She surrendered.
i Terumī had surrendered as well.
Yet unlike the shock and uproar that erupted when Darui voluntarily admitted defeat during the third preliminary round, the audience this ti remained strangely calm.
It was as though everyone had already expected this outco from the beginning.
After all, there was simply no helping it.
The strength Zoro had displayed monts ago was too terrifying.
That storm of sword energy alone was enough to make even elite jōnin feel their scalps go numb. Many people suspected that if an ordinary jōnin had been trapped inside that attack, surviving would already be considered fortunate.
Under those circumstances, i Terumī's surrender felt perfectly reasonable.
If anything, people would have found it more unbelievable had she stubbornly continued fighting.
19.98%… 19.99%… 20%.
Inside Zoro's mind, the synchronization rate finally crossed another threshold.
Character Template: Zoro
Synchronization Rate: 20%
(Two-Sword Style unlocked)
The mont the synchronization rate successfully reached twenty percent, another notification appeared in his consciousness.
[Host synchronization rate has reached 20%. Reward obtained: Shusui, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades. Stored within the exclusive space. The host may retrieve it at any ti.]
Zoro's expression remained calm.
There was no obvious excitent, nor any visible surprise.
Everything felt natural.
Almost instantly, a large number of combat techniques flooded into his mind, as though he had already trained them thousands upon thousands of tis.
The comprehension ca naturally, deeply engraved into his instincts.
At the sa ti, Zoro suddenly noticed sothing else.
The weighted equipnt attached to his body had unknowingly beco much lighter.
Which also ant—
It was ti to increase the weight again.
anwhile, after staring blankly for several monts, the examiner finally recovered from his shock and loudly announced the result.
"The winner of the final round is Uchiha Zoro!"
The examiner looked toward the boy standing calmly amid the ruined battlefield, unable to explain the strange feeling in his heart.
For so reason…
It felt as though sothing about Zoro had changed again.
"Due to excessive damage to the arena, the remaining matches will temporarily be relocated to the backup examination grounds."
The mont those words fell, the crowd instantly erupted into heated discussion.
Excitent spread throughout the audience.
After all, being able to witness such a terrifying battle firsthand was naturally sothing worth talking about.
"You're Uchiha Zoro, right?"
i slowly walked forward, brushing aside a strand of loose hair before smiling faintly.
"My na is i Terumī. I'm sure we'll et again soday."
Her tone was calm and graceful.
She understood very clearly that Zoro had shown restraint during the match.
Otherwise, the battle would have ended long before she even managed to release her ninjutsu.
Since he had shown her respect, i naturally had enough self-awareness not to stubbornly cling to a hopeless fight and humiliate herself further.
Zoro rely smiled lightly in response before slowly leaving the devastated arena.
The mont he entered the contestants' waiting room, Obito's envious voice imdiately rang out.
"I already knew you were strong, but isn't this a little too ridiculous?!"
His face was filled with disbelief.
That kind of power simply did not look like sothing a genin should possess.
"Obito," Zoro replied casually, "if you work hard enough, you can beco just as strong as soday."
As he spoke, however, he unconsciously glanced toward Rin nearby.
Rin's face carried a genuinely happy smile for his victory.
Looking at her expression, Zoro's gaze beca slightly complicated.
If Rin had never died…
Obito probably would have lived an ordinary life.
At the very least, he would never have descended into darkness.
"Really?"
Obito's eyes imdiately lit up with hope.
Faced with that eager expression, Zoro could only nod against his conscience.
Unless sothing unexpected happened, Obito likely would not walk down the sa tragic path as before.
Of course…
That was assuming no accidents occurred.
With Zoro's existence now changing events, the butterfly effect had likely already begun spreading through the ninja world.
Not long afterward, all stages of the Chūnin Exams officially concluded.
Every genin who participated gathered together at Konoha's central plaza.
The participating ninja stood in the center of the massive square, while surrounding them were spectators, family mbers, clan representatives, and friends who had co to watch the ceremony.
Standing at the front, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, lowered his gaze toward the list in his hand before slowly announcing the final results.
"After discussion between the villages, the following ninja have successfully advanced to the rank of chūnin."
"From Sunagakure: Sasori."
"From Kirigakure: i Terumī, Kisa Hoshigaki, and Momochi Zabuza."
"From Kumogakure: Omoi."
"From Iwagakure: Satetsu."
"And finally…"
Hiruzen paused briefly before continuing.
"From Konohagakure: Might Guy and Uchiha Zoro."
The mont Zoro's na was announced last, many mbers of the Uchiha Clan revealed proud and excited expressions.
Without question, the person who had stolen the spotlight during these Chūnin Exams was Uchiha Zoro.
The final two rounds had both ended with his opponents surrendering before the battle could properly continue.
Such a thing had practically never happened before in Chūnin Exam history.
That alone was enough to prove just how terrifying Zoro's strength had beco.
"Does anyone have objections?"
Hiruzen smiled warmly as he turned toward the representatives from the various great ninja villages nearby.
"If not, then this year's Chūnin Exams officially conclude here."
Just as everyone began preparing to leave—
"Wait!!"
A heavy voice suddenly echoed throughout the plaza, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Big Brother?"
Killer B's expression changed slightly, clearly realizing what A intended to do.
A trace of concern appeared in his voice.
"A of Kumogakure," Hiruzen said calmly, looking toward him. "Do you have so issue?"
In truth, Hiruzen was already aware of Kumogakure's recent small movents behind the scenes.
It was just that neither side had openly torn away the mask yet.
