NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31: Chapter 31
Cough!
"I... I lost this one."
"Congrats, little brat from Konoha. But next time—next time, I'll beat you for sure!"
Kitsuchi's chest heaved with frustration. This kid was what, three or four years younger than him? The loss stung, especially since he never imagined he'd be bested by some no-name ninja from a small clan. Before today, he'd thought his true battles would be against the elites—the Senju, the Uchiha, or the Hyuga. Yet here he was, defeated by someone whose family name barely registered on the map.
"Beat me, huh?" Tetsuya chuckled, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "That's a decent goal."
"But here's the thing—I've got a feeling we'll cross paths again. And when we do, the gap between us will be even wider. If you don't push yourself to the limit, Kitsuchi, you'll be stuck staring at my back, struggling to catch up."
"Winner: Fujiwara Tetsuya!"
Tetsuya's words, dripping with confidence, only seemed to infuriate Kitsuchi more. His face reddened, and he coughed again, more out of indignation than anything else.
'This brat... arrogant to the core. Next time, I'll crush him underfoot, Tetsuya! Just wait.'
Orochimaru watched from the sidelines, his lips curling into an amused grin. "So, that's Chidori, huh? Impressive. But it looks like it takes a toll on the user's body." His eyes gleamed with intrigue. "A child not even eight years old can master something like this? Konoha's young generation is proving to be... quite entertaining."
The snake-like figure of Orochimaru slinked back into the shadows, watching Tetsuya more closely than ever. Not quite enough for dissection, but enough to warrant further observation.
"Nice job, Tetsuya!" Uchiha Mikoto approached, arms crossed but lips quirked upward in approval. "You've made it to the official Chunin exams. Not bad for a rookie."
Even though she tried to act aloof, there was a flicker of pride in her eyes, and her words held a faint warmth.
Tetsuya laughed lightly. "Thanks, Mikoto. Just make sure you don't lose your next match, alright? Who knows—maybe we'll end up fighting each other in the finals. Wouldn't that be fun?"
His voice, filled with teasing, made Mikoto's lips twitch. "Don't worry about me," she huffed. "You just focus on yourself."
With his recent victory and the points earned from it, Tetsuya was riding a wave of excitement. He glanced at the distant Uchiha girl, finding her icy demeanor strangely attractive at the moment.
The second round of the preliminaries took far less time than the previous day's battles. With many weaker contestants already weeded out, the strength disparity between participants was becoming clearer. After Tetsuya, Kitsuchi, and Rasa had shown off their skills, other notable contestants followed suit. There was Ay, the heir of the Cloud Village, along with members from powerful clans like the Senju, the Hyuga, and even the Kaguya. Each demonstrated overwhelming combat prowess, swiftly dominating their matches and securing their spots in the top sixteen.
"Congratulations to all of you who secured victory in the second round," a proctor's voice echoed through the hall. "You've earned the right to participate in the official Chunin selection exam."
"The main event will take place in a week's time. Until then, you're free to roam around Konoha as you wish. But keep this in mind: without explicit permission, no one is allowed to leave the village. Anyone caught breaking this rule will be disqualified immediately."
"And with that, we're done for today. Enjoy your time in the village, and good luck with your preparations."
Compared to the brutal second round, where casualties had littered the battlefield, the transition into the final phase felt oddly peaceful. There were injuries, sure, but no one had died in this round—an improvement from the deadly forest skirmishes where dozens had fallen.
"Orochimaru-sama really does things his own way, doesn't he?" Tetsuya mused as he watched the snake-like figure disappear.
"Well, that's why he's... Orochimaru," murmured Aburame Muto beside him, clearly impressed.
Tetsuya couldn't help but nod. If he could one day reach the heights of someone like Orochimaru, the struggles of his clan—Fujiwara, Tanaka, and Uesugi—would cease to be such a burden. Feeding them, protecting them, even restoring the clan's former glory—none of it would seem impossible.
But that path was still far off. He had much to accomplish before then.
As he refocused his thoughts, Tetsuya scanned the room, his eyes landing on his remaining competitors. From the Cloud Village, there were two who stood out: Ay and another ninja named Kamun, who had showcased an impressive Lightning Style. From the Sand Village, besides Rasa, there was a puppet master named Fugo. The Mist Village had brought forward three strong contenders: Kaguya Saki, Hozuki Mugetsu, and a third, ghostly-looking kid named Hozuki Mucan.
The Stone Village was a bit less fortunate. Other than Kitsuchi, no one else had managed to secure a spot in the final sixteen. Though, in an act that spoke volumes about the political undercurrents, Orochimaru had personally allowed Kitsuchi to proceed as an alternate. Even a figure as powerful as Orochimaru wasn't immune to the pressures of balancing alliances.
As for Konoha, it dominated the remaining roster. Tetsuya himself, along with Mikoto, Senju Seito, and several other ninja from prestigious clans, had claimed their places. Meanwhile, smaller villages like the Rain, Grass, and Waterfall... well, none of their ninjas had made it through.
When Tetsuya thought of the Rain Village, he almost felt a pang of pity. Not one of their nine teams had made it to the finals.
The thought gave him pause—if the rumors were true, Hanzo the Salamander wouldn't be pleased to hear about his village's embarrassing failure. When those Rain ninja returned home, they'd be lucky to get away with their lives.
"Hey, Tetsuya, Mikoto!" Aburame Muto's voice broke through his thoughts. "It's still early. How about we grab some ramen to celebrate? I swear, if I have to eat one more rice ball..." His words trailed off as he exaggerated a gag.
Tetsuya's stomach growled in response. "Ramen sounds like heaven right about now. Let's go."
Grinning, the three of them made their way toward the ramen stand, the thrill of victory still lingering in the air.
---
By the time Tetsuya returned to his clan's district, it was nearly dusk. As he stepped into the courtyard, a group of children ran up to greet him, their faces lighting up at the sight of their hero.
"Tetsuya-nii! You're back!"
Tetsuya laughed, tousling the hair of one of the kids. "Aiko, Mizuya, Yuko! Have you all been behaving while I was gone?"
The kids nodded, eager smiles plastered across their faces.
"Good. I brought candy!" Tetsuya pulled out a small, wrapped bundle from his pouch, handing it to the oldest of the group. "Now remember, five pieces each. No fighting over it."
The children's cheers filled the courtyard as they ran off with their prize. Watching them go, Tetsuya smiled warmly, only to be interrupted by the arrival of several adults from his clan.
"Tetsuya, you're back!" Tanaka Jirou greeted him, his tired eyes filled with hope. "How did it go?"
Tetsuya nodded, his face determined. "I made it, Uncle Jirou. I'm officially in the finals. Don't worry—I'm going to become a Chunin. I promise."
The tension in the group seemed to ease as they heard his words. Yet, Tetsuya knew that while he might be strong, it would take more than just strength to restore the honor of his clan. He still had a long road ahead.
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