Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 270 Joint Chunin Exam 12

When Rock Lee unleashed the Eight Gates, his physical attacks were as fierce as a storm, but even so, he could not break through Gaara's rock-solid defense. Gaara even had the strength to counterattack, leading to Rock Lee's ultimate crushing defeat.

The outcome of this battle was undoubtedly devastating for Rock Lee. The bones in his arms and legs were completely shattered by Gaara's attack, almost eliminating any possibility of him continuing as a ninja. At the same time, everyone clearly realized the terrifying strength of Gaara's Sand Ninja, imbued with a manic aura.

With the end of this battle, the qualifiers were drawing to a close. The subsequent battles were uneventful and lacked any real excitement.

The conclusion of the preliminary rounds means we must wait a month for the finals to begin. This month is simply to allow the nobles from various countries time to arrive in Konoha, and also to give the ninjas participating in the Chunin Exams a final period of adjustment and training.

Meanwhile, within the Hyuga clan's territory, Hyuga Kanan sat facing Orochimaru, with Hyuga Hiashi beside them. Orochimaru began to explain the general plan and arrangements for the operation; he needed to ascertain the Hyuga clan's attitude towards it. After all, the Hyuga clan was currently the only powerful clan in Konoha, and their strength was undoubtedly considerable, potentially influencing the success of the plan. After all, getting the Sand Village and Sound Village ninjas near Konoha's territory would inevitably involve Hyuga clan surveillance.

However, the situation in Konoha is worse than Orochimaru imagined. The Hyuga clan ninja have largely left the village's ranks, leaving no one on the outer perimeter guard, significantly reducing the chances of being discovered. Given Orochimaru's understanding of Konoha, relying solely on sensory ninjas for reconnaissance would have numerous flaws. Moreover, the presence of a traitor like Shimura Danzo further ensures that Orochimaru's plan is practically flawless.

Hiashi Hyuga had no objections. Hiruzen Sarutobi's scheming against Hinata during the Chunin Exams had completely eroded any remaining goodwill Hiashi held towards him. His lust for power had gone to extremes; he cared nothing for the future of Konoha, only for seizing power for himself. If Konoha continued to be ruled by him, its destruction would not be far off. Anyone who still cared for Konoha could no longer tolerate its continued decline. They considered Konoha their home and longed for its long-term stability, prosperity, and the restoration of its former glory as the strongest ninja village in the world.

The Konoha leadership, led by Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, has become the biggest obstacle to Konoha's revival. Only someone like Orochimaru, who doesn't care about reputation but loves Konoha dearly, would make such a decision.

Hiashi Hyuga truly admired Orochimaru's character and methods. The Hyuga clan, facing oppression from figures like Hiruzen Sarutobi, chose to yield because they didn't want to bear the stigma of betrayal. Most of the Konoha ninja were like Hiashi Hyuga. They deeply loved Konoha and recognized its corruption, yet still chose to back down, precisely because they didn't want to be branded traitors. But Orochimaru, declared a Konoha rogue ninja, did what those who lived in the village should have done.

Moreover, the plan was so meticulously crafted. It not only helped Konoha overthrow the corrupt rulers like Hiruzen Sarutobi, but also weakened its ally, Sunagakure, who had long been dissatisfied with Konoha. Simultaneously, it allowed Jiraiya and Tsunade, who had been traveling outside Konoha, to return and take charge. This enabled Konoha to regain its vitality and get back on track. Given Konoha's inherent strength, a great revival could be achieved in just a few years.

Hiashi Hyuga stood at the door, watching Orochimaru leave. He realized he had never truly understood Orochimaru. Although they had fought together before, Orochimaru was only known for his ruthless nature. But after this discussion, he clearly understood that Orochimaru's feelings for Konoha far surpassed those of himself and others. Although Orochimaru had a cold personality and rarely interacted with the villagers, appearing somewhat aloof, he was always at the forefront of every battle to defend Konoha. Even when he was portrayed as a rogue ninja, he never attacked Konoha. When Konoha was in a state of decay and even extreme danger, unlike them, the villagers, who chose to protect themselves, Orochimaru used his years of accumulated prestige to pave the way for Konoha's eventual revival.

