Chapter 28: Arrival of Chunin Finals

One month went by quickly. Twenty days have passed in an instant, and only the last three days were left before the opening of the Chūnin Conference.

In these three days, Aizen did not go out too much, but devoted himself to practice.

The Chakra in the his body, with the help of the mutated spiritual power seed, has made amazing progress, reaching the level of Jōnin.

In other words, even if Aizen relied on unilateral ninjutsu, he could defeat his instructor, Kurenai.

In his free time, Aizen still keept in touch with the eighth class members. On weekdays, he is unremarkable, low-key and modest practicing ninjutsu.

Over time, more people began to identify with Aizen, and took the initiative to show their favor and get along with him.

Even Third Hokage has relaxed his vigilance. After observing for more than a month, he still couldn't see any clues from Aizen, and it also dispelled most of his inner doubts.

Everything developed in the direction that Aizen thought of, calmly and methodically. However, there was an exception, Shimura Danzō.

He had met Aizen for the second time and gave him a plan to lure Gaara. However, Aizen has been reluctant to implement this plan.

Shimura Danzō repeatedly forbears, but it had nothing to do with Aizen. Because on weekdays, he stayed in that house full of surveillance, and he stayed at every step.

If Shimura Danzō chooses to take a step, it will surely alarm Third Hokage and attract his attention, and this is exactly what Shimura Danzō did not want to see.

Aizen, as one of the ten selected Genin, has attracted much attention and is gradually gaining momentum. 

In the unlikely event of something like this, it is bound to arouse suspicion from the outside world.

Danzo does not want the root organization to be exposed. Because they are all engaged in the dark side of Konoha, and if exposed, it will only cause criticism and damage Konoha's reputation.

Aizen dared to oppose Shimura Danzō, and be arrogant, relying on his strength.

On the other hand, Aizen has long regarded Gaara as an important pawn, so how could he do such a self-binding stupid thing.

Due to the appearance of Jiraiya, Aizen was more concerned about Gaara's role. As long as One Tail Shukaku breaks the seal, it will be able to hold the legendary Sannin's footsteps and remove a major worry.

Shimura Danzō couldn't bear it, but he couldn't help it. He tried to send someone to contact Aizen again and again, but he forcibly held back. He swears that everything will be settled after the Chūnin Exams was over.

On the other hand, the three members of the eighth class have systematically increased their strength under the training plan formulated by Kurenai.

Shino, Kiba, and Hyūga Hinata have their own characteristics, so the level of improvement in their strength is also different.

Among them, Shino has received the most attention in training, because he is one of ten of them, with many expectations. 

The Aburame clan gave him great encouragement, hoping that he could get a high placement at the Chūnin convention.

When the day's training was over, the three of them looked at Konoha's north tacitly. This is where the Aizen house is located.

Even the figure of Aizen appeared in Kurenai's mind. The four of them are looking forward to tomorrow.

A month ago, they made an agreement that they would meet on the last day to make final preparations.

When night fell, Konoha was quiet again, undercurrents from all sides were surging, and they were all making final plans.

When the morning light of the next day rose, the sun was shining and everything is bright.

In the north of Konoha, five figures appeared and gathered early Kiba, Shino, Hyūga Hinata, Kurenai, and Aizen Sōsuke.

After a month of intense training, everyone's temperament has changed to varying degrees.

Kiba's spirit converged and became more calm. During this time, he was often scolded by Kurenai because of his impulsive character.

Shino is still calm. Although his words were not much, they are precise.

And Hinata was still ignorant. But thanks to the Byakugan, Hinata's position in the team has become more obvious.

Under the meticulous training of Kurenai, the cooperation between the three of them became more and more tacit, and the efficiency of completing the ninja mission became more adept. But although the team cooperates perfectly, the three always felt some regret, that is, the lack of Aizen.

From the moment the eighth class was established, the four of them were an inseparable team, after a month of getting along with each other, they were inseparable, and all three poured their feelings on Aizen, and regarded him as a partner who could entrust their back.

Due to the Chūnin exam rules, they could only be forced to disband temporarily.

In the Chūnin exams, they all had high hopes for Aizen and felt that he could excel. Fortunately, Aizen has lived up to expectations and made a strong shot in the qualifiers, beating Yakushi Kabuto.

"Student Aizen, I haven't seen you for a month, you look much better than before." Kiba's enthusiasm was fierce, and he was the first to show his favor to Aizen. Although he is eager to compete, his strength is not top-notch, and he didn't even qualify for the main contest.

Aizen responded with a smile and greeted the other three one by one.

Seeing this scene of unity and harmony, Kurenai on the side smiled.

She looked at Aizen silently. The reason why Aizen was allowed to practice alone a month ago was not to curb the freedom of genius and let Aizen give full play to his unparalleled talent.

Today, the results on both sides are beyond Kurenai's expectations. Hinata, Kiba, and Shino have a good understanding of each other, and although the individual's combat effectiveness was not strong, once the team was formed, the combat effectiveness was also one of the best among the newcomers.

"Very well, kids, your progress is beyond my imagination. Tomorrow will be the much-anticipated Chūnin Conference. You are in this state, so I can rest assured." Kurenai breathed a sigh of relief. In the past month, she did not sleep and eat much, in order to do her best to help everyone improve their strength.

The Chūnin Conference was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once you seize this opportunity, you can soar into the sky and emerge in the entire ninja world.

"Don't worry, Teacher. With the strength of Shino and Aizen, it is easy to get a good result." Kiba was confident and continued to encourage the two of them.

"With your auspicious words, in the past month, I have studied the weakness of my opponent and made full preparations. As long as I go all out, defeating him shouldn't be a problem." Shino made a rare response and said vowedly.

