"…And now, let everyone enjoy the show!"
As the voice of the Third Hokage echoed across the arena, the long-awaited final stage of the Chunin Exams officially began.
A wave of anticipation swept through the massive stadium. Nobles, shinobi, and civilians alike leaned forward in their seats, their eyes fixed on the battlefield below. This was no ordinary match—it was a spectacle representing the strength and future of their respective villages.
Yet, something felt… off.
Of the eight finalists who had made it this far, only seven stood in the arena.
One was missing.
Uchiha Sasuke had yet to arrive.
Even more strangely, the proctor assigned to oversee the matches was nowhere to be seen.
Whispers quickly spread among the crowd.
"Where is Sasuke?"
"Why hasn't the proctor shown up yet?"
"Did something happen?"
Just as speculation began to grow louder—
Swoosh!
A figure suddenly appeared at the center of the arena.
It was Aoki Yoru.
"Phew… I made it just in time."
He stretched his arms lazily and let out a long breath, clearly exhausted.
"I really shouldn't stay up all night anymore… I almost missed something important."
The truth was, the previous night, inspiration had struck him like lightning. Unable to resist, he had spent hours researching and experimenting, only collapsing into a light sleep just before dawn. Had he woken up even slightly later, the entire finals might have begun without him.
Now standing before the contestants, Aoki Yoru's casual demeanor slowly shifted.
His eyes sharpened.
His presence deepened.
The relaxed air around him vanished, replaced by something far more dangerous.
He glanced across the remaining seven candidates, his gaze lingering just long enough to make each of them feel the weight of his scrutiny.
Then, in a clear and commanding voice, he announced:
"I am the chief proctor for this match—Aoki Yoru."
The declaration sent a visible ripple through the arena.
Shock.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
A proctor… this young?
Ignoring their reactions, he continued:
"The rules are simple."
"There are no rules."
A brief silence followed.
Then, his tone turned colder.
"The match will only end when one side dies… or surrenders."
A chilling intent filled the air.
"However," he added, his voice steady but absolute, "if I determine that a winner has already been decided, I will intervene and end the match immediately."
"No objections will be accepted."
The candidates exchanged uneasy glances.
This wasn't just an exam anymore.
This was survival.
Among the contestants, one person reacted very differently.
Gaara trembled slightly, his lips curling into a twisted grin.
His eyes locked onto Aoki Yoru.
"Kill him… I must kill him…"
He muttered repeatedly under his breath, his voice filled with bloodthirsty excitement.
Meanwhile, the audience erupted into discussion.
"A Jonin… and so young?"
"I've never seen anything like this!"
"Who exactly is he?"
In the private viewing box, the Daimyo turned to his attendant with a curious expression.
"Who is that young man?"
The attendant bowed slightly and replied immediately.
"He is Aoki Yoru, a newly promoted Jonin of Konoha. His specialty lies in Lightning Release techniques, and he is particularly known for a technique called 'Thunder Prison Kirin.'"
The Daimyo's eyes lit up with interest.
"Oh? Another prodigy, huh?"
He raised his folding fan to partially cover his face, a satisfied smile forming beneath it.
"After all the funding I've poured into Konoha over the years, it seems they've finally produced a worthwhile talent."
The attendant nodded respectfully.
"Indeed. It is the result of the Third Hokage's careful guidance."
On the other side of the stands, a man disguised as the Fourth Kazekage watched the arena intently.
In reality, he was none other than Orochimaru.
His golden eyes gleamed with fascination as they followed Aoki Yoru's every movement.
"What a pity…"
He murmured softly.
"If only you possessed the blood of the Uchiha…"
To him, talent alone was never enough.
Only those with exceptional bloodlines truly held value.
Back in the arena, the match was ready to begin.
The other contestants stepped back, leaving only two figures standing face-to-face.
Hyuga Neji
and
Naruto Uzumaki
Aoki Yoru watched from above with keen interest.
Would events unfold the same way as before?
Or would something new emerge?
Naruto moved first.
With a surge of chakra, he formed a hand seal.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Dozens of clones burst into existence, rushing toward Neji from all directions.
However—
Neji remained calm.
His Byakugan activated instantly, granting him near-perfect vision of the battlefield.
Every clone.
Every movement.
Every angle of attack.
Nothing escaped his sight.
With precise strikes, he dismantled Naruto's assault one clone at a time.
Palm strikes landed with deadly accuracy, dispersing clones in rapid succession.
Then—
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
His hands blurred as he struck Naruto's chakra points, sealing them one after another.
Naruto staggered.
Before he could recover—
"Rotation!"
A spinning dome of chakra erupted from Neji's body, sending Naruto flying.
Dust filled the arena.
For a moment…
It seemed like the match was over.
But then—
Something changed.
A red aura began to seep out from Naruto's body.
Dark.
Violent.
Unstable.
The chakra of the Nine-Tailed Fox surged forth.
Naruto's eyes turned feral.
His strength exploded.
The sealed chakra points were forcibly reopened under the overwhelming power.
High above, Aoki Yoru narrowed his eyes.
He extended his fingers slightly, subtly drawing in a trace of that chakra.
"So this is… the Nine-Tails' power…"
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"This could be… useful."
Back in the arena, Naruto charged again.
This time, his movements were faster.
Stronger.
More unpredictable.
He created two clones and sent them forward as decoys.
Neji reacted instinctively, preparing to counter.
But in that exact moment—
Naruto burst out from beneath the ground.
A hidden attack.
A perfect ambush.
His fist shot upward toward Neji's chin.
Just as it was about to connect—
Neji smiled.
Zzt—
His figure vanished.
And reappeared several meters away.
Naruto froze.
"How…?"
Even the Jonin in the stands were stunned.
"What speed…!"
Aoki Yoru nodded slightly in approval.
"Not bad."
"That Lightning Release Body Flicker… he's mastered it well."
Even Hyuga Hiashi, watching from the audience, showed a rare expression of surprise.
Neji's growth had exceeded all expectations.
Naruto gritted his teeth.
If dozens of clones weren't enough—
Then he would use more.
Much more.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
This time—
Hundreds of clones filled the arena.
Each one cloaked in the red chakra of the Nine-Tails.
The battlefield was completely overwhelmed.
There was no space left to stand.
Even Aoki Yoru had to step into the air itself, using a technique akin to walking on invisible platforms.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
This was beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
Surrounded on all sides, Neji remained calm.
In fact…
He smiled.
Slowly, he took a stance.
Then—
His chakra erupted.
But this time…
It wasn't just chakra.
It was fire.
"Rotation: Blazing Heaven Incinerating Vortex!"
A massive, blazing tornado erupted from his body.
Crimson flames spiraled violently, forming a towering inferno that reached high into the sky.
Wind blades infused with fire shot outward in all directions.
The ground cracked.
The air burned.
Everything in its path was consumed.
The audience panicked.
"This is bad!"
"It's going to reach the stands!"
They had no time to react.
No time to escape.
But at that moment—
Aoki Yoru raised his hand calmly.
"Lightning Release: Thunder Guard Shield."
A burst of lightning exploded outward.
A massive hemispherical barrier formed instantly, enclosing the entire arena.
BOOM!
The raging flames slammed against the barrier.
The impact shook the entire stadium.
The fire was contained—
Forced to swirl violently within the dome.
But the heat…
The heat could not be fully stopped.
A scorching wave surged through the barrier.
The audience cried out as they were pushed back by the intense heat.
Faces burned.
Air scorched their lungs.
Yet despite the chaos—
Their eyes remained fixed on the arena.
Because what they were witnessing…
Was no longer just an exam.
It was a battle between monsters.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)