96-100

Chapter 96: Buying People's Hearts

Kimimaro had a good sleep last night, but just as he woke up, he heard someone knocking on the door.

"Boss, that gourd kid from Sunagakure is looking for you."

It was Suigetsu who opened the door. Seeing Gaara from Sunagakure at the door looking for Kimimaro, he felt a bit strange.

Kimimaro, however, wasn't surprised.

Gaara hadn't lost his memory, so it would be strange if he didn't come looking for him today.

"Yo, morning."

Kimimaro greeted him.

Gaara was not too happy with Suigetsu's way of addressing him, but surprisingly, he didn't lash out.

Speaking of which, Suigetsu really wasn't afraid of Gaara.

Most of Gaara's techniques were useless against Suigetsu.

Moreover, Suigetsu was also a water-style ninja, which Gaara found most troublesome.

"How did you do it last night?"

Gaara crossed his arms, his face indifferent even when asking a question.

"What? Want to learn?"

Kimimaro smirked.

Gaara remained silent.

For him now, asking someone for help was an impossible thing to do.

The atmosphere between the two was a bit strange. Suigetsu whispered to Jugo, "It's over, Jugo. The boss must have picked up the same bad habit as Orochimaru. Our team might get bigger and bigger, and then, maybe your position won't be secure."

Upon hearing this, Jugo's eyes showed a hint of seriousness.

Could it be that this gourd kid was looking for Kimimaro for the same reason as him?

Was the Kimimaro Cage going to turn into a large prison?

Was he going to have cellmates?

Jugo's emotions were a bit complicated for a while.

Just then, Kankuro and Temari also arrived.

Seeing his older brother and sister, Gaara found it even harder to speak.

So, he turned and left.

"Leaving just like that?"

Faced with Kimimaro's "attempt to keep him", Gaara still didn't turn back.

Kankuro and Temari were even more confused, not knowing what had happened between the two, and could only leave with Gaara.

"What a character."

Kimimaro didn't mind. Even if Gaara really wanted to learn, he couldn't teach him.

"Boss, I think that gourd kid is a bit unhappy. In the next exam, he might go hard on us."

"Are you scared?"

"I'm not afraid of him. All his sand will be useless against me."

Suigetsu had seen Gaara's techniques, and he really wasn't afraid.

"Then it's fine. Train hard these two days and prepare for the next exam."

"Alright!"

Time quickly came to the fifth day.

This morning, Dosu, Zaku, and Kin finally reached the tower.

However, they looked a bit disheveled.

The worst off was Dosu, whose right arm had been broken. It was currently bandaged, and his face was full of anger.

"Lord Kimimaro."

Zaku knelt respectfully before Kimimaro.

"What happened to you guys? You look so battered. In this exam, was there someone who could make you suffer such a big loss?"

Kimimaro pretended to be surprised; of course, he knew what had happened.

"It was Sasuke Uchiha. Lord Orochimaru asked us to test Sasuke Uchiha's strength. We didn't expect him to adapt to the Cursed Seal's power so quickly. He broke Dosu right arm in one move.

If his teammates hadn't stopped Sasuke Uchiha's rampage and awakened him in time, we would probably have been wiped out."

Zaku recounted the scene, which was no different from what Kimimaro knew.

"I see. You've worked hard. Dosu , come here for a moment."

Dosu didn't know what Kimimaro was going to do, but he still walked over to him.

"Lord Kimimaro... ah!"

Before Dosu could finish, Kimimaro unwrapped Dosu bandage, revealing his injured arm. Dosu gasped, the pain unbearable, and cried out.

Before he could react, Kimimaro used both hands to connect his broken bones, then swept over them with green chakra, and the wound on his right arm disappeared.

The pain vanished.

"Try it, can you move it?"

Dosu snapped out of his shock and immediately moved his right arm, finding that it had completely healed.

"It's healed?"

Dosu was both surprised and delighted.

Zaku and Kin were also shocked to see this.

They didn't expect Kimimaro to heal Dosu injury.

And he healed it instantly.

In their hearts, Kimimaro's image became even more profound and unfathomable.

"Your injury is not serious, I've taken care of it for you. It won't affect your performance for now. But it will still take two or three days to fully recover."

"Thank you, Lord Kimimaro!"

Dosu knelt very respectfully before Kimimaro, completely convinced.

