#43 Divine Reward System

The qualifier venue.

At this time, all the candidates who passed the [Second Test] had arrived, along with the examiners from the first two sessions.

Even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was present in person! A tense silence filled the room before a voice finally broke it.

"Next, I would like the Third Hokage to explain the details regarding the [Third Test] qualifiers," Anko Mitarashi announced. "Lord Hokage, please!"

As Anko’s words faded, all eyes turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The Third Hokage surveyed the candidates, including Tatsuya, before beginning his speech.

"In short, this is not just a simple test. It is about your dreams, the prestige of your village, and even the standing of your nation."

A hush fell over the room.

"So, this is a battle where you must be prepared to put your life on the line!"

Just as Sarutobi’s words settled, a figure suddenly appeared before him.

"Lord Hokage, allow me to take over from here as the referee," said the newcomer.

"Very well," the Third Hokage nodded.

The referee turned to face the candidates, his voice steady despite his frail appearance.

"Hello," he greeted. "My name is Hayate Gekkō, and I am the referee for this [Qualifying Tournament]."

Despite his sickly appearance, Hayate Gekkō was a highly skilled ninja,

After briefly explaining the rules of the qualifiers, he continued.

"In short, only those who win their matches in the [Qualifiers] will be eligible to compete in the final selection of the [Third Exam]."

His gaze swept across the gathered genin. "If you feel unwell or wish to withdraw, now is the time. If you have any questions, ask them now."

Just as Hayate finished speaking, a voice cut through the silence.

"I forfeit!"

Kabuto Yakushi's unexpected decision left many bewildered, though Tatsuya wasn’t surprised.

"Huh?" Hayate blinked before responding. "Very well, you may leave."

From the sidelines, the Third Hokage leaned slightly toward Anko. "Anko, something about this feels familiar."

At his words, Anko checked Kabuto’s records and quickly discovered that this was his seventh time taking the [Chūnin Exams].

And every single time, he had withdrawn at this exact stage!

The revelation made Hiruzen wary, but Kabuto’s identity within Konoha was flawless—there were no grounds for immediate suspicion.

Meanwhile, Naruto, Sakura, and the others were startled by Kabuto’s abrupt withdrawal. Tatsuya, however, had no interest in him.

As Kabuto exited, he cast a long, meaningful glance at Tatsuya.

If nothing else, it was clear that Orochimaru was involved. However, Kabuto remained unaware of Orochimaru’s recent defeat.

He only knew one thing—Tatsuya was not as simple as he seemed.

That much had been evident since the first exam.

With no further interruptions, Hayate resumed speaking.

"Now, I officially announce the start of the [Third Exam] qualifiers!"

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

"We will now assign opponents!"

As Hayate’s words echoed through the room, all eyes turned toward the electronic display on the wall. The screen flickered rapidly before settling on two names.

[Uchiha Sasuke] vs. [Yoroi Akadō]!

Naruto and the others erupted into cheers for Sasuke.

"Heh, guess I’m up first," Sasuke muttered before stepping forward. Opposite him, Yoroi Akadō—a subordinate of Orochimaru, and team mate of Kabuto Yakushi—also moved to the arena.

Hayate glanced between the two before asking, "Uchiha Sasuke, Yoroi Akadō—any objections?"

"No," both answered simultaneously, their voices brimming with confidence.

The battle commenced under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Yoroi Akadō has the ability to absorb chakra through his touch, making him dangerous in close combat.

However, compared to the [Sound Trio], he was notably weaker.

The moment Sasuke activated his [Sharingan], Yoroi Akadō’s fate was sealed.

With precise movements, Sasuke ended the match swiftly with a [Lion Barrage]!

Unlike the in the original where Sasuke had a hard time defeating Akado because of a curse seal affecting him, this time, Sasuke achieved victory with ease. Add to that, the battles in the [Forest of Death] that honed him and also by Tatsuya’s subtle guidance over the past few days. Sasuke had honed his control over his [Sharingan] to a new level.

Thus, defeating Yoroi Akadō had been effortless.

Watching from the sidelines, Kakashi, Gai, and Rock Lee were taken aback.

Sasuke’s [Lion Barrage] bore a striking resemblance to [Front Lotus]!

If nothing else, it was evident that Sasuke had copied the move using his [Sharingan] during his brief spar with Lee.

The three Jonin couldn’t help but be impressed.

"Uchiha really are a clan of geniuses," Guy mused. "His talent is truly extraordinary."

Hayate nodded as he made the official announcement.

"Winner of the first round: Uchiha Sasuke!"

Naruto cheered loudly. "Sasuke, you aced it!"

Sakura and Ino celebrated as well, though their enthusiasm was somewhat subdued compared to usual.

Neji, observing the match, smirked slightly. "So, this is the top rookie of this year’s class?"

Hearing his words, Tenten glanced at him. "I wonder… who would win between last year’s top rookie, Hyūga Neji, and this year’s, Uchiha Sasuke?"

It was a question on everyone’s mind.

With Sasuke’s victory, the first round concluded.

Hayate turned back to the screen. "Now, let’s move on to the second round!"

The display flickered once more.

[Shino Aburame] vs. [Ken Meisumi]

The match ended predictably—Shino, who had never lost a match, claimed an easy victory.

