C6 Gather! the Chunin Exam Began!

Neji stood before the entire Hyuga Clan at the family meeting and made a vow that quickly became the talk of the clan. The name "Hyuga Neji" had, unfortunately, become a byword for "failure" in the hearts of many. Despite the sporadic rumors of Neji's relentless solo training sessions with a wooden post, his path as a shinobi had largely been dismissed as a lost cause.

"I see him training nonstop; he's probably just not cut out for it. I mean, I admire his dedication, but come on, he's living in a fantasy..."

"Right. I wouldn't be surprised if he swiped those secret techniques!"

"It's only because Hinata of the main house is so forgiving that she hasn't turned him in. I wouldn't put it past him to have misled her..."

"Shh! Not so loud!"

The two women sweeping at the Hyuga compound's entrance clammed up as Hyuga Neji walked toward them.

"Ah, Neji, where are you off to today?"

They exchanged smirks, yet Neji responded with a smile and a polite bow, unfazed by their lack of courtesy.

Talking was pointless; he'd let his skills in the upcoming Chunin Exam speak for themselves.

"Look, it's Miss Hinata!"

Their attitudes shifted dramatically, as if they had just seen something precious, in stark contrast to their earlier behavior.

"Miss Hinata, you're heading to the Chunin Exam, right? You're bound to be promoted to Chunin!"

Hinata, however, brushed past them without much engagement.

"Mm."

With a soft reply, she moved on, quickly catching up to Neji, leaving the women to wallow in their awkwardness.

"Neji-nii-san!"

He turned to find Hinata approaching, his face lighting up with a gentle smile.

"Give it your all in the exams!" Hinata said, her face flushed with encouragement.

Neji smiled back, "You too. Better go join up with Kurenai-sensei."

"Okay!"

As Hinata's figure receded, Neji hastened toward the forest at the mountain's rear. The early morning air was alive with birdsong.

"This one will do."

He picked out a robust tree and began his day's training regimen.

...

"Hmph!"

"Ha!"

Gasping for breath, Neji executed his final palm strike, his back slick with sweat.

He took a deep breath and opened the practice panel.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm, proficiency: 9999/10000!"

A satisfied smile spread across his face; his hard work had yielded a new technique!

Even as his strength waned, Neji inhaled deeply, focused his Chakra, and prepared with utmost seriousness.

"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!"

He struck at the tree, causing it to shake violently, dropping a single leaf.

Below, countless leaves were strewn about.

"Ding! Congratulations, host! Your Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm proficiency has reached 10,000, attaining the initial mastery level! As a reward, you receive 10 Soldier Food Pills!"

Neji thought to himself: It's like getting exactly what I need.

Time for one now!

As he thought this, a Soldier Food Pill the size of a thumb appeared before him.

He caught it quickly and swallowed it in one gulp.

The taste was bitter and astringent.

However, the slight bitterness was nothing compared to its ability to rapidly replenish Chakra and restore his energy.

"Neji! Up early for training again?"

A figure approached.

"Whoa!"

Tenten was startled as she came closer and saw the tree blanketed in leaves.

"How much training have you done? You've practically destroyed all the leaves..."

"Just a warm-up," he said with a laugh.

"Why do you push yourself so hard? You know that effort alone isn't everything. I hope you're practicing the right way and not just wasting your energy," Tenten advised with genuine concern.

Neji simply nodded, responding with a casual "Mhm."

Shortly after, Guy and Lee arrived, with Guy providing an overview of the day's Chunin Exam itinerary.

"Is there anyone you're particularly wary of? Sometimes, researching your opponents can give you an edge," Guy remarked cheerfully.

Tenten and Neji remained stoic, but Lee was visibly excited.

"I do! There's a genius from the Uchiha Clan among the newcomers, and I'm very interested in him!"

Tenten facepalmed: "Sigh, you'd be better off focusing on our own team than others. Let's see if we can even advance to the third round! I've heard the first and second rounds are team-based!"

"No worries, Neji won't let us down, right?" Lee looked at Neji with hopeful eyes.

Neji paused briefly before nodding slowly.

...

Post-lunch, Neji squeezed in a little more training.

Elsewhere, Lee was likely seeking out a confrontation with Uchiha Sasuke, though Neji had no interest in that.

After considerable thought, Neji resolved to prioritize enhancing his strength, as concealing his abilities no longer seemed relevant.

Arriving at the exam site, Neji found it teeming with participants.

He quickly spotted a group engrossed in a speech by a notably larger young man.

Peering over, he recognized Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Yugito Nii, Shizune, Inuzuka Kiba, and several others, all converging in one place.

"Rock Lee might be clueless about Ninjutsu, but he's a whiz at Body techniques—a formidable foe," someone remarked.

Kabuto, the man commanding everyone's attention, rubbed his chin and flicked away the top card to reveal the last one.

"This one... Hyuga Neji, is weak with poor talent, hardly a character of consequence."

Neji heard the comment but remained unfazed.

Out of nowhere, a figure beside him lunged forward.

"What's with that tone, white-haired guy? Don't sell Neji short—he's improved by leaps and bounds!"

Lee immediately engaged in a spirited debate with the speaker, while Tenten, albeit with resignation, tried to defuse the situation.

Neji sighed to himself, questioning whether Lee's actions were truly for his benefit or inadvertently causing harm...

"Silence, everyone!"

A stern voice cut through the noise.

All eyes turned to the center of the hall, where a fierce-looking man had emerged.

Morino Ibiki!

"Settle down, will you? Look at you all, getting so rattled by a mere Chunin Exam. Is it really that nerve-wracking?"

With a derisive snort, he swept his cold gaze across the room, as apprehension crept onto the faces of many.

"The time has come, everyone's here! I now proclaim... the Chunin Exam has officially begun!"