In the main stand.
The bored Minato is chatting with 'Rasa' and Gonbee. The three were casually probing each other with their words while watching the matches. Throughout the morning, Tenten, Ino, Shino, and the others had taken their turns, achieving decent results.
'It's just…'
'Why hadn't the main contenders come out yet?'
Kanpū looked puzzled.
Although Tenten and Ino are also part of the Konoha Twelve, they are essentially important extras with a name, a surname and a faint plot relevance. Compared with Gaara, Lee, Neji and the others, both their power and storyline significance were not on the same level!
Not to mention the two main characters, Naruto and Sasuke!
'Something was fishy!'
Kanpū's first thought was that Naruto and the others were cheating by exchanging lots, and this was indeed the case!
Naruto, Suigetsu, Kankuro, and Lee, each wanting to show off, seek revenge, or prove themselves, kept exchanging lots to ensure they stayed until the end, avoiding early matches with minor characters!
Time passed quickly, and it was soon 11 AM.
At this time, the audience's enthusiasm was starting to wane. After all, this morning's matches had not been very exciting. In addition, as it was nearing lunchtime, many wealthy spectators were hungry and thirsty, so they were getting restless.
Just as they were considering a break to go outside for food and drinks…
"Next, will the examinees who drew lot number eleven and twenty six please come to the stage for their match!" Genma said loudly.
After Genma finished speaking, Neji calmly walked into the arena.
He had drawn lot number 11 from the start, and as for exchanging it?
He disdained doing such things!
"Hey, that guy's eyes…"
"There's no mistaking it, he's from the Hyūga clan, one of Konoha's two great noble clans!"
"A Hyuga Clan's Shinobi?"
"Finally, something worth watching!"
"Don't disappoint me, Hyuga's little brat!"
The spectators, upon seeing the renowned Byakugan, instantly felt a surge of excitement, and their cheers grew louder, almost reaching the sky!
"Who will be my opponent?" Neji stopped and turned to look at Naruto, Sasuke, and the others with a calm expression.
'This guy is Lee's teammate, and his strength might also be higher than Lee…' Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, and he thought, 'And he is Hyuga Clan, and I am Uchiha Clan.'
'If we face each other…'
"This guy looks very arrogant." Naruto glanced at the lot number in his hand, it wasn't number twenty-six… so he spared Neji this time!
The others also checked their lot numbers, their expressions ranging from relief to indifference to disdain. In the end, a long-haired boy in a kimono walked out.
It was none other than Haku, who had previously knocked out Kankuro and Naruto!
Haku walked to the arena with a gentle expression, but he was met with a barrage of boos even before he reached Neji.
"Are you kidding me?!"
"We finally got a Shinobi with Kekkei Genkai coming out, how could they pair him against a woman?"
"No… Will it be the same as before? Strong start but weak finish?"
"This kind of match is completely uninteresting!"
"Yes, especially since betting isn't allowed. Yondaime Hokage is so unkind!!"
Many of the more irritable wealthy spectators began to leave, cursing and gathering their friends to go eat lunch.
There are also some celebrities who got up and went to the bathroom, and the cheers in the stands suddenly dropped significantly.
In the main stand, Gonbee was a little unhappy.
He is a close confidant of the Elder Genki, and Haku was also a trusted subordinate of Elder Genki, making them comrades in the same faction. Seeing Haku being looked down upon by so many people naturally put him in a foul mood.
Standing behind Namikaze, Kanpū raised an eyebrow, 'That guy… Is it Haku?'
'Aiya, how could I have forgotten about him?'
After slaughtering Zabuza in Kirigakure a few years ago, Kanpū had immediately fled with Sanbi's Jinchuriki, completely forgetting about this pitiful individual.
'I wonder which old fogey benefited from my oversight in the end.'
In the arena.
Haku walked slowly to Neji and bowed his head apologetically, "It seems that everyone is not optimistic about me. I'm truly sorry for involving you, Hyuga-san."
"As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter who my opponent is."
Neji looked at Haku without emotion, and then said indifferently and confidently, "Because I'll defeat them cleanly... with these eyes of mine!"
"Is that so?"
Haku wasn't offended at all, and gently said with a smile, "Hyūga-san, then please be careful "
Genma ignored their trash talk and directly announced, "The eleventh match: Konoha's Genin, Hyuga Neji vs. Kirigakure's Genin, Yuki Haku, begin!"
With that said, he flickered back to the main stands.
At the same time, the audience in the stands suddenly fell silent.
After some time, a buzzing noise erupted.
"What did the head examiner just say?"
"What was the name?"
"Did he say that woman's name is Yuki Haku?"
"Amazing… That's the name of Land of Water's Yuki Clan."
"Isn't it said that the clan has been exterminated? How is there a survivor?"
"Yuki Clan, known for their Ice Release Kekkei Genkai."
"Ice Release vs. Byakugan…"
"Now this is an interesting match!"
More than half of the spectators in the stands are rich and influential people from various countries. Even if they are not Shinobi, they still know many things about the Shinobi World, and the gossip information like the long-gone Yuki naturally fascinated many of these rich spectators.
As the discussion in the stands became louder and louder, those who ran out for lunch and went to the toilet all ran back extremely worried, brow beaded with sweat, thirsty and hungry, and with full bladders, settling back into their seats to watch the match intently.
"Your name…"
Neji noticed the unusual reaction of the audience and frowned slightly, "Yuki Clan…"
"Please don't mind that, Hyuga-san."
Haku didn't explain anything. He just took out the kunai and, with numerous openings, faced Neji directly, and said with a smile, "Please enlighten me."
"Humph."
Neji snorted coldly, then put on Gentle Fist stance with both hands stretched far, "You better attack first, otherwise, you won't have a chance once I make my move."
'Is he really that confident?'
Haku smiled slightly, then charged forward with the kunai.