Zhou Cheng's words had struck a chord with quite a few people. They were all surprised that someone so young could be so mature and see through their little agendas!
Quite a few Jonin were impressed as well. This boy possessed a maturity far beyond his years.
Kakashi and Might Guy, in particular, were even more amazed by Zhou Cheng!
They had already noticed the influence of major clans behind this match.
As for who exactly was involved, and whether their aim was to further bolster the major clans' prestige in the village or undermine the Hyuga Clan's reputation, that remained unclear.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, watching through the Crystal Ball, and Danzo, secretly observing from the shadows, both looked startled when they heard Zhou Cheng's words.
Such unusual maturity, such a keen nose for schemes-could he have a talent in this area as well?
Both were seasoned schemers and politicians. They took an even greater liking to Zhou Cheng, and their determination to recruit him for their own purposes grew stronger.
Neji Hyuga's eyes narrowed slightly at Zhou Cheng's words, then quickly returned to normal.
He was considering how credible Zhou Cheng's words were and who might be behind all this.
Gekko Hayate, who usually served as a referee during the Chunin Ninja Exams, had also been invited by certain people to referee this match.
With a Senbon between his lips, he gave two light coughs.
"Ahem. Are you both ready? We can begin!"
Zhou Cheng put away his smile and bowed respectfully to Gekko Hayate. "Thank you, sir. I'm ready!"
Having lived two lives, Zhou Cheng knew that a little sweet talk never hurt.
Gekko Hayate nodded in satisfaction, then looked over at Neji Hyuga on the other side.
"And you?"
Neji Hyuga merely nodded coldly without even looking at him.
Gekko Hayate did not mind. He knew geniuses always had their quirks and tended to look down on others.
Zhou Cheng placed his right hand behind his back and assumed a taijutsu opening stance with his left.
Neji also adopted the Hyuga Clan's distinctive opening stance, but chose not to activate his Byakugan.
The corner of Zhou Cheng's eye twitched, and displeasure stirred within him.
Just how little do you think of me?
Don't cry when I make you eat your words!
Zhou Cheng circulated chakra into his hands and feet, preparing to give Neji a taste of pain with an explosive opening attack.
Kakashi was somewhat surprised.
"Neji actually hasn't activated his Byakugan. He must have absolute confidence in himself."
Beside him, the bearded Asuma Sarutobi shared that opinion and took a drag on his cigarette.
"Phew. Even so, that kid Zhou Cheng won't be a match for Neji!"
"The gap is too wide!"
The other Jonin nodded in agreement. None of them thought Neji was being arrogant by not using his Byakugan. They simply felt he had no need to.
Most of the other spectators thought the same. If he already held an overwhelming advantage without the Byakugan, why activate it? Using the Byakugan consumed chakra, after all.
Only Naruto, Hinata, and the others breathed a sigh of relief for Zhou Cheng.
Without the Byakugan, perhaps Zhou Cheng could manage a... draw?
As Zhou Cheng's friends, they naturally had absolute faith in him. But with Neji as his opponent, even they felt conflicted.
Zhou Cheng pushed off the ground and sprang forward like a cheetah, reaching Neji in the blink of an eye.
Neji's pupils contracted sharply. He had never expected Zhou Cheng to be so fast!
The spectators immediately began murmuring.
"Zhou Cheng is actually that fast? Even a Genin couldn't move like that!"
"No, he must have channeled chakra into his feet to produce that burst of speed. His raw physical speed couldn't possibly be that high!"
"So what if he's fast? Speed alone won't beat Neji! Don't forget what the Byakugan can do. Once he activates it, all that speed will be useless!"
Only then did the others recover from their shock and turn their attention back to the match.
Kakashi and Guy exchanged glances, each seeing the amazement in the other's eyes. Zhou Cheng's speed had astonished them both!
This kid just kept surprising them!
They began looking forward to what Zhou Cheng would do next.
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
Using his momentum, Zhou Cheng unleashed one of Guy's taijutsu moves.
It was a taijutsu technique combining a high kick with a low kick.
"So fast!" Caught off guard, Neji had no time to dodge and could only cross his arms in front of himself.
Bam!
Neji was sent flying by the powerful kick.
But he adjusted his posture in midair, rolled twice after landing, and immediately got back to his feet.
His pristine white training clothes were now stained with dust.
The entire crowd fell silent.
Who could have imagined that Neji would be the one sent flying?
Then a cheer rang out, drawing everyone's attention.
It was Naruto, shouting with his fist raised.
"Hahaha! Zhou Cheng, I knew you could do it!"
Hinata, Haku, and the others were not as optimistic as Naruto, however. Neji had yet to activate his Byakugan, let alone unleash his Gentle Fist secret techniques!
"You're fast!"
"But your strikes lack power!"
Neji pushed off the ground and charged at Zhou Cheng.
Refusing to back down, Zhou Cheng charged at Neji as well.
The two clashed in an instant, countering each other's moves. For a time, neither could gain the upper hand.
The spectators erupted into an uproar again. They had originally expected Zhou Cheng to lose within a few exchanges.
They had never imagined he would actually trade blows with Neji on equal terms.
Asuma Sarutobi even forgot to take a drag on the cigarette between his lips.
"You're telling me he developed taijutsu like that in a single day?"
"Guy, you're joking! Right?"
"My taijutsu wasn't anywhere near that level when I was his age!"
Guy flashed a toothy grin and gave Zhou Cheng a thumbs-up.
"I, the Konoha Azure Beast, never lie! He mastered it in a single day!"
Many people heard Guy's words, and all of them wore looks of disbelief.
Their scalps tingled. If he had truly developed taijutsu of this caliber in a single day, just how talented was Zhou Cheng?
Such talent had never appeared in the history of the Shinobi World.
Standing on a nearby rooftop, Uzuki Yugao's beautiful eyes beneath her mask brimmed with delight.
"I told you Zhou Cheng would win. My intuition has always been accurate!"
The Third Generation, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Danzo were already too stunned to speak.
Had this kid Zhou Cheng really never practiced taijutsu before?
Could he really have developed his taijutsu to this level in a single day?
Before today, they would never have believed it, not even under threat of death.
But now they had no choice but to believe it, and excitement began to stir in both of them.
Zhou Cheng's talent had once again overturned their understanding.
They absolutely had to secure such a promising young talent for themselves.
With talent like this, he would undoubtedly become the strongest contender for Hokage in the future, provided he was carefully nurtured.
Bam.
After dozens of exchanges, Zhou Cheng and Neji each landed a punch on the other, using the impact to spring backward.
Neji assumed his Gentle Fist opening stance once more.
"Zhou Cheng, you've earned my recognition!"
"But victory will still be mine."
"Byakugan, activate!"
Zhou Cheng's gaze sharpened. The real fight had begun!