13It must be Neji Hyuga's conspiracy.AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 13: It Must Be Hyuga Neji's Conspiracy
Before Naruto could think further...
Bang!
A massive black shadow shattered the window above the examination hall!
Amidst the flying glass shards and wood splinters, a woman descended from the sky.
"I am the proctor for the second stage of the exam, Anko Mitarashi!"
Ibiki Morino shook his head helplessly.
"Sigh, she really is..."
Anko Mitarashi placed her hands on her hips and scanned the room.
"1, 2, 3... 78 people? Ibiki, you actually let 26 teams pass?"
"Was this exam set way too easily?"
"Hmph, but it doesn't matter. In the second stage, I'll cut the numbers down to less than half!"
"Less than half?"
The candidates looked at each other, their joy instantly replaced by new worries.
"However..." Anko continued, "Due to some sudden circumstances, the second stage is postponed."
She pulled a stack of scrolls from her trench coat and tossed them casually onto the desk.
"This is the map. Tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, all candidates who passed the first stage will gather outside the Forest of Death. Go back and say your goodbyes to your teachers, write your wills, and you'd better fill your stomachs!"
"See you tomorrow, brats!"
With that, Anko waved to everyone.
Then, she vanished with a Body Flicker Technique.
She left behind a mess and a group of candidates with complicated expressions holding maps.
"Postponed until tomorrow?"
Naruto rubbed his chin.
Just as well, he could go home first and deal with the System lottery.
After all, Uncle Snake would make his first appearance in the Forest of Death, and he didn't know if they would face off directly.
In short, making a few extra preparations was better than being caught off guard.
Just as he was about to leave, someone grabbed his sleeve.
Naruto turned and saw it was Sakura.
"You guy, what on earth were you doing just now?!"
"I'm saying, even if you're jealous that Sasuke is better than you, you shouldn't use such methods to sell out your comrades, right?"
"Is behavior like yours even worthy of being called a Ninja?"
Clearly, she had come specifically to demand an explanation.
"Now, get over there and apologize to Sasuke right now!"
Saying this, Sakura rolled up her sleeves and raised her hand, making a motion as if to punch Naruto in the head.
Just then, someone else walked over.
"Dead Last, you bastard!!"
Ino Yamanaka rushed over, shoved Sakura aside, and stood before Naruto.
"What is it?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow, intentionally leaning closer to Ino, and then silently mouthed to her:
"I have things to do. If you want someone to accompany you to the bathroom, wait until next time."
Ino's originally angry face turned beet red the moment she saw the boy's lip movements.
"I... you... YOU!!"
She trembled with rage, but for a long while, she couldn't squeeze out a complete sentence.
At the same time.
Gaara was staring in Naruto's direction with a cold, almost pathological gaze.
Fine sand kept spilling from the gourd on his back, surging uncontrollably.
Recalling the scene where Naruto actually dared to use a Kunai to blind his Third Eye.
A wave of killing intent erupted from Gaara's body like a tsunami.
"Damned blond brat."
Beside him, Kankuro was also somewhat indignant.
"We have to find a chance to teach him a lesson!"
Before he could act, Temari raised the fan in her hand and tapped him on the head.
"Calm down, Gaara, Kankuro. Haven't you noticed yet?"
Temari's gaze was currently focused on someone else.
"Noticed what?"
"That blond brat, no, Uzumaki Naruto—his behavior is indeed like an idiot, but think carefully. He reported so many people, so why didn't he report Hyuga Neji specifically?"
Kankuro was taken aback.
He immediately looked toward the other side of the examination hall at Hyuga Neji, who still maintained an air of detachment.
"And..." Temari continued, "According to the intel, that blond brat is just a Dead Last Genin of Wood Leaf. Where would he get the ability to see through so many people's cheating methods? Even you and Gaara were caught out?"
Gaara also calmed down at this point.
"Byakugan."
"Oh, I get it!" Kankuro also seemed to realize something.
"You're saying the person who actually saw through our cheating methods was Hyuga Neji!"
"And this Uzumaki Naruto is just a pawn of Hyuga Neji?!"
Temari nodded. "Reporting others for cheating is bound to invite retaliation, which is why Hyuga Nejichose him to do the dirty work. Tsk... I bet that blond idiot still thinks he's the star of the show, not realizing he's been used and has offended everyone."
"Boring."
After hearing Temari's analysis, Gaara lost interest.
He had originally thought that as a Wood Leaf Genius, Hyuga Neji could bring him some fun.
He didn't expect him to be just a guy who would use any means to eliminate competitors just to pass an exam.
"When we get to the Forest of Death tomorrow, I'll teach him a lesson."
Leaving those words behind, Gaara turned and left.
"Hmph, petty man!"
Kankuro followed closely behind, while Temarishook her head.
Doing something like this, in the end, was because of a lack of confidence in one's own strength.
This guy shouldn't be that Boar-headed Youth.
Now only... Uchiha Sasuke is left!
Temari looked at Sasuke, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Just you wait!"
"When the day comes that Wood Leaf is destroyed, I will definitely humiliate you thoroughly!!"
... "Billboard Brow, get away from me!"
"You're the one, what business is it of yours here!!"
Ino and Sakura were in the middle of a heated argument.
Sakura pointed at Ino in a rage: "Did you two conspire together? You had him report everyone so that when Sasuke failed the exam, you could comfort a depressed Sasuke and swoop in! You harlot!"
Ino's face was still flushed as she tried to steady her breathing.
But hearing the words 'conspire' and 'harlot', she couldn't help but fire back:
"You're the one! You Billboard Brow! What do you know besides Sasuke?! You didn't even notice that Dead Last was acting strange! You're just a woman who thinks with her lower half, you idiot!!"
"Who are you calling a woman who thinks with her lower half?!" Sakura roared.
"I'm talking about you!" Ino roared back.
The two shoved each other, completely forgetting everyone else's existence.
The scene became extremely chaotic for a moment.
Hinata, who was nearby, had no idea what was happening and watched the scene blankly.
Just then, a wave of malicious and cold aura approached the area where they were.
Ino and Sakura, who were arguing, both felt this aura and stopped thinking in unison.
They looked up.
They saw three Ninjas dressed peculiarly, with the symbol of the Sound Hidden Village on their headbands, walking over.
It was the Sound Ninja Trio—Dosu, Zaku, and Kin.
The leader, Dosu, had his entire face wrapped in bandages, leaving only one eye exposed.
He tucked his hands into his sleeves, his eyes gloomy, and walked straight up to Naruto.
"You just reported us in the exam hall, didn't you?"
His voice carried a peculiar buzzing quality, and Naruto nodded casually.
"Come with us."
Dosu said coldly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"We have some scores to settle with you."