"Lee, are you okay! Lee, wake up!"
The atmosphere in the hall was eerily quiet.
Only Might Guy's panicked voice could be heard.
It was no wonder he reacted this way.
At this moment, Rock Lee looked like a charred fish, his clothes and skin completely blackened.
Due to the side effects of the Eight Gates Formation and the lingering aftermath of the Storm Release Secret Technique, his body was still emitting faint wisps of steam.
He had already lost consciousness, and if it weren't for his breathing and heartbeat, no one would doubt that this was a fully cooked corpse.
At the same time, two blue beams of light, invisible to everyone, flew out of Rock Lee's body and headed toward Izayoi.
Although he had lost to Izayoi, Rock Lee had still proven himself through the Eight Gates Formation.
"Cough... No need to panic, he's just unconscious," Hayate Gekko reassured, then took out a walkie-talkie and said, "Medical team, hurry over here. We have a patient in need of emergency treatment."
Soon after, three medical ninjas dressed in white appeared with a stretcher using the Body Flicker Technique. They began administering first aid to Rock Lee while carrying him away from the examination hall.
Might Guy, whose other two students had already finished their matches, chose to follow them.
No one paid attention to this.
Because everyone's gaze was still fixed on the black crater that had replaced the hall.
Then, their eyes shifted to Izayoi, who was slowly descending.
Whether they were Genin or Jonin, the way they looked at Izayoi had completely changed from before.
If Izayoi's earlier use of Lightning Release Nature Transformation and Shape Transformation had made the Jonin see him as a future all-around Jonin, now everyone regarded him as the Leaf Village's future ace combatant.
Secret Ninjutsu, also known as S-rank Ninjutsu, is a super technique that no matter how much effort one puts in, it's not guaranteed to be mastered.
Every ninja who masters an S-rank Ninjutsu is an elite Jonin of a major Ninja Village, possessing the power to threaten, become, or represent a Kage.
Without a doubt, Izayoi already possessed such strength.
Once his wisdom, benevolence, courage, leadership abilities, and achievements improved, becoming an elite Jonin was inevitable.
"Izayoi, is this the Ninja Technique you developed?"
As soon as Izayoi landed, Kurenai Yuhi asked excitedly.
Beside her, Aburame Shino and Hinata were also staring intently at Izayoi, with the latter's eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
"Yes," Izayoi nodded with a smile. "I said it would blow your minds. Did I disappoint?"
"Not at all. It's incredibly powerful," Kurenai Yuhi said, patting Izayoi's shoulder vigorously. "You're really full of surprises, kid!"
She had thought Izayoi would be this generation's Kakashi Hatake, but it turned out that Izayoi was even more outstanding than Kakashi.
Although Kakashi had become an all-around Jonin by the age of twelve and had developed the A-rank Lightning Release: Chidori, his Chidori paled in comparison to Izayoi's Storm Release: Judgment.
Having such a student, Kurenai suddenly felt that their bet was laughable.
She had won from the very beginning, and it was a landslide victory! "This kid actually perfected the Rasengan to such an extent. Truly a genius!"
Orochimaru gazed at Izayoi with an appreciative look, almost unable to resist the urge to lick his lips with his long tongue.
Izayoi did not disappoint him, delivering an exhilarating match as expected.
Although he lacked a Kekkei Genkai, his natural talent reminded Orochimaru of his younger self and many other civilian geniuses.
Satisfied, Orochimaru quietly left the scene.
Meanwhile, the Special Jonin guarding near Hiruzen Sarutobi used Earth Release Ninjutsu to repair the black hole in the hall.
The time and Chakra required for this were astonishing.
The ninjas who witnessed it firsthand once again felt the power of that Storm Release Secret Technique.
To fuse Lightning Release Nature Transformation and Water Release Nature Transformation into Storm Release—could this kid have awakened a Kekkei Genkai? Kurenai Yuhi seemed to have the same thought and couldn't help but ask, "Izayoi, did you synthesize the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai?"
"No, I merely used that energy sphere as a medium and relied on ultra-high-speed rotation to barely fuse the two Nature Transformations. It's a more advanced composite Secret Art, and I'm still unable to directly convert Chakra into Storm Release Nature Transformation," Izayoi shook his head and explained.
In fact, when he first synthesized Storm Release, even Izayoi himself was startled.
But after carefully examining his body, he realized he didn't possess the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai, and his personal panel didn't display the entry for Storm Release Kekkei Genkai (Purple).
The ability to synthesize Storm Release was entirely thanks to his Chakra Control (Gold).
It might also be due to the Tenseigan.
However, the fusion of two releases wasn't Izayoi's limit.
Storm Release: Judgment was just one of his Secret Arts.
After the hall was repaired, the exam continued.
Izayoi's match against Rock Lee was the tenth round.
Out of the twenty-three candidates, only Gaara, Akado Yoroi, and Aburame Shino remained.
Among these three, one lucky individual would emerge.
The names on the screen quickly settled.
Gaara vs. Akado Yoroi.
"…"
Izayoi was slightly speechless and couldn't help but glance at Aburame Shino with a peculiar look.