Next up was the long-awaited battle between best friends: Sakura Haruno vs. Ino Yamanaka!

Their fight ended in a dramatic tie.

The following match was Kankuro vs. Tenten.

Unfortunately, Kankuro’s puppet techniques overwhelmed Tenten, who had never faced a puppet master before.

"Winner of the fourth match: Kankuro!"

The fifth battle featured Shikamaru Nara.

With his sharp intellect and mastery of [Shadow Imitation], he easily secured victory over his opponent.

Strategic ninjas like Shikamaru and Ino had a strong chance of winning as long as their opponents weren’t overwhelming in strength.

At last, it was finally time.

"Now for the sixth match!" Hayate announced.

The display flickered once again.

[Naruto Uzumaki] vs. [Kiba Inuzuka]!

As soon as Hayate Gekko announced the next match, Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement.

"It’s here! Finally, my turn!" he shouted, fists clenched in anticipation. "Hahaha! I made everyone wait long enough—now it's time for me to shine!"

Kiba grinned, just as eager—but not because it was his turn. It was because his opponent was Naruto.

"Hahaha! This is perfect!" Kiba laughed confidently. "Akamaru, we’ve got this in the bag!"

The reason behind Kiba’s confidence was simple. Naruto had a long-standing reputation at the Ninja Academy—always dead last, always the underdog. No one expected him to win.

That was obvious from the crowd’s reaction.

When Naruto stepped onto the battlefield, the arena remained mostly silent. The only ones cheering were Tatsuya, Sasuke, and the trio of Genin Naruto had helped earlier. Hinata wanted to cheer too, but she only whispered encouragement to herself.

Kiba smirked as he faced Naruto. "You know, I got lucky drawing you as an opponent. This is a free pass to the next round!"

Naruto’s grin faltered, his eyes narrowing. "Hmph! Don’t get ahead of yourself! I won’t lose to you!"

"Hahaha! You really don’t get it, do you? Akamaru and I fight as a team—of course, he’s in!"

Akamaru barked in agreement.

Naruto turned to Moonlight Hayate. "Hey, this isn’t fair!"

Hayate coughed lightly before responding. "A ninja’s arsenal isn’t limited to themselves. Animals, insects, even summoned creatures—all are valid tools in battle."

Naruto groaned but crossed his arms, pretending not to care. "Tch. Fine, whatever! I’ll take you both on!"

With the banter over, the match officially began.

Kiba wasted no time activating his clan’s signature technique—[Four Legs Technique]. Dropping to all fours, his movements became wild and feral, increasing his speed to match Akamaru’s. If Naruto hadn’t already faced Oto’s Genin in the preliminaries, this could have been a disaster.

Even so, Kiba’s raw speed gave him the upper hand. Naruto’s greatest asset? His durability.

After all, if there was one thing he was used to, it was being knocked around. Years of scuffles, training, and an inhuman healing factor—thanks to the Nine-Tails—had made him tough. And his Uzumaki lineage only amplified it.

Kiba charged. "Naruto, just give up! You know you can’t win!"

Naruto staggered from the last attack but wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Like hell I will!"

"Then don’t blame me for what happens next!" Kiba sneered.

Akamaru leaped onto Kiba’s back, and in a puff of smoke, the two executed their second clan technique—[Beast Human Clone]. Now, two Kibas stood on the battlefield, both baring their fangs at Naruto.

"Hah! Let’s see how you handle this!" Kiba charged forward, both he and Akamaru moving in perfect sync.

Naruto braced himself. He couldn’t afford to lose. Sasuke had already won his match—how could he lose now?

Determined, he grinned and weaved a hand seal. "[Shadow Clone Jutsu!]"

A dozen Narutos appeared, evening the numbers. But Kiba was no pushover—he tore through the clones one by one, overpowering them with his brute strength. The situation was looking bad for Naruto.

The audience murmured—Naruto was on the ropes. But then… he smirked.

Using a well-timed [Transformation Jutsu], he turned himself and all of his clones into a perfect copy of Kiba. [T/N: Naruto put some stats on his INT.]

"Hah! What are you trying to pull?" Kiba scoffed. "I can smell you a mile away!" Without hesitation, he spun and landed a heavy punch—right in the face of what he thought was Naruto.

Only… it wasn’t.

"A-Akamaru?!" Kiba gasped as his partner crashed to the ground, whimpering in pain.

The real Naruto stood to the side, grinning. "Heh. Guess you shouldn’t rely on just your nose, huh?"

With Akamaru out of the fight, Kiba’s strength was cut in half. Naruto saw his opening and launched his final counterattack.

The battle intensified, both fighters pushing their limits. But in the end, it was Naruto who emerged victorious, using a newly devised technique—[Naruto Barrage]—to land the finishing blow.

As Kiba lay defeated, the crowd was stunned. Even Kakashi and Guy couldn’t help but feel embarrassed—Naruto had basically copied Lee’s move and changed the name.

Moonlight Hayate gave a small nod before announcing, "The winner of the sixth match—Uzumaki Naruto!"

Cheers erupted, especially from Shikamari, Ino, and Choji.

"Good job!"

Naruto beamed, soaking in the moment as he stepped down from the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the seventh match was ready to begin.

[Hyuga Neji] vs. [Hyuga Hinata].