December 10th.
Today was the day the Chunin Exam selection matches began.
Because it was a public match, the venue was the same as the final round, the place where Konoha had always held the Chunin Exam.
It was very lively here today.
A lot of people had gathered.
They had all come for this Chunin Exam.
There were people from Konoha, travelers from other villages, and even some notable figures from the shinobi world.
Just from ticket sales alone, Konoha had made quite a lot.
At this moment.
In one section of the stands.
Seiryū looked at Tsunade, who was sitting beside him, his eyes carrying scrutiny. "Bad woman, don't tell me you didn't get involved at all. Just the money from selling tickets should be enough for you to make a huge profit, right?"
"When the final round comes, how about letting me get a share too? You know, I've been dirt poor lately!"
Seiryū was a little tempted by all this small money from ticket sales.
He had less than a hundred thousand ryō left on him. He had not been this poor in years.
"No."
Tsunade crossed her arms, her expression clearly showing some displeasure as she snorted. "The old man simply wouldn't let anyone else get involved."
"Seriously? And you can tolerate that?"
Seiryū spoke up for Tsunade.
Then he coaxed, "I heard the Third Hokage already has thoughts of retiring. How about you become the Fourth Hokage? Then we can make money together!"
Tsunade: "..."
"If you say something like that again, I'll beat you to death! Konoha was founded by my grandfather, it's an extension of his ideals. Do you really think I'd do something that goes against my grandfather's ideals?"
"...What a pity."
"What exactly is a pity? Why don't you say it out loud for me to hear?"
Seeing that Tsunade's expression did not look right, Seiryū quickly changed the subject.
With a grin, he said, "By the way, I wanted to ask you something. Did you pull strings for me? Otherwise, how could I get a bye and go straight into the final round?"
That was right.
Seiryū had gotten a bye.
He had come today to watch the matches.
There were twenty-seven people in the third selection round, and fourteen would advance to the final round.
Because it was a one-on-one match.
That meant one person would be left without an opponent.
Whoever was not drawn would automatically enter the next final round.
And by pure coincidence, it was Seiryū.
He suspected someone had pulled strings for him.
"When they did the drawing, representatives from the other shinobi villages were all present. Under those circumstances, even the Uchiha clan's genjutsu would be noticed. Do you really think I have the ability to pull strings for you?"
Tsunade glanced at Seiryū and curled her lips. "Luck is also a part of strength, no need to think too much about it."
Yesterday's drawing could not have been faked.
At least not under the watchful eyes of the representatives from the other shinobi villages.
Seiryū getting a bye was purely luck.
Even she had been surprised.
If he had that kind of luck, it would be better if he used it at the gambling hall.
"A poor bastard like me who went out on two village missions and came back seriously injured both times actually got a bye? I seriously have this kind of luck? This is bad, I have a bad feeling. I might end up suffering afterward."
Seiryū's expression became a little serious.
He had heard before that luck rose and fell, and it could also run out.
This time, getting a lucky bye meant his luck was extremely good, but afterward he had a feeling he might be unlucky.
To be fair, his luck had always been bad.
"Heh, you actually believe that?"
"Why wouldn't I? Just take your gambling luck for example, it's way too mystical. I've never once seen you win at the gambling hall!"
"That's just because my luck is bad!"
"See, exactly. I also think my luck is bad. Some great cosmic will seems to have its eye on me and doesn't want me to have it easy."
"Stop scaring yourself. If you don't believe it, then when your final round starts, I'll bet on you to win. With your strength, you have a very high chance of winning!"
"Stop, you just scared me. Don't ever do that!"
"I think you have a huge prejudice against me."
Seiryū wiped away some sweat. "It's not prejudice, it's just... anyway, absolutely do not bet on me to win. My fate really isn't strong enough, I can't withstand that kind of causality!"
Tsunade snorted unhappily. "So mysterious and superstitious."
"Tsunade-sensei, Seiryū, I'm here!"
A lively voice came from far to near as Kurenai jogged over with something in her hands.
Because she was running, the ponytail tied behind her swayed back and forth, and her face was also slightly flushed from the movement.
She looked youthful and lively, very cute.
Behind Kurenai was Nohara Rin.
Rin greeted Seiryū and Tsunade, "Tsunade-sama, Seiryū, good morning."
Seiryū smiled at Rin. "Good morning, Rin."
Seeing that Seiryū had ignored her, Kurenai, who sat down on Seiryū's left, immediately puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction. "Why did you only greet Rin? How hateful, you actually ignored your cute little sister!"
Seiryū replied speechlessly, "I see you every day. We even went out together just now. What the hell would I be greeting you for?"
"I even bought dango for you, and now you're not getting any!"
Kurenai snorted.
She took out some dango from the paper bag and handed some to Tsunade and Rin. "Tsunade-sensei, Rin, let's eat dango together. I'm not giving any to that guy, let him die of envy!"
As she said that.
She also took a small bite from the three-colored dango in her other hand and looked proudly at Seiryū.
Seiryū: "..."
This little girl was really too much. Who knew where she had learned this kind of little trick.
Did she really think he cared that much?
Well, he was a little tempted.
So he started snatching, leaning over and biting one off from Kurenai's hand.
Seeing that one dango was missing from the skewer in her hand, Kurenai froze for a moment.
Then her face turned bright red. "Th-That one, I already took a bite from it."
Th-this...
He actually ate the dango she had bitten. Th-this wasn't that an indirect kiss?
As Seiryū chewed, he said, "I haven't swallowed it yet, I can give it back to you."
Kurenai suppressed the shyness in her heart and deliberately put on a look of disgust. "I don't want it!!"
"That's not enough, give me one more so I can taste it."
Seiryū leaned over and took another one, then nodded while chewing in evaluation. "The taste seems better than before. Did this shop change its recipe?"
Kurenai's expression froze, then she bared her teeth and pounced at Seiryū, opening her mouth to bite him. "You're still eating? Just die!!"
Seiryū held back Kurenai by the head. "This is also a bad habit of yours, you need to fix it!"
"Damned Seiryū! I'll bite you to death!"
"If I don't eat it, then why did you buy it?"
Looking at the two fooling around, Tsunade and Rin were both a little speechless.
They were almost ten years old, so how were they still like little kids?
Not mature at all!
Very soon.
The first match below had already started.
It was Konoha's Uchiha Ryōsuke against Kumo's Samui.
The battle began with the referee, Yūhi Shinku, announcing the start.
But it ended almost instantly.
The gap in strength was too great.
Ryōsuke's three-tomoe Sharingan only needed a single glance, and Samui was already caught in genjutsu.
"The winner, Uchiha Ryōsuke!"
After checking Samui's condition, Shinku announced Ryōsuke's victory.
"Such skill in genjutsu, truly worthy of the Uchiha clan."
As he looked at the figure walking away, Shinku's heart grew somewhat heavy. "But the most important thing is that it's this guy. If Seiryū meets him in the final round, he's going to have trouble."
Naturally, he knew who Uchiha Ryōsuke was.
He was the Uchiha clansman who had almost been crippled by Seiryū.
If the Third Hokage had not stepped in at the time, then facing the pressure from the Uchiha clan's great elder, Uchiha Setsuna, they probably would have been in danger.
Now that Ryōsuke was participating in the Chunin Exam, he clearly had a purpose.
He was probably here for Seiryū.
His strength was very great. An Uchiha clansman with a three-tomoe Sharingan was already a synonym for power.
If Seiryū met him in the final round, he would probably be in trouble.
(To be continued.)
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