Naruto: I, Naruto, don't want to try anymore.

Chapter 115 Your Master Has Arrived

On the table, Deidara was once again subdued by Sasuke's gaze, while Kimimaro was thinking of his Lord Orochimaru.

Choji and Jirobo's speed in picking up meat gradually increased, like a locust swarm passing by; a plate of meat would disappear in a flash with a sweep of their chopsticks.

Gaara was busy grilling his beef tongue, while Kankuro struggled to survive in the meat-grilling competition between Choji and Jirobo, occasionally pitifully grabbing a bite with his chopsticks.

Looking at the messy crowd at the table, Shikamaru felt increasingly melancholy as he ate.

Those who were able to stand out in this Chunin Exams were all renowned geniuses from their respective villages.

And these geniuses all seem to have a close relationship with Naruto.

Kimimaro, who longs for a man, seems to have known Naruto for a long time.

The people from Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village) also clearly have a good relationship with Naruto, judging from their attitude.

This little red-haired guy from Sunagakure, who exudes murderous aura, becomes as docile as a kitten in front of Naruto. It's hard to say whether he's Naruto's ally or Konoha's ally.

As for Kirigakure... despite being an ally of Konoha, not a single member made it to the finals.

The Chunin Exams, which were originally intended to showcase strength and promote alliances, turned into a social gathering with Naruto's arrival...

Konoha, which wanted to promote the alliance, ended up looking like the isolated one.

The thought that his homeroom teacher was the son of the Third Hokage cast a shadow over Shikamaru's heart.

The Sarutobi clan has always been the witnesses to the Oath of the Ino-Shika-Cho Earrings. As the direct descendants of the clan leader, it is reasonable for Asuma, the son of the Hokage, to be the witness.

However, considering Naruto's influence, Asuma's existence becomes quite complicated.

Shikamaru was certain that Naruto wouldn't care about the Sarutobi clan, but the situation was less certain about those around Naruto…

Because of Naruto, Ino had always been lukewarm towards Asuma.

If Asuma hadn't been such a good person, he probably wouldn't have even been able to become the Jonin leader.

This is such a hassle...

"youth!!"

As Shikamaru was lost in thought, a green figure suddenly rushed into the store.

Might Guy made a dazzling entrance with his shiny, slicked-back watermelon-shaped haircut.

Immediately after, another green-haired boy with a watermelon-shaped haircut rushed into the store behind him. Little Li followed behind Matt Kai, clenching his fist with boundless energy.

"As expected of Kaisensai! I still have a long way to go!"

"Don't underestimate yourself, Li You!"

Matt Kai grinned, gave a thumbs-up, and his teeth flashed.

"Isn't youth all about the spirit of never giving up?"

"Kaisensai!"

"plum!"

"Kaisensai!"

"plum!"

"oh----"

Two green-skinned watermelon heads, one big and one small, embraced and wept bitterly.

Behind them, Neji's face was ashen, and Tenten looked disgusted.

Especially after seeing that the two tables next to them were full of acquaintances, their expressions immediately turned even more unpleasant.

"Oh, what a coincidence!"

Naruto gave Neji and Tenten a thumbs-up: "Youth Team!"

Neji: "..."

day by day:"……"

"Oh, it's Naruto! And Sasuke too!"

Upon seeing a group of acquaintances, Xiao Li showed no embarrassment whatsoever, giving a thumbs-up and grinning, "Thanks for the support!"

Everyone waved their hands in unison: "No, no one is supporting us..."

"That's enough for you two."

I was so embarrassed every day, I wished I could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Naruto cheerfully invited, "It's my treat, want to grab something to eat?"

Kai's eyes lit up: "Oh? Really? That's amazing..."

"No need!"

Before Guy could finish speaking, Neji coldly rejected Naruto's invitation.

"Forehead--"

Kai's face stiffened. He suddenly remembered Naruto's identity and the grudges between Neji and Kumogakure.

"Haha, don't be so cold..."

Naruto smiled at Neji: "Actually, you're the one I most wanted to invite, Hyuga Hizashi's son... Hyuga Neji, right?"

Neji's expression suddenly turned cold: "What are you trying to say?"

"I was thinking...would you like to join our Cloud Village?"

As soon as Naruto spoke, the table fell silent.

"Are you kidding me?!"

Upon hearing Naruto's words, Neji instantly flew into a rage.

Xiao Li and Tian Tian quickly pulled him back, afraid that he might attack Naruto in a fit of anger.

"Don't get agitated, calm down, calm down..."

Naruto shrugged, his face practically screaming "I want to punch you!"

"I've heard about your grudges with Kumogakure, but that's all in the past, isn't it? Konoha has already reached a reconciliation with Kumogakure on behalf of your father, so why are you still so petty about it?"

