The morning of the Finals had finally arrived.
I woke up completely refreshed and ready to go. I rolled out of bed, ate a light breakfast, took a quick shower, and opened my [INVENTORY] to equip my new custom gear.
The System immediately chimed as the clothes materialized.
[ITEM EQUIPPED: MONARCH'S ABYSSAL MANTLE]:
Rarity: Unique
Description: A masterfully tailored combat ensemble woven from high grade materials.
Stat Bonuses: +30 STR, +30 CON, +30 DEX, +20 WIS, +20 CHA.
Passive 1 - Climate Contagion: Fabric naturally dispels moisture, sweat, and fungal pathogens.
Passive 2 - Chakra Dispersion: Fabric naturally frays incoming sensory jutsu and Dojutsu tracking, making the wearer's exact chakra reserves incredibly difficult to read.
I looked in the mirror. It's perfect, I thought, almost shedding a tear, while flexing my muscles. Everything's fitted nicely, while being easy to move in. And the jacket draped over my shoulders gives off a heavily imposing aura. And man, that's a lot of stat bonuses.
I looked at the fit some more and realized something. It's great, but it's missing something, I thought, before snapping my fingers and equipping my [POLARIZED GORGON LENSES] to top off my ensemble. There we go, now it's even better.
After that, I pulled up my player status to see exactly where I stood.
[STATS]:
Level: 237
HP: 13,320 / 13,320
CP: 14,940 / 14,940
Attributes Stats:
STR: 502 (Base 432 + 70 Gear)
CON: 666 (Base 566 + 20 Passive + 80 Gear)
DEX: 528 (Base 458 + 70 Gear)
INT: 747 (Base 712 + 20 Passive + 15 Gear)
WIS: 422 (Base 372 + 10 Passive + 40 Gear)
CHA: 425 (Base 385 + 20 Passive + 20 Gear)
[Shadow Deployment: 186/373]
[Stat Points: 189]
[Total Ryo: 56,340,100 Ryo]
Suddenly, two bright gold notifications flooded my screen.
[STR STAT THRESHOLD REACHED: 500.]
[NEW PERK AQUIRED: ASOLUTE FORCE]:
Effect: Physical attacks gain a 'Shield Breaker' property, allowing you to shatter earth walls and standard defensive constructs.
[DEX STAT THRESHOLD REACHED: 500]
[NEW PERK ACQUIRED: TIME DILATION]:
Effect: Your perception of time is permanently slowed by 50% during combat engagements. Furthermore, you are now granted absolute immunity to 'Sure-Hit' physical tracking.
A sharp, electric jolt rushed up my spine, settling directly into my optic nerves and my brain stem.
Wooo, I think I might've caught the holy ghost there, I grinned, clenching my fists. And now I can read physical movements even easier, break things better, and that immunity to sure-hit tracking means no one is locking onto me for free ever again.
As I finished getting ready, my mind shifted back to the intelligence I had gathered overnight.
A Shadow Soldier attached to one of the Root ninja had fed me some highly concerning memories. Danzo was well aware of Orochimaru's goal of killing Hiruzen, and the old war hawk was planning to let it play out from the sidelines. He wanted to use the chaotic aftermath to ultimately ascend to the Hokage seat. His specific plan was to station his Root operatives near the VIP box of the Fire Daimyo. They'd wait until the Daimyo was under imminent attack to swoop in and "save" him, thereby securing the ruler's political backing.
And it might work too from my memories of how the Daimyo acted as a person, I thought, narrowing my eyes. He was in a way aloof, and easily swayed by charismatic people. So, I'll have to scrap Danzo's plans and use it to my advantage.
My counter-plan was simple: I was going to station my own elite Shadow Soldiers in the shadows of the VIP box. When the Sound and Sand ninja attacked the Daimyo, my Soldiers would silently assassinate the threats in the blink of an eye. By the time Danzo's operatives dramatically burst in to "save the day," they would find the Daimyo perfectly safe with absolutely no enemies around—making Root look like unprovoked intruders hindering his safety.
Furthermore, I had two other massive fires to put out during the chaos.
The Kumo ninjas assigned to kidnap a Hyuga hadn't had much luck. But they were planning to use the chaos of the Finals to capture an unsealed member. They knew about the invasion because Orochimaru's agents had "discreetly" leaked it to them.
