Chapter 18: The Roar of the Crowd, The Silence of the Hunter
The final stage of the Chunin Exams dawned bright and clear. The newly renovated Konoha arena buzzed with an almost tangible excitement. Banners bearing the symbols of the participating villages – Konoha, Suna, Ame, Kusa, Taki, and even a small contingent from Iwagakure – fluttered in the gentle breeze. Thousands of spectators, from common villagers to esteemed nobles and shinobi officials, filled the stands. In the Kage booth, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat with a serene expression, though Kenji knew his old teacher's mind was undoubtedly assessing every detail. Beside him, a place was reserved for the Fire Daimyo, who was expected to arrive shortly.
Kenji stood with the other finalists in the waiting area beneath the stands, a picture of calm amidst the rampant nerves and boisterous energy of his peers. His 'mind's eye' took in the entire spectacle – the subtle chakra signatures of the Anbu stationed discreetly around the arena, the varying emotional states of the finalists, the hum of anticipation from the crowd. It was all data.
Goro 'The Bear' Katsuragi, looking even more imposing in the formal setting, addressed the finalists. "Welcome to the final stage! Your battles here will be judged not just on victory, but on skill, intelligence, and spirit. The Fire Daimyo and esteemed guests from many lands are watching. Do your villages proud!" He then gestured to a large board where the first-round matchups were being posted.
A flurry of motion ensued as Genin craned their necks to see their fate. Kenji calmly located his own name: Kenji (Konoha) vs. Kudo Ishimaru (Iwagakure). Ishimaru, likely an earth-style user from the Hidden Stone. Manageable.
He then scanned for his primary targets:
Tsunade (Konoha) vs. Sayo (Suna). Sayo was an unknown Suna Genin, but any Genin from Suna reaching the finals would be competent, likely skilled in wind techniques or puppetry, given their village's specializations.
Jiraiya (Konoha) vs. Riku Fuuma (Ame). A Fuuma clan member from Amegakure, likely proficient in deceptive tactics and possibly shurikenjutsu or wire work.
Orochimaru (Konoha) vs. Hanta (Taki). A Takigakure Genin; Kenji recalled the potent water chakra of the Taki-nin he'd encountered in the forest. This would be a good benchmark.
Among the Suna contingent, one Genin stood out—a pale, red-haired boy with dark rings around his eyes, carrying a large gourd on his back. He exuded an aura of intense, barely suppressed hostility and his chakra felt uniquely powerful and unstable. His name was listed as Rasa, and he had drawn a bye for the first round due to the uneven number of participants. (This replaces Gaara with Rasa, who eventually becomes the Fourth Kazekage and Gaara's father. Placing him here as a talented, somewhat dangerous Genin is more timeline plausible than a young Gaara identical to his Part 1 self.)
The first match began – two Konoha Genin from different teams. It was a competent but unremarkable display of academy basics and a few clan-specific jutsu. Kenji watched impassively.
Next was Jiraiya's match. Riku Fuuma was indeed tricky, using smoke, hidden senbon launchers, and acrobatic evasions. Jiraiya, with his characteristic mix of bluster and surprising resilience, eventually managed to corner the Ame-nin with a barrage of poorly aimed but overwhelmingly powerful fire techniques, winning through sheer attrition and a bit of luck. Kenji noted Jiraiya's raw power was growing, but his control and tactical acumen remained underdeveloped.
Then came Orochimaru versus Hanta of Takigakure. Hanta was skilled, unleashing powerful streams of water and displaying impressive agility. Orochimaru, however, seemed to anticipate Hanta's every move. He moved with a fluid, almost serpentine grace, his body contorting to evade water whips and projectiles. He used no grand jutsu, relying on precise taijutsu strikes targeting Hanta's joints and breathing points, along with a few well-placed earth-style techniques to disrupt Hanta's footing. The Taki-nin was systematically picked apart, his attacks rendered ineffective, until a final, almost invisibly swift strike to the temple left him unconscious. Orochimaru's victory was cold, efficient, and deeply unsettling to many observers.
Finally, it was Tsunade's turn against Sayo of Sunagakure. The Suna Genin was quick and utilized wind-enhanced shuriken that curved unpredictably. She kept her distance, harrying Tsunade. The crowd grew restless as Tsunade struggled to close the gap, her powerful punches meeting only air or deflecting off gusts of wind.
But Kenji, with his enhanced senses, saw Tsunade's patience, her observation. She wasn't just flailing. She was learning Sayo's timing, the rhythm of her wind attacks. Then, feigning frustration, Tsunade slammed her fist into the ground, not as an attack, but to create a massive dust cloud and uneven terrain. Under cover of the dust, she didn't charge blindly. She used the ground's instability – an effect she was becoming more attuned to, perhaps from some of Kenji's earlier cryptic remarks – to predict Sayo's likely escape path. As Sayo leaped to what she thought was stable ground, Tsunade was there, not with a wide swing, but with a focused, chakra-supercharged palm strike to Sayo's abdomen. The Suna Genin crumpled, gasping for air, defeated.
Tsunade had won, demonstrating not just her legendary Senju strength, but a burgeoning tactical awareness. Kenji felt a cold spark of approval. She was adapting, refining her raw talent.
Soon, it was Kenji's turn: Kenji vs. Kudo Ishimaru of Iwagakure. Ishimaru was, as expected, a sturdy earth-style user. The moment the match began, he slammed his palms on the ground, and a wave of sharp earthen spikes shot towards Kenji.
Kenji moved with practiced, average agility, "narrowly" dodging. He didn't use his more advanced Doton. Instead, he relied on basic taijutsu and his prepared stone pellets. As Ishimaru sent a more complex web of rock tendrils snaking towards him, Kenji, feigning an evasive dive, flicked one of his dense pellets with pinpoint accuracy. It struck a barely visible fissure in one of the larger tendrils Ishimaru was using as an anchor point. The tendril cracked and crumbled prematurely, throwing off the Iwa-nin's balance and concentration for a split second.
It was all Kenji needed. He closed the distance with steady, unhurried steps, engaging Ishimaru in taijutsu. He allowed the Iwa-nin to block a few blows, then, as Ishimaru overextended with a powerful but slow haymaker, Kenji ducked under the blow, used a simple foot sweep targeting Ishimaru's already slightly off-balance stance, and brought him down. A kunai to the throat sealed his victory.
"Winner, Kenji of Konohagakure!" the proctor declared.
The applause was polite but muted. Another efficient, unremarkable win. Perfect. Kenji accepted the acknowledgment with a humble nod.
As he left the arena floor, he saw Izumi-sensei give him a thoughtful, appraising look from the instructors' section. Inoichi and Choza were ecstatic.
The first round concluded. His primary targets – Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru – had all advanced, as had the formidable Rasa of Suna. Orochimaru's cold proficiency and Tsunade's evolving combat style were particularly noteworthy. His own match had proceeded flawlessly according to his design. The tournament was a fertile ground for observation, and the subsequent rounds promised even more intense confrontations and, perhaps, more valuable insights or opportunities. Kenji looked forward to it with the chilling calm of a perfectly positioned predator.