"Go and rest. There are still a few tough battles ahead."

"Yes! Lord Kimimaro!"

The three retreated, and Kimimaro pondered.

The power of the Cursed Seal.

He was also very interested in this power.

However, Orochimaru's Cursed Seal had too many drawbacks, and he didn't want to get involved with it.

His own Cursed Seal research was stuck at the last step, and he couldn't count on it for now.

But in at most another year, he should be able to figure it out.

This kind of thing couldn't be rushed.

"These three are quite capable, especially Dosu and Zaku . Although they are nominally genin, they have strength no less than chunin. It would be a pity if they all died in this Chunin Exam. If I need people to handle things in the future, they will come in handy."

These thoughts flashed through Kimimaro's mind, but he didn't dwell on them.

After all, these three were also Orochimaru's subordinates. It wouldn't be good for him to blatantly poach them.

Unlike Suigetsu, Jugo, and Karin, when Kimimaro recruited them, they were all alone.

The time for the second round of the Chunin Exams was almost up.

In the last hour, the remaining examinees rushed in.

When Team 8, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba, arrived, all three looked at Kimimaro, who was standing on the platform observing.

Noticing their gazes, Kimimaro smiled faintly.

"That guy, he can still smile. In the next exam, I will definitely avenge the arrow from four days ago!"

Kiba was full of fighting spirit, but Shino advised, "Kiba, his strength is completely beyond the scope of a genin. We'd better not provoke him.

He didn't hurt us, which means he doesn't have any ill intentions. Otherwise, we wouldn't have had a chance to complete the second round of the exam."

"Hmph, I know."

Kiba was just being tough; he also knew the gap between him and Kimimaro.

Akamaru was still shivering in his arms.

Team 7 arrived at the tower just in time, and with them was Kabuto Yakushi's team.

This spy must have put on another wonderful performance.

The second round of the Chunin Exams is over!

Those who passed: eight teams, twenty-four people.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 97: Suigetsu vs. Kankuro

The bell signaling the end of the exam rang, and Kimimaro saw Orochimaru, disguised as an Otogakure Jonin.

At this moment, he was staring at Sasuke, who had just arrived at the tower, with a look in his eyes that clearly appreciated an object.

"It seems you have finished your hunt."

Kimimaro walked to Orochimaru's side and said slowly.

"Hehe, the Uchiha clan is really the perfect container."

Orochimaru said, his eyes falling on Kimimaro.

To be precise, it was on his eye mask.

"What are you wearing? Are your eyes hurt?"

"There was a little accident, but it doesn't affect anything."

Kimimaro pulled the black eye patch and didn't intend to explain further.

Orochimaru already understood.

"Hehe, it seems that your hunt is also complete."

Kimimaro smiled without saying a word.

One big and one small fox, each with their own thoughts.

Of course, none of them were directed at each other.

Both were pursuing longevity and could be considered like-minded individuals.

It's just that their methods were different.

Kimimaro already knew Orochimaru's future, so he wasn't curious about him.

But Orochimaru was different. He didn't know what Kimimaro's future would be like, so he always had expectations for him.

In the end, whether the two would end up on the same path or have their own worlds, Orochimaru was very curious.

"The old man Third Hokage is here, you can go back."

"Hmm."

Kimimaro returned to the examinee's queue and met Sasuke and the other two head-on.

"Kimimaro!"

Naruto greeted excitedly, showing no signs of fatigue from the five days of hard fighting.

不愧是漩涡一族，体力爆炸。 As expected of the Uzumaki clan, their stamina is explosive.

Sasuke and Sakura didn't have such good stamina, and both looked tired at the moment.

The two looked at Naruto as if they were looking at a monster.

Of course, there was no discrimination in this gaze, just confusion and amazement.

When Naruto saw the black eye patch on Kimimaro's face, he showed a look of confusion and worry.

"You... what happened to your eyes?"

Naruto's concern was sincere, and Kimimaro could feel it.

He smiled slightly and said, "It's nothing serious, just a strong light that hurt my eyes. It will recover in a couple of days."

"So that's it, you're too careless."

Hearing that it was nothing serious, Naruto immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"You guys look like you've been through a tough battle. These five days haven't been easy, have they?"

"Don't mention it, the three of us were too unlucky. Not long after we entered the Forest of Death, we encountered a monster-like guy. If we weren't lucky, we wouldn't be standing here now."

