章 21: Chunin Exams P.1

Hehe, I'll just name the chapters Chunin Exam P.1-? instead of thinking of a name.

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The day had finally arrived. The entire Hidden Leaf Village was abuzz with excitement as the Chunin Exams were about to begin, an event that not only showcased the talent of young shinobi but also drew spectators from all over the world. The atmosphere was electric, with the streets lined with vendors, shinobi of all ranks, and civilians alike, all eager to witness the battles that would unfold.

The various Kage and their representatives had gathered, each arriving with their most promising genin to compete. For many, this was more than just a test—it was an opportunity to prove their village's strength on a global stage. The tension and excitement in the air were palpable.

Meanwhile, Team 7 gathered near the arena, going over the match schedule. Boruto leaned over the list of upcoming fights, scanning it with a growing sense of anticipation.

"Let's see..." Boruto muttered to himself as he skimmed over the names of the competitors. His eyes landed on the fourth match: Boruto Uzumaki vs. Yurui. He furrowed his brow. "Yurui... never heard of him." His gaze shifted down the list, spotting his teammates' matchups. Sarada Uchiha vs. Tarui. Mitsuki vs. Toroi. A small smirk tugged at Boruto's lips. "There's a weird trend here..." he said, noticing the similar names, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Focus.

Boruto turned away from the list, feeling the weight of the moment settle over him. This is it. He glanced up at the stands where countless spectators had gathered. Among them were not only his friends and classmates but also the most powerful figures in the shinobi world—including his father. Today, Boruto would show everyone just how far he'd come. He'd trained hard, both under Sasuke and on his own, and now, with his dad, mom, sister, and every notable ninja in the village watching, it was time to prove himself.

I'll make sure they all see it, Boruto thought as he made his way back to the stands, determination burning in his eyes.

The Kage Booth – The Power Players Assemble

Up in the Kage Booth, Naruto Uzumaki arrived to join the other Kage who had already gathered. As Naruto entered, he greeted them with his usual casual smile.

"Hey, guys!" Naruto called out as he stepped into the booth.

Darui, the Raikage, waved lazily, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. Kurotsuchi, the Tsuchikage, gave a nod of acknowledgment, while Chojuro, the Mizukage, and Gaara, the Kazekage, turned to greet Naruto as well.

"Hey," Gaara said in his typically calm, measured tone.

Naruto took a seat next to them, the Hokage cloak draped over his shoulders. He was excited but also couldn't help the slight nervous energy bubbling up inside him. The Chunin Exams were always a grand event, and this time, his son was competing. He knew Boruto had trained hard, but as Hokage and father, it was difficult to separate his pride from his worries.

"So," Darui said, leaning back in his chair with a relaxed smile, "who do you have your eyes on?"

Gaara, ever thoughtful, took a moment before replying. "My son, Shinki, is definitely a strong contender," he said, his tone betraying his quiet confidence in the boy. Shinki had been trained rigorously, and Gaara knew his adoptive son's iron-sand abilities made him a force to be reckoned with.

Kurotsuchi folded her arms across her chest and smirked. "Well, I don't have any family here, but I've got confidence. The Hidden Stone is taking the crown this time!" Her voice was filled with pride, clearly believing that her genin would come out on top.

Darui chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "Meh, you guys can win this one. I bet you've got some cheat code ninja you've been hiding, though." His eyes drifted toward Naruto, who immediately felt a twinge of guilt.

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly, knowing full well that Boruto had grown immensely through his recent training. "Well... that's to be expected, right?" Naruto replied with a grin, though there was a slight tinge of guilt in his voice. Boruto has been training hard with Sasuke and might surprise them.

Quickly, Naruto shifted the attention to Chojuro. "Besides, if anyone's hiding something, it's Chojuro!" he said, shamelessly deflecting the suspicion with a laugh.

Chojuro's eyes widened in surprise, his hand instinctively going to his forehead protector. "What?! I mean, the Hidden Mist isn't going to give up easily, but I swear, I haven't done anything!" His voice was both defensive and nervous, and the other Kage couldn't help but chuckle at his panicked reaction.

