Chapter 32: Chapter 33: Butterfly Effect & Preliminaries
"Ahem... The random match will commence next. The name displayed on the large screen will remain, while the others will wait and witness the battle from the stands on the second floor."
"Well, I choose to abstain!"
At that moment, Kabuto, concealed within one of the examinees, suddenly raised his hand and spoke up.
"I understand. You may leave now. Someone will escort you back to the village." Hayate Gekkō nodded, crossed out Yakushi Kabuto's name with a pen, and stated, "In that case, we are left with twenty-three remaining candidates."
Kabuto's abstention caught the attention of the Third Hokage as well.
Upon learning that the individual had participated in multiple Chūnin exams, the Third Hokage promptly sent someone to investigate Kabuto.
Naruto, who had been aided by Kabuto during the first exam, stood up with a puzzled expression, intending to support Kabuto.
However, upon hearing Kabuto explain that he had sustained severe internal injuries during the first exam and was unable to endure until the end, Naruto blamed himself and declined to stay.
This was because Kabuto's injuries were somewhat connected to him.
If Naruto hadn't provoked all the candidates aggressively, Kabuto would not have stood up, let alone been targeted by the trio.
Once the episode featuring Kabuto's abstention concluded, the qualifiers for the third exam officially began.
The names of the twenty-three candidates began to scroll rapidly on the screen hanging on the wall.
After a few seconds, the two names came to a halt—one on the left and the other on the right.
Uchiha Sasuke VS Yoroi.
"Uchiha Sasuke and Yoroi remain, while the rest are requested to wait in the stands," Hayate Gekkō reminded once more.
Soon, only Uchiha Sasuke and Red Copper Armor remained on the field.
"I'm aware of your abilities."
After Team 8 arrived at the stands, Kurenai, who had already taken her place, immediately walked over, patted Sato on the shoulder, and commended, "The second group of candidates to reach the central tower took more than an hour. Well done."
"Thanks to Hinata, we spent less time finding our way," Sato smiled.
Hinata smiled bashfully.
"Let's watch the match for now, and after the qualifiers, I'll treat you all to dinner," Kurenai proudly declared.
"Yes."
Sato nodded and leaned on the armrest of the stand, observing Sasuke enduring the pain inflicted by the Curse Mark, his eyes filled with curiosity.
However, this curiosity wasn't directed toward Uchiha Sasuke or Yoroi, but toward Sato himself.
Through the first battle lineup, Sato had already noticed it.
Behind this large screen, someone was secretly manipulating events.
Given Sasuke's urgent need to seal the Curse Mark on his neck, the Third Hokage, upon learning about his situation, had instructed his subordinates to arrange the matchups for Sasuke.
Of course, Orochimaru's influence was undoubtedly involved in this clandestine operation.
Sasuke's opponent was one of Orochimaru's spies planted within Konoha, possessing the ability to absorb Chakra.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru himself, currently posing as a Jōnin and serving as the guide for Otogakure, stood at a specific position in the stands, closely observing Sasuke, eager to witness whether he would succumb to the allure of his Curse Power.
At first glance, the mastermind behind these machinations appeared to be Orochimaru.
However, the upcoming battle between Hinata and Hyuga
Neji was undoubtedly deliberately arranged by the Third Hokage, aiming to gauge the strength of the Hyuga clan's main branch and the new generation of the branch family.
One had to acknowledge that the Third Hokage and Orochimaru were truly masters in their secretive operations.
Sato's curiosity stemmed from the question of who his opponent would be.
Would the Third Hokage assign a normal Genin to Sato, or a formidable one?
The screen returned to the hall, now transformed into a battleground.
The first battle commenced swiftly and concluded just as quickly.
Sasuke's performance took Orochimaru by surprise, and he grew even more satisfied with this vessel.
Sasuke hadn't relied on the power of the Curse Mark. Furthermore, because he hadn't suffered severe injuries from Rock Lee in the first exam, he hadn't needed to employ the self-created Lion Combo. Instead, he immobilized Yoroi Akadō using the Uchiha clan's wire strings and swiftly emerged victorious.
This outcome didn't surprise Sato.
Even with his strength suppressed by the Curse Mark, Sasuke still surpassed Yoroi Akadō in terms of power.
After defeating Yoroi Akadō, Sasuke finally succumbed to the pain of the Curse Mark and collapsed to the ground.
Kakashi promptly rushed to his side, took Sasuke, and left the venue to help him seal the Cursed Seal of Heaven.
Observing this scene, Orochimaru, disguised as a Jōnin from Otogakure, quietly departed from the stands as well.
Without allowing the candidates any time for distractions or discussions, the lineup for the second battle would soon be announced.
Sato's eyes widened upon seeing the lineup for the second battle, wondering if he was mistaken.
Because, astonishingly, the lineup for the second battle was...
Hinata VS Maiko.
Maiko was one of Sato's classmates, a girl from Team 11, alongside Kiba. Similar to Sato, she had no surname.
What was happening here?
Wasn't Hinata supposed to face Neji?
Could it be that this large screen operation wasn't part of a covert plan?
With three doubts swirling in his mind, Sato looked at Hinata, who wore a smile, and cheered, "Hinata, you can do it!"
"Um!"
Since her opponent wasn't far away, Hinata didn't show any timidity. Instead, she nodded vigorously and proceeded to leave the stands.
On her way, Ino also cheered for Hinata.
"It's already starting, and it even matched Hinata."
On the other hand, Maiko appeared despondent and said to her two companions, "Should I abstain, do you think?"
Kiba pondered for a moment before encouraging her, "Why don't you give it a shot? After all, Hinata wouldn't harm you with her personality."
"I see."
Upon hearing this, Maiko's expression grew resolute.
As a result of their battle, Maiko was inevitably defeated.
Even though Hinata was kind-hearted and wouldn't harm her fellow villagers during a fight, she refrained from injecting Chakra into their bodies. Using the Byakugan and her precise strikes, similar to Sakura, who hadn't mastered any ninjutsu apart from the Body Flicker Technique, Maiko had no means to resist and was easily defeated by Hinata.
Witnessing this scene, Sato comprehended.
The Butterfly effect has started.
Unless this matching process wasn't part of a covert operation, then...
What could have made the Third Hokage forgo observing the Hyuga clan's main branch and the strength of the new generation of the branch family?
Could it be that
the Third Hokage planned to arrange for Hinata and Neji to face each other in the official match of the third exam, all while being watched by Hyuga Hiashi?
If that were the case, who would Neji be?
As soon as this doubt arose within him, Sato obtained the answer from the large screen.
The lineup for the third battle was shockingly...
Sato VS Hyuga Neji!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone