The Nine-Tails' fate? That forbidden technique the Fourth Hokage had used to seal the Nine-Tails!
Orochimaru felt a chill run down his back.
He found Uchiha Xin increasingly mysterious and powerful, and was filled with apprehension toward that power.
His craving for the Uchiha Clan's bloodline grew more intense than ever.
But he firmly suppressed his greed. Worried about affecting the subsequent Konoha Crush Plan, he did not dare make another move against Xin.
Xin ignored Orochimaru's reaction and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave the Forest of Death.
At that moment, outside the Forest of Death.
Large numbers of Anbu Ninja had already tightened security across the board because of Anko's clash with Orochimaru.
There was no longer any need for Xin to stay and watch the show.
Time flew.
Five days later.
The second exam in the Forest of Death finally came to an end.
Inside a large indoor arena in central Konoha.
Because the number of people who passed the second exam far exceeded expectations.
The Third Hokage decided to add a round of one-on-one preliminaries before the official third exam.
Only the winners would advance to the finals.
With his hands in his pockets, Xin strolled into the viewing gallery on the arena's second floor.
When he arrived, Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka were locked in a fierce battle in the central ring below.
"Shin-kun!"
Hinata Hyuga was the first to notice Xin's arrival.
She jogged over to his side, her cheeks faintly flushed as she nervously pressed her fingertips together.
"Back in the Forest of Death... thank you."
Hinata thanked him in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
Xin smiled slightly and raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh, keep it a secret for me."
Hinata nodded obediently, her heart filled with sweetness.
Just then, an exaggerated burst of laughter came from beside them.
"Hahaha! This is youth!"
Dressed in his signature green jumpsuit, Might Guy strode over with an identically dressed Rock Lee.
Guy threw an arm around Xin's shoulders.
"Xin! I heard from Lord Third that once you complete that special mission, you can be promoted to Chunin ahead of schedule!"
Tears of excitement filled Guy's eyes as he gave him a thumbs-up.
"This is all the fruit of the youthful sweat you shed every day!"
Beside him, Rock Lee was also so moved that tears streamed down his face.
"Shin-kun! I'll work twice as hard too!"
Paying no heed to their surroundings, Guy and Rock Lee embraced passionately, loudly shouting slogans about youth.
Looking utterly helpless, Xin edged aside, deliberately keeping his distance from the two overly hot-blooded fellows.
At that moment.
A burst of cheers erupted from the ring below.
With an unexpected string of farts, Naruto had successfully left Kiba, whose sense of smell was extremely keen, reeling from the stench.
Naruto then finished Kiba off with a heavy punch.
Naruto jumped up and down in excitement in the ring.
He spotted Xin in the second-floor viewing gallery at once and immediately shouted smugly.
"Xin! Did you see that? I won! I'm about to become a Chunin!"
Naruto's face was full of boastful pride.
Resting both arms on the railing, Xin teased him mercilessly.
"Yeah, I saw it. Winning by knocking your opponent senseless with a loud fart-no one before you has ever used a tactic like that, and no one ever will again."
The other Genin in the viewing gallery all burst into laughter at his words.
Naruto's face instantly turned bright red.
Although he was unhappy about it, winning with a fart really was rather embarrassing. He stammered for a long time, too embarrassed to offer another word in rebuttal.
Just then.
The huge electronic display above the arena began to beep.
Everyone's attention turned toward it.
Names scrolled rapidly across the screen before finally stopping.
The large screen announced the next pair of opponents.
Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga.
The vast arena instantly fell silent.
All the Genin, the Jonin instructors, and even the chief examiner, Gekko Hayate, turned their eyes toward the center of the ring.
Kakashi stood in the second-floor viewing gallery with his hands in his pockets, his one exposed, dead-fish eye filled with anticipation.
"What a twist of fate. I didn't expect to see a clash between Byakugan users so soon."
Kakashi murmured with feeling.
Leaning against the railing, Naruto scratched his head in confusion.
"Kakashi-sensei, what's the Byakugan? Is it really powerful? Is it even stronger than Sasuke's Sharingan?"
Rock Lee, who stood nearby, immediately leaned closer, his expression extremely serious.
"Naruto-kun, the Byakugan is a kekkei genkai passed down through generations of the Hyuga Clan."
Deep apprehension showed in Rock Lee's eyes.
"In terms of perception alone, the Byakugan even surpasses the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan. It's an extremely frightening dōjutsu."
"When it comes to close-range taijutsu, the Hyuga Clan is known as Konoha's strongest."
Naruto opened his mouth wide, only half understanding, his gaze fixed on the scene below.
By then, Hinata and Neji had walked to the center of the ring.
Neji folded his arms across his chest and looked coldly at his younger cousin.
"Lady Hinata, I advise you to forfeit immediately."
Neji's tone was filled with contempt and extremism, his voice echoing through the spacious arena.
"The fate of the Main Family and the Branch Family has long been decided."
"You were never born to fight. You're weak-willed and utterly unsuited to being a ninja."
Neji advanced toward Hinata step by step, his bearing aggressive.
"You're absolutely no match for me. Forcing yourself to fight will only bring you humiliation."
"Just concede quietly and spare yourself the pain."
Hinata lowered her head, nervously pressing her fingertips together as her body trembled slightly.
She knew how much injustice Neji had suffered because of his status in the Branch Family, and her heart was filled with sympathy and guilt.
"Neji... I..."
Hinata stammered, having no idea how to face this older cousin who was filled with resentment.
In the viewing gallery, Uchiha Xin frowned slightly.
He could no longer bear to watch Hinata acting so timid and submissive.
The girl clearly already possessed considerable strength, yet she still could not get past that mental hurdle.
"Neji, stop spouting nonsense!"
Xin rebuked him outright, his voice booming through the arena like a great bell.
Everyone's attention instantly shifted to Xin.
"What bullshit fate!"
"You're just making excuses for your own cowardice!"
"If you've got what it takes, prove it in a fight! What's so impressive about running your mouth?"
Neji's expression darkened. He abruptly looked up at Xin on the second floor, his eyes filled with killing intent.
Xin paid no attention whatsoever to Neji's murderous gaze and turned to Hinata below.
"Hinata, show your true strength!"
Xin's tone became utterly serious, filled with strong encouragement.
"Don't pity him! All the effort you've put in lately was for today's fight! Show him your resolve!"
At the sound of Xin's voice, Hinata trembled slightly.
Her cheeks instantly flushed bright red, and images of her recent grueling, sweat-drenched training surfaced in her mind.
Shin-kun believes in me so much. I can't let him down.
Hinata abruptly raised her head, her once-timid gaze instantly becoming utterly resolute.