"Oh? It seems you encountered something interesting."

"It wasn't interesting at all."

Naruto complained repeatedly. He had a belly full of grievances to pour out about his encounter with Orochimaru.

However, the arrival of the Third Hokage deprived Naruto of the opportunity to vent his grievances.

Along with the Third Hokage came many Konoha Jonin, Sunagakure Jonin Maki, and Orochimaru, disguised as an Otogakure Jonin.

"Congratulations to all of you for passing the second round of the exam."

After the Third Hokage spoke to everyone about the necessity of the joint Chunin Exams and the meaning behind it, he announced the arrangements for the next exam.

Because too many candidates passed this round, an additional round was added.

One-on-one individual battles.

Twenty-four people could be divided into twelve groups.

Of course, after all, they had just gone through an exam, and some people's physical strength was damaged, and some were even injured.

If they felt unable to continue fighting, they could withdraw from the exam on their own.

But having come this far, how could any normal person give up?

Even the spy Kabuto Yakushi didn't withdraw.

This made Kimimaro a little strange.

Had the plot changed?

Before Kimimaro could think further, the examiner for this impromptu match, Moonlight Hayate, appeared.

"Ahem, since no one has withdrawn, then, the extra match, begins now."

On the big screen, twenty-four names were constantly scrolling.

All the candidates stared at it intently, more or less nervous.

Their opponents in the duel would determine whether they could enter the final round of the Chunin Exams.

The names stopped.

"First round, Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi."

The match proceeded the same as in the original story, and in the end, Sasuke defeated Akado Yoroi, who had the ability to absorb chakra, with a modified version of Rock Lee's taijutsu, the Lion Combo.

After the match, Sasuke was taken away by Kakashi to seal the Cursed Seal's power.

And Orochimaru also disappeared along with him.

Second round, Zaku Abumi vs. Aburame Shino.

Although Zaku's arms had healed, he was still no match for Shino and was ultimately defeated miserably with his arms blown off.

Third round, Kankuro vs. Suigetsu.

"It's my turn. Hehe, it's that puppeteer from Sunagakure. You're unlucky to have encountered me."

Suigetsu excitedly jumped down from the high platform and landed in the competition arena.

"It's a Genin from Otogakure. I haven't seen this guy named Suigetsu make a move yet, I don't know what his abilities are."

A look of seriousness appeared on Kankuro's face.

"Kankuro, are you confident? If the mechanisms in Crow are exposed, it might affect our next actions."

Temari was a little worried.

"I'll try. I can't just give up here. There are only three of us from Sunagakure."

After Kankuro finished speaking, he also jumped down and arrived at the competition arena.

The match began!

"You're a puppeteer, right? I wonder how powerful your puppets are, let me see."

Suigetsu's arrogant expression made Kankuro extremely unhappy.

What he hated most were arrogant people.

Suigetsu was undoubtedly dancing wildly in his minefield.

"Hmph, I also want to see if you have the ability to make me use my puppets."

"Oh? Quite confident, I like that. Unfortunately, giving you a chance is useless. I'm afraid you won't have the opportunity to use your puppets."

Suigetsu grinned, revealing his shark-like teeth.

Then, he made a gun shape with his right hand and fired a shot at Kankuro's head!

Water Release: Water Gun Technique!

Bang!

A stream of water, like a bullet, shot directly at Kankuro's head.

A direct hit!

This attack was extremely sudden and fast, and Kankuro was hit in the head before he could react.

"This is... the secret technique passed down through generations of the Hozuki clan, the Water Gun Technique? This person is actually from the Hozuki clan?"

The Third Hokage, with his vast knowledge, immediately recognized Suigetsu's origin and was somewhat surprised.

It was rumored that the Hozuki clan had been exterminated, but he didn't expect there were still surviving members.

What was even more outrageous was that this orphan was actually under the title of an Otogakure Genin.

What was Kirigakure doing?

Suigetsu's sudden attack stunned the Genin present.

"It's this move again, I was defeated by this move before."

Kiba Inuzuka clenched his fists, feeling unwilling.

"Look, the Sunagakure Genin isn't bleeding, something is falling off his face."

Choji Akimichi exclaimed.

They saw sand constantly falling off the face of the "Kankuro" who was hit, and finally, it turned into a puppet.