And if that wasn't enough, those same agents had also tipped off the Iwa spies, who were actively probing Konoha's structural weak points. The Iwa ninjas were more than happy to let the village burn, planning to take the intelligence straight back to Onoki, and pillage any possible village secrets they could get their hands on.
Something I can't let happen on either front, I resolved. The moment the invasion pops off, my Soldiers are snuffing out the Iwa spies and the Kumo kidnappers simultaneously.
I looked at my [STAT POINTS]. I had 189 saved up and thought about spending them to give me even better odds for the invasion, but I ultimately decided to hold onto them. With my current stats, my new perk, and my [SHADOW ARMY], I was more than equipped to handle a bunch of Genin, Chunin, and a few rogue Jonin. I needed to save those points for actual threats that were out of reach, like the Akatsuki. Besides, I knew for sure I was planning on taking on Orochimaru. And as for the Gaara situation... if Naruto in the canon could handle him, he'd stand no chance against me.
One big thing I thought I was lagging behind a bit in was my Jutsu arsenal.
I need even more to expand my repertoire, I thought, opening the [SYSTEM STORE]. Specifically, I need jutsu for different situations. The arena had a massive water basin, and I needed to capitalize on it, while also rounding out with more Earth and Lightning jutsu.
[PURCHASING JUTSU...]
[Water Style: Hail]:
Cost: 50,000 Ryo
Rank: C
Description: Condenses ambient moisture into highly pressurized, razor-sharp descending water projectiles.
CP: 150 per activation.
[Water Style: Stormy Blockade]:
Cost: 50,000 Ryo
Rank: C
Description: Creates a massive, swirling dome of water that intercepts physical and elemental attacks.
CP: 150 per activation.
[Earth Style: Tearing Earth Turning Palm]:
Cost: 50,000 Ryo
Rank: C
Description: Causes the ground beneath the target to violently spiral and shatter, destroying footing.
CP: 150 per activation.
[Water Style: Rising Water Slicer]:
Cost: 75,000 Ryo
Rank: B
Description: Sends a high-pressure wave of water capable of slicing through solid rock.
CP: 200 per activation.
[Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet]:
Cost: 75,000 Ryo
Rank: B
Description: Shapes large volumes of water into a massive, concussive dragon that crashes into the enemy.
CP: 200 per activation.
[Water Style: Water Shark Bullet]:
Cost: 75,000 Ryo
Rank: B
Description: Forms a high-speed shark out of water that strikes with immense force.
CP: 200 per activation.
[Lightning Style: Thunderbolt]:
Cost: 75,000 Ryo
Rank: B
Description: Releases a powerful, omnidirectional burst of lightning chakra to fry surrounding enemies.
CP: 200 per activation.
[Earth Style: Earth Spear]:
Cost: 75,000 Ryo
Rank: B
Description: Hardens the user's skin to the density of diamond, amplifying strikes and nullifying physical damage.
CP: 200 per activation.
[Earth Style: Rock Clone Jutsu]:
Cost: 75,000 Ryo
Rank: B
Description: Creates a physical clone made of dense rock that can withstand heavy blunt-force damage.
CP: 200 per activation.
[Lightning Style: Shadow Clone]:
Cost: 150,000 Ryo
Rank: A
Description: Creates a shadow clone infused with lightning chakra. Upon destruction, it explodes into a paralyzing electrical grid.
CP: 250 per activation.
[Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld]:
Cost: 150,000 Ryo
Rank: A
Description: Transforms a massive area of terrain into a bottomless, chakra-draining mud swamp.
CP: 250 per activation.
[-900,000 Ryo]
[RYO BALANCE: 56,340,100 → 55,440,100 RYO]
[LEARN ALL NOW?: Y/N]
Yes, I mentally confirmed.
A massive surge of technical knowledge and muscle memory flooded my brain as the eleven new high-tier techniques permanently etched themselves into my mind. I rolled my neck, letting the slight headache from the dump of information pass as I made my way to the door.
Alright, I thought, stepping out of my apartment and locking the door behind me. Let's get this show on the road.
*********
The roar of the crowd hit me before I even passed through the stadium gates.
The village had truly gone all out. The massive, newly renovated colosseum was packed to the brim. From my vantage point near the competitor's entrance, I could see thousands of civilians, shinobi, and foreign dignitaries filling the circular stands.
I swept my gaze across the lower sections and easily spotted the familiar faces of the other Konoha rookies. Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Kiba, Tenten, and Lee were all clustered together, chatting animatedly as they waited for the event to begin.
