After all, this was the Chunin Exams held jointly by the various Shinobi villages of the Shinobi World.
Naturally, it would not end just because of a few incidents.
Although Seiryū had withdrawn, the Chunin Exams had to continue.
Unlike the criteria of previous Chunin Exams, this time the Chunin Exams would only look at the results of the official matches.
The two people in the final match would become the Chunin of this year's Chunin Exams.
The next day, the Chunin Exams proceeded as usual.
Severely injured, Seiryū was naturally unable to come and watch.
In his first match, Kakashi encountered a Kumogakure Shinobi. Although he was a few years younger than his opponent, his innate talent was extraordinary, and his strength was outstanding.
He still defeated the Kumogakure Genin, Nurui, and successfully advanced.
Afterward, whether his luck was good or bad, he drew Might Duy, who had defeated the Iwagakure Genin, Taiseki.
After a brief exchange, Kakashi conceded.
There was no helping it. Kakashi already knew Duy's strength and did not believe that he, in his current state, could defeat him.
Meanwhile, Sasori's first opponent was Kirigakure's Mei. Mei conceded directly, and Sasori advanced smoothly.
At the same time, Shimaichirō, who had defeated the Kumogakure Genin, Kii, had to face Sasori in the next round!
The battle between Sasori and Shimaichirō also displayed considerable strength.
In the end, Shimaichirō was just one move behind and lost to Sasori.
With this, first and second place in this year's Chunin Exams were freshly determined.
Although there was still the final match, it could already be confirmed that Duy and Sasori would become Chunin!
Seeing this scene, many Konoha Shinobi felt as if they were meeting Duy for the first time.
They could never have imagined that this perennial Genin actually possessed such terrifying strength.
Judging from the scenes where he easily defeated his opponents, perhaps what he had shown was only the tip of the iceberg of his true strength?
The strength displayed by Duy made some who had looked down on or mocked him feel terrified.
They were scared.
Some had even made up their minds to go and beg for his forgiveness later.
Similarly, many were also surprised by the strength of Sasori.
For the opponent to possess such strength at this age, Sunagakure had also produced an amazing genius.
Although he could not compare to Konoha's strongest genius, Seiryū, he had already surprised many people!
As for Seiryū, although he had withdrawn due to his injuries, neither Konoha nor the other Shinobi villages doubted his strength.
The performance from the day before yesterday was still fresh in their memories.
That kind of strength was too monstrous.
One could no longer measure him by the standards of a Genin.
The only pity was that he had withdrawn.
Otherwise, this Chunin Exams would have been even more interesting.
However, tomorrow's final battle should also be a fight worth looking forward to.
Duy of Konoha and Sasori of Sunagakure both possessed formidable strength.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the Chunin Exams.
Somewhere underground in the Shinobi World.
In a dim space, a white humanoid creature was reporting some things it had investigated to a withered old man sitting on a throne.
The old man had gray-white hair, an aged face, and several tubes connected to his back. He listened quietly.
Although this person was elderly, as if one foot had already stepped into the Pure Land, his body still exuded an inexplicable aura of a tiger that, though old, still retained its majesty.
His long, slanted white hair covered one eye, and the exposed eye was crimson, with three ink-colored tomoe slowly rotating in the socket.
He was the legend of the Shinobi World, Uchiha Madara, known as the "Asura of the Shinobi World"!!
"Interesting."
Hearing the report from this special White Zetsu individual, named "Tobi," who was responsible for gathering intelligence, Madara's eyes flashed.
He showed an interested expression. "I didn't expect that in today's Konoha, such an interesting little guy would appear."
Konoha's strongest genius, Seiryū.
It had been confirmed that he was a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan.
A disciple of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya and Tsunade.
His talent in Ninjutsu was not inferior to Senju Tobirama's, having independently developed many new techniques at the age of about ten.
Furthermore, a monster similar to a Tailed Beast was sealed within his body, and he was suspected of being able to control the power of that monster.
These were all part of White Zetsu's report.