Crow!

And the "puppet" that was originally wrapped in bandages now unwrapped the bandages, revealing Kankuro's true body.

It was a common trick of puppeteers to use a puppet to impersonate themselves while pretending to be a puppet to catch their opponents off guard.

Kankuro didn't expect his disguise to be broken by Suigetsu with just one attack.

Fortunately, Crow's forehead was extremely hard, otherwise, it wouldn't have been solved with just a hole.

"This guy actually has such a strong offensive ninjutsu. This is troublesome."

Kankuro looked at Suigetsu not far away with a solemn expression.

"It seems you can take it a little more seriously, puppet boy from Sunagakure."

Suigetsu raised his right hand, preparing to launch the Water Gun Technique again.

"Wait, I surrender."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 98: Kimimaro vs. Hinata

Kankuro's sudden surrender stunned everyone present.

The battle had just begun, only one round of confrontation, and he surrendered?

This guy's desire to fight was too low.

"Kankuro surrenders, the winner is Suigetsu."

Moonlight Hayate directly announced the result.

But Suigetsu was extremely unhappy.

"Hey! What are you doing, kid? Surrendering right from the start? Can't you handle it?"

Kankuro didn't say anything and left with his puppet.

Suigetsu was holding back his anger and was about to explode when he noticed Kimimaro's gaze and could only swallow his anger.

He returned to Kimimaro's side and said, "Boss, what's wrong with this guy? Is he looking down on me?"

"Don't forget, we and Sunagakure didn't come here to really become Chunin. As a puppeteer, once Kankuro's mechanisms are exposed, his combat power will inevitably be greatly reduced. It's normal for him to choose to give up when he sees that things are not going well."

"Tsk, what a gutless guy."

Upon hearing this, Suigetsu also understood Kankuro's difficulties, but he was still unhappy.

Everyone looked at Kankuro with some confusion, but no one delved deeper.

Because the next round of matches had begun.

Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino.

The famous battle of the weaklings in the Chunin Exams.

Sakura hadn't yet confirmed her development direction, and Ino was a support-type ninja.

Naturally, their fight wouldn't be very good to watch.

In the end, the two ended the battle in a draw.

This was a match specifically designed to eliminate people, and a draw meant both were eliminated.

"Hey, Sakura, are you okay?"

"Ino, how are you feeling?"

Naruto and Shikamaru stepped forward and brought the two back to the rest area.

The final punch had left both Sakura and Ino unconscious.

"They're just a little exhausted and will wake up soon."

Kimimaro stepped forward to check on the two, and as soon as he finished speaking, they woke up.

"Wow, Kimimaro, you were right. Sakura, how are you feeling?"

Naruto looked at Sakura with concern.

"I'm fine."

Sakura looked at Ino beside her.

The two smiled at each other, their grievances resolved with a smile.

The point of contention between them was Sasuke. Now, after a big fight, both of them had come to terms with it.

No matter who won Sasuke in the end, they were still friends.

The matches continued.

Tenten vs. Temari.

A match with a disparity in strength.

Tenten, who used ninja tools, had no advantage in the face of Temari's Wind Release and was easily defeated.

Nara Shikamaru vs. Kin Tsuchi.

Shikamaru successfully defeated Kin, the weakest of the Otogakure trio, with his intelligence.

Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba.

A victory obtained because of a fart.

"Kimimaro vs. Hyuga Hinata!"

As soon as this matchup was announced, everyone was shocked!

Team 7, Team 8, and the Sunagakure team all knew very well how strong Kimimaro was.

With the partial strength he had displayed so far, Hinata had no chance of winning.

When Hinata saw this list, she nervously gripped the hem of her clothes.

"Hinata's luck is really bad, she actually encountered Kimimaro, she's definitely going to lose this time."

Sakura shook her head helplessly, feeling sorry for Hinata.

"Sakura, do you know this Kimimaro's strength?"

Ino asked curiously.

Sakura nodded slightly.

"He might be the strongest Genin in this Chunin Exam. Although I don't want to admit it, even Sasuke is probably no match for him at all."

"So powerful?"

Ino was surprised.

"His strength has already far surpassed the Genin level."

Sakura could still recall the battle on the bridge that day.

Kimimaro was unscathed, while Sasuke and Naruto were covered in wounds.

