Crisis on All Sides

"Well, damn! What kind of medicine did you take, you brat?! How did you suddenly get so strong?!"

Gamabunta got to his feet, rubbed his belly, and stared at Zhi Ge in astonishment.

"Haha! Boss Toad! This is what they call staying silent until you make a shocking debut!"

Zhi Ge said with a smug grin.

"You little brat! I'll fight you to the death!"

Gamabunta said furiously.

"Hmph! Come at me!"

Zhi Ge let out a disdainful sneer and charged straight at him!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The two quickly became entangled in battle!

This fight was nearly evenly matched!

The originally one-sided battle had changed because Zhi Ge had mastered Intermediate Armament Haki.

Now, Zhi Ge was finally capable of going toe-to-toe with Boss Toad!

During their sparring, Boss Toad gradually came to acknowledge Jiraiya's disciple more and more,

and began fighting him seriously while teaching him a few combat techniques.

A giant toad and a Konoha genin—this bizarre pair fought on Konoha's back mountain for three days and three nights.

It was not until Zhi Ge collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep on the ground that Gamabunta left on his own.

Over those three days, Zhi Ge felt that he had improved by leaps and bounds, especially in his use of Armament Haki, which had reached a whole new level.

Even if he now faced a chunin, he would be able to handle the battle with ease!

It had to be said that the temporary instructor Jiraiya had found for Zhi Ge had worked wonders!

Time passed swiftly, and the day of the Chunin Exams' official matches arrived in the blink of an eye!

This competition had drawn countless spectators. Even the Kazekage of Sand Village had been invited to watch, making it an unprecedented grand occasion!

"In this year's competition, our Sand Village's Kazekage is personally overseeing things. Hopefully, Sand Village will stand head and shoulders above the rest!"

"Hahaha! Zhi Ge from Konoha Village is outstanding too! He's the strongest student I've ever seen! Not only is he incredibly talented, but he can also stretch and contract his body as freely as a spring. It's truly enviable!"

"Yes, yes! This child's potential is simply extraordinary!"

"This Chunin Exams will definitely shake the entire Ninja World!"

"I heard that many genius youths from the major lineages will be participating! Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyuga will both compete!"

"That's right. Those three are all among the best of their generation. No matter who wins, he'll become famous throughout the world!"

"No matter who takes the championship, it will be a blessing for Konoha Village! We must fully support this competition!"

"Hahaha! Sand Village definitely won't lose to anyone in this Chunin Exams either!"

Listening to the discussions around him, Zhi Ge also felt a trace of anticipation rise in his heart.

This was a decisive competition that concerned his future development. If he won, he could make a name for himself in the Ninja World, shoot to fame in one fell swoop, and become the center of everyone's attention!

Still, it would be a hard fight!

Although Zhi Ge's strength had increased considerably, none of the opponents he might face were pushovers. He had no idea which one of them he would encounter in the match!

No matter what! He had to win this competition!

"Now, I will announce the two contestants in the first match..."

Once all the contestants had arrived, Genma Shiranui stepped into their midst.

It was obvious that he was the new chief examiner for the official tournament.

"That's strange! Why are you here? What happened to the previous chief examiner, Gekko Hayate?"

Zhi Ge glanced at Genma Shiranui beside him and asked in confusion.

By all rights, shouldn't the chief examiner have been Gekko Hayate?

Why had he been replaced by Genma Shiranui?

"Hahaha! Take a guess!"

Seeing Zhi Ge's confused expression, Genma Shiranui immediately laughed.

"Uh..."

Zhi Ge froze. He had not expected this seemingly serious examiner to be so mysterious!

At that thought, a speechless look appeared on Zhi Ge's face.

How was he supposed to know?!

Just as Zhi Ge was wondering, Genma Shiranui slowly began to explain.

"Gekko Hayate was assassinated three days ago! He died inside the village!"

"What?!"

Zhi Ge was stunned, and then a worried expression appeared on his face.

"How did he die? Was he assassinated by an enemy?"

"Yes! His death saddened me deeply. By the time his body was discovered, it was already cold. We still can't tell who did it, but judging from the wound, it was a blade injury!"

Genma Shiranui nodded and spoke slowly.

"A blade injury..."

Zhi Ge frowned slightly.

"Could this have been premeditated?!"

At that thought, a trace of unease welled up in Zhi Ge's heart.

"That's right. This must have been planned long ago! After all, no one would attack a special jonin from within Konoha Village for no reason in Konoha Village. During this Chunin Exams, I'm afraid even more people may fall!"

Genma Shiranui said indifferently.

"What do you mean? Are you saying someone might be targeting Konoha?"

Zhi Ge froze, then asked.

"Very likely! But for now, it's only speculation! The Hokage didn't want the situation to spread beyond control, so he didn't make it public! Kid, I'm telling you this because you're a Leaf Ninja. Keep your eyes open during the match! Don't let enemies lurking in the shadows catch you off guard!"

Genma Shiranui analyzed calmly.

After hearing this, Zhi Ge drew a deep breath, his face filled with gravity.

He knew Genma Shiranui was not merely trying to scare him.

"Don't worry! I'll definitely be careful! But I'm somewhat worried—what will happen if Konoha loses this competition?"

After pondering for a moment, Zhi Ge asked.

Hearing Zhi Ge's words, Genma Shiranui fell silent for a moment before speaking.

"If we lose, there may be some losses, but they won't amount to much! After all, this Chunin Exams is only meant to show everyone's training results and quickly strengthen our relationship with the Land of Wind."

Upon hearing that, Zhi Ge fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"I understand!"

"All right, get ready. The match is about to begin!"

After saying that, Genma Shiranui left.

As Genma Shiranui departed, the contestants' platform immediately returned to its previous bustle.

"The first match officially begins! Contestants Uchiha Zhige and Neji Hyuga, please enter the arena!"

At that moment, the referee announced the official start of the match.

Cheers echoed throughout the venue as everyone shouted excitedly toward the arena.

"Zhi Ge! Go! Go!"

"Zhi Ge will definitely defeat his opponent!"