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"Long time no see, Ryūsei."
While Ino and the other two girls chatted nearby, Shikamaru walked in with his hands behind his head and greeted Ryūsei as well.
Glancing at the examinees who were staring warily in their direction, many of them still bearing tear stains and expressions of fear, Shikamaru instantly understood what had happened. "Looks like you gave them quite the lesson."
"Long time no see, Shikamaru, Choji."
Ryūsei smiled. "I was just reminding them where they are."
After speaking, he also greeted Naruto and Sasuke, who had approached. "Long time no see, Naruto, Sasuke."
Seeing that Ryūsei hadn't ignored him, Naruto's face lit up with joy.
Just as he raised his hand to respond, Sasuke suddenly stepped forward, tilting his head up to look at Ryūsei, who stood a dozen centimeters taller than him, and declared arrogantly, "I'm glad to see you participating in the Chunin Exams… This time, I'll show you the true power of the Uchiha clan."
"Judging by your demeanor, you must have awakened your clan's Kekkei Genkai," Ryūsei replied with a gentle smile. "I'm also quite curious about the power of the Sharingan. I hope we'll have the chance to face each other in the exams."
"You'll see it soon enough." At this moment, Sasuke seemed to revert to his fifth-year self.
Ever since losing to Ryūsei in the no-rules duel back then, the proud genius had remained silent for an entire year.
Back then, he had already given up on surpassing Ryūsei in terms of fundamentals—Ryūsei was simply a monster.
But now, Uchiha Sasuke no longer regarded Ryūsei as a threat.
After unlocking the Sharingan on his own and advancing both eyes to the Two Tomoe stage, Sasuke finally understood the vast gap between those with a Kekkei Genkai and those without.
Ryūsei was just a civilian. If he was still relying on the same few tricks, he no longer qualified as Sasuke's rival.
Even so, Sasuke still wanted to fight Ryūsei—he needed to reclaim the dignity he had lost over the years by defeating him.
Ryūsei had no idea what Sasuke was thinking.
Seeing Sasuke's brimming confidence, Ryūsei didn't bother crushing his spirits.
Confidence was good—it meant Sasuke would keep challenging him, increasing the chances of Ryūsei extracting Indra's chakra.
"Let's not disturb everyone here. We should find our seats first."
At Ryūsei's words, Ino and the other two girls, who had been whispering nearby, quickly rejoined them.
Soon, the three teams began searching for their assigned seats.
Thanks to Ryūsei's earlier intimidation, their small gathering didn't provoke any resentment among the other examinees. Kabuto Yakushi also found no excuse to insert himself and showcase his acting skills.
As they walked, any examinee who met Ryūsei's gaze immediately lowered their heads, not daring to look him in the eye.
Only a few who hadn't fallen victim to his earlier display—and were confident in their own strength—met his gaze fearlessly, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.
Before long, Ryūsei found his seat.
But when he saw who his desk partner was, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
The moment he sat down, a voice thick with suppressed excitement reached his ears: "What's your name?"
Turning his head, Ryūsei saw a boy with a gourd on his back and dark circles under his eyes as thick as ink. Smiling, he asked knowingly, "I'm Hoshina Ryūsei. And you?"
"I am Gaara."
Gaara's face remained expressionless, but his tone was laced with excitement and murderous intent as he said, "You're strong. A worthy opponent to kill."
"I can smell the heavy scent of sand on you. Your face and body are covered in sand armor, aren't they?" Ryūsei remarked with a hint of sarcasm. "As expected of a shinobi from the Land of Wind. You really know how to play with sand."
"..."
Gaara's expression didn't change, but inwardly, he was slightly startled—and even more excited.
This guy had seen through his Sand Armor at a glance. He really was different from the others.
If he could claim Ryūsei's blood, his mother would be overjoyed!
At this thought, sand defying gravity and a terrifying aura began seeping from Gaara's body, startling Temari and Kankuro, who had been watching him from a distance. They immediately rose, intending to calm him down.
But then, Ryūsei spoke coolly: "If you act now, you'll be disqualified from the exams."
Hearing this, Gaara's killing intent faltered slightly before gradually receding.
"When we meet in the next stage of the exams, I'll kill you," Gaara stated flatly.
"You won't succeed." Ryūsei shook his head, smiling. "My attributes naturally counter yours. Unless you're several levels stronger than me, you stand no chance."
Gaara fell silent.
But in his mind, Ryūsei had just surpassed Uchiha Sasuke as his top target.
Pop!
The sound of a bursting balloon suddenly echoed through the examination hall.
A thick cloud of white smoke erupted on the platform, and when it dissipated, the chief examiner, Ibiki Morino, stood there with his team of proctors.
Since no conflicts had broken out, Ibiki wasted no time. After explaining the rules, the first stage of the Chunin Exams began.
When the test papers were handed out, most examinees wore expressions of dismay.
Even Ryūsei frowned slightly.
The questions were far more advanced than those from sixth grade, though they weren't particularly difficult for him.
Remembering the true purpose of this exam, he quickly understood.
If the questions weren't challenging, they wouldn't force the examinees to resort to cheating.
So, picking up the pen provided with the test, Ryūsei began answering.
Before long, the examinees started employing all sorts of methods to copy answers.
Even Gaara, sitting beside Ryūsei, used his Third Eye technique.
Ryūsei glanced at him, the corner of his lips curling up.
He couldn't help but wonder what expression Gaara had made beneath his sand armor when he saw the questions.
Several examinees attempted to copy from Ryūsei as well.
He noticed all their methods but didn't bother stopping them.
The real test of the first stage was the yet-to-be-revealed tenth question—a psychological trial designed to break the weak.
Those who couldn't withstand the mental pressure would choose to withdraw.
These questions were just a formality.
But Ryūsei had grown accustomed to aiming for first place.
Even knowing the exam's true nature, he had no intention of leaving his paper blank.
Besides, Ryūsei was someone who always played it safe. Who knew if some butterfly effect might occur?
If he didn't answer a single question and the unexpected happened, wouldn't that be a joke?
Soon, more than half of the one-hour answering period had passed.
"Everyone, put down your pens."
As Ibiki's voice rang out, it was finally time to reveal the tenth question.