Konoha Notes

Chapter 176 is probably a real shame.

Among the five great nations of the ninja world, the Land of Fire possesses the most fertile land, a place where the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra's chakra have been entangled for countless years.

The Land of Lightning possesses the Six Paths Ninja Tools, and the descendants of the Six Paths bloodline, Kinkaku and Ginkaku, seem to have a connection with the Sage of Six Paths, second only to Konoha, based on what we know.

In recent days, Xiu Si's wooden clone has been active in the mountains and forests near Yunyin, and has made some progress, recording samples of several cold-resistant tree species that he had never seen before.

Shuji looked deeper into the mountain valley shrouded in mist, where the vegetation appeared more lush, and perhaps he would make a different discovery.

He moved carefully, his footsteps extremely light, trying not to leave a trace. Even though he had already changed his form using a transformation spell, it was always better to be cautious.
Just as he stepped onto a rock covered in thick moss, he felt a subtle sensation beneath his feet, unlike that of ordinary rocks or soil.

This is... a barrier spell?
The moment the thought flashed through his mind, the wooden clone didn't hesitate and immediately sprang backward. After moving a safe distance away from that area, the clone automatically dissipated without hesitation.

Shuji, who was in the Chunin Exams venue outside Kumogakure, glanced at the location of the Raikage.

Was that spell set up by the Hidden Cloud Village? If so, the Hidden Cloud Village should react later. What is there there that would warrant the Hidden Cloud Village setting up a barrier?
Turning his attention back to the venue, today was the final match of the team competition, with Konoha's Team 9 facing off against Kumogakure's Team 1, just as he had expected.

Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki are not only strong in the game, but also in this kind of competition. When the two of them work together, they have been dominating and winning easily so far.

Their opponents, Team 1 of Kumogakure, besides the known Darui and Hii, also include a ninja named Jie, whose strength should not be underestimated. This team's potential and skill level clearly surpass those of Team 9 of Konoha.

"Team Finals, Cloud Village Team 1 vs. Konoha Team 9! Begin!"

The battle began as the referee announced it loudly.

Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao moved simultaneously. Their swords flashed, their movements perfectly synchronized, their swordplay complementing each other in offense and defense, showcasing a skillful teamwork that even the Cloud Village audience found remarkable.

Darui had already witnessed the fighting style of these two a few days ago; forcibly confronting each other's strengths was not a wise move.

"Water Escape·Water Formation Wall!"

A torrent of water gushed from his mouth, forming a barrier. Then, the hand seals on his hands changed again.

"Thunder Release·Grateful Wave!"

Lightning merged into the water, and waves leaping with dangerous arcs of electricity surged toward the three Konoha members.

"Back off!"

The warning was directed at Iruka.

As the only ordinary contestant present at the moment, Iruka immediately leaped back upon hearing the sound, throwing several shuriken in an attempt to interfere, but it proved futile against the water waves infused with lightning release.

The water released by Darui surged again, rushing forward. Seeing this, the two members of the Dark Guard simultaneously leaped up, attempting to break through from above.

At that very moment, Xi Dong, who had been standing quietly at the back, suddenly moved. He rushed to the front of the group and clasped his hands together.

Lightning Release Illusion Technique: Lightning Illusion Lightning Pillar!
In an instant, a blinding light burst forth centered on Xi.

Moonlight Gale and Uzuki Yugao were suspended in mid-air with nowhere to grab onto. The intense light blinded them, causing them to instinctively close their eyes and momentarily freeze in their movements.

What followed was a heavy blow launched by Darui, who seized the opportunity.

The two were knocked down and fell into the water below, where arcs of electricity crackled. A strong sense of paralysis instantly spread throughout their bodies, making them unable to move for a moment.

Iruka was not spared either, and was easily defeated by Jie while trying to provide support.

He lay on the ground, looking at the sky above the arena, which was divided by the rock wall, and a bitter feeling welled up in his heart. After this competition, he had almost lost confidence in reaching the Chunin level.

Whether it was his two contemporaries or the Cloud Village ninja on the other side, they were all opponents he could not match.

"The outcome is decided. The winner is Team Kumogakure!"

The referee's voice rang out, and the arena erupted in enthusiastic cheers, especially the Cloud Village audience, who were extremely excited.

"See! The guys from Konoha are nothing special!" "Well done, Darui!"

"This is the power of our Hidden Cloud Village!"

Such comments continued to rise, but Shuji calmly stood up, his face expressionless. He had witnessed a similar scene last year in Konoha when Itachi won with an overwhelming advantage. Home-field advantage, the joy of victory—this was all there was to it.

As for the Transparent Release technique that Hayate Moonlight never used... given the significant difference in strength between the two sides, whether it was revealed or not wouldn't have made much difference to the outcome.

Team 9 has already proven Konoha's strength in previous matches, and that's enough.

He watched as the three players helped each other to their feet, then turned and left the stands.

The atmosphere in the temporary rest area was somewhat somber.

The three members of Team 9, defeated, sat in a corner. Iruka hung his head, looking dejected. Although Hayate Gekko and Yugao Uzuki didn't show their emotions, their tightly pursed lips betrayed a hint of resentment.

Most of the other Konoha genin remained silent. The enthusiastic cheers of the Kumogakure audience still seemed to echo in their ears, making the silence here feel somewhat oppressive in comparison.

Shuji walked in, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

As the team leader, he seemed to have something to say, but at this moment, words were meaningless.

Therefore, after briefly confirming that the injuries of Hayate and the other two were not serious, Shuji said, "Let's go back to the base."

His tone was flat, revealing neither blame nor encouragement.

Everyone silently got up and began to pack their belongings. Just then, footsteps and somewhat noisy conversations came from the entrance of the rest area.

They are people from Kumogakure; they seem to be planning to return to the village.

"Big Brother Darui! That move was amazing! So hot!" Samui's lively younger brother, Atsi, was standing around Darui, his face full of admiration.

Darui, however, showed no excitement on his face, merely scratching his head lazily. Even though the Fourth Raikage had told him that the Konoha team was also a specially arranged opponent, he felt that this level of victory was to be expected, and there was no point in being excited about it.

Xi also remained calm, though his gaze would occasionally sweep over the direction where the Konoha people were.

"It's a pity I didn't get to see Brother Darui have a heated swordsmanship competition! I wish I could have participated, then..."

“Azii.” Samui’s cool voice interrupted his brother’s excited chatter.

The Cloud Village members noticed the Konoha ninja who were preparing to leave.

Darui's gaze swept across the crowd and landed on the young Konoha leader.

“Make that guy your target, Darui.” The Fourth Raikage’s solemn expression as he spoke was still vivid in my mind. “No matter what the circumstances, he can calmly strive for the greatest benefit for his village.”

Both Mr. Tsuchida and the BOSS praised him.

He is now a Jonin, representing Konoha, and can speak with the boss who is a Kage. As for himself, although he is highly regarded, he is still a Genin and is participating in this level of exam.

A subtle emotion rose in Darui's heart, and he took the initiative to speak.

"Mr. Shuji."

Shuji stopped, turned around, and looked at him calmly.

Darui met those dark eyes for a moment, then continued, "It's a pity you already became a Jonin."

Shuji's face remained expressionless; he simply replied calmly:
"Yeah."

"Well, that's probably a real shame."

(End of this chapter)