The Final Matches!

Two days passed in a flash.

During those two days, no one disturbed Mu Feng.

He familiarized himself with his swordsmanship while studying the Flying Thunder God Technique.

The swordsmanship he had received from the system belonged to Hozuki Mangetsu. Mu Feng still needed to make it his own and develop his own style. Only then would his movements flow more smoothly in battle, with fewer openings and weaknesses.

Two days later, it was time for the final stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams.

That day, all of Konoha was far livelier than usual. As a ninja village, Konoha did not actually offer much in the way of entertainment.

For many people, especially civilians, the Chunin Ninja Exams were much like the Olympics.

Early that morning, Mu Feng received instructions to report to the arena, sign in, and verify his identity.

There, Mu Feng met the other candidates taking part in the final assessment. Namiashi Raidō was still in charge of them.

Six people would participate in the final assessment. Just as Kurenai Yuhi had said, Hana Inuzuka and a ninja from another small village had failed to settle their match, and both had suffered serious injuries that prevented them from competing.

The six were Mu Feng Uchiha, Hokado Hyuga, Shiosui Nara, Chōtō Akimichi, Kisame Hoshigaki, and another Kirigakure ninja.

Of the six ninjas, four were from Konoha. That was already an excellent showing.

After they checked in, Namiashi Raidō gave the six a few instructions.

The finals followed the same rules as the preliminaries, using a one-on-one format. This time, however, there would be no drawing of lots. Konoha had arranged the matchups directly.

Once he finished explaining, Namiashi Raidō gathered the four Konoha candidates.

"Here are the matchups! You can start preparing! These matches are particularly important. Lord Hokage and the village's senior officials are paying close attention. Anyone who performs exceptionally well may receive more training resources and opportunities. Your standing in the village will also rise considerably, and you may even bring certain benefits to your clan!"

"Also, Lord Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, will be watching these matches. Mu Feng, this is an opportunity for you."

At that, Namiashi Raidō looked at Mu Feng. Of the four present, only Mu Feng had no team. Even after graduating from the Ninja Academy, he had neither a team nor a teacher.

Namiashi Raidō's meaning was already clear: if Mu Feng performed well, he might be taken under Orochimaru's wing.

Mu Feng frowned, but he still nodded in acknowledgment.

At this point, Orochimaru still enjoyed considerable prestige in Konoha.

"All right, the matches will begin soon, and you now know who your opponents are! Get yourselves ready!"

With that, Namiashi Raidō turned and left.

The four Konoha genin looked at one another.

Hostility flared between Chōtō Akimichi and Hokado Hyuga. According to the matchups, the two would face each other.

Shiosui Nara looked at Mu Feng instead.

"Looks like you're up against that shark from Kirigakure? He's very strong, so be careful," Shiosui Nara reminded him kindly.

In truth, he was not someone who meddled in other people's business. But Mu Feng was younger than everyone else there, while his opponent was stronger than any of theirs.

That contrast made Shiosui Nara uneasy. He worried that his younger fellow ninja would be no match for Kisame Hoshigaki.

Mu Feng, however, was rather annoyed by Shiosui Nara's reaction.

You see me as a kid, but you're a kid to me too!

You're only a few years older than me. Why talk like you're an adult?

"Don't worry. I've even killed a Kirigakure jonin!"

After leaving them with that bold declaration, Mu Feng turned and walked away, leaving Hokado Hyuga and the other two utterly bewildered.

"Was he telling the truth?"

"Judging by how he looked, it didn't seem like it!" Shiosui Nara stroked his chin and frowned, thinking of the unusual activity in the village over the past few days.

"No way! How old is he, anyway? How much could he even eat in one sitting?" Chōtō Akimichi asked incredulously.

He and Shiosui Nara were on the same team and got along quite well.

Just then, Hokado Hyuga interrupted their conversation.

"Chōtō Akimichi, I'll defeat you in the match. The Hyuga Clan is Konoha's strongest!"

With that, Hokado Hyuga also turned and left.

Before the matches had even begun, a rift had already formed among Konoha's candidates. Fortunately, these were one-on-one matches.

Soon, after a short wait.