As the light-hearted banter continued, Naruto eventually excused himself. The laughter and camaraderie among the Kage was comforting, but there was something weighing heavily on his mind.

"Hey, did you forget?" came the deep, familiar voice of Kurama inside Naruto's mind as he made his way through the arena.

Naruto's expression grew serious, his earlier laughter fading. "Forget? Of course not. I'll get to looking for Killer Bee right after this Exam, okay?" he replied inwardly, his pace slowing.

Kurama, the Nine-Tails, let out a low sigh of frustration. As the eldest of the Tailed Beasts, Kurama had a deeper sense of connection with the other bijuu. The fact that he hadn't heard from Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, or Killer Bee, his jinchūriki, was troubling. "We don't know what happened to Bee, but it's a bad sign," Kurama said, his voice gruff with concern.

Naruto nodded, his heart heavy. Killer Bee's disappearance was an issue he couldn't ignore. But right now, his family needed him, and this moment—this Chunin Exam—was important for his son.

Naruto found his seat next to his wife, Hinata, and their daughter, Himawari, who was already cheering with excitement for her brother. Naruto smiled, feeling the warmth of being with his family. It's moments like this that remind me why I became Hokage. Despite the concerns about Killer Bee and the growing threat beyond the village, for now, Naruto allowed himself to focus on the present.

The Looming Threat – Momoshiki and Kinshiki

Meanwhile, far above the Earth, soaring through the clouds, two ominous figures were making their way toward the Hidden Leaf Village. Momoshiki Otsutsuki flew with a scowl on his face, his robes fluttering in the high-altitude winds. Behind him, his hulking companion, Kinshiki Otsutsuki, followed closely, his expression unreadable but his movements filled with silent power.

Momoshiki's mood was foul. His pride had been wounded. "Have you contacted Urashiki yet?" Momoshiki asked, his voice sharp with irritation.

Kinshiki hesitated for a moment before answering. "No, sir. He seems to be trapped."

Momoshiki's scowl deepened, his already sour mood growing worse. "Trapped?" he sneered. "Tch. And he was only going after the weakest one..." Urashiki Otsutsuki, their comrade, had been dispatched to capture Shukaku, the One-Tail, also known as the Ichibi to the mortals of this world. But to hear that Urashiki was trapped? It was unacceptable. He can't even handle that pathetic raccoon dog?

"No matter," Momoshiki said with a dismissive wave. His focus shifted back to the real prize. "We shall catch the fox first... and then the raccoon dog."

Kinshiki nodded silently, and the two continued their flight toward the Leaf Village, the ominous presence of the Otsutsuki closing in on the village. Unbeknownst to the shinobi below, a far greater threat than the Chunin Exams was fast approaching.

The arena buzzed with excitement as the referee's voice echoed through the loudspeakers, signaling the start of the next match. Boruto Uzumaki stepped onto the stage, his heart pounding in his chest. The roar of the crowd, the eyes of every shinobi and villager fixed on him—it was all overwhelming. But Boruto took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He clenched his fists, more confident than he looked. "Whew... I got this!" he muttered to himself, trying to summon his usual bravado.

But behind that bravado, a shadow of doubt lingered. Cheating. The thought had crossed his mind more than once before the match.

Katasuke, the chief leader of the Scientific Ninja Tools division, had approached him earlier, offering Boruto one of their latest inventions. A tool that would ensure victory—allowing him to perform jutsu without using his chakra. The temptation had been strong. The idea of winning, no matter the means, hung in his mind like a dark cloud. But in the end...

No... I can't. Boruto shook his head. I've got this.

Across the arena, his opponent Yurui stood casually, chewing gum in an almost bored manner. His slouched posture and half-lidded eyes showed no concern. To him, Boruto was just another Konoha shinobi, and not a particularly threatening one.

Yurui smirked, blowing a large pink bubble as his eyes lazily met Boruto's. "Another Konoha Shinobi, huh?" he drawled, the bubble expanding with each word. "Doesn't matter. You're way too weak to fight me. How about giving up now and saving yourself the trouble?"

