NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 54: Final round.
We didn't have to wait long at all. By the evening of the second day, the second team arrived—the group led by Ibiki, with Genma and Aoba beside him.
They showed their scrolls to the instructor and quietly followed him to their room. I noticed they looked tired—probably worn down by constant combat or tracking.
Kakashi, Guy, and I saw them arrive, but they didn't seem to register our presence. They just trudged into their room without saying a word.
We figured they needed rest. So, we returned to what we were doing.
I continued with my fuinjutsu work.
Kakashi was still experimenting with lightning chakra, refining something he'd been working on for days.
Guy was training like a man possessed, his physical workout leaving sweat trails across the stone floor.
After our training, we had dinner and returned to our room.
We were assigned a single room with three beds, so we each took a spot and lay back. Naturally, Guy was the first to break the silence.
"That second team," he said, stretching his arms. "They're all our seniors."
He grinned with that usual fire in his eyes. "They'll be our competition in the final round. But no worries! With my burning youth, I'll defeat them all—even you two!"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow and simply replied, "Let's see about that in the final round."
I just smiled and closed my eyes. I didn't say anything. But deep down, I knew—I had no intention of losing.
---
Next morning.
We were already in the central ground of the tower, training like before. I was seated near the wall, working on a complicated sealing formula. Guy was throwing punches with earth-shaking force, and Kakashi sat with his hands clasped, refining his lightning chakra into a sharp blade.
That's when Ibiki and his team showed up.
They walked straight toward us, Ibiki stopping a few feet away.
"I thought we'd be the first team to arrive," he said, sounding mildly surprised. "But you three really surprised us."
I stood up and replied, "Wasn't easy for us either."
Ibiki gave a slight smirk. "I thought you'd be the type with all brains and no guts—but I guess I was wrong."
He was clearly referring to the fact that Kakashi and I ranked first and second in the written exam.
Then, he formally introduced his team.
"Ibiki Morino."
"Aoba Yamashiro."
"Genma Shiranui."
We responded in kind.
"Ren Senju."
"Might Guy."
"Kakashi Hatake."
The moment our names were spoken, Ibiki and his team showed a flicker of recognition. They had clearly heard of Kakashi and me before—likely from our record-breaking graduation. But they seemed unfamiliar with Guy.
Still, Ibiki didn't underestimate us. "We'll be coming for you in the final round," he warned before heading off with his team to train on the other side of the tower.
We didn't take his words as a threat. If anything, it added fuel to our motivation.
We all returned to our training, maintaining focus.
---
By evening, two more teams arrived—the teams of Ensui Nara and Izuna Uchiha.
I wasn't surprised to see them arrive together. After what happened earlier, it made sense that they'd formed a temporary alliance.
They submitted their scrolls to the instructor and went to their rooms. Izuna didn't miss the opportunity to shoot me a deep, hateful glare before vanishing down the hall.
I returned a neutral expression. His resentment didn't bother me.
---
The next couple of days passed as more teams arrived one by one.
By the fifth day—the final day of the second round—only two hours remained.
Then, the last team finally arrived, bringing the total to ten teams. Thirty genin in total.
I knew then that no more would be coming.
The instructor also seemed to realize it. He gathered everyone in the central ground and began the announcement.
"Everyone, congratulations," he said clearly. "You have all been selected for the final one-on-one round."
A buzz of excitement and tension rippled through the crowd.
"The match will take place in the central arena of the tower after two days. Until then, you are allowed to stay inside the tower or train in the forest nearby. However—listen carefully—no fighting is allowed before the official start of the matches. If anyone is caught, they will be disqualified and banned from participating in the Chunin Exams for the next two years."
That got everyone's attention.
The instructor continued, "The Hokage, elders, and clan leaders will also be present to witness your battles in the final round. This stage is critical. Be prepared."
I already had a general idea of what would happen. Minato had told me before that the final round would be a public tournament.
**Third Stage:** A one-on-one tournament where the remaining genin battle to display their skills. This isn't just about winning—it's to show individual potential, tactics, and combat prowess before the village leaders. Sometimes, a genin can be promoted even without winning if they demonstrate Chunin-level judgment and skill.
The instructor added one more detail.
"The **winner** of the final round will also receive a personal reward from the Hokage."
That piqued the interest of many.
Then came the final declaration.
"Only eight of you will advance from the preliminaries. The eight who pass will enter a knockout-style tournament—quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the finals."
He let the silence hang for a few moments before walking away, leaving everyone to process the announcement.