Sasuke and his team arrived at the Ninja Academy, only to be met with a bustling crowd.
"Wow, there are so many people!" Naruto exclaimed.
The academy grounds were filled with Genin from various villages, all gathered for the Chūnin Exams.
"It's not just Konoha and Sunagakure… I see shinobi from Otogakure, Kusagakure, Takigakure, and other minor villages," Sakura observed, scanning the crowd.
"The books were right—exams organized by the Five Great Nations always attract attention," Sasuke muttered.
Aside from the major villages, smaller ones also produced shinobi, though their overall skill levels often lagged behind. As a result, they sought recognition by competing in these exams. A Chūnin rank granted by a Great Nation held undeniable prestige.
"Sakura-chan, enough sightseeing. Let's just go to the exam location," Naruto huffed. "Doesn't matter which village they're from, I'll beat them all!"
Following their admission tickets, the team proceeded to the third floor.
The Deception
"Hey, didn't we tell you? This area is off-limits!"
A Konoha Genin struck Rock Lee, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Listen up, becoming a Chūnin isn't easy," the Genin sneered. "If you can't handle this, just quit now."
Many exam candidates hesitated, their confidence wavering.
"Sasuke, what should we do?" Sakura whispered. "Also… something feels off about this."
"Hmph, how ridiculous." Sasuke stepped forward.
"Stop right there!" One of the gatekeepers reached for him—
Zap!
A flicker of electricity sparked across Sasuke's body. The shinobi yelped, recoiling in pain.
"What's wrong?" his companion asked, alarmed.
"You should be careful," Sasuke said coolly, eyes gleaming.
Then, he suddenly turned to Sakura.
"Huh? This is the second floor… I almost forgot. We should be heading to the third floor."
The two "gatekeepers" flinched.
"You brat, what are you talking about? This is obviously the third floor!"
"Yeah! Can't you read the door number?"
Sasuke smirked.
"A simple Genjutsu like this is useless against me."
His Sharingan flared.
The illusion shattered, revealing the truth—the door number had been altered, and they were still on the second floor.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Sharingan…" The fake gatekeepers exchanged looks before sighing and stepping aside.
Neji, watching from the crowd, narrowed his eyes.
"So that's Uchiha Sasuke…"
The other candidates, now aware of the deception, quickly moved toward the actual exam site.
---
"Whoa, that was amazing!"
A green-clad figure suddenly appeared before them—Rock Lee.
"Hey, you with the pink hair!" He struck a dramatic pose, winking.
"My name is Rock Lee! Please go out with me, Sakura! I have admired you for so long!"
Silence.
Sakura stiffened, her face turning pale.
"NO! Absolutely NOT!"
Rock Lee's thick eyebrows, watermelon-styled hair, and bright green jumpsuit were simply too much for her.
Naruto, meanwhile, was fuming.
"Hey! You like Sakura too?! She's mine!"
"What the hell are you saying, Naruto?!" Sakura yelled, knocking him over with a punch.
Undeterred, Rock Lee turned to Naruto.
"If that's the case, then let's settle this with a battle between real men!"
"Hah! Who's afraid of you?" Naruto charged forward, eager for a fight.
Then—
BAM!
In an instant, Rock Lee vanished. A heartbeat later, Naruto was sent flying, crashing to the ground with a heavy thud.
"What the hell… He's so fast!" Naruto gasped, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
A girl with buns in her hair approached.
"Lee, didn't we agree to stay low-key?" she sighed.
She turned to Sasuke with a smile.
"I'm Tenten."
Her tone was noticeably more cheerful.
She extended a hand, her expression bright.
Sasuke smirked slightly and shook her hand.
Tenten… He recalled her background. A specialist in ninja tools—practically a walking armory. Given how much she spent on weaponry, she was practically a rich girl in the ninja world.
"Ah! Sasuke actually shook my hand!" Tenten beamed.
Sakura scowled, stepping between them.
"Back off, Tenten! Sasuke is mine!"
"S-Sakura-chan…" Rock Lee looked heartbroken.
He had just confessed, only to hear her declare her love for Sasuke.
The Challenge
Rock Lee took a deep breath and turned back to Sasuke.
"You are Uchiha Sasuke, a famous genius in Konoha… I challenge you to a fight!"
"Not interested."
Sasuke turned on his heel.
"Sasuke, you coward!"
A new voice cut in.
Hyuga Neji stood nearby, arms crossed, an amused smirk on his face.
"So the Uchiha prodigy is running away? Seems like the Hyuga Clan remains the strongest in Konoha."
Sasuke stopped.
"Is that so?" He turned, eyes gleaming red.
"Then I'll show you what the Uchiha name really means."
He locked eyes with Rock Lee.
The moment their gazes met—
Rock Lee's body wavered. His vision blurred.
A pair of enormous eyes loomed before him.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
With a thud, he collapsed.
Gasps filled the air.
"Lee!" Tenten rushed to his side.
"This… is Genjutsu!"
Neji activated his Byakugan, quickly analyzing the situation. His expression darkened.
Such powerful illusion mastery… With just a glance, he incapacitated Lee completely.
Sasuke smirked.
"Now… was that enough for you?"
Neji clenched his fists but said nothing.
At that moment, the Uchiha had undeniably won.
--
(A/N: Advance Chapters Are Available On My Patreon... Please Think Of Joining It)