Uchiha Naruto: The Strongest

Chapter 7: Chūnin Exams II

The preliminary Chūnin Exam stage was set in a large, dimly lit room with high concrete walls and a cold, sterile atmosphere. The fluorescent lights cast a harsh glare on the scarred arena floor, marked by countless battles.

Genin from various villages stood along one side, their expressions a mix of determination and anxiety. They whispered strategies, shuffled nervously, and stole glances at the electronic scoreboard, which displayed the upcoming matchups. The air was thick with anticipation.

The Yondaime Hokage stood before the assembled genin and their sensei, his presence commanding and reassuring. His warm smile was a stark contrast to the tension filling the room. "Hello, everyone. I assume you're all doing well?" he asked, his voice carrying a gentle authority. The genin and their sensei nodded in unison, their anticipation palpable.

"Good," the Hokage continued, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. "The third stage of the Chūnin Exams will be the preliminaries for the final stage. This is because too many of you have passed. I would like to say that I am proud of all of you, not as the Hokage, but as a senior shinobi. I wish you all luck in your matches."

A wave of cheers and claps erupted from the genin and their sensei, echoing through the arena. The excitement was almost tangible, a blend of nerves and determination. As the noise settled, a Jōnin shunshined into the middle of the arena, his arrival sudden and precise. He had short brown hair, dark eyes with pronounced lines underneath, and dark markings that added a sense of intensity to his gaze. He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit: a flak jacket, shinobi sandals, and a hitai-ate worn as a bandanna. Strapped to his back was a katana with a rectangular hand guard.

The Jōnin turned to a large screen, his eyes narrowing slightly as it began shuffling through names. It finally stopped on Sasuke vs. Menma. "Will Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Menma come down here?" he called out.

The two stepped forward, their expressions starkly different. Menma smirked confidently. "I'll be taking that sword now," he taunted.

Sasuke remained silent, his gaze fixed and unyielding.

"Hajime!" the proctor declared.

Sasuke unsheathed his blade and dashed at Menma with blinding speed. Using chakra was painful, but Sasuke had seen Menma fight before. If Menma hadn't improved, chakra wouldn't be necessary. Menma swiftly pulled out a kunai, managing to block Sasuke's downward slash. Sparks flew from the collision, lighting up the tension between them.

With a swift motion, Sasuke pulled back his blade and delivered a powerful kick. Menma blocked the kick but was still pushed back, his feet skidding against the ground. His smirk widened as he dropped the kunai, raising both hands to form a Rasengan. The swirling ball of chakra hummed with destructive potential.

Menma leaped at Sasuke, aiming to land the Rasengan. But Sasuke sidestepped with a fluid grace, his movements almost too fast to follow. In one seamless motion, he struck the back of Menma's head with the kashira of his sword. Menma's eyes widened in shock before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Winner: Uchiha Sasuke!" the proctor announced, his voice ringing out over the silent crowd.

The arena was filled with a mix of awe and respect as Sasuke sheathed his sword, his expression unreadable. He glanced down at Menma, then turned his gaze to the stands, where his teammates and sensei watched with a mixture of pride, relief and indifference.

Sasuke returned to the stands, his footsteps echoing softly against the cold stone. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, and the cheers from the crowd seemed distant and muffled. As he passed Kushina, her sigh was heavy with a mix of relief and frustration, but Sasuke kept his gaze forward, his face a mask of indifference.