The final assessment of the Chunin Ninja Exams began. Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi delivered a speech, and the Konoha spectators below cheered in unison.

Mu Feng stood there expressionlessly, as though listening to something utterly incomprehensible. The others reacted differently: some were excited, some were nervous, and some looked completely indifferent.

After the formalities, the matches finally began. The first match was Shiosui Nara against the Kirigakure ninja.

Once the two contestants were announced, Shiosui Nara descended from the viewing platform. Across from him, the Kirigakure ninja swept a hostile gaze over him.

After the preliminaries, both sides had gained a fairly good understanding of each other's ninjutsu.

Shiosui Nara used the Nara Clan's secret art, the Shadow Imitation Technique.

The Kirigakure ninja facing him belonged to the same clan as Hozuki Mangetsu and possessed the Hydrification Technique.

Clearly, in terms of ninjutsu, Shiosui Nara was at something of a disadvantage. The Shadow Imitation Technique could not restrain an enemy who had turned into water.

But in this arena, the Hozuki Clan ninja could also find a suitable hiding place.

Moreover, he could not maintain his liquefied state while attacking. If Shiosui Nara could seize that instant, the match would be over.

Thus, this was an evenly matched contest. What mattered was each ninja's mastery of his own secret art and his combat awareness.

"Come on, Shiosui!"

"Send that Kirigakure ninja flying, Shiosui!"

As both contestants entered the arena, the spectators in the stands began cheering.

Shiosui Nara shut out the noise and focused on the Kirigakure ninja, who was likewise sizing him up.

Suddenly, the Kirigakure ninja moved. He burst into a sprint toward the very center of the arena.

It was noon, and the Shadow Imitation Technique needed shadows to work with. Keeping away from the surrounding walls was indeed a good choice.

Shiosui Nara did not pursue him. Instead, he threw several shuriken from a distance, but his opponent blocked them with ease.

He frowned at the Kirigakure ninja, and the two fell into a stalemate.

For a while, neither showed any intention of engaging in a fierce battle, and the spectators in the stands grew restless.

Although some ninjas offered explanations, the spectators clearly did not want to watch a "kunai duel." The clamor grew louder.

"Hey, you over there! We can't keep dragging this out! How about settling it with taijutsu?"

Just then, Shiosui Nara made a suggestion.

The Kirigakure ninja opposite him looked up at the sun, then nodded in agreement.

The two closed in on each other and began a fierce exchange.

As a Hozuki Clan ninja, the Kirigakure ninja had thought he would hold a certain advantage in taijutsu. Once they actually fought, however, he realized he had been wrong.

Shiosui Nara's taijutsu was far from poor. Without using his secret art, the Hozuki Clan ninja felt as though his hands and feet were tied.

After a fierce exchange, he fell onto the defensive. Shiosui Nara seized an opening and drove a punch straight toward his face. Just then, with a pop, the ninja used the Hydrification Technique.

The next instant, a vicious glint flashed in the liquefied Kirigakure ninja's eyes. He circled behind Shiosui Nara, preparing to deliver a fatal blow. But at that very moment, his body suddenly froze.

"I knew you wouldn't play fair! That's why I've been watching out for you all along!"

Shiosui Nara spoke with his hands clasped together. He was standing directly on the Kirigakure ninja's shadow.

With his opponent's body under his control, Shiosui Nara soon forced the Kirigakure ninja to make a gesture of surrender.

"The winner of the first match is Shiosui Nara!"

As the head examiner announced the result, the spectators erupted in excitement.

The second match that followed was an internal Konoha showdown.

Hokado Hyuga versus Chōtō Akimichi.

The cheers were not as loud for this match. After all, both were from Konoha, and Hokado was a member of the Hyuga Clan.

In the end, Hokado Hyuga won. During the match, he even used Rotation, which he had never shown before, leaving everyone from Konoha stunned.

After the match, Chōtō Akimichi was sent straight to the infirmary, though he refused to accept his defeat. As his teammate, Shiosui Nara went with him.

Immediately afterward, the third match was about to begin.

This match was the grand finale, and the one the spectators most wanted to see.

The Uchiha Clan's rising genius against the monster from Kirigakure!