Starts In Konoha: Unlocking Shadow Clone

"Eighth match, winner, Aburame Shino!"

Hayate announced with a slight cough.

No one expected that the four-person brawl would end up being the fastest match yet. Naruto watched with a mix of amusement and admiration.

'Just now, Shino could have easily freed Kiba from the poison cloud but deliberately chose not to. He knew that if he saved Kiba, he'd eventually have to face him directly in the next round. By letting Kiba get taken out, Shino simply had to reap the benefits as the last one standing.'

Naruto chuckled, shaking his head, 'Shino was even plotting against his own teammate. He's so ruthless.'

"The next round will begin in 30 minutes. Spectators wishing to leave their seats, please do so in an orderly fashion. See you all back here shortly!"

Hayate's voice echoed as he vanished from the arena.

Though thirty minutes may not seem long, Naruto intended to make every second count. Many spectators began discussing the previous matches, but Naruto's transformed shadow clone had another mission in mind.

Instead of mingling with the crowd, his shadow clones sought out the reporters. The Chunin Exams, which is held twice a year, always attracted media coverage, and this year's Chunin Exams were particularly intense, filled with gripping matches and fierce competition, so it's destined to dominate tomorrow's headlines.

The audience was filled with prominent figures and leaders of Shinobi Villages, making it difficult for low-level reporters to gain access.

Naruto's shadow clone would leak information to these journalists for a hefty fee, knowing that tabloid outlets, eager to beat the big newspapers, would rush to publish the Chunin Exams' news first.

Naruto could hardly wait for tomorrow's headlines… he was determined to expose Sakura's unsavory behavior immediately, letting public opinion turn against her at full speed.

With so many influential witnesses discussing the event, Sakura would have no chance to reverse the narrative. Just imagining her fallout brought a gleeful smirk to his face.

Half an hour later...

While tabloid reporters scrambled to print, the arena buzzed with renewed excitement as the matches resumed.

"Welcome back, everyone! We're about to start the second round of the Chunin Exams' finals. After an intense first round, we're all eager to see what these standout contestants will bring to the stage. Without further ado, let's begin with Uchiha Sasuke VS Hyūga Hinata for the first match of the next round!"

Hayate's voice brimmed with enthusiasm, though it quickly devolved into a fit of coughing.

Hinata promptly entered the arena, but Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

At this time, a Medical-nin approached Hayate and whispered something in his ear.

Hayate gave a small nod and announced, "Regrettably, as Uchiha Sasuke has not yet recovered from his injuries, he has chosen to forfeit this match. Therefore, Hyuga Hinata wins by default and advances to the next round!"

Upon hearing this, there was an uproar in the audience.

Everyone marveled at Hinata's luck, as this was her second consecutive advancement without a fight.

"Alright, then! The second match of the round will be Kusano Hito VS Uzumaki Naruto! Both contestants, please enter the arena!"

Hayate announced.

However, just as soon as he finished speaking, Kusano Hito raised his hand and said, "I consumed too much energy in the previous battle, and my Chakra has not yet recovered, so I choose to forfeit this round."

"Ah, this…"

Hayate looked momentarily taken aback but pressed on, "In that case, the winner by default is Uzumaki Naruto, who successfully advances to the next round."

As expected, the moment Hayate finished speaking, the crowd erupted into an uproar of complaints.

One forfeit might be understandable, but a second one? And unlike Hinata's opponent, who was clearly injured, Kusano Hito looked perfectly fine and even spoke with full confidence.

His surprising strength in the first round had marked him as a dark horse, so everyone can't help but feel that there is something fishy going on with his forfeit.

Some even began doubting whether Naruto's status as top graduate is legitimate.

However, the commotion didn't last long. Anyway, in the next round of Group A's final, Hinata and Naruto would eventually face each other, allowing everyone to see them truly compete.

Once the crowd settled down, Hayate glanced at the roster in his hand and announced, "Now we'll begin the third match: Gaara versus Rock Lee! Both contestants, please prepare to enter the arena!"

This time, there was a hint of pleading in his voice.

Hayate was really afraid that someone in this match would forfeit, as that would be too outrageous.

This year's Chunin Exams had great potential to be legendary, but such anticlimactic moments threatened to ruin it.

And if the Chunin Exams did go down in history, Hayate, as both host and referee, would also be remembered.

Being recorded in history is an honor that every Shinobi desires, and Hayate is no exception.

Fortunately, Lee was brimming with enthusiasm, and he dashed toward the arena with his Poke Ball in hand.

Gaara, in a swirl of sand, also appeared on the battlefield.

Seeing this, Hayate sighed in relief and called out, "On one side, we have Gaara with his extraordinary defense, and on the other, Rock Lee, who has yet to reveal his full potential while relying solely on his Summoned Beast! I'm sure everyone is looking forward to this showdown. Let the match… begin!"

With that, Hayate quickly retreated to the edge of the arena.

Gaara spoke first, "As I recall, you and Tenten were teammates, and you've also trained with Naruto, right?"

"That's right."

Lee confirmed with a nod.

"Then I won't hold back!"

Gaara narrowed his eyes. The irritation Tenten had caused him was now about to be repaid in full.

"Wait, there's one more thing I should tell you!"

Lee pressed the button on the Poke Ball and released Squirtle.

He then explained, "This is Squirtle. Although it belongs to Naruto, he asked me to bring it along as a training opportunity. I admit that fighting you two-on-one isn't entirely fair, but I couldn't turn down Naruto's request. If I end up winning solely because of Squirtle, I'll forfeit the match afterward."

"You are quite interesting, but don't worry about the battle being two-on-one. I also have... a partner!"

As he said this, Gaara glanced over at Naruto and gave a slight nod.

Understanding Gaara's intention, Naruto subtly lifted the restrictions on Shukaku.

At the next moment, Gaara's body trembled violently, and the sand surrounding him began to swirl violently.

"Kehehe, you've finally let me out!"

This voice only sounds in Gaara's mind and cannot be heard by outsiders.

Gaara growled internally, 'Shut up and cooperate with me, or I'll ask Naruto to lock you away again."

After hearing this, Shukaku immediately quieted down. He had no desire to be locked away again, where he would have nothing to do.

Now, at least, he could use Gaara's eyes and ears to experience the outside world.

But he didn't shut up completely, and spoke again, "I heard you call me your partner just now. Is this how you treat a partner? Or were you just saying it to sound impressive?"

After a brief silence, Gaara replied internally, 'If you can refrain from hurting me, I'll try to accept you as a partner.'

Shukaku had brought Gaara immense power but also intense trauma.

However, Naruto's advice rang in Gaara's mind. Whenever possible, if there's an opportunity to turn an enemy into a friend, take it. Especially when the 'enemy' resides within, finding common ground would make life much easier.

Taking a deep breath, Gaara made his first tentative step.

However, Shukaku's answer was shameless.

"Kehehe! You think you can be friends with me? That's just wishful thinking. I know you're just afraid of me. But here's my offer: give me full control of your body, and then I'll consider being your friend. How about that..."