Chapter 38: The Official Match Pairings
After the elimination round, the eleven victorious candidates—all except Uchiha Sasuke, who had been taken away by Kakashi—gathered again in the main examination hall. The atmosphere remained tense despite the battles having concluded.
Seeing that six of the eleven standing before him were Konoha ninja, the Third Hokage felt deep relief. The next generation showed promise. His village's future seemed secure.
Hiruzen Sarutobi held his pipe, puffing smoke slowly as he addressed them: "First, congratulations to all of you for successfully passing the elimination round of the Chunin Examination. Now, I will explain the content of the third exam."
The candidates, still feeling the exhaustion of battle, immediately straightened with nervous expressions. Their eyes fixed on the Hokage with serious attention.
"Relax," the Third Hokage soothed with a gentle smile. "I'm not asking you to start the third exam right away." He continued: "As Moonlight Hayate explained earlier, the third exam will display your battles to a public audience. We cannot have prolonged, drawn-out fights. The elimination round just now served to select those who can truly represent their villages as elites."
"For fairness and to allow you to show your strength without reservation, the official competition of the third exam will begin in one month." The Hokage puffed his pipe again. "During this month, you may do as you wish—train to improve your strength, gather intelligence on your opponents, or rest and recover from your injuries. The choice is yours."
He glanced around the room, ensuring everyone understood before continuing.
"Now, I won't waste any more of your time. But before we disband, you will draw lots to determine your opponents in advance."
At his signal, the proctor of the second exam stepped forward. Mitarashi Anko, still wearing her mesh armor and trench coat, carried a wooden box with a slot cut into the top. Her expression suggested she found this whole process mildly entertaining.
"Each of you will draw one lot from this box," the Hokage instructed. "Begin with the first candidate who advanced."
Ryuzen, having been the first to complete his match in the preliminaries, rose smoothly from his seat. He walked to Anko with measured steps, reaching into the box without hesitation. His fingers found a single folded slip of paper, which he withdrew and opened.
He glanced at the number, then showed it to Anko. "I am number one."
The number one seemed to follow Ryuzen everywhere. As a child, he had always been called first for random assessments. During taijutsu practice with Hinata, he was always the first to demonstrate techniques. His Academy ranking had consistently placed him at the top. The elimination round just now—he had fought first. And now, in the official matches of the Chunin Exam, he had drawn number one again.
If I remember correctly, Ryuzen thought, Naruto drew number one in the original timeline.
A suspicion formed in his mind. The next few draws would confirm it.
Two or three candidates drew their lots in succession—Temari, then Shino, then Kankuro. Each announced their numbers quietly, the sequence beginning to take shape.
Then Hyūga Neji stepped forward.
The prodigy of the Hyūga clan moved with fluid grace, his bearing radiating cold confidence. He reached into the box, withdrew a slip, and opened it. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He turned deliberately to look at Ryuzen.
"I am number two."
Hinata's eyes widened beside Ryuzen. "Ryuzen-kun's opponent is... Neji-nii-san!"
Ryuzen felt genuine surprise. He had already disrupted the canon by taking Sasuke's place in the preliminary round against Akamatsu. Now he had apparently taken Naruto's place in the official match against Neji.
Interesting.
His red eyes met Neji's pale ones across the room. The challenge was clear in both their gazes. Ryuzen's hand moved almost unconsciously to rest on Hinata's shoulder, a protective gesture that did not go unnoticed.
He spoke calmly: "You should draw your lot now."
"...Mm." Hinata nodded and walked forward on unsteady legs.
The remaining candidates drew in turn. By the time Uchiha Sasuke finally arrived—led in by Kakashi, his Curse Mark suppressed but the fatigue still evident—the pairings were complete.
The display board updated to show the official match order:
First Match: Yagyu Ryuzen vs. Hyūga Neji
Second Match: Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara
Third Match: Aburame Shino vs. Kankuro
Fourth Match: Temari vs. Nara Shikamaru
Fifth Match: Uzumaki Naruto vs. Dosu
Sixth Match: Hyūga Hinata — Bye
When Hinata saw her name alone at the bottom, she blinked in confusion. A bye meant she advanced directly to the next round without fighting. With eleven candidates, someone had to receive the bye—and that someone was her.
