CHAPTER 179 - 179 : SPARKS AND LIGHTNING ALL THE WAY!

Hearing this news, Nagato and Konan nodded in agreement.

Ever since Yahiko's death, they had lost all hope in the current shinobi world.

To create a better world—a world without endless war and betrayal—they were prepared to pay any price. Anyone who stood in their way, no matter who they were, would be eliminated.

Even their former sensei would not be spared.

However, if confrontation could be avoided, that was naturally the better option.

"Yes."

White Zetsu accepted the order without question.

"How are things going with Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori?" the masked man asked.

"Deidara and Sasori have succeeded. Itachi and Kisame have also successfully captured the Two-Tails Jinchūriki. They're currently planning to pursue the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki," Zetsu reported.

"Good."

The masked man nodded slowly, the candlelight reflecting off his swirling mask.

Everything was progressing just as he had envisioned.

Perfect.

Now, it all came down to the final round of the Chūnin Exams.

In the Hidden Leaf Village...

Early morning dawned over Konoha, but the streets—usually bustling with life—were eerily quiet.

Shops remained closed. Market stalls were empty.

Today was different.

Today marked the final round of the Chūnin Exams.

The finest young shinobi from across the current ninja world were about to clash.

No one wanted to miss it.

Crowds gathered en masse at the arena. Even the Daimyō of the Land of Fire had come in person, underlining the significance of the event.

Soon, the final stage began.

The first match: Hyūga Neji vs. Uzumaki Naruto.

One was hailed as a prodigy of the Byakugan and Hyūga clan. The other—dismissed by many—was seen as dead last.

Before the match, there was near-unanimous belief that Naruto would lose.

Yet, the outcome shocked everyone.

Uzumaki Naruto won.

His unyielding determination and refusal to give up inspired thunderous applause from the stands.

Then came the second match: Kankurō from the Hidden Sand Village versus Aburame Shino, a student of Yūhi Kurenai.

Shino had come ready for a battle of strategy and precision, but Kankurō withdrew without explanation.

Shino advanced without lifting a finger.

The third match was Nara Shikamaru against Temari.

Though Temari emerged victorious, Shikamaru's tactical brilliance earned him a wave of admiration. His calm intellect left a lasting impression.

Then came the fourth battle—the highlight of the entire Chūnin Exam.

Kimimaro of the Hidden Mist Village versus Uchiha Sasuke of the Hidden Leaf.

One hailed from the Kaguya Clan, descendants of the feared Shikotsumyaku bloodline.

The other—Sasuke—was the last known surviving Uchiha in Konoha.

A clash of this magnitude drew all eyes.

But... something was wrong.

Sasuke was missing.

Kimimaro stood silently on the battlefield, waiting. Minutes passed, and still, Sasuke did not appear.

The exam proctors gathered, whispering among themselves in heated discussion.

Eventually, a consensus was reached: they would wait.

Why?

Simple.

Uchiha Sasuke was representing Konoha—his home village. Granting him a bit of leniency was reasonable.

More importantly, this match had attracted tremendous attention. Nobles, shinobi, and civilians alike had come solely to witness this battle.

Canceling it now would cause an uproar.

And lastly, the timing itself hadn't technically reached the scheduled match window. The delays were caused by earlier forfeits, which sped up the timeline.

So, the decision was made.

They would wait a little longer.

But impatience slowly crept in.

As the minutes dragged on with no sign of Sasuke, the tension in the stadium rose.

Still, Uchiha Haru remained perfectly calm.

He had already read the entire script in his mind.

Sasuke would show up.

And not just show up—he'd make a dramatic entrance, just like the arrogant protagonist he was meant to be.

Sure enough, just as the proctor was preparing to declare Sasuke disqualified for failing to appear—

Uchiha Sasuke arrived.

With Chidori in hand, lightning sparking wildly, he burst into the arena, cutting through the air with raw energy and flair.

Sparks and lightning lit up the battlefield. It was as theatrical as it was effective.

The crowd roared, completely forgetting they had waited so long.

All that mattered now was the battle ahead.

"You're late," Kimimaro said flatly, staring at the electrified shinobi across from him.

"Right on time," Sasuke replied, eyes gleaming with the intensity of his Sharingan.

Sasuke also looked at Kimimaro with a cold, indifferent gaze.

The two of them exchanged only a few words, yet the air between them crackled with tension, thick with the scent of battle.

The moment the referee announced the start of the match, they would both explode with full force.

Each of them understood how crucial this fight was. Victory was not optional — it was everything.

And the referee didn't keep them waiting long.

With a sharp declaration, the match officially began.

Sasuke's left hand began to surge with violent electrical energy, crackling with power as lightning coiled around his arm.

It was the same move he had used to make his dramatic entrance — the very jutsu that tore through silence and air like thunder: Chidori.

Kimimaro narrowed his eyes slightly.

Though he didn't recognize the nature of the lightning Sasuke wielded, he instinctively sensed the deadly force behind it.