"I believe…"
A slowly stepped forward, his sharp gaze fixed directly on Zoro.
"…that Uchiha Zoro does not possess the qualifications to beco a chūnin."
His tone was calm, steady, and filled with absolute certainty.
"What did you just say?!"
"Say that again if you've got the guts!"
"If you can't explain yourself properly, then don't think you're leaving Konoha safely today—even if you're the Raikage's son!!"
The instant A's words fell, the surrounding Uchiha Clan mbers exploded into fury before Hiruzen could even respond.
Several clan ninja directly activated their Sharingan.
Scarlet eyes filled with hostility locked onto the Kumogakure group as the Uchiha slowly stepped forward one after another, their oppressive presence imdiately spreading across the plaza.
The atmosphere instantly beca tense.
The younger Kumogakure ninja visibly stiffened under the pressure.
Seeing this scene, a subtle glimr flashed through Hiruzen's eyes.
Zoro's prestige within the Uchiha Clan had already reached this level?
Even Fugaku himself likely could not command this kind of unified emotional reaction from the clan's younger generation.
"Ahem."
A coughed lightly.
Faced with dozens of hostile Sharingan staring directly at him, even he slightly restrained his tone.
"I'm not specifically targeting Uchiha Zoro," he said calmly. "But throughout the entire Chūnin Exam, he has never demonstrated a single ninjutsu technique."
His sharp gaze swept across the crowd.
"Can soone who cannot use ninjutsu truly be called a ninja?"
Compared to his earlier aggressive attitude, A's voice had clearly softened sowhat.
He was not afraid of causing trouble inside Konoha.
But if the situation truly spiraled out of control, the younger Kumogakure ninja who ca to participate in the exams would almost certainly suffer badly here.
And A could already feel it—
If he pushed the Uchiha too far, these people genuinely might attack.
After hearing A's reasoning, so of the furious Uchiha gradually cald down slightly.
When phrased that way…
It did sound sowhat reasonable.
Even among Konoha's own ninja, many people unconsciously frowned in thought.
After all, ninjutsu was considered one of the core foundations of a shinobi.
"I agree with Kumogakure's representative."
At that mont, the representative from Sunagakure spoke indifferently.
"I agree as well."
The Iwagakure representative followed imdiately afterward.
It was obvious that neither village truly cared whether Zoro could use ninjutsu or not.
What they actually wanted was simple—
Suppress Konoha's montum.
The rise of a terrifying genius like Uchiha Zoro was not sothing the other villages wished to see.
Seeing several villages unite together, Hiruzen's expression subtly darkened.
He had miscalculated.
Originally, he intended to use Zoro's overwhelming performance to intimidate the other villages and raise Konoha's prestige.
But instead, Zoro's monstrous strength had caused the major villages to instinctively unite against Konoha instead.
This was absolutely not the outco Hiruzen wanted.
"In that case…"
Hiruzen slowly looked toward Zoro, who stood calmly among the crowd below.
"Zoro, are you willing to prove that you are capable of using ninjutsu?"
The mont those words left his mouth, the expressions of many nearby Uchiha imdiately changed.
Because by asking that question—Hiruzen had already indirectly acknowledged A's accusation.
The surrounding Uchiha Clan mbers quickly revealed dissatisfied expressions.
Everyone in the clan knew that Zoro's ninjutsu talent was weak.
Wasn't the Hokage basically helping outsiders pressure one of Konoha's own people?
After hearing Hiruzen's response, a trace of disdain flashed through A's eyes.
Just as his father had predicted—
This old man had long since lost the sharpness and decisiveness he once possessed in his younger years.
Standing below, Zoro's expression remained calm from beginning to end.
"I don't need to prove anything."
His tone was indifferent and steady.
Looking at A's face, which already carried the smug expression of soone who believed victory was certain, Zoro could clearly sense the hostility directed toward him.
But honestly, it made perfect sense.
If A failed to suppress him now, he likely would never get another opportunity in the future.
"In that case…"
Hiruzen sighed softly, deliberately revealing an apologetic expression.
"Zoro, I'm afraid we can only temporarily remove your na from the list of promoted chūnin. You don't mind, do you?"
The surrounding atmosphere instantly changed.
Several Uchiha openly revealed anger.
Because everyone could see what Hiruzen was doing.
To avoid Konoha becoming the target of the other villages, he was choosing to sacrifice Zoro's promotion.
In Hiruzen's eyes, the emotions of a single ninja clearly mattered far less than maintaining political balance.
And to Hiruzen himself—
Zoro's feelings truly were insignificant.
Just like Sakumo Hatake in the past.
To him, talented ninja were rely tools for stabilizing Konoha.
As long as he could continue sitting securely in the Hokage's position, the fate of those tools was ultimately irrelevant.
"Before that," Zoro suddenly spoke, "I have so information to report."
Seeing that Zoro did not openly resist or show dissatisfaction, Hiruzen secretly relaxed slightly.
Then he smiled kindly and asked:
"Oh? What information?"
Zoro slowly lifted his gaze toward the Kumogakure side.
"Regarding the matter of a Kumogakure jōnin infiltrating the Chūnin Exams."
The mont those words fell, A's expression subtly changed.
"I suspect Kumogakure has ulterior motives," Zoro continued calmly. "There is a high possibility they've already assassinated several genin from other villages during the exams."
His tone remained completely indifferent.
But the mont those words spread across the plaza—
It was like a massive bomb exploding directly within the crowd.
Instantly, the expressions of the surrounding ninja changed dramatically.
***
Advance chapters available on P@trè0n (Aki_sensei). Appreciate the support!
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