"Gaara is strong, but I also defeat him." Although Aizen's words are plain, they give people a feeling that he cannot be questioned, if he says he can do it then it can be done!

"Well, I believe you. The eighth class will always be Konoha's pride!"

Kurenai raised her hand high and said vowedly.

The four of them stretched out their palms together, the friendship between them seemed to turn into an eternal bond.

....

In a blink of an eye, a month passed.

Konoha reached unprecedented prosperity on this day, and the wide streets in the past were already busy and crowded.

Not only the ninjas of the Anbu, but even ordinary people were scrambling to take to the streets, trying to stand first in order to observe the demeanor of the great names of various countries.

Konoha's closed gates were completely opened, and the luxurious sedan chairs were lifted by twelve guards and walked towards the center of Konoha Village.

Sitting in it are all the names of various countries, with such a reputation, they were all naturally worshipped.

The country of wind, the country of grass, the country of fields, the country of long, the country of sand.

The politicians and ninjas of several big countries were struggling to move to Konoha, and the purpose of their trip is not only to witness the demeanor of the genius ninjas of various countries, but also to secretly examine the strength of several major countries, in order to judge the next political policy.

As the host, Konoha naturally did a lot of friendship as the one who invited them.

The bustling streets were not blocked by the civilians, but kept in order. The well-trained ninjas of Konoha consciously stood on both sides of the street to maintain safety and ensure that the big names of various countries can reach the competition venue unimpeded.

The atmosphere is unprecedentedly hot and truly eye-catching!

On a high tower in the center of Konoha, the Third Hokage stood quietly on the top of the tower, looking down at the lively scene below.

On both sides of him, there are two Konoha's elite Anbu guarding them, keeping every step of the way.

"It's finally about to start."

Third Hokage's voice was loud and powerful, completely different from his old and vicissitudes of appearance, full of vitality.

As Konoha's leader, he also had high hopes for this Chūnin exam, and as long as the six Konoha geniuses, the Genin, can stand out, the strength of the country of fire will undoubtedly be demonstrated.

Then, for a long time to come, the relationship between countries will also be led by the country of fire. 

Therefore, this time the main contest not only represented the personal honor of the ninja, but also belongs to the strength competition among the major countries!

Time slowly passed, and the big names of the major countries had reached the playing field.

The square in the center of Konoha.

At this time, the atmosphere was overcrowded, and at a glance, there are densely packed figures.

Here are the common people of Konoha, who are all cheering for the the host, hoping that they can stand out and win glory.

In addition to civilians, almost all the majority of Konoha Ninja's were also gathered here.

As seniors, they naturally want to witness the style of their Genins. In addition to Konoha's ninja, other ninjas from other Ninja Villagea also rushed to the scene.

They were allowed to enter Konoha Village out of preserving the safety of their country's daimyo. This is why Konoha's elite were here. They all wanted to prevent ninja riots in other countries.

In addition to these elite ninjas, in the high positions of the stands, there are two figures that that were particularly eye-catching.

Konoha Village, Third Hokage!

Sand Village, Fourth Kazekage!

These two ninjas are also great figures who have reached the pinnacle of existence in the entire ninja, sitting on the highest level of the entire stand, overlooking everything.

No one dared to question their strength, and the title of "Kage" alone represented everything.

The Third Hokage has an aged face, but had strong Chakra in his body. He sat calmly in the first place, exuding an incomparable prestige.

Although the Fourth Kazekage's face was covered with black cloth, there was an invisible aura that was not inferior to Third Hokage.

One of them is in a period of aging and decline, and the other is in a period of peak strength, vying for each other.

"Welcome, Master Rasa. The journey must have exhausted you." Third Hokage took the initiative to talk.

"Where… it's better to hold it here. Although you are still young, you may not be able to afford it if you want to travel far. In my opinion, it is better to decide the Fifth Hokage candidate earlier." The Kazekage's face was calm, and there seemed to be another meaning hidden in his words.

For a while, the atmosphere fell into embarrassment.

"Hahaha, don't always think of me as an old man. I want to do it for another ten years, at least."

The Third Hokage's hearty laugh broke the awkward atmosphere, he changed his voice and said, "It's time, it's time to start the game!"

Third Hokage slowly got up, with his hands on his back. He walked to the edge of the stand, and a loud voice that was enveloped in Chakra came out, resounding through the audience.

"Guests, thank you all for gathering here to take the Chūnin exam announced by our Konohagakure. Next, the nine contestants who passed the qualifiers will proceed to the final race."

"Please enjoy watching!" The words of Third Hokage instantly detonated the atmosphere of the audience, and everyone gazes fell on the eight players in the center of the field.

However, many people in the know are puzzled, because there were obviously ten people who passed the qualifiers. But why is it that only eight figures appeared here?

They observed carefully, only to find that Uchiha Sasuke and Dosu had disappeared.

"What's the matter, shouldn't there be ten players?" The Fourth Kazekage murmured in a low voice, and a glint flashed from the depths of his pupils.

The center of the playing field.

Aizen, Shino, Nara Shikamaru, Kankuro, Temari, Gaara, Hyuga Neji, Uzumaki Naruto, eight people stood side by side and became the focus of the audience.

They all have a heavy mission on their shoulders, this is a battle of honor!

"The rules of the game are the same as those in the qualifiers. The game will only end when one party admits defeat or dies. However, I will force a stop when I believe the victory or defeat has been decided." The magistrate said solemnly.

"The first duel is Gaara vs Aizen Sōsuke. Except for the two of them, let the others step back and go to the viewing room on the side."

As everyone left the field, only Gaara and Aizen were left in the center of the field, and the much-anticipated duel has officially begun!