He could feel the devastating energy through the erratic arcs of lightning and the piercing hum in the air.

Yet his eyes didn't flicker with fear. Instead, the corners of his lips curled upward into a faint, frenzied smile.

What he saw in Sasuke wasn't danger — it was opportunity.

A chance to unleash everything.

A chance to prove himself.

A chance to fight before Uchiha Haru — to shine in his presence.

"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Ferns!"

Kimimaro's voice trembled slightly with excitement as he performed the ultimate move of his kekkei genkai, Shikotsumyaku.

As his chakra flared, the entire battlefield was transformed.

One after another, massive bone spikes erupted from the ground, surging upward with ferocity.

Some clustered like dense weeds.

Others towered like jagged white trees.

Within seconds, the once-open field had morphed into a forest of death — a boneyard of razor-sharp spears.

Sasuke, Chidori still sparking in his hand, darted through the chaos at high speed, weaving between bone spurs with incredible agility.

He closed the distance in an instant, and their fierce exchange began.

The audience gasped as they watched the two Genin clash.

No one had expected such spectacle from a Chunin Exam.

It was like watching Jonin-level combatants — fast, lethal, and overwhelming.

Even the dignitaries and leaders from other villages — who had come to observe — exchanged startled glances.

The realization dawned on them: they had not failed to reach this stage due to bad luck... they simply didn't have the strength.

Watching from the stands, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, narrowed his eyes and turned to look at Uchiha Haru.

He hadn't expected the Hidden Mist Village to possess someone like Kimimaro — someone strong enough to challenge Uchiha Sasuke head-on.

The others may not have realized it, but Hiruzen knew well: Uchiha Haru's talent was terrifying.

Even compared to prodigies like Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder — if not ahead in some ways.

And now, one of his warriors was clashing with Konoha's own Uchiha.

A bitter thought crossed his mind.

If Haru had taken Sasuke with him when the Uchiha Clan left Konoha...

Then the Hidden Mist Village would've had two monsters.

Two Uchiha capable of reshaping the ninja world.

That force... would have been unstoppable.

But now, Sasuke remained in Konoha. And Sasuke fought for him — for Konoha.

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but feel smug.

He knew — better than anyone — how to manipulate people and power.

When it came to understanding the game of shinobi politics, none of the past Hokage, not even Hashirama or Tobirama, could compare.

But as his mind entertained such thoughts, no one noticed something else quietly unfolding...

Masked Konoha ANBU had started to gather around the Chunin Exam stadium.

At the same time, far away at Konoha's village gates—

Jiraiya caught a glimpse of White Zetsu lurking in the shadows.

He immediately gave chase, but Zetsu was fast and vanished without a trace.

Jiraiya didn't hesitate — he pursued relentlessly.

Shortly after, the masked man — Tobi — arrived at Konoha's gates...

And with him came Konan and the Six Paths of Pain.

——

Back in the arena—

Sasuke and Kimimaro had already been locked in intense combat for over ten minutes.

Both had unleashed powerful techniques, neither able to gain a decisive upper hand.

Each blow was calculated, each dodge a brush with death.

They knew — this was a battle to be won through endurance, timing, and precision.

Kimimaro had tapped fully into the Corpse Bone Pulse, his entire body laced with jagged bone spurs, a sword of bone clenched in his fist.

Sasuke had completely unleashed his chakra.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A blazing orb of flame surged from his mouth and flew straight toward Kimimaro.

The scorching heat distorted the air, washing over the battlefield in a wave of fire.

Kimimaro's face glowed red under the heat, but he didn't flinch.

Just as the massive fireball was about to crash into him, he swung his bone sword with brutal precision.

The blade slashed into the fireball — and split it down the middle.

Two halves veered off course and slammed into the ground with explosive force.

BOOM!

Flames roared upward. Sparks scattered like embers in a storm, and the earth trembled beneath the blast.

A deep crater was left behind.

But Sasuke's real plan was only beginning.

The fireball had merely been a feint.

From behind the flames came a flurry of cold, glinting kunai — aimed straight at Kimimaro's blind spot.

It was a perfectly executed diversion.

Kimimaro's eyes flickered.

He had just parried the fireball when he spotted the kunai flying toward him.

There was no time to deflect them all.

He made a split-second decision.

Body Flicker Technique!

A burst of chakra — and his figure vanished.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

The kunai pierced the ground where he had just stood.

But before Kimimaro could even steady his breath—

Sasuke was already on him, Chidori roaring with thunder in his left hand.

The electric screech tore through the air.

Kimimaro's pupils contracted as the wave of lethal chakra surged toward him.

"Shikotsumyaku: Dance"

Without hesitation, Kimimaro countered.

He brandished his bone sword and activated his body's full defense — spines and spikes erupted from his arms, chest, and shoulders.

The razor-sharp protrusions turned him into both a spear and a shield.

A fortress of bone.

Perfect for offense, ideal for defense.

.

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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones

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