Even Madara, who had experienced great storms, could not help but feel a little interest in Seiryū at this moment.
Of course, it was merely interest.
The special individual White Zetsu "Tobi" said respectfully to Madara, "Lord Madara, many people nowadays feel that if this person from the Uzumaki Clan named Seiryū fully matures, he might become someone like you and Senju Hashirama."
"Heh."
Hearing this, Madara just laughed once, then said in a calm voice, "Besides me and him, no one else is qualified to reach our level!"
Become someone like him and Hashirama?
Only those who did not know their specific strength would have such thoughts in their hearts.
If they had witnessed their true power, they would absolutely never have such ridiculous thoughts.
The Shinobi World had never lacked geniuses.
But apart from him and Hashirama, no other genius had ever reached their level.
In a sense, they had already transcended the category of Shinobi.
Admittedly, through White Zetsu's description, he also judged that the Uzumaki Clan member named Seiryū was indeed an amazing genius.
But if it was only to this extent, at most, he was just another Senju Tobirama.
He was not worth his attention or concern.
Because he was Uchiha Madara!
The only one who could be recognized by him was Senju Hashirama, who had defeated him.
After a pause, Madara asked indifferently, "Regarding the monster suspected to be a Tailed Beast on his person, have you gathered any intelligence?"
Compared to the Uzumaki Clan genius Seiryū, he was clearly more concerned with the monster suspected to be a Tailed Beast inside him.
He did not expect that there were other existences similar to Tailed Beasts in the Shinobi World.
This was a very interesting matter!
He was aware of the situation regarding the Tailed Beasts.
A monster suspected to be a Tailed Beast, distinct from the nine Tailed Beasts, had already piqued his interest.
If there were other monsters similar to Tailed Beasts in the Shinobi World, could they be used for his purposes?
Ever since he awakened that pair of eyes, he had already begun many schemes so that his future plans could proceed more smoothly.
Naturally, the more preparations, the better.
"Currently, no relevant intelligence has been gathered."
Tobi shook its head. "This is clearly Konoha's most top-secret matter. If the opponent hadn't displayed it this time, I fear only a few people in Konoha would know about it."
Although it was good at hiding and searching for intelligence, the highest secrets of a Shinobi village naturally could not be easily probed.
It was only because the opponent displayed it this time that it learned of the situation.
Thinking that Madara might be interested, it rushed back to report to him!
Madara just nodded and continued to order Tobi, "Continue to investigate, and while you're at it, search the Shinobi World for other possible existences suspected to be Tailed Beasts."
"Yes, Madara-sama!"
Tobi nodded respectfully and continued, "Oh, by the way, Madara-sama, there is another matter I need to report."
Madara raised his eyes slightly, his left eye's Three-Tomoe Sharingan rotating slightly, and said in a calm tone, "Speak."
Tobi said respectfully, "The Great Elder of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Setsuna, has very likely awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
"Setsuna?"
Mentioning this name, a person immediately came to Madara's mind.
His eyes flashed as he said, "His aptitude is average. Back on the battlefield, even when his son and daughter-in-law were killed, he did not awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"How could he possibly awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan in these peaceful days?"
"What is the specific situation?"
After faking his death, although he had been hiding, his attention toward the Shinobi World and Konoha had not diminished in the slightest.
White Zetsu's ability to investigate intelligence was still very strong.
Setsuna was also a Three-Tomoe Jōnin of the Uchiha Clan during his "lifetime."
He was not unfamiliar with him.
It was just that his aptitude was average.
During the Second Shinobi World War, he had witnessed his son and daughter-in-law being killed and still did not awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
How could he have suddenly awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan in this stable period without war?
The Mangekyō Sharingan was a power that could cause a qualitative change in the strength of the Uchiha Clan.
In the time since he and his brother Izuna awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, no one else in the Uchiha Clan had awakened it again.
Now hearing that another member of the Uchiha Clan had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara was naturally somewhat surprised!
Tobi said truthfully, "It was still because of that Uzumaki Clan member, Seiryū. For some unknown reason, the two suddenly broke out into a fight during the Chunin Exams."
