"Okay, Chiba, stop pretending. We know you too well. Tell us, what's the price for us to lose with dignity?" Nara Shikaku smirked.
"Since you put it that way, I won't hold back." Chiba chuckled. "I'm not greedy—just treat me to dinner."
"No problem. You pick the place and time, but our only condition is that you must let us last at least twenty moves before defeating us," Yamanaka Haiichi quickly added.
"Deal." Chiba made an OK gesture.
"Hey, Haiichi, Shikaku, have you forgotten that I'm here? I'm strong too, you know. Aren't you afraid of being defeated instantly if you face me?" Nawaki interrupted.
"Nawaki, don't start. Your taijutsu and ninjutsu may be better than mine, but beating me won't be easy," Nara Shikaku waved dismissively.
"Shikaku, you underestimate me! If we face off, I'll make sure you lose miserably and see how strong I really am—the second-best in the combat class!" Nawaki declared confidently.
Chiba rolled his eyes. "Second-best isn't exactly something to brag about."
Before Nawaki could retort, Jiraiya's voice echoed through the training grounds.
"Hyuga Hizashi vs. Kitsuchi!"
Kitsuchi? Isn't that the father of Iwagakure's 'Leg Shadow'?
Chiba was surprised by the intensity of the first match. Hyuga Hizashi was formidable despite being from the branch family, but as the son of Ohnoki, Kitsuchi was well-versed in the Hyuga clan's weaknesses. This gave him a distinct advantage.
As expected, after a fierce battle, Hyuga Hizashi lost to Kitsuchi by a single move.
Chiba glanced at Hyuga Hiashi and noticed his expression had darkened.
"Nawaki vs. Nara Shikaku!" Jiraiya called out next.
"Haha, Shikaku, you're doomed! Too bad for you—you're about to be crushed within twenty moves!" Nawaki grinned wickedly, recalling their earlier conversation.
As the two left for their match, Yamanaka Haiichi turned to Chiba. "Who do you think will win?"
"No need to guess. I can tell with my toes—it'll be Shikaku. Nawaki doesn't have the raw power to overwhelm him, and once Shikaku figures him out, it's game over."
"I agree," Akimichi Choza nodded. "Nawaki's no match for Shikaku's tactics; it's just a matter of how long he lasts."
However, to everyone's surprise, despite having the upper hand, Nara Shikaku suddenly forfeited the match.
Chiba was dumbfounded. He had expected an intense fight, not a surrender.
"Shikaku, what was that? You were about to win!" Chiba demanded.
"I was exhausted," Shikaku shrugged with a bitter smile.
"I don't believe you."
"It's the truth," Shikaku insisted.
Nawaki huffed. "Chiba, we're teammates! How can you doubt me like that?"
"Fine, I won't press the issue. But don't forget—you still owe me that dinner."
"Don't worry, I won't forget."
"Uchiha Chiba vs. Hyuga Hiashi!" Jiraiya's voice rang out again.
Chiba turned to see Hyuga Hiashi's face darken even further. Losing his first match was bad enough, but now he had to face Chiba.
Although Hiashi was groomed as the next leader of the Hyuga clan and had been trained extensively, he was only at a Chūnin level at best. Meanwhile, Chiba had once fought Orochimaru to a standstill before even graduating.
Nevertheless, as a Hyuga and the heir to his clan, Hiashi wasn't about to back down. He walked into the arena with his head held high.
On the special seating platform, Ohnoki smirked. "Oh? A battle between the two great dōjutsu clans. Hokage, what do you think?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen remained composed. He knew Ohnoki was implying that the exam was rigged to create friction between Konoha's Uchiha and Hyuga clans. However, Sarutobi had no hand in arranging the matchups—it had been left to his subordinates.
Another thing puzzled him: although Chiba belonged to the Uchiha clan, he had never activated his Sharingan. At first, Sarutobi suspected he was hiding his abilities, but after prolonged observation, he was convinced—Chiba genuinely had never awakened his dōjutsu.