"I—"

Before Neji could even utter a curse, Lee and Tenten stopped him and dragged him away.

Might Guy gave Naruto a deep look.

He was somewhat confused about Naruto's intention in provoking Neji.

Is it simply because Neji didn't give him face?

Or is there some other idea?

His intuition told him that things weren't so simple.

What exactly does he want to do?

…………

He's trying to poach our talent!

Jiraiya was not kept in the dark about Naruto's actions.

It's more accurate to say that these contestants from other villages are the center of attention wherever they go.

Upon learning of the conflict between Naruto and Neji, Jiraiya instantly understood Naruto's thoughts.

"Konoha has already reached a reconciliation with Kumogakure on behalf of your father..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, pipe in mouth, gazed intently: "That kid's talk is as peculiar as ever, always picking at people's wounds."

Jiraiya's face darkened: "Isn't this all the mess you caused?!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly, neither confirming nor denying: "There was nothing we could do about it; Konoha at that time simply couldn't withstand a war..."

"How come all the elders are dead? Weren't they all quite young when they were fighting for power?"

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's excuse, Jiraiya chuckled.

Since becoming Hokage, he hasn't had many happy days, and his public image is almost completely ruined.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed again: "This is all..."

"It's all your fault! I know, but please don't tell anyone!"

Jiraiya rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Although he knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was indecisive, it wasn't until he took the position that he truly realized just how incompetent the old man really was.

From the time Hiruzen Sarutobi took office until his resignation, the village's mess never stopped.

"Listen up, old man."

Jiraiya rubbed his face, looking somewhat tired: "There are only two possibilities for Naruto provoking Neji."

"The first possibility is that he genuinely wants to invite Neji to join Kumogakure. According to Anko's report, the boy possesses the Rinnegan, but I'm not entirely sure what kind of abilities the Rinnegan has. Perhaps it has the ability to untie the Caged Bird Seal."

"The second possibility is that he did it just to provoke Neji, so that he could save face for Konoha in the final exam."

Jiraiya held up two fingers, his gaze extremely serious.

"But no matter which one it is, I don't want to involve Neji in this. Konoha already owes him a lot."

"Don't worry, I'll send people to protect him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi made a solemn vow.

Protection? More like surveillance...

Jiraiya shook his head and said nothing more.

He was also worried that Naruto could actually free the Caged Bird, which would throw Konoha into chaos.

Fortunately, Naruto didn't make any moves in the days that followed.

The unpleasant incident at the barbecue restaurant was like a minor episode, which he immediately forgot about.

For almost half a month, not a single person was seen.

He didn't appear at the arena with Sasuke and Karin until the morning of the exam.

The stadium was bustling with noise, the sound of gongs and drums and the crackling of firecrackers, with red flags waving and a sea of people.

Okay, there were no gongs and drums, no firecrackers, and no red flags waving, but the crowds were real.

"Ahhh! Naruto! So handsome!"

"Naruto-sama! Ah—"

"He looked at me! He looked at me!"

In the stands, many princesses and young ladies from noble families held up fan signs and cheered wildly for their idols.

Naruto's name truly spread throughout the five great nations, and his songs were even more widely known than his strength.

After all, it was adapted from Miyuki Nakajima, the woman who once single-handedly supported half of Hong Kong's entertainment circle.

"You're really popular, aren't you..."

Temari looked at the excited fans in the stands, her tone somewhat amazed.

This was the first time she had truly felt just how popular Naruto was.

However, compared to these nobles, the villagers of Konoha were rather uninterested.

They were more impressed by Naruto's strength than by his songs...

"That's Naruto Uzumaki..."

Above the stands, Rasa had come to watch the match at Konoha's invitation.

Noticing Naruto and Temari whispering to each other, his eyes flickered slightly.

Maki had previously sent him a message saying that Naruto and Temari had been getting quite close lately.

Upon hearing this news, Rasa couldn't help but be tempted. If he could bring Naruto to Sunagakure, it would be absolutely beneficial to the village.

However, he was just thinking about it. The conditions in Sunagakure were not as good as those in Kumogakure. From a rational point of view, it would be good enough if he could maintain a friendly relationship with Naruto.

If it weren't for the Cloud Village's overly aggressive nature, he wouldn't mind forming an alliance with them to jointly target Konoha.

Fortunately, in order to form an alliance, he ceded a significant portion of his missions to Sunagakure recently; otherwise, he would be seriously considering how to plunder a piece of Konoha.

"Um... Let me introduce myself. My name is Genma Shiranui, and I'm the referee for this match."

A man with a headscarf and a senbon in his mouth appeared in front of everyone in an instant. He looked at the nine contestants in front of him and paused slightly when his gaze swept over Naruto.

"This official match depends on you guys. Relax and face the audience."

The nine people stood in a row, facing the audience.