The Third Hokage dismissed them immediately after the pairings were announced. There was nothing more to discuss until the official matches began in one month.
Team 8 walked together toward the teleportation room that would return them to the village proper. Ryuzen glanced at Hinata with a warm smile. "You're lucky, Hinata. A bye in your first official match."
"...Mm." Hinata smiled shyly, her face flushing slightly as she responded quietly.
Kurenai had already left after the elimination round, trusting her team to handle the administrative procedures on their own. After the teleportation array deposited them outside Training Ground 44, Team 8 disbanded for the day—Shino heading home to his clan, Ryuzen and Hinata walking together toward their familiar route.
As always, they divided the evening tasks without discussion. Hinata went to Ryuzen's apartment to wash rice and prepare the base for dinner. Ryuzen visited the local market to purchase fresh ingredients for their meal.
Forty minutes later, in the kitchen of the Yagyu household, Ryuzen held a kitchen knife with practiced ease. He sliced meat into thin pieces while maintaining a casual tone: "You know, I really wish I could go back to five days ago."
Hinata, washing vegetables at the sink, caught his meaning immediately. Her face warmed, but she no longer fainted at such comments. After a moment, she whispered with some reluctance: "Actually... I feel the same way."
Ryuzen finished with the meat, arranging the slices neatly on a plate. He washed his hands, dried them on a towel, and walked quietly behind Hinata. His arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. Through the thin fabric of her clothing, he could feel her skin gradually warming under his touch.
He spoke softly near her ear: "Tomorrow, let's ask Kurenai-sensei to help us apply for a mission. We could travel for a month. What do you think?"
Hinata's eyes showed immediate longing—then hesitation. She pressed her hand against his through her apron, her voice tinged with disappointment. "Is that... allowed? And if my father learns I passed the elimination round, he definitely won't let me leave the village."
The last sentence carried the weight of years of disappointment.
During those five days she had lived with Ryuzen, despite the embarrassing nights and the things they had done—and not done—she had loved every moment. She loved the way Ryuzen whispered sweet words in the darkness. She loved waking beside him. She loved the simple domesticity of their shared life.
If it were possible, she would travel with him anywhere.
But she knew her father. If Hiashi Hyūga discovered she had passed the elimination round and would appear in the official matches of the Chunin Exam, he would almost certainly restrict her movements. He might even forbid her from leaving the compound except for official business.
Because even if her strength still lagged behind her younger sister—five years her junior and already more skilled—she was still a daughter of the Hyūga main house. She could never embarrass the clan. Her father would likely impose strict training to ensure she performed adequately in the public matches.
Ryuzen played absently with her fingers, his tone carrying practiced disappointment. "Is that so? What a pity."
Hinata couldn't bear the sadness in his voice—even knowing he might be exaggerating slightly for effect. She raised her hand to press more firmly against his, suggesting hesitantly: "What if I tell my father I received a bye? Maybe he'll allow me to come out?"
Ryuzen smiled against her cheek, pressing a light kiss there before comforting her: "It's fine. We still have plenty of time. After the Chunin Exams, we'll travel together. And in the future... we'll travel the whole ninja world together. Okay?"
Hinata's eyes grew distant as she imagined those beautiful pictures—walking beside Ryuzen through strange lands, facing unknown dangers together, building a life beyond the walls of Konoha and the Hyūga compound.
She nodded repeatedly, her heart full.
"...Mm!"
Outside, night fell over Konoha. In the Hyūga compound, Hiashi Hyūga reviewed the elimination round results delivered by his agents. His daughter's name among the finalists surprised him. When he read the detailed account of her match against the Sound kunoichi, his eyebrows rose further.
Perhaps I have underestimated her.
In the Yagyu apartment, dinner finished and dishes washed, two figures lay tangled together on a futon. Their breathing gradually slowed toward sleep, red and white scarves draped together over a nearby chair.
One month remained until the official matches.
One month until Ryuzen faced Neji.
One month until the world saw what Yagyu Ryuzen could truly do.
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