"Sasuke, I hope you won't disappoint Sixth Brother and me."
Snake Aunt looked at Sasuke's youthful face, a trace of envy deep in her eyes.
"Even if that blond boy knows Medical Ninjutsu, once the perfected Cursed Seal of Heaven has been implanted, you still won't be able to use the Sharingan or form hand seals for three days unless you can suppress it. Using the Sharingan or hand signs will trigger the Cursed Seal's power and let it eat away at you. Come on, Sasuke. Show me your potential."
"Ahem, ahem, ahem. Well... quiet down, everyone... let me say a few words..."
As soon as Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others appeared, the younger generation turned admiring eyes toward them, much to his satisfaction.
With his hands behind his back, he cleared his throat and assumed the air of a leader, then launched into a long, nauseating bout of brainwashing.
He went on about the meaning and duties of a Chunin, how these joint exams with their allies were also a contest between allied nations to demonstrate each country's prestige, and how greater prestige would bring in more commissions in the future, and so on.
Some of those below might have felt their blood stirring as they listened, but one thing was certain: Naruto and Gaara were practically falling asleep.
No, Gaara wasn't sleepy. He was impatient with all the endless blathering and wanted the third round of bloody combat to begin already.
Then Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that too many people had made it through the second round. To make the third round more entertaining to watch, they would first hold a preliminary round here and eliminate half the remaining contestants.
At that, Naruto could practically hear the people around him cursing under their breath.
"For fuck's sake, are they