Shifting my focus to the luxury suites, I quickly located the wealthy noble from the boutique, sitting in a velvet-lined VIP box and schmoozing with his peers.
Higher up, in the most secure section of the stadium, sat the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. He was easily recognizable by the traditional, fan-like headpiece associated with rulers of the major nations. He was casually fanning himself, entirely oblivious to the fact that half a dozen of my [SHADOW SOLDIERS] were currently submerged in the shadows around his cushioned chair, waiting to slaughter anyone who dared approach him with lethal intent.
Finally, my eyes locked onto the Kage box positioned at the highest apex of the arena.
There sat Hiruzen in his white and red Hokage robes. Beside him sat the "Fourth Kazekage" in his green and white robes, his face obscured by a veil. Even from this distance, my heightened [SENSE] could detect the foul, underlying chakra oozing off the disguised Orochimaru.
He's practically vibrating with anticipation, I noted, suppressing a smirk. Little does he know that all his planning is about to go up in smoke.
"Hey, kid. You're up," an Exam proctor called out, gesturing for me to head towards the competitor's waiting area.
The area was a long, concrete room beneath the stands. The moment I stepped through the doorway, the ambient chatter completely died.
Every single competitor in the room turned to look at me, their eyes locking onto the imposing aura that my [MONARCH'S ABYSSAL MANTLE] was letting out.
Neji stood with his arms crossed, his pale eyes narrowing into a harsh, calculating glare as he took in my relaxed posture. In the darkest corner of the room, Gaara was practically vibrating with bloodlust, his fingers twitching as the sand in his gourd shifted restlessly. Temari and Kankuro stood a few paces away from him—Kankuro nervously adjusting his wrapped puppets, while Temari rested a hand on her giant fan, sizing me up.
Across the room, Shino stood silently, the faint buzzing of his insects the only sound coming from him, while Choji aggressively munched on a bag of chips to ignore the heavy tension. Shikamaru took one look at my outfit, felt the sheer, suffocating presence I was passively giving off, and just let out a long, exhausted sigh.
My first-round opponent, Chigiri, studied me with a calculated expression. Next to him stood Gantetsu, who was as big and bulky as ever. And lastly, Ajisai, who remained entirely stoic.
But what actually surprised me was my dark-haired teammate leaning against the far wall.
Whoa, hold on now. I know that ain't who I think it is, I mused, doing a double take, as I pushed up my [POLARIZED GORGON LENSES]. That's a major deviation from the canon. But I guess since his first-round opponent is Gantetsu instead of Gaara, he didn't want to waste any energy like he did in the main timeline, testing out his Chidori. But that certainly is interesting, because it means the invasion might arrive sooner than later based on how much Sasuke shows against Gantetsu with that freak watching.
Sasuke's dark eyes locked onto me, immediately flaring blood-red as his two-tomoe Sharingan spun to life. He was trying to gauge my strength, attempting to read my chakra pathway system to see just how much I had improved over the last month.
I just stood there, hands resting comfortably in my pockets, and let him look.
A few seconds later, a deep scowl twisted Sasuke's features, and he gripped his forearm in visible frustration. Thanks to the [CHAKRA DISPERSION] passive woven into my jacket, his visual prowess was entirely scrambled. To him, my chakra reserves probably looked like a wall of unreadable, blinding static.
He's probably realizing that despite training relentlessly with Kakashi for a month, the gap between us hadn't closed, I mused. Well, I can't just let an opportunity like this go untouched upon. Now that I'm in a tier where I can comfortably defeat these guys without breaking a sweat, I think I'm just gonna start ragebaiting everyone. I mean what can they do? Fight back? I demolish them and ragebait them some more.
"Well now, isn't this a beautiful sight to see," I said, clapping my hands together, a faint smirk playing on my lips. "All of you gathered here today to see me win this tournament."
The tension in the room instantly spiked, and my smirk grew wider.
Kankuro scowled, taking a threatening step forward. "What the hell did you just say, you arrogant punk?"
Neji scoffed, shaking his head in disgust. "Such foolish pride. Your fate will be a humiliating defeat."
I completely ignored them, spreading one hand out and placing the other on top of my heart. "From the bottom of my heart, I truly can't believe you all went so far as to do this for me. So, in return, I'll allow y'all to settle who gets second, third, and fourth place amongst yourselves. Being as generous as I am and all."