And that headshot in mid-air left a deep impression on her.

Sakura felt that she still couldn't block that attack even now.

Ino looked at the figure not far away and muttered, "More handsome than Sasuke, stronger than Sasuke? Seems easier to approach than Sasuke too."

Recalling how Kimimaro had taken the initiative to come and check their injuries just now, he did seem more approachable.

If Ino knew that Kimimaro only came over to get the photo reward, she probably wouldn't think that way.

"Hinata! Come on! Although that Kimimaro guy is strong, you can't lose to him easily!"

Naruto cheered for Hinata, and Hinata was immediately filled with strength.

"Naruto-kun is watching me, I must work hard."

Hinata mustered her courage and prepared to enter the arena.

"Hinata, give up if you can't do it. We've already seen Kimimaro's strength. Even with his injured eye, you can't handle him."

Kiba Inuzuka had already been sent to the infirmary by Naruto, leaving only Shino to persuade Hinata.

"Yes, I know. But I will definitely do my best."

Seeing Hinata's serious expression, Shino didn't say anything more.

"Boss, your opponent is that Hyuga girl, you two really have a lot of fate."

Suigetsu teased.

Kimimaro ignored Suigetsu, jumped down from the rest area, and landed in the competition arena.

Both sides were in position, and the match began.

"You're not my opponent, give up."

Kimimaro didn't want to fight Hinata. After all, he had just gotten benefits from her, and it wouldn't be right to turn around and beat her up.

"I... I know I'm not your opponent. But... I won't give up easily."

Hinata rarely mustered up the courage and assumed a fighting stance.

Kimimaro raised an eyebrow, knowing that the fight was unavoidable.

"Alright, then let me see your strength."

The battle was about to begin.

In the rest area, Neji crossed his arms and silently watched Hinata in the arena.

"Hmph, you clearly don't want to fight, but you still want to act tough. Lady Hinata, you still haven't grown up."

As Neji said this, a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes, along with an inexplicable emotion.

At the same time, his gaze swept over Kimimaro.

In this Chunin Exam, there weren't many people Neji couldn't see through, and this Otogakure Genin was one of them.

Through his Byakugan, he surprisingly couldn't see through Kimimaro completely.

There seemed to be a powerful chakra within Kimimaro resisting the Byakugan's prying.

This resulted in Neji being able to see very limited things.

He could sense that this person harbored many secrets.

The eyes under the black eye patch were even more hazy.

"This guy, what's his origin?"

Even Neji himself didn't know that he had developed a worry for Hinata in his heart.

"Excuse me."

Hinata greeted politely, and then unleashed her Gentle Fist!

The basic Gentle Fist was perfectly displayed in Hinata's hands.

Having learned Gentle Fist under Hiashi Hyuga's guidance since childhood, and being diligent enough, Hinata's fist technique was naturally well-formed and extremely standard.

But the power of fist techniques never lay in being standard, but in flexible application.

In this aspect, Hinata lacked the crucial combat intelligence.

In contrast, Naruto's combat intelligence was completely maxed out.

Hinata's Gentle Fist strikes were all executed, but Kimimaro's feet constantly shifted positions, dodging every single one.

Although the Gentle Fist was strong, it couldn't touch his body at all.

"This is..."

At this moment, the Byakugan under Kimimaro's black eye patch slightly contracted.

Something interesting had happened.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 99: Copy!

In the stands, the Third Hokage watched Kimimaro with curiosity.

"This Otogakure genin's strength is remarkable. Even with his eyes covered, he can still accurately avoid every one of Hinata's attacks. His hearing is exceptional, or perhaps, he possesses some kind of superior sensory ability."

The Otogakure genin's few attacks left the Third Hokage with a feeling of astonishment.

The first three Otogakure genin alone had already reached the top level of Konoha genin.

And Suigetsu and Kimimaro further demonstrated strength far exceeding that of a genin.

This newly established Otogakure village was able to cultivate so many outstanding genin, it was indeed worth paying attention to.

On the field, after Kimimaro calmly dodged Hinata's entire set of basic Gentle Fist, he noticed an interesting change happening to his eyes beneath the black eye mask.

Hinata's Gentle Fist techniques were being copied by his eyes.

It was as if a video recorder had appeared in Kimimaro's mind, recording all of Hinata's movements.

As long as he wanted, he could replay them at any time.