The sensitive Shino immediately noticed, "Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing," Izayoi shook his head.
He couldn't exactly say, "Did you get a bye because your presence was so low that the proctors overlooked you?" If he said that, Shino would probably be upset for a long time.
The eleventh round ended without suspense, with Gaara instantly defeating Akado Yoroi.
If it weren't for Akado Yoroi wearing the Leaf Village's Forehead Protector and Hayate Gekko stepping in to stop the match, the former might have been crushed by Gaara's Sand Binding Coffin.
Uchiha Sasuke, who hadn't been marked with the Heavenly Curse Seal, could still use his Sharingan. Akado Yoroi's ability to absorb Chakra was less effective than Zaku Abumi's Air Slash Extreme Wave.
Failing to become the lucky one with a bye, Akado Yoroi's defeat was inevitable.
Thus, the preliminary matches concluded, and eleven candidates advanced to the main tournament.
These eleven candidates were Dosu Kinuta, Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, Kankuro, Temari, Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuga Neji, Izayoi, Gaara, and Aburame Shino.
"As mentioned earlier, the Chunin Exams are a microcosm of war among allied nations. The third exam's main tournament will be attended by numerous dignitaries and spectators."
"These people could potentially become your clients in the future, so in order to present them with the best visual spectacle, you have one month to prepare. During this time, improve yourselves, and then gather at the Leaf Village square at 10 a.m. sharp."
In the hall, after Hiruzen Sarutobi finished his instructions, he ordered Anko Mitarashi, who was holding a box, to come forward and have the eleven candidates draw lots to determine their opponents for the month.
Eleven candidates, five rounds of matches, with one lucky person still getting a bye.
Soon, the eleven candidates finished drawing their lots.
Anko Mitarashi wrote the numbers they drew and the candidates' names on a board.
[No. 1]Uzumaki Naruto vs. [No. 2]Dosu Kinuta.
[No. 3]Hyuga Hinata vs. [No. 4]Temari.
[No. 5]Nara Shikamaru vs. [No. 6]Kankuro.
[No. 7]Izayoi vs. [No. 8]Gaara.
[No. 9]Uchiha Sasuke vs. [No. 10]Hyuga Neji.
The lucky person who got a bye—Aburame Shino.
When the list came out, many curious gazes turned toward Aburame Shino.
Aburame Shino finally got his wish, experiencing the feeling of being in the spotlight.
The corner of his mouth under his collar couldn't help but curl up slightly.
After the drawing of lots, the candidates left the Death Forest with their Jonin Instructors.
As soon as they emerged, Kurenai Yuhi wrapped her arm around Hinata's shoulder and said to Team 8 with a smile, "Let's go, to celebrate your team's full advancement, I'll treat you all to a big meal."
"Thank you, Teacher Kurenai." Having spent five days in the Central Tower with rather ordinary meals, Team 8 didn't refuse.
It was just dusk, the perfect time for dinner.
After dinner, night had already fallen.
Hinata didn't go home immediately but went to Izayoi's house, where she and Izayoi developed photos in his room.
"Hinata, that last palm strike of yours was really cool."
"Hehe... Izayoi-kun's final move, Storm Release: Judgment, was super impressive too. I never expected your Secret Art to be Storm Release!"
"Do you think I should work harder so that my child can also have Storm Release in the future?"
"Eh—"
In the room with the windows and doors tightly shut, the blackout curtains drawn, and the lights off except for a small lamp on the desk, Izayoi and Hinata sat on a chair, admiring the freshly developed photos while complimenting each other.
As they chatted, Izayoi suddenly brought up the topic of children, talking about himself but looking at Hinata with a mischievous smile.
Hinata instantly became flustered, her face turning red, her gaze evasive, and she stammered, "I... I don't know..."
But in her mind, she was already fantasizing about what her and Izayoi's child would look like.
Would the hair color be like hers and Izayoi-kun's? Would the eyes be the Byakugan, Izayoi's blue eyes, or the Eye Technique known as the Tenseigan?
Would Izayoi-kun prefer a boy or a girl?
As she thought about it, steam seemed to rise from Hinata's head, and her pale purple Byakugan gradually took on the shape of a mosquito coil.
At that moment, a hand suddenly rested on Hinata's shoulder, bringing her back to reality.
Izayoi leaned in with a mischievous smile and asked, "Hinata, do you remember what I said to you before the fight started?"
"Wh... what?"
Hinata looked puzzled, not reacting immediately.
"Reward, it's a reward!" Izayoi said twice, speaking with confidence. "I won, shouldn't you give me a reward?"
Hinata couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. "Izayoi-kun, are you Hanabi?"
"I've said it before, we watched Hanabi grow up, so it's not strange that she's similar to me in personality," Izayoi said, raising his head proudly. "When Hanabi won the title of top student, didn't she come to me for a reward? Now that I've advanced, shouldn't you give me a reward?"
"What about mine?"
This time, Hinata didn't agree but took the initiative instead, smiling sweetly. "I've also advanced, Izayoi-kun. What reward do you plan to give me?"