Chigiri shook his head. "Defeating you in front of this crowd will be a reward in itself."
Gaara's killing intent flared violently, the sand in his gourd hissing as he glared at me with absolute murder in his eyes. Sasuke gritted his teeth, his Sharingan glaring daggers into the side of my head.
Shikamaru just pinched the bridge of his nose. "So troublesome..."
Before the tension in the room could escalate into an outright brawl, the doors leading to the arena floor opened.
"Alright, listen up!" Genma Shiranui, the referee for this section, called out around the senbon needle in his mouth. "It's time. Follow me."
The twelve of us marched out into the blinding sunlight, stepping onto the massive expanse of the renovated battlefield. The sheer scale of the cheering was deafening.
I looked around at the towering concrete walls, the dense cluster of trees on the left, and the wide water basin on the right.
If I was just a regular participant, or if I wasn't busy gearing up for a literal war, I'd actually really enjoy this, I lamented internally, taking in the festive atmosphere. Technically, the Exams are a massive celebration. It's a shame Orochimaru has to ruin the vibe.
"Welcome, everyone, to the final rounds of the Chunin Selection Exams!" Hiruzen's voice echoed through the stadium via a chakra-amplified sound system, drawing a massive cheer from the audience. "Today, you will witness the finest young shinobi from our allied nations demonstrate their strength, wit, and will!"
As Hiruzen gave his opening speech, a massive electronic screen flared to life at the top of the stadium, displaying the finalized tournament bracket for the entire audience to see.
[BLOCK A: Match 1: Shikamaru Nara (9) vs. Temari (8)] (Winner faces Ajisai (1))
[BLOCK B: Match 2: Naruto Uzumaki (12) vs. Chigiri (5)] (Winner faces Neji Hyuga (4))
[BLOCK C: Match 3: Sasuke Uchiha (6) vs. Gantetsu (11)] (Winner faces Gaara (3))
[BLOCK D: Match 4: Shino Aburame (7) vs. Kankuro (10)] (Winner faces Choji Akimichi (2))
I looked up at the Kage box. Hiruzen was looking down at our lineup. When his eyes finally met mine, I gave him a single, barely perceptible nod.
Hiruzen's shoulders relaxed a fraction of an inch as he gave a microscopic nod in return, knowing that my shadow network was officially in position.
Keeping the old man alive is the best possible route for me right now, I noted mentally, reaffirming my plan. I can continue to get absurdly stronger under him while my secrets are protected. And by having Jiraiya stationed discreetly nearby to help aid him when Orochimaru inevitably makes his move, Hiruzen's odds of surviving the encounter without voiding the [SPIRITUAL CONTRACT] will shoot up.
"Alright," Genma said, drawing our attention back to the center of the arena. "The rules are the same as the preliminaries. Fight until your opponent is dead, incapacitated, or forfeits. If I determine a match is over, I will step in, and you will stop. Understood?"
We all nodded.
"Good. Shikamaru Nara, Temari of the Sand, stay down here," Genma ordered. "The rest of you, head up to the competitor's balcony and wait for your matches to be called."
I turned on my heel and began the long walk toward the stairs with the others.
From the competitor's balcony, I casually leaned against the stone railing, adjusting my lenses as I looked down at the massive arena.
Down below, Shikamaru and Temari stood a fair distance apart, waiting for the signal.
"Begin!" Genma's voice echoed across the stadium.
Temari didn't waste a single second. She immediately unslung the massive iron fan from her back and swung it in a wide arc, sending a sharp, whistling gale of wind straight at the Nara heir. Shikamaru clicked his tongue, ducking under the invisible blade of air, and immediately broke into a sprint, retreating straight into the dense cluster of trees on the left side of the arena.
As Temari pursued him, carefully keeping her distance to avoid his shadow possession, I took the opportunity to multitask. With my eyes hidden behind my dark shades, I closed them and tapped directly into my [SHADOW LINK].
My consciousness immediately fractured, expanding across the village as I filtered through the sensory inputs of my deployed Soldiers.
I swept the perimeter of Konoha first. I could sense various Konoha Jonin and Anbu squads tense and ready, stationed at specific coordinates around the village. They anticipated something coming, but they didn't know exactly when or where.
But I did. I shifted my focus beyond the southern walls.
