Chapter 78: The Beginning of Sasuke's Descent into Darkness - The White Eyed Princess of Konoha

Chapter 78: The Beginning of Sasuke's Descent into Darkness The preliminary matches were finally over. The eight who advanced were Hinata, Naruto, Neji, Temari, Shikamaru, Sasuke, Gaara, and Choji. Hinata was quite satisfied. Naruto and Sasuke were her teammates, Neji was a follower, and Choji and Shikamaru were like little brothers to her... Ah, I—Ōtsutsuki Hinata—have a mighty influence! Hayate Gekko looked at the eight in front of him and said coolly, "Congratulations to all of you for successfully passing the preliminary matches and advancing to the third round of the Chūnin Exams..." The Third Hokage slowly approached Hayate Gekko. Hayate was puzzled and said with a hint of unease, "Uh... Lord Hokage, do you...?" The Third Hokage ignored Hayate, smiled at the eight, and said, "I'm here to explain the details of the official matches..." "Tsk tsk tsk!" Hinata rolled her eyes. This Hayate guy... he really doesn't have a promising future. With a serious expression, the Third Hokage explained, "As I mentioned before, you'll be participating in official matches in front of distinguished guests. You represent your respective countries, and I hope you'll perform at your best." "To this end, the official matches will be held a month from now!" ... In a secluded corner of the village, Orochimaru met with Kabuto Yakushi once more. "This place sure is peaceful! Actually... it's this country that's too tranquil and calm, while others are fervently engaged in an arms race." Kabuto glanced at Orochimaru and said indifferently, "Isn't that precisely an opportunity for us?" "Indeed," Orochimaru said with a sinister tone. "And I wonder how entertaining it would be to chop off that old man's head." Kabuto replied flatly, "It seems to me you haven't quite made up your mind yet!" Orochimaru fell silent, and Kabuto couldn't detect his true intentions. Being a spy moving between various factions at this time, Kabuto wasn't fully trusted by Orochimaru, nor was he wholly devoted to him. Kabuto looked at Orochimaru with an amused expression and said, "It seems you still don't trust me completely." Orochimaru teased, "As my future right-hand man, you really don't need to worry about these minor things. This already shows that I trust you." "Therefore... I'm counting on you with Sasuke." "Though there were some unexpected incidents before, it's no big deal, but... you should take this opportunity to awaken the darkness within him." "Bring him over right away!" Even though Orochimaru hadn't interacted much with Sasuke, he understood him profoundly. Sasuke was resolute in his desire to seek revenge on Itachi Uchiha, and this Chūnin Exam would undeniably be a huge blow to Sasuke. How many among those who passed the preliminaries would Sasuke be confident in defeating? In the Forest of Death, Shino Aburame, who ended in a draw with Sasuke, lost to Neji Hyuga. Rock Lee, with his formidable strength, fell at Gaara's feet. Even those who didn't pass the preliminaries might be more than a match for Sasuke, let alone the upcoming matches. Kabuto subtly remarked, "You're unlike yourself, feeling the pressure?" Orochimaru calmly stated, "Because unexpected elements have emerged..." Kabuto probed, "Do you mean Hinata Hyuga? Seems like Orochimaru-sama has finally taken an interest in her..." In a voice devoid of emotion, Orochimaru replied, "Based on the information you've gathered, since Sasuke teamed up with Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga, his thoughts and inner world have transformed." "In that case, it’s best to separate them as soon as possible!" Having been through similar experiences, Orochimaru naturally understood Sasuke's psychology. Jiraiya and Tsunade were also part of Orochimaru's past. Orochimaru licked his lips and said sinisterly, "So that... Sasuke can be influenced by me sooner." Without Hinata around, Orochimaru found more joy in sticking his tongue out fearlessly. "Yes!" As Kabuto turned to leave, he suddenly felt a chill as if watched by a terrifying presence. "Kabuto, if you want to stop me, you'll have to kill Sasuke now." "With your strength, you stand no chance against me!" As he finished, Orochimaru smiled, "Go ahead! I trust you!" Orochimaru was amused; Kabuto had used Hinata several times to gauge Orochimaru’s obsession with Sasuke, clearly sensing something was amiss. While Hinata might currently outperform Sasuke, in Orochimaru’s view, her potential was predetermined. Even if Hinata could exceed the Hyuga Clan's historical limit, she wouldn’t capture Orochimaru’s intrigue as much. Compared to Sasuke, who was easily influenced, Hinata had matured considerably, with a heart shrouded in darkness. Orochimaru wasn't sure he could manipulate her. The most crucial factor was: the Byakugan remained just that in history, while the Sharingan was a game-changer. In the main hall of the central tower: The Third Hokage had spoken at length and concluded with a mischievous remark, "Although disbanding sounds appealing, there's one important thing to settle before the official matches." Naruto, already impatient, shouted, "How many things are left?" "Don't rush..." The Third Hokage glanced back and called, "… Anko." Anko came forward with a box of drawing lots, smiling silently. The Third Hokage explained, "Everyone will draw a lot from Anko's box." Anko approached Hinata with a smile and invited, "Little sister, you're quite interesting. Want to grab a drink after the match?" "I'm not of age yet..." Hinata said, suddenly activating her Byakugan to pick a '1' from the box. Anko chuckled and said preemptively, "Little sister, it doesn’t help to cheat on the draw! Once everyone has drawn, we'll announce the matchups." Hinata looked up at Anko and gave a whimsical smile. Anko was a decent person; her words prevented others from complaining. After the draw, matchups were set. Hinata versus Naruto; Shikamaru versus Temari; Sasuke versus Gaara; Neji versus Choji. Facing Naruto, huh? Hinata turned her gaze to Naruto, whose face had turned pale. He clutched the '2' slip tightly, sweating profusely, muttering to himself, "I’m doomed. Hinata’s going to beat me to a pulp!" Hinata patted Naruto. When he looked over, she smiled sweetly, "Naruto, don’t worry! I promise I won't beat you to death!" Naruto wiped the sweat from his forehead, forcing a laugh, "Really? Hehehe... Hinata, I won’t lose to you. I’ll definitely beat you!" "Oh, is that so?" Hinata replied gently, her voice betraying no hint of emotion, "Let’s both give it our best!" Sasuke clenched his '6' slip into a ball. Though his expression remained stoic, the resentment and rancor within him were impossible to suppress.