Was this... the ability to copy?

It was the copying ability of the Mirror Card and the Double Card!

Comparable to the Sharingan's copying eye, it could completely replicate the opponent's techniques.

As for whether or not he could learn them, it depended on whether he had the corresponding learning conditions.

Back then, there were so many Sharingan, but only one Copy Ninja emerged.

It turned out that the abilities of the Mirror Card and the Double Card hadn't completely disappeared, but had merged into one, becoming one of the Byakugan's abilities.

Realizing this, Kimimaro was overjoyed.

If this was the case, then this mission not only had no losses, but was instead a huge gain.

The images of Hinata performing the Gentle Fist flashed through his mind, and Kimimaro even felt that he could replicate them right now.

But he suppressed this urge.

If he used the Gentle Fist here, it would be hard to explain.

The Third Hokage was watching from above, and he didn't want to be invited for tea by the Hyuga clan or Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force.

Taking a deep breath, Kimimaro suppressed his excitement and dodged Hinata's attack once again.

Hinata had finished her basic Gentle Fist and now used the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists.

Kimimaro accepted them all, replicating them one by one with his Byakugan.

If he wanted to maximize the Byakugan's power, he couldn't avoid learning the Hyuga clan's training methods.

The millennia-old supporting taijutsu naturally had its significance.

The Byakugan and the Gentle Fist complemented each other.

Improving the Gentle Fist would also enhance the Byakugan's power.

However, Hinata's strength was still too weak for Kimimaro to grasp the true power of the Gentle Fist.

If he wanted to experience the true Gentle Fist, he would probably have to rely on the current head of the Hyuga clan, Hiashi Hyuga.

Otherwise, even Neji wouldn't be qualified.

After all, he was still too young.

After a whole set of combos, Hinata showed signs of fatigue.

She had also gone through tough battles in the Forest of Death these past five days, and her current condition wasn't good.

The battle had reached its limit here.

Seeing that it was about time, Kimimaro didn't waste any more time. He extended his right hand, spreading his five fingers, revealing white bone.

"Five Finger Bullet Drill!"

White bones shot out from his fingertips!

The speed was so fast that Hinata couldn't dodge at all.

Five bones hit her simultaneously.

Her wrists, ankles, and forehead were all hit!

But Kimimaro clearly held back, the power of this Five Finger Bullet Drill was less than 10%.

The hit areas were only bruised, not injuring her muscles or bones.

Even so, it deprived her of the ability to continue fighting.

Hinata fell weakly, and Kimimaro moved his feet, supporting her body.

"You've worked very hard. But the battle ends here."

Kimimaro's voice rang in Hinata's ears.

Although she didn't want to lose, she had to admit defeat now.

"The winner, Kimimaro."

The Third Hokage watched as Kimimaro carried Hinata down, a solemn look appearing in his eyes.

"Just now, that was... the Shikotsumyaku? Could he be from the Kaguya clan? What kind of genin are these in Otogakure? The Suigetsu from earlier was from the Hozuki clan, and now there's someone from the Kaguya clan. Could Otogakure be Kirigakure's hidden force?"

Thinking of this, the Third Hokage had to take it seriously.

If this was really the case, Kirigakure's ambitions were not simple.

The Bloody Mist of these years might just be a smokescreen.

Behind the scenes, Kirigakure didn't know how many things it had done.

Was this low-key Kirigakure about to make a big move?

The Third Hokage's thoughts raced.

Kimimaro had already brought Hinata to Team 8's rest area.

"Thank you for holding back earlier, otherwise Hinata wouldn't be able to stand up now."

Kurenai Yuhi, as the leader of Team 8, expressed her gratitude to Kimimaro.

"It was just a competition, there was no need for a life-or-death struggle. I admire Hinata's fighting spirit. She is a respectable opponent."

"To receive such praise from you, Hinata's efforts weren't in vain. Hinata, you need to show the same attitude in your next battle."

Kurenai Yuhi looked at Hinata and smiled.

"I will, Kurenai-sensei."

This battle had also given Hinata a lot of gains.

"I heard that Kurenai-senpai is a genjutsu expert. If there's a chance, I hope to learn some genjutsu from you."

Kimimaro suddenly said.

"Hmm? You're also interested in genjutsu? Judging by your fighting style, you should be a taijutsu-type ninja, right?"

