"Ding—"
The match lineup on the electronic screen froze on the retinas of every Leaf Village ninja like a final judgment.
[Neji Hyuga VS Sasuke Uchiha (Iwagakure)]
Dead silence.
A suffocating, oppressive silence.
It was as if all the air had been sucked out of the entire central tower.
In the stands, every Leaf Village ninja turned their eyes in unison toward the black-haired youth in a white training uniform.
Neji Hyuga.
A genius the Hyuga Clan saw only once in a century.
The undisputed strongest among this year's Leaf Village genin!
He was Leaf Village's last hope, its final shred of dignity!
"Neji, we're counting on you!"
Rock Lee, already eliminated, struggled to his feet on his injured leg and roared toward the arena.
"You have to defend Leaf Village's honor!"
Neji did not look back.
He merely rose slowly to his feet, then leaped forward beneath the gazes of the crowd.
He landed lightly in the center of the arena.
The hem of his white robes traced a solitary arc through the air.
"Byakugan!"
Neji shouted softly.
Veins instantly bulged around his pale eyes, twisting like wriggling earthworms.
A powerful aura belonging to the Hyuga Clan's main family erupted outward.
He stared coldly at the black-haired youth across from him, who had likewise leaped down from the stands in a dark blue training uniform.
Sasuke Uchiha.
"Finally, someone decent."
Sasuke folded his arms and rolled his neck, his joints cracking sharply.
There was little expression on his almost excessively handsome face, but his eyes brimmed with barely restrained excitement.
Beating up weaklings was nowhere near as satisfying as fighting a real expert!
"The match begins!"
Hayate Gekko announced weakly before quickly retreating to the side.
He felt that if he stayed on the arena even one second longer,