Hyuga Kanan remained silent, arguably one of the people who understood Orochimaru's personality best. Orochimaru was an extremely rational and clear-headed individual, yet also deeply sentimental. When Hiruzen Sarutobi announced his capture of villagers for human experimentation, Orochimaru offered no rebuttal or explanation, because Hiruzen was his teacher. To repay Hiruzen's kindness since childhood, he chose to acquiesce, a final act of gratitude to his teacher. When the Konoha leadership declared him a rogue ninja, he offered no explanation, but in doing so, he severed his last bond with Hiruzen. This time, preparing this plan to restore the corrupt Konoha to the right path, eliminate rival powers, and solidify the village's position, he devoted immense effort and scheming, all solely to severing his ties with Konoha.

With all this completed, Orochimaru could finally sever all ties to his past life. From this moment on, he was no longer Orochimaru of Konoha, but a completely new individual. He would let go of all the emotional entanglements of the past and wholeheartedly pursue his future path. For Orochimaru, this was undoubtedly a rebirth.

Hyuga Kanan held Orochimaru in such high regard because, while possessing a clear and rational mind, Orochimaru also harbored complex emotions deep within his heart. This quality allowed Orochimaru to remain calm in the face of various challenges, without losing his love and pursuit of life. Furthermore, Orochimaru's strength, ninjutsu, and extensive knowledge were largely derived from the training he received in Konoha Village. Therefore, he decided to dedicate everything he had given to Konoha Village in his early life to repay the place that had given him opportunities and nurtured him. After fulfilling his duty, he would completely sever ties with Konoha and embark on a new journey.

This kind of person is best suited for the path of spiritual cultivation. They possess clear ideals, unwavering faith, and exceptional talent. They are far more suited to cultivation than Hyuga Neji, and their future achievements will be far greater. They are destined to become Hyuga Kanan's best training partner and greatest asset.

After the preliminary rounds ended, Konoha Village seemed to fall into a state of calm, and all those who participated in the finals entered the final stage of intensive training in order to ensure that they could shine in the final competition.

Sasuke Uchiha originally wanted to seek guidance from Kanan Hyuga, but Kanan hadn't appeared in Konoha since leaving the preliminaries, so he had to abandon that plan. Kakashi Hatake, meanwhile, no longer held back and began seriously teaching Sasuke, his most like-minded disciple, plunging into secret seclusion for training. As for his other two disciples, Kakashi had to entrust them to others, since Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno weren't suited to his training system.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was gripped by deep panic. He knew all too well the meaning behind Hyuga Kanan's gaze during the preliminaries. He feared Kanan might suddenly attack him, annihilating all his power. However, several days passed, and not only did Kanan remain inactive, but the Hyuga clan also showed no reaction, seemingly having completely forgotten the incident. Hiruzen's panic only intensified. He knew Kanan's personality well; while he disliked trouble, he wouldn't accept being so easily offended once his bottom line was crossed. The Hyuga clan's behavior was also strange; their heir had been tricked and nearly killed, yet they made no response, making him suspect they were making preparations. However, there was good news: Jiraiya had returned to Konoha and was teaching Naruto Uzumaki in the village, which brought Hiruzen a slight sense of relief.

In recent days, Hiruzen Sarutobi concentrated most of his forces to monitor the Hyuga clan's perimeter. However, as time passed, the Hyuga clan remained inactive, and Hyuga Kanan and his clan members did not appear in Konoha, which eased Hiruzen's anxiety somewhat. He did not withdraw his surveillance of the Hyuga clan, but merely lowered his own level of defense.

Hiruzen Sarutobi believes that Jiraiya's return was the reason the Hyuga clan remained inactive. Kanan Hyuga likely refrained from immediate action due to his respect for Jiraiya. After all, Jiraiya has grown significantly over the years, and even Kanan feels immense pressure in his presence. It's likely that Jiraiya has mastered Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku and possesses the strength to contend with Kanan.

As the finals draw ever closer, Konoha Village becomes even more bustling. The increasing number of nobles entering the village has led to a more dispersed security presence, ensuring their personal safety. After all, these nobles are currently Konoha's wealthiest individuals, significantly boosting the village's economy. Most importantly, by demonstrating Konoha's power, they can lay the groundwork for future employment of Konoha ninjas by these nobles.

In this atmosphere, the final round of the joint Chunin Exams held in Konoha officially began.