Victory

As long as the students made it into the Main Venue, they could catch the Third Hokage's attention.

Forget taking first place. In these students' eyes, simply entering the Main Venue and attracting Hiruzen Sarutobi's notice was already an incomparable honor.

Anyone who fought their way into the Finals and took first place could truly be called the strongest prodigy of the entire year. The Finals arena stood at the very center of the Main Venue, with the Preliminal Finals arenas on either side.

Meanwhile, inside the Main Venue...

Seeing that the four winners were in position, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi officially announced the start of the assessment.

"Which of those children do you think will take first place?"

"I may not think much of them, but the Sharingan really is absurd at their age. It has to be that kid from the Uchiha Clan."

Standing behind Hiruzen Sarutobi was Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin.

At the Ninja Academy, Makoto Uchiha was the undisputed number one in every area, nearly always crushing whoever came second. He was even more outstanding than Minato Namikaze had been at his age!

Naturally, Makoto Uchiha's reputation as a prodigy had long since drawn the attention of Konoha's leadership.

Hearing Jiraiya's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly, but still nodded.

Barring any surprises, it should be Makoto Uchiha, he thought. Every generation of the Uchiha Clan produced several prodigies, and the clan's total number of Jonin even amounted to half the village's. Although they lacked top-tier fighters, they remained an enormous threat.

Just then, Orochimaru approached quietly from another direction, an inscrutable smile curling his lips.

"Really? ...I wouldn't be so sure."

"What, Orochimaru? Do you think someone else his age can beat him?"

Jiraiya turned to Orochimaru with a displeased look.

Orochimaru could barely be bothered with Jiraiya. He merely shrugged and said mildly, "That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?"

"See for yourself!"

Orochimaru gestured slightly in one direction.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya both looked over in surprise.

Out on the field, Chihane and Okita Kibe were already locked in a fierce battle.

"Wind Release! Great Breakthrough!"

Although he had yet to officially become a ninja, Okita Kibe had already mastered some Ninjutsu. Knowing that Chihane specialized in swordsmanship, he planned to defeat him with Ninjutsu from a distance.

Swish!

A sharp flash of sword light streaked past. Chihane drew his wooden sword and effortlessly cut through the Wind Blade Okita Kibe had unleashed.

"Impossible! How could a wooden sword cut through my Ninjutsu?"

Okita Kibe cried out, but he already realized he was probably going to lose today. With the Third Hokage watching from the platform, however, he had no choice. He charged forward with a kunai in hand, intending to use its steel blade to cut through Chihane's wooden sword. That would leave Chihane with only Taijutsu, allowing him to suppress him with Ninjutsu.

"Three-Sword Style! Oni Giri!!"

Seeing Okita Kibe charge straight into defeat, Chihane curled his lips slightly, gripped a wooden sword between his teeth, and unleashed Oni Giri.

He instantly knocked the kunai from Okita Kibe's hand and set a wooden sword against his neck.

"Chihane Hatake wins! Both sides, form the Reconciliation Seal."

Seeing Chihane defeat Okita Kibe cleanly and decisively, the Chunin instructor's eyes flashed with gratification. He promptly announced the winner!

Meanwhile, Makoto Uchiha was still playing a game of chase with Izuna Hyuga, advancing as the other retreated.

"Impossible! Someone actually finished faster than Makoto Uchiha!"

Jiraiya exclaimed, his face full of disbelief.

The first winner... wasn't Makoto Uchiha?!

Beside him, Orochimaru gave a faintly sinister smile and chuckled. "What's impossible about that...?"

"Interesting. I thought Makoto Uchiha was the only one worth watching in this year's class.

" Tsunade approached from behind with a smile, an unusual gleam in her beautiful eyes. "He's the Hatake Clan's eldest son, isn't he?"

"That's right. It's him." Orochimaru nodded.

Jiraiya, who had favored Makoto Uchiha the most, was visibly startled to hear that Chihane was Hatake Sakumo's son.

But he and Orochimaru were, after all, close companions who were always at each other's throats. Seeing that his favorite, Makoto Uchiha, had failed to qualify before Orochimaru's favorite, Chihane, immediately left him looking disgruntled.

"So what if he's made it this far? He can't beat Makoto Uchiha. Makoto Uchiha's Sharingan is the perfect counter to a ninja like him!"

"Heh heh heh..."

Hearing Jiraiya's words, Orochimaru gave a rather amused smile. Instead of getting angry, he said mildly, "Powerful swordsmanship, composure under pressure, and exceptional intelligence. That child might just turn out to be even more outstanding than your student, Minato Namikaze."

Those words immediately startled everyone present.

Although most of them did not believe Chihane could truly surpass a prodigy like Minato Namikaze, Orochimaru sounded so certain that they could not dismiss Chihane's talent!

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into thought for a moment.

Of course he had heard about Chihane. The boy had endured being Dead Last for all these years, and he did not believe Chihane had mastered swordsmanship overnight. Looking at it this way, Chihane might very well have killed that Mist Ninja scout some time ago, too. Could Chihane already kill a Chunin at his age?

This child really is something!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered.

If Chihane really has that kind of talent, I must keep such a promising prospect in my own hands. I can't let Danzo take him!

In that case, let's see how he performs next!

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's slightly expectant gaze, Chihane walked to the center of the Finals arena and quietly waited there for the final match.

The entire Finals took place in an arena resembling the Chunin Ninja Exams venue from the original story.

At the very top, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat quietly in his Hokage Ceremonial Robe.

Behind and beside Hiruzen Sarutobi stood three figures Chihane knew very well.

As Chihane looked up, a barely perceptible gleam flickered in his eyes.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru! Sex! Gambling! Drugs!

The legendary Sannin of Konoha. To think they were all here.

While Chihane looked up at Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, they were, of course, studying him as well.

Sometimes, a person's eyes alone could reveal a great deal.

If their presence at the edge of the arena made him look awed or overly nervous, that alone would reveal his inherent limits, and he would amount to little more than that. Yet Chihane's calm expression could not conceal the fire in his eyes. His fierce fighting spirit made it seem as though he might come up and challenge them at any moment.

"He has a good look in his eyes!"

Tsunade studied Chihane, then offered that quiet assessment.

Having reached this point in provisional first place, he could remain so composed before the Hokage, the Sannin, and the other Jonin. Even in their presence, he retained his fighting spirit while keeping it under control.

That was the mindset of a proper ninja.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded as well. Although Chihane's past as Dead Last had left him with a poor impression, that was all in the past. If Chihane could demonstrate exceptional talent, he would certainly make nurturing him a priority.