Boruto narrowed his eyes and pulled out a kunai, his confidence bubbling back to the surface. "Nah! I came here to win," he shot back, his grip tightening on the kunai.

The referee's voice crackled through the speakers again. "Ready... FIGHT!"

Without wasting a second, Boruto dashed forward, closing the gap between him and Yurui. But before he could get too close, Yurui nonchalantly blew another bubble, larger this time, and let it float into the air in front of him. The pink gum bubble hovered menacingly between them as if daring Boruto to make a move.

Yurui tilted his head, mockingly. "What's wrong? You seem scared."

Boruto skidded to a halt, eyeing the bubble warily. He could sense something off about it—it wasn't just some harmless gum. There was chakra infused in it, and whatever it did, Boruto didn't want to find out by stepping into it blindly. "Nah, just testing things..." Boruto said, backing up slightly as his mind raced for a plan. I need to figure out what that thing does first.

Deciding to experiment, Boruto quickly pulled out a shuriken and hurled it at the bubble. The moment the shuriken made contact, the bubble exploded in a burst of pink gum, splattering everywhere. So, that's his thing... traps. Boruto noted, his mind processing the information.

Yurui grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Smart kid. But that was just a taste. You think you can beat me?" he taunted, already forming another bubble. "You're the Hokage's son, huh? Pretty disappointing if you ask me."

Boruto frowned but stayed focused. He knew better than to let the taunts get to him. I can't just rush in. He could fill the arena with those bubbles and corner me. I need to get past him fast.

Yurui casually blew yet another bubble, letting it hover in front of him as a shield. He seemed to be playing with Boruto, confident that the younger shinobi couldn't do anything to get close. "What's the matter, scared? Or are you hiding?" Yurui called out mockingly as Boruto disappeared from view, retreating into the arena's shadows.

The Leaf genin circled, using the environment to his advantage. Yurui stood in the center, looking bored, blowing more bubbles into the air and letting them float lazily around the ring. His tone was condescending as he spoke, clearly underestimating Boruto. "Well, I'll give you this—Konoha shinobi are excellent at running."

Yurui continued to pace around the ring, blowing bubbles idly, his eyes scanning for any sign of Boruto. As he approached a pile of leaves near the edge of the arena, his instincts told him something was off. He paused, narrowing his eyes. This... feels weird. The leaf pile wasn't strange in itself, but something about it felt... dangerous.

"Guess I'm hallucinating," Yurui muttered, turning his back on the pile.

In that instant, the leaf pile poofed in a cloud of smoke, revealing Boruto and a group of Shadow Clones who had been hiding there, using Transformation Jutsu to blend in with the surroundings. "Gotcha!" Boruto yelled, his clones swarming Yurui from all directions.

Yurui's eyes widened in shock as Boruto and his clones closed in, throwing punches and kicks in rapid succession. The sudden assault caught Yurui off guard, and before he could react, Boruto locked him in a headlock, his clones holding Yurui's arms in place.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the tide of the battle shifted.

The P.A. system crackled to life again. "Is the competitor unable to battle?" the referee's voice echoed through the arena.

Yurui, trapped and realizing he couldn't break free from Boruto's hold, gritted his teeth. His pride was wounded, but he wasn't foolish enough to drag this out any further. "...I... concede," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

The moment the words left his mouth, the referee's voice boomed across the stadium.

"BORUTO UZUMAKI IS THE WINNER!"

The crowd exploded into cheers, Boruto's name echoing throughout the stadium as he released Yurui and stepped back, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. I did it... without cheating. The weight of that decision felt heavier now, knowing he had won on his own merits.

As he looked up into the stands, Boruto spotted his father, Naruto, watching from above. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Boruto saw the faintest glimmer of pride in his father's eyes. It was enough to fill Boruto with a sense of accomplishment.

But deep down, Boruto knew this was just the beginning. There were more matches to come, and tougher opponents waiting. I've shown them I can win... but I'm not done yet.

...

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[Auther: Boring, mid fight.