59 - Second Match

In the bustling arena, Kushina Uzumaki with her vibrant red hair leaned forward in her seat. "Good job!" she whispered, her fists clenched in excitement. Her azure eyes sparkled with pride as she watched young Chiba's victory.

Down in the arena, Chiba winced as he rubbed his fists. The impact of striking the water bomb had left his hands throbbing with a dull ache. He glanced at his palms, noting the reddened skin. 'I hope Yukina can check for any serious damage,' he thought. 'If I'm injured, it could jeopardize the entire exam.'

As the medical team carried away his opponent, Mizutani, Chiba couldn't help but let out a weary sigh. The reality of the ninja world had never been clearer: strength and weakness were relative, and victory was never guaranteed.

'Mizutani's Water Release technique was formidable,' Chiba mused, 'but he lacked in other areas. Still, he almost had me. That water bomb... if it had landed, I might be the one on a stretcher right now.'

The proctor, Minato Namikaze, raised his voice. "Winner: Chiba!" The announcement echoed through the arena as Chiba made his way to the spectator stands.

Whispers rippled through the crowd, a mix of awe and disdain.

"That kid... only seven years old, he defeated the eleven-year-old Mizutani. Amazing!"

"Hey, isn't that the son of the traitor?"

"Huh? It is! I didn't recognize him at first."

The initial admiration in the audience's voices quickly soured, replaced by a palpable disgust. Chiba, his face impassive, pretended not to hear as he climbed the stairs.

In the stands, a man in a Konoha Chunin vest – likely Mizutani's father – clenched his fists. "Lost to the son of a traitor," he growled. "I'll have to train that boy harder when we get home."

Beside him, a gentle-looking woman with worried eyes – Mizutani's mother – nodded hesitantly. "Anyone can lose, but to the son of a traitor..."

A small girl, no older than five, sat next to them, licking a lollipop. "Big brother is so lame," she complained, her pigtails bouncing as she shook her head.

Kushina, overhearing the family's conversation, frowned deeply. Her mind raced with questions. 'Chiba's father... the border incident... It was seven years ago. I need to find out what really happened.'

Oblivious to the murmurs around him, Chiba approached his teammates. Hirohiko and Yukina stood rigid, their faces etched with concern they were trying hard to mask.

"Congratulations," they said in unison, their smiles not quite reaching their eyes.

Chiba, knowing his friends well enough to read their true feelings, decided to lighten the mood. "Thanks," he said, then held out his hands. "Hey, Yukina, mind checking if I did any real damage here?"

Yukina's stern expression softened slightly. "Can't you ever be serious?" she chided, but her gentle touch belied her words as she examined his hands. After a moment, she nodded. "You'll be fine. Just rest them for a bit."

Relief washed over Chiba. He turned to Hirohiko, returning the borrowed ninja pouch. "Sorry about using your explosive tags," he said sheepishly.

Hirohiko shrugged. "It's fine," he replied, his voice as stoic as ever.

Their conversation was cut short as the big screen above the arena flickered to life once more. Names flashed by in a blur until the first slot settled: Hirohiko Uchiha.

Chiba blinked in surprise. "What are the odds? First me, now you."

Hirohiko nodded solemnly, then turned to Yukina. "Can I borrow some shuriken?"

Without a word, Yukina reached into her pouch and handed over a set of gleaming throwing stars.

'I really need to get my own gear,' Chiba thought, watching the exchange. 'Can't keep relying on borrowed weapons.'

"Good luck," Chiba said, patting Hirohiko's shoulder as his friend prepared to leave.

The second name appeared on the screen: Shiga Takeyuki.

As Hirohiko made his way down to the arena, Yukina leaned closer to Chiba. "Shiga Takeyuki," she whispered. "He's supposed to be good with shuriken and taijutsu."

Chiba nodded, his eyes fixed on Hirohiko's retreating form. "Shuriken? Please. I can't imagine anyone outclassing Hirohiko in that department. This match is as good as decided."

Around them, other participants buzzed with excitement.

"Poor Taketake, going up against Hirohiko Uchiha."

"Did you see how he countered Mito's *Shadow Shuriken Jutsu* earlier? Unreal!"

"My dad can't even throw like that."

"It's got to be the Sharingan. With those eyes, anyone could be that good."

Chiba felt his jaw clench at the last comment. 'The Sharingan?' he thought bitterly. 'You think that's all it takes? If only you knew how many hours Hirohiko spends practicing. While you're all playing and being coddled, he's out there, pushing himself to the limit. That's why he's so strong. Not because of some genetic luck, but because he works harder than anyone.'

Down in the arena, Hirohiko and Shiga Takeyuki faced each other, tension thick in the air between them. Minato Namikaze raised his hand, his voice cutting through the excited chatter of the crowd.

"The second match of the second round of the Chunin Exam. Begin!"