Kurenai Yuhi was surprised.

"It's always good to have more skills."

"Kurenai-sensei, Kimimaro's genjutsu is very powerful. In the Forest of Death, his sound genjutsu knocked all three of us out."

Shino spoke up at the right time.

"Sound genjutsu?"

Kurenai Yuhi was even more surprised.

Being able to use sound genjutsu to simultaneously take down three genin meant he had already achieved some level of mastery in genjutsu.

Although the Otogakure genin Kin earlier also used sound genjutsu, it could only be considered beginner level.

"It seems I underestimated you."

"It's just a small trick, nothing compared to the fame of the Yuhi clan."

"Hehe, you're so young and already have such good genjutsu skills, your future achievements are limitless. If you have time these days, we can exchange some knowledge."

"That would be wonderful, thank you, Kurenai-senpai."

Kimimaro extended his right hand, and Kurenai Yuhi naturally shook it.

"Congratulations, tourist, the photo was successful. You have received a photo reward: The Clow Card of Illusion. It enhances all genjutsu."

Kimimaro's lips curled into a slight smile, his goal achieved.

He also knew that Kurenai Yuhi was just being polite and might not actually teach him genjutsu.

After all, they weren't from the same village, and it was unrealistic to expect her to teach him.

But he didn't mind, he wasn't really looking to learn from Kurenai Yuhi in the first place.

On the competition field, the next round had already begun.

Gaara vs. Rock Lee.

The peak battle of this round of exams had begun.

Rock Lee used several moves in a row, but couldn't break through Gaara's defense.

Finally, with Gai's silent permission, Rock Lee was ready to go all out.

"I will uphold my ninja way here! Even if I only know taijutsu, I can still become a powerful ninja! Neji, watch closely! This is the technique I've been training to defeat you! First Gate, open!"

A powerful aura erupted from Rock Lee.

At this moment, everyone was shocked.

They originally thought he was just a comedic character, but it turned out he was a hidden powerhouse.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 100: The End

"Fifth Gate, open!"

Facing a formidable opponent like Gaara, Rock Lee opened three gates, and after his attacks proved fruitless, he forcefully opened the fifth gate of the Eight Inner Gates!

This was an attack method that harmed the enemy one thousand and oneself eight hundred.

Regardless of whether this attack hit the enemy or not, Rock Lee would be severely injured.

A desperate gamble!

Rock Lee staked his dignity as a ninja!

For a time, in the face of the explosive Rock Lee, Gaara could only be beaten and was unable to fight back.

Everyone was amazed.

Rock Lee's strength had already surpassed all the other genin present except for Kimimaro and Gaara.

"Hey hey hey, is this Konoha genin a monster? He can actually use such a terrifying technique?"

Suigetsu was shocked.

Even he, under such continuous attacks, could only push his Hydrification Technique to the limit and wait for the opponent to finish.

Too fast!

So fast that it was impossible to react in any other way.

"What a pity."

Kimimaro sighed softly.

"Boss, what a pity?"

"It's a pity that he's still going to lose."

"The bushy brow kid is going to lose? No way? He's completely suppressing the gourd kid."

Suigetsu was puzzled.

"Rock Lee's attack is just a flash in the pan, he can't last ten seconds. After ten seconds, he'll be unable to move due to the side effects of the Eight Inner Gates. And to completely break through Gaara's defense in ten seconds, his current attack power isn't enough."

As he finished speaking, Rock Lee had already delivered his final punch, blasting Gaara from mid-air directly to the ground.

But a large amount of sand surged from the ground, cushioning most of the impact.

The sand armor on Gaara's body shattered, but he wasn't injured and could still fight.

"What?"

Rock Lee was shocked.

After that combo, the opponent could still move?

Gaara viciously extended his right hand, and the sand moved with it, directly crushing Rock Lee's left arm and left leg.

"Ah!"

A scream echoed throughout the entire exam venue.

Rock Lee completely lost consciousness.

Just as Gaara was about to kill Rock Lee, Gai casually swatted away Gaara's terrifying sand with a single strike.

The battle ended there.

But even though Rock Lee had lost consciousness, he still stood up.

For a moment, Rock Lee's perseverance moved everyone present.

Such a person, as long as they had a good teacher and enough time to grow, would definitely become a powerful figure in the future.

