Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 261 Joint Chunin Exam 3

Time flies like an arrow, and the Joint Chunin Exams are fast approaching. The entire Hidden Leaf Village is enveloped in an atmosphere of tension and excitement. The village is now unusually lively, with ninjas from various villages, wearing all sorts of headbands, appearing one after another, making this already vibrant village even more dynamic. However, this also brings with it a constant stream of conflicts. These conflicts may be minor skirmishes or harmless verbal disputes, but they place immense pressure on the Hidden Leaf Village to maintain order.

The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the street. A young ninja wearing a Konoha headband walked briskly down the street, anxiously studying a map in his hand, seemingly searching for a specific location. Suddenly, a figure rushed from the side, nearly colliding with him.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" The young ninja glared at the other person, a hint of displeasure in his voice.

"Sorry! I have an urgent matter to attend to..." The other ninja hurriedly apologized and left quickly.

Such scenes are commonplace in Konoha Village. Ninjas bustle about the streets, some searching for opponents, some discussing tactics, and others making final preparations for the upcoming assessment. Meanwhile, Konoha Village's security forces are doing their utmost to maintain order and ensure the village's safety and stability.

In the central square of Konoha Village, a group of ninjas from different villages had gathered. They sized each other up, their eyes revealing wariness and hostility. Among them, two ninjas were arguing over a training area.

"We were here first! What right do you have to occupy this place?" a ninja shouted angrily.

"Who says it's first come, first served? Strength is the most important thing!" the other person retorted without backing down.

The argument between the two attracted the attention of those around them, and the atmosphere gradually became tense. Just then, a member of the Konoha Village security team arrived in time and stopped the conflict.

"Alright, alright, everyone's here for the assessment, there's no need to argue over such a small matter. If you really want to show your abilities, then go to the testing room and see who comes out on top!" the security guard said.

With the mediation of the security team, the two sides finally stopped arguing. However, such incidents occur daily in Konoha, causing headaches for the security team. Nevertheless, order in Konoha has been effectively maintained, and people's anticipation for the upcoming Joint Chunin Exams continues to rise.

As the host village, Konoha naturally possessed an unimaginable home-field advantage. The number of participants alone far exceeded the total of all other ninja villages. Statistics show that Konoha sent approximately half of the total examinees! This undoubtedly put immense pressure on the other ninja villages. Such a large contingent made them feel inferior, while Konoha became the focus and hottest topic of the exam. It can be said that Konoha demonstrated unparalleled strength and influence in this exam. This situation sparked widespread attention and discussion among ninjas, who speculated about Konoha's performance and whether it could once again prove its formidable strength. Meanwhile, other ninja villages began to consider how to respond to this situation, striving to improve their own strength to compete with Konoha. In short, Konoha's performance in this exam undoubtedly attracted the attention of the entire ninja world. They will face challenges from all sides, but they have also demonstrated their strength and confidence.

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was listening with satisfaction to his subordinate's report. The joint Chunin Exams, though not yet officially underway, had already yielded significant results.

First, Konoha's prestige was greatly enhanced. Ninjas from other villages flocked to participate in the trials, undoubtedly proving Konoha's status and influence as one of the Five Great Nations. This recognition not only boosted the villagers' pride in Konoha but also helped solidify its position in the ninja world.

Secondly, the influx of wealthy individuals into Konoha to witness the military assessment brought substantial economic benefits to the village. These spectators came from various countries and regions, willing to spend considerable sums to enjoy this grand event. This led to a boom in Konoha's commercial activities, with businesses reaping huge profits. Simultaneously, Konoha's tourism industry was also boosted, attracting even more visitors.

Finally, the elite ninjas dispatched to maintain order, occasionally displaying their formidable strength, also helped restore the confidence of various merchant caravans in the power of the Konoha ninjas. This let them know that Konoha Village was still the strongest village in the ninja world, capable of easily completing their various missions.