Naruto stood in the center with his arms crossed, flanked by Karin and Temari on his left and right.

Immediately, shouts of cursing erupted from the audience.

"Who are those two women?!"

"Damn it! Get away from Naruto-sama!"

"They're actually using the match as an excuse to get close to Lord Naruto!"

"Get away from me, you ugly woman!"

Beside Naruto, Karin's face was grim, but the current situation prevented her from lashing out.

In contrast, Temari remained calm.

She held up her fan and sneered, then draped her arm over Naruto's shoulder.

"Speaking of which, I didn't give you anything on our previous dates, did I?"

"What?"

Naruto turned his head slightly, and Temari leaned forward and gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"Consider it my return gift."

Princess Iron Fan spoke lightly, ignoring the petrified female fans in the stands, her demeanor both cool and dashing.

"That stinky woman!!"

In the stands, Ino covered her head and let out a deafening scream.

"I'll pay a million! Whoever kills that filthy woman!"

One of the noble ladies went berserk on the spot, tearing at her hair and screaming in anguish.

"Hey, tone it down a bit..."

On the other side of Temari, Kankuro's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

In the stands, Jiraiya slapped his forehead, his already anxious heart becoming even more restless.

"If I remember correctly, that child is Lord Kazekage's beloved daughter, isn't she?"

"Temari is a straightforward girl; I hope you won't find it laughable, Hokage."

Luo Sha was speechless; he hadn't expected his daughter to be so brave!

"Haha, there's nothing wrong with having a personality that's passionate and decisive."

Jiraiya gave an awkward laugh; he couldn't really say anything in this situation.

The Mizukage had already declined the trip to Konoha because of the elimination of all members of Kirigakure. If he were to offend Rasa as well, the alliance would become a joke.

Thinking of this, he quickly spoke up.

"Thank you all for gathering here to participate in the Chunin Selection Exams held by Konoha Village!"

The Hokage still wields considerable influence, after all, he is the leader of a nation's armed forces.

As soon as Jiraiya spoke, the room became much quieter.

Some of the more out-of-control noble ladies also regained their composure after being reminded by their elders or attendants.

"Now, the nine contestants who passed the preliminary rounds will compete in the official selection competition! Please enjoy the show!"

As Jiraiya finished speaking, Genma Shiranui held up a list of opponents.

Let's confirm our opponents.

The first match was between Naruto and Neji.

The second match was between Temari and Jirobo.

In the third match, Gaara faced off against Deidara.

In the fourth match, Sasuke faced off against Shino.

Karin gets a bye, but she has to fight the winner of Sasuke and Shino's group. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, she will face Sasuke, so it's basically safe to say she's out of the game early.

"Listen up, this is the last exam."

Genma Shiranui announced the details of the competition.

"Although the terrain is different, just like in the qualifiers, the match will stop when one side is eliminated or concedes defeat."

"However, once I determine that the game is over, I will intervene to end it, understand?"

"Hmph, go ahead and try if you dare."

Sasuke crossed his arms and gave a disdainful smile.

End the match?

Are you kidding me?

Naruto's clones all start with the Rasenshuriken. Are you, a Jonin, going to risk your life to stop them?

"Just doing what I can."

Genma Shiranui was completely unconcerned about Sasuke's taunts.

He knew better than anyone the danger of this refereeing job; it was just empty talk.

"Round 1: Naruto Uzumaki vs. Neji Hyuga."

"Contestants, please stay here. Everyone else, please go to the rest area outside the venue to watch the competition."

As soon as he finished speaking, the stands erupted in uproar.

"Is the first match Naruto's battle?"

"The Hyuga kid is in for a world of trouble..."

In the stands, Matt Kai, along with Tian Tian and Xiao Li, watched the commotion on the field with tense expressions.

"Listen up, Li!"

Matt Kai gripped the railing tightly, his gaze serious.

"If Neji gets into any danger, I'll immediately hold off Naruto. Then it'll be up to you to get Neji out of the game!"

"oh!"

Xiao Li clenched his fist seriously, his face full of determination.

Meanwhile, in another stand.

Wearing a kimono, Hiashi Hyuga stood with his hands in his pockets, while Hinata and Hanabi, two Byakugan girls, sat beside him, their gazes fixed on the two people in the room with complicated expressions.

He had already heard about the previous conflict between Naruto and Neji.

For some reason, he felt a vague unease in his heart.

Naruto Uzumaki…

What exactly do you want to do?

Just then, Naruto and Neji stood facing each other in the arena.

Before Genma Shiranui could announce the start, Naruto pointed in the direction of Hiashi Hyuga.

"Neji, look! Your master is here to watch your match!"

"!!!"

Neji's eyes widened in shock, and he was about to erupt in anger when he saw Naruto throw another bone at his feet...

"Suckling sound~"

"You're asking for it!"

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