"There is one~~"
Izayoi raised his index finger to his lips and smiled. "But this reward will take some time before I can give it to you."
Some time?
Hinata tilted her head and quickly guessed when that would be.
So, she didn't press further but instead asked softly, "Then, Izayoi-kun, what reward do you want?"
"Photos!"
Izayoi had been waiting for this moment. He immediately stood up and opened the wardrobe, taking out two gift boxes.
These were secretly delivered by a Shadow Clone before the Chunin Exams began.
Because of Hanabi, Izayoi hadn't been able to hand them over to Hinata as he wished.
He shoved both gift boxes into Hinata's arms, his expression excited. "Hinata, I want to take some artistic photos!"
"Artistic photos?"
Hinata was confused but could guess that these two gift boxes must contain clothes.
Could it be a sailor uniform again? Or some other original outfit Izayoi-kun had designed? Feeling both shy and a little expectant, Hinata quickly unwrapped the packages.
When she opened the gift boxes, her face, which had just cooled down, instantly flushed red again, turning her into the Steam Princess in the blink of an eye.
"This... this..."
Hinata looked at Izayoi with spiraling eyes, her voice trembling. "Iz... Izayoi-kun, did... did you make a mistake? Isn't this outfit for Hanabi?"
"No, it's prepared just for you."
Izayoi pinched the collar of a short-sleeved white top with his thumbs and index fingers, lifting it up and smiling. "This is called a gymnastics uniform, and it matches the pants below. The one-piece swimsuit underneath is called a school swimsuit. The other gift box contains a cheerleader uniform and pom-poms."
"It's... it's too small."
Looking at the few pieces of fabric that didn't even need two gift boxes—one would have sufficed—Hinata felt her head spin, as if she were taking a hot shower in a steamy bathroom without turning on the exhaust fan, making it hard to breathe.
"Please, Hinata."
Izayoi clasped his hands together, his tone drawn out in a pleading manner. "This is my lifelong wish!"
Her mind foggy from the heat, Hinata didn't know how she ended up in the bathroom.
Even though it was just a few small pieces of fabric, it took Hinata over ten minutes to finally emerge from the bathroom.
Seeing Hinata, who was pinching the hem of her clothes and walking out with her head lowered under the bathroom light, Izayoi, who had already activated his Tenseigan to ensure no one was peeking, felt his nose heat up.
He reached up to touch it and found his hand covered in blood.
A noble Otsutsuki, just one level away from being a pure-blooded alien, was actually having a nosebleed.
There was no helping it. The way Hinata looked right now was more damaging to Izayoi than any Bloodline Entrapment Technique.
The perfectly fitted white sailor-collar shirt had already made Hinata blush furiously.
Now, wearing a slightly smaller gym uniform, Hinata didn't faint, thanks to Izayoi's six years of effort.
If it were her original personality, Hinata would have long since passed out in the bathroom, her eyes spinning in circles.
"Gulp…"
Izayoi, who had already stuffed cotton into his nose, swallowed hard. His voice was strange, slightly trembling as he said, "Hi… Hinata, lie down on your side first. I'll teach you how to pose."
"Mm."
Hinata, who had been keeping her head down, didn't notice Izayoi's odd behavior and responded in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.
Immediately, she followed Izayoi's instructions and lay down on her side.
Fearing that the girl might faint, Izayoi didn't turn on the lights. Instead, he used the light from the bathroom and the table to guide Hinata as she lay down, propping herself up with a pillow and making a "V" sign with her hands. Meanwhile, he held a camera, searching for the right angle.
"Pfft…"
With a click, the shutter released, accompanied by the flash of a white light and a sudden spurt of blood.
Seeing the bloodstains on the blanket, Hinata finally forgot her shyness and quickly looked up at Izayoi, who was covering his nose. Her face filled with concern as she asked, "Izayoi-kun, why are you bleeding from your nose? Are you okay?"
"I… I'm fine. Maybe tonight's dinner was too spicy."
Izayoi waved his hand, his gaze filled with a strange look as he stared at Hinata. He seemed to want to say something but was too embarrassed to speak.
"Iz… Izayoi-kun, what's wrong?"
Sensing Izayoi's unease, Hinata asked shyly.
"Well…"
Seeing Hinata's clueless expression, Izayoi couldn't help but press the shutter again, taking another photo.
Then, he subtly hinted, "Hinata, did you forget something?"
"Huh?"
Hinata tilted her head in confusion. Seeing Izayoi scratching his head and avoiding her gaze, she instinctively followed his line of sight.
Whoosh—
In the next instant, Hinata's face turned bright red, her temperature skyrocketing to its limit, and a puff of white steam erupted from her head.
Immediately, Hinata's eyes spun like mosquito coils, and she fainted on the spot.
Ever since Izayoi had "reformed" her, Hinata's resilience had far surpassed that of her original self.
Blushing was a common occurrence, and her face would often turn red, but becoming the "Steam Princess" was a rare event.
As for fainting, it had never happened before.
This truly showed that she had exceeded her limits.
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