The most urgent need now is to enable the genin from Konoha who are participating in the assessment to perform even better, completely suppress the genin from other ninja villages, and demonstrate that Konoha will continue to be strong in the future.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rested his chin on his hands, a glimmer of hope in his eyes: "It seems I must place my hopes on that last surviving member of the Uchiha clan."

He recalled what Kakashi Hatake had reported to him earlier. That Uchiha brat—Sasuke Uchiha—had performed exceptionally well in the last mission to the Land of Waves. He had not only easily subdued two genin, but had even exchanged several blows with Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. All of this filled Hiruzen Sarutobi with anticipation for Sasuke Uchiha.

However, when he recalled Sasuke's older brother, Itachi Uchiha, a deep sense of regret welled up within him. While Sasuke had undoubtedly displayed remarkable strength, ranking among the best genin, the gap between him and his brother was simply too vast. Itachi, at the same age, could defeat jonin, and later awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, becoming capable of fighting even against Kage-level shinobi. Such talent and potential made Itachi a truly remarkable genius.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly, understanding that Sasuke Uchiha still had a long way to go. Nevertheless, he still believed in Sasuke's limitless potential. After all, the Uchiha clan had always been the pride of Konoha, their bloodline flowing with immense power. And Sasuke, as the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan, bore the mission of reviving the family, perhaps destined to achieve astonishing feats in the future.

Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to give Sasuke Uchiha more attention and support to help him grow. He knew that Sasuke needed time to hone his skills and surpass himself. Perhaps one day, he could catch up with his brother Itachi Uchiha, become a true powerhouse, and become the sharpest sword in his hand.

In truth, deep down, Hiruzen Sarutobi believed that Hyuga Neji was the most suitable person for Konoha to showcase its strength in the upcoming Chunin Exams. However, regrettably, Neji was not a Konoha ninja. Hiruzen couldn't even mobilize him to participate. If Neji had been able to participate, with his current strength, he could easily have defeated the ninjas from other villages, winning Konoha the greatest reputation and prestige. This would not only have allowed Konoha to occupy a more important position among the ninja villages but also brought the village more benefits and glory. But reality was unfortunate, and Hiruzen could only lament in silence.

Neji Hyuga's astonishing growth rate and masterful control of the Byakugan prompted Hiruzen Sarutobi to exclaim, "This kid is truly a genius!" He even felt that Neji's potential had surpassed that of Itachi Uchiha. Moreover, with the excellent guidance of his teacher, Kanan Hyuga, Neji's future achievements were undoubtedly limitless. However, to Hiruzen's regret, Neji was a member of the Hyuga clan and could not be recruited into his ranks.

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but sigh, "If only our Sarutobi clan could have such a gifted child! Then I could dedicate myself to nurturing an outstanding successor." He secretly envied this, but at the same time, he understood that it was just a beautiful fantasy.

Both the Uchiha and Hyuga clans consistently produce exceptionally talented children. They are born with the most powerful bloodline limits in the ninja world, and coupled with their own extraordinary talent, they are like tigers with wings. Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but sigh, "It seems that heaven always favors those clans with special bloodlines!" Thinking of Neji Hyuga, a hint of helplessness and regret flickered in his eyes.

As the Chunin Exams drew closer, Neji Hyuga became increasingly strict with Hinata Hyuga. His focus was primarily on her personality, with a heavy emphasis on preparing for unexpected situations and protecting herself. Hinata, possessing the Byakugan, had no problem preventing sneak attacks; what she needed to learn were how to deal with enemy attacks. Whether she passed the Chunin Exams was not Neji's primary concern.

Hiashi Hyuga was quite satisfied with Neji Hyuga's teaching. He could see that Neji's doting on Hinata made him jealous, so he didn't interfere with Hinata's upbringing, focusing all his attention on Hanabi's education. He sensed that Hinata was unwilling to inherit the Hyuga clan headship, and now he could only place his hopes on Hanabi. After all, Hanabi's talent for training and personality were perfectly suited to inherit the position, and with Neji's future protection, the Hyuga clan would definitely prosper even more.

In this atmosphere, the day before the joint Chunin Exams began arrived.