"During the battle, Setsuna's emotions were stimulated, and he subsequently awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"However."
Speaking to this point, it paused, its tone somewhat strange. "Before Setsuna could display the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, he was killed by that Seiryū with a Tailed Beast Ball that should have undergone shape transformation."
Madara: "???"
An Uchiha Clan member who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan actually died so carelessly?
Madara frowned and asked, "Are you sure Setsuna had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Tobi nodded. "Of course, I would not misperceive that kind of special ocular power. It was indeed the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"What about that pair of eyes after he died?"
"They are here."
As it spoke, Tobi reached out and pulled out a pair of black eyeballs, as if they had been dug from its own body.
It respectfully handed them to Madara. "Although Setsuna had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, it was not noticed by others."
"I thought this pair of eyes might be of some use to Madara-sama, so I took advantage of the night, sneaked into the place where the Uchiha Clan stores corpses, and dug out his eyes."
In the past, it had also, under Madara's orders, dug out the eyes of some deceased Uchiha clansmen for research.
If nothing else, the pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Madara's eye sockets right now were ones it had dug from the body of a deceased Uchiha clansman.
It was also very familiar with the act of digging out eyes!
Taking the pair of eyeballs handed over, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Madara's eye sockets rotated slightly, seeing through the surface to the essence.
His eyes flashed, and he nodded. "It is indeed the Mangekyō Sharingan. You did well."
With this pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, perhaps he could make more preparations.
Tobi continued, "Madara-sama, Setsuna has a grandson named Ryota. I think perhaps he could also be added to the observation list."
"At least compared to that clumsy Obito, I think Ryota has stronger talent."
The reason it had appeared in Konoha was because of Madara's instructions.
It was to observe those in the Uchiha Clan who had talent and the opportunity to open the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Madara said noncommittally, "Tell me about Ryota's situation."
The plan needed to be carried out step by step.
But his lifespan was already running out.
The reason he was still alive was because of the Chakra supply from the Gedō Statue.
Therefore, he needed to find another executor for himself.
Someone who, after he died, could continue to carry out his plan.
And this candidate had to be from the Uchiha Clan, someone who could act under his name, Uchiha Madara.
"Ryota is."
Briefly explaining the situation of Ryota as it knew it, Tobi finally said, "I saw hatred in him, and driven by hatred, he has even awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, even though he is only about ten years old now."
"And at the same age, Obito only has the One-Tomoe Sharingan."
With almost no difference in age, one had the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and the other had the One-Tomoe Sharingan.
The gap between the two could not be considered small.
It did not understand why Madara was so focused on Obito.
Was it because of his hot-headed, unwilling-to-lose personality?
Listening to Tobi's words, Madara just smiled. "Hatred huh?"
The drive of hatred would indeed cause the ocular power of the Uchiha Clan to improve rapidly.
However, compared to simply being driven by hatred, he felt that letting a person completely fall from light into darkness was more likely to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Obito, with his cheerful and innocent personality, who was not lacking in love and sensibility, and was optimistic, lively, and positive, had the aptitude to awaken his eyes in Madara's eyes.
Because once such a person fell from light into darkness, their perception would undergo an earth-shattering change, and it would also give birth to stronger power!
They might even recognize his ideology because of it, and their goals and purposes would coincide with his.
Becoming a perfect executor who would actively carry out his plan.
While those driven by hatred might also awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, if they harbored hatred in their hearts, it meant they might, because of the hatred in their hearts, do some things that were completely contrary to his plan.
Simply put, it meant they were not easy to control!!!
After thinking for a moment, Madara said to Tob, "Continue to go to Konoha to gather intelligence. Include Obito, Ryota, and that Uzumaki Clan member, Seiryū, in the scope of your observation."
"Be careful when observing Seiryū. The Uzumaki Clan combined with a monster similar to a Tailed Beast, there's no guarantee he doesn't possess the ability to perceive malice, just like that woman Uzumaki Mito. Do not reveal any flaws."
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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