"That's impossible! If Sasuke fights you, the one who loses will definitely be you. He, that guy, is incredibly strong..."
Gaara widened his blood - shot eyes again as he looked at Naruto's confident smile. Here it comes again, again! That annoying feeling.
He had to tear off that carefree mask to see if Naruto could still keep that look on his face.
"You're just blabbing while you can..."
"Gaara, maybe you won't believe it. Once, I was as isolated as you and was a being feared by others. But no matter what happens, as long as you forge ahead bravely, you'll definitely find your own light and gain everyone's recognition. That's why I want to become the Hokage..."
Gaara stared at Naruto for a long time before he quietly left a single sentence and walked away alone.
"Then let's wait and see..."
.................
"Ah! You scared me to death. I can't believe you could blabber on and on to that monster for so long."
Shikamaru heaved a huge sigh of relief and slumped to the ground as if all his strength had left him.
"Did I talk that much? Maybe I just saw a bit of myself in him back then, so I got a bit chatty for a moment..."
Although Naruto was smiling, he couldn't hide the loneliness and desolation in his eyes.
Shikamaru suddenly recalled that a few years ago, before Naruto was taken in by the Uchiha clan, he wasn't popular at the Ninja Academy. It seemed that all the parents at that time had opposed their children playing with him.
Then one evening, his father had looked out the window seriously, told him and his mother to stay home safely, and then left Konoha Village with many clan leaders.
It was said to be the fateful night of Konoha. Many people's fates were changed that day, which contributed to the current strong and enviable prosperity.
Now, although he didn't know why, he could see that there was indeed a bit of a resemblance between Gaara and the former Naruto.
"Naruto..."
"That's why I hope that guy can find his own purpose in life like I did, instead of trapping his heart inside like a cage full of negative emotions."
....
"Damn it, you're so laid - back! Tomorrow is the selection exam, and yet you still have the time to worry about others!"
"Yeah, Naruto, do you have any thoughts about fighting Neji tomorrow? Let me give you a heads - up. Neji is definitely stronger than any opponent you've faced before. If Gaara is a collection of negative emotions, then Neji is a guy who has been working hard under the expectations of his clan. Have you thought about how to deal with him?"
?_?
"Why... why are you looking at me like that?"
"Teacher Gai, Rock Lee, you guys are the same. You're trying to pry information from me at this time. You must be planning to tell Neji my signature move!"
I've worked so hard to master this signature move. If it's exposed prematurely, I'll be at a huge disadvantage in this match!"
Naruto clutched his head and scratched his hair in distress. In the critical moment just now, he'd accidentally revealed his signature move. If word got out, wouldn't his winning chances drop even lower?
Neji was already a tough opponent.
Seeing Naruto's agitated state, Rock Lee and Teacher Gai couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed.
"Don't worry, Naruto. Teacher Gai and I won't breathe a word of this. Actually, I'm looking forward to a showdown between you two!"
?_?
"Rock Lee, Teacher Gai..."
Seeing Naruto about to throw himself at them, with snot and tears streaming, the two quickly changed the subject.
"But is it really okay?"
?
"If everything goes smoothly, Shikamaru will face you tomorrow. Even if we don't tell Neji, Shikamaru has already seen your moves..."
"Oh!"
Naruto turned to look at the listless Shikamaru and said indifferently.
"Oh, it doesn't matter with Shikamaru."
(▼ヘ▼#)
"Hey! Naruto, you jerk. Explain what you mean by 'it doesn't matter with Shikamaru'. Do you think I'm going to lose and pose no threat to you? Look me in the eye and say that..."
................
The venue for the final matches of the Chunin Selection matches was incredibly large, and the stands were filled with Onlookers. From wealthy merchants and Daimyō of various countries to the Kazekage of Sunagakure!
Naruto was stunned by the sight. This was just too exaggerated!
It was just a Chunin Selection match, and yet there were so many Onlookers!
...
"Good morning, everyone. Today is the final match of the Chunin Selection matches. Now, let's welcome our Examiner, the legendary Ninja - Shisui Uchiha!"
Fireworks started going off around the venue. Amidst the deafening cheers, a flock of Puppet: Corpse Crow flew in. Their forms became blurred and then merged together, and Shisui Uchiha made a stylish entrance!
"(⊙o⊙) Wow! Look, that's the legendary Shisui the Body Flicker!"
"Really? Oh my god, I've heard so much about him. Let me take a good look at what he looks like."
"Didn't you hear? The Examiner for the preliminary rounds was Itachi Uchiha, and the Examiner for the final match is Shisui Uchiha. And in this year's Chunin Exams, there's also the genius Sasuke Uchiha from the Uchiha clan!"
"(⊙o⊙) They are all from the Uchiha clan. Will they show favoritism?"
"Absolutely not. With their unique Kekkei Genkai, they could rule the world!"
"Well, it's hard to say. After all, the Hyuga clan, one of the three great Dōjutsu clans, is also taking part in the tournament. Who do you think will win between these two...?"
..............
As Shisui made his appearance, the excitement of the Onlookers reached a new peak. Naruto, standing off - the - arena, was excited but also a bit worried. He scanned the contestants in the area but couldn't spot Sasuke anywhere.
Where on earth has this guy gone? He's not someone who is prone to being late. How come he's disappeared on such an important occasion?
It's all Teacher Kakashi's fault! He must have passed his lateness habit on to Sasuke!
Sitting in the stands, Kakashi suddenly let out a sneeze. He looked at Gai in surprise and blurted out, "Is it getting colder?"
.............
<><><><><><><><>
~ 80+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
p-atreon.com/Tansnovel
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
~ Every 50 Powerstones = 4 Bonus Chapters on the weekend!