"Cough… I announce the winner—Hinata!"
Hayate Gekko raised his hand and declared the result.
---
Reactions
On the balcony, Neji Hyuga gripped the railing tightly, his expression dark.
Hinata's display had exceeded his expectations.
Her mastery of the Gentle Fist—especially her control and precision—was far beyond what he remembered.
Nearby, Might Guy noticed his reaction.
"Calm down," Guy said lightly.
Neji said nothing, but his gaze remained fixed on Hinata.
---
Sasuke Leaves
Not far away, Sasuke Uchiha clenched his fists.
Without a word, he turned and left.
"Sasuke!" Sakura Haruno called out, worried.
Kakashi Hatake stopped her.
"He just needs time," Kakashi said calmly. "He's been pushed."
Sasuke had always considered himself the top of his generation. But now, after facing opponents like Rock Lee and witnessing others surpass expectations, the pressure on him had grown.
Even Naruto Uzumaki was improving rapidly.
From the side, Chen Xing spoke calmly:
"If he wants power, he'll have to face that gap himself."
---
Final Matchups
After all preliminaries ended, the finalists gathered.
The matchups for the third exam were decided:
Naruto Uzumaki vs Neji Hyuga
Sasuke Uchiha vs Gaara
Shino Aburame vs Kankuro
Temari vs Shikamaru Nara
The finals would take place in one month.
---
After the Preliminaries
As soon as it ended, Naruto rushed toward Kakashi.
"Teach me that jutsu!" he said eagerly, thinking of the Rasengan.
Kakashi sighed. "We'll talk later."
---
Night
That night, under the moonlight, Chen Xing and Hinata sat quietly together.
The village was calm.
Hinata leaned against him, her voice soft.
"Chen Xing… what is your goal?"
Chen Xing looked at the sky.
"To become strong enough to control my own fate," he said. "And to protect what matters."
Hinata lowered her head slightly, her expression gentle.
"Then… I want to stay by your side."
Chen Xing smiled faintly.
The night remained silent, the moonlight casting long shadows across the rooftops.
For now, the battles were over.
But the real test—the finals—was approaching.