step, it felt as though tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on him.
At the table, he reached into the box and felt around for a numbered ball. It was cool and smooth.
He handed it to the referee.
The referee glanced at it and announced, "Konoha's Qingyu Uchiha versus Konoha's Neji Hyuga! Match order: third!"
The third match.
Qingyu walked back to the waiting area, feeling as if he were treading on cotton.
"The third match," he calculated. "So that means... I'm fighting in the first round this afternoon?"
"Yes." Itachi had appeared beside him without Qingyu noticing.
Before you continue