Through the eyes of a Soldier tucked into the canopy of a tree, I found exactly what I was looking for: Sand and Sound summoning squads. Four groups of shinobi, crouched in a circle, their hands hovering over massive, pre-drawn blood seals.
I can't let them summon those giant snakes. If I do, half the village gets flattened, and Jiraiya will undoubtedly split his focus away from the Kage box to handle them, I quickly analyzed. I need his attention strictly on Orochimaru. The others can handle the ninjas.
Through the mental link, I gave the silent command.
Half a dozen of my high-tier Soldiers melted out of the trees, completely undetectable, and positioned themselves directly behind the kneeling Sound ninja. The second the invasion signal dropped, those summoners would lose their heads before they could even push chakra into the seals.
Satisfied that the village's structural integrity was secure, I severed the link and opened my eyes, locking back into the battle below.
Temari was growing visibly annoyed with Shikamaru's stalling. "Fine! If you won't come out, I'll just remove your hiding spot!"
She leaped into the air, fully opening her fan to reveal all three purple moons. She swung it down with devastating force. A massive Wind Scythe Jutsu tore through the arena, violently uprooting and shredding a part of the miniature forest into splinters.
Shikamaru was forced out into the open, utilizing the falling tree trunks as cover while throwing a barrage of kunai to slow her advance.
Temari easily deflected the projectiles with a flick of her fan, mocking him as she landed. "Is that all you've got? I've already calculated the exact maximum range of your shadow based on the sun's current position. You can't reach me!"
Shikamaru grunted, sprinting away from the debris and heading straight toward the wide, shallow water basin on the right side of the arena. Temari pursued, keeping exactly one step out of his maximum range, completely confident that she had him cornered against the water.
Hmm, how's he gonna get out of this? I mused, leaning forward on the railing with a smirk.
Temari reared her fan back for another wind attack, but Shikamaru suddenly skidded to a halt at the water's edge. Instead of weaving signs for his Shadow Possession Jutsu, he reached into his pouch, pulled out a paper tag, and hurled it straight up into the air directly above the basin.
I raised an eyebrow at the maneuver, until I saw what kind of tag it was. Ah, so that's what you're trying to do, I mused. Yea, that's probably gonna get her.
"A paper bomb?!" Temari scoffed, shielding herself with her fan. "Like that'll save you!"
The paper tag, which was actually a flash tag, proceeded to detonate with a blinding, magnesium-white flash.
As the intense light hit the rippling surface of the water basin, the water acted like a massive, distorted prism. The light refracted and scattered violently across the arena floor, causing the shadows cast by the debris and the contestants to warp, stretch, and elongate in completely unnatural, unpredictable arcs.
Temari lowered her arm just in time to see Shikamaru's shadow bypass its normal, sun-cast limits by traveling through the warped, refracted darkness of the water's reflection. Before she could even swing her fan, the black tendril snapped seamlessly onto her feet.
Temari froze, her body forcefully locking up.
"The Shadow Possession Jutsu... is a success," Shikamaru panted, slowly standing up with a tired smirk. As he stood, Temari was forced to mimic his exact posture.
The stadium erupted into deafening cheers. The crowd was going absolutely wild at the tactical brilliance they had just witnessed, fully expecting Shikamaru to force her surrender or deliver a finishing blow.
They're getting rowdy, but they're about to witness something funny, I thought with a smirk.
As if right on cue, Shikamaru stared at her, let out a massive, soul-crushing sigh, and dropped his shoulders.
"Man, I'm completely spent," he groaned loudly, looking up at the sky. "And I don't feel like dealing with troublesome women anymore. I forfeit."
The entire stadium went dead silent for a micro-second.
"What did he say?!" someone that sounded just like Ino yelled out, before the arena exploded into a chorus of aggressive boos and confused yelling.
Speaking of the blonde, she was practically ripping her own hair out in the stands, screaming at her teammate for throwing the match.
I just chuckled, shaking my head as the proctor officially declared Temari the winner.
"Some things just never change, huh?" I muttered.
Down in the arena, while the crowd was still grumbling, Temari and Shikamaru cleared the floor. Genma stood in the center of the battlefield, waiting for the murmurs to die down before he raised a hand, signaling the start of the next phase.
"Match Two!" Genma's voice boomed into the speakers. "Naruto Uzumaki versus Chigiri of the Mist! Both fighters, make your way down to the arena floor!"
I pushed off the railing as a dangerous smirk pulled at my lips. It's showtime.