"This bushy brow kid is really scary, he can actually go this far. Luckily, my opponent wasn't him, otherwise, it would have been a bit troublesome."

Even Suigetsu, with his carefree personality, couldn't help but have a bit more respect for Rock Lee.

"Next, it's my turn."

Jugo, who had been silent all this time, spoke.

The screen displayed the list of matchups for the next round.

Jugo vs. Choji Akimichi.

This was a clash of strength.

"Choji, it's your turn! Go for it!"

Ino had recovered quite a bit and stood up to cheer for Choji.

Choji turned to look at Jugo.

The tall and sturdy Jugo gave off a strong sense of oppression.

"Um... maybe I should just give up?"

Choji gulped, feeling intimidated.

"Choji, how can you just give up like that! Shikamaru won, and you can too!"

Ino cheered again.

Shikamaru thought to himself, that sounded strange.

Asuma knew it was time to give Choji the motivation to fight.

"Choji, if you win, you can eat all you want at the barbecue restaurant, my treat."

Hearing this, Choji's eyes immediately filled with fighting spirit.

"Alright!"

Choji jumped down, his body immediately expanding, his arms, legs, and head retracting, transforming into a giant ball of flesh.

"Human Bullet Tank!"

The signature technique of the Akimichi clan.

Their massive bodies were their greatest weapons.

The meatball, with a diameter of two meters, spun and charged forward with imposing momentum.

"This little fatty has some strength. But this move might work on others, but against Jugo... that guy's a monster with abnormal strength."

Suigetsu commented.

Facing this attack, Jugo didn't move his feet at all, showing no intention of dodging.

His right hand clenched into a fist, chakra gathering on it.

"Hah!"

Jugo let out a low shout, his right fist punching out fiercely!

Boom!

The punch landed squarely on the Human Bullet Tank that Choji had transformed into.

In an instant, the Human Bullet Tank stopped spinning.

Under the tremendous force of the blow, Choji felt a sharp pain, and his expanded body deflated like a balloon, shrinking instantly.

With a bang, Choji flew out, crashing into a stone wall in the distance and passing out.

"Choji!"

Shikamaru ran over worriedly.

Everyone's gaze towards Jugo changed.

This silent Otogakure genin was also a formidable one.

With just one punch, he neutralized Choji's attack and counterattacked.

No fancy ninjutsu, just pure strength.

This fighting style really suited his physique.

"This Otogakure team is full of monsters. How are they all so strong?"

This was the thought in the minds of all the genin present.

Whether it was Kimimaro, Suigetsu, or Jugo, they had all exceeded their expectations.

The next two battles were Neji against Kabuto Yakushi's unknown teammate, and Kabuto Yakushi against Tos.

The winners were Neji and Kabuto Yakushi.

Tos was brutally beaten by Kabuto Yakushi, severely injured, and was eventually carried off on a stretcher.

Kimimaro facepalmed, he knew Tos wouldn't fare well against Kabuto Yakushi.

Tos had been unwise enough to break Kabuto's glasses earlier.

Kabuto must have been wanting to beat Tos up for the past five days.

Today, he finally got his chance.

The additional matches finally came to an end.

In the end, a total of eleven people entered the finals.

Sasuke, Shino, Suigetsu, Temari, Shikamaru, Naruto, Kimimaro, Gaara, Jugo, Neji, and Kabuto Yakushi.

The match order for the third exam was decided by drawing lots.

Neji vs. Kimimaro.

Shikamaru vs. Temari.

Suigetsu vs. Shino.

Jugo vs. Naruto.

Sasuke vs. Gaara.

Kabuto Yakushi had a bye.

"The third exam will be held in a month. Please use this month to adjust your condition and appear on the battlefield in your best form. At that time, there will be many people from various countries coming to watch.

This is not only about your personal honor but also about the reputation of your respective villages. I hope everyone can give it their all."

With the Third Hokage's speech concluding, the second Chunin Exam officially came to an end.

People were filled with mixed emotions as they dispersed.

But most of them went to the medical room, as their teammates had been carried in.

From Team 7, it was Sasuke; from Team 8, it was Kiba Inuzuka; from Team 10, it was Choji, who had been injured by Jugo; and from Team 3, it was Tenten and Rock Lee.

All three members of the Otogakure team had been sent in, so Kimimaro had to go check on the situation too.

(End of Chapter)