Chapter 94: I Might Have Missed Out on Billions - The White Eyed Princess of Konoha

### Chapter 94: I Might Have Missed Out on Billions When Hinata returned to the venue, the battle between Shikamaru and Temari had already concluded. The match unfolded almost as it did in the original story. Though Temari initially had the upper hand, she fell into Shikamaru's trap, losing due to a careless mistake. Nevertheless, Shikamaru chose to forfeit, citing his lack of chakra. Perhaps it wasn't solely about the chakra. Maybe it was because Shikamaru is just lazy, or perhaps his skills of flirting were quite adept. Next up was the third match: Sasuke versus Gaara. Yet, Sasuke was nowhere to be found. Naruto leaned against the railing, scanning the crowd while complaining, "Where on earth is Sasuke? And Kakashi-sensei, too? If they don't show up soon, Sasuke will lose his chance to take the exam!" "And Sakura and Ino are missing as well." The third match delay dragged on, leading to a cacophony of grumbling from the audience. The truth is, many in the audience were here specifically for Sasuke. While the Hyuga clan, like the Uchiha, is formidable, the Uchiha had been wiped out. There would be plenty more opportunities to witness the Hyuga's combat. However, as the last surviving member of the Uchiha, Sasuke attracted considerable attention. The Third Hokage seemed to have exchanged words with Orochimaru, who was disguised as the Fourth Kazekage. They ultimately decided to postpone the third match and proceed with the fourth match—Neji versus Choji. Hinata rested her chin on her hands, watching the two in the ring, somewhat bored. Despite not knowing what Choji had gone through in the past month, without using the Three-Color Pills, he was unlikely to beat Neji. Though using the Three-Color Pills in the Chunin Exams was allowed, it would not earn Choji any accolades. Even if he did manage to defeat Neji by using them, he wouldn't be able to continue to the next round. Therefore, this match held no interest for Hinata at all. Choji alternated between rolling around as a human bullet tank and hurling explosive kunai at Neji. He seemed to have picked up some spending-heavy tactics. Shikamaru approached casually. Despite his recent struggles, his performance was impressive. "What on earth is Sasuke doing? Could he have forfeited?" Shikamaru wondered, glancing at the trio from the Sand Village and remarking, "Then again, maybe it's a wise choice. That Sand guy carrying a gourd is indeed intimidating." Coincidentally, Temari from the Sand Village also turned to look at Shikamaru, prompting him to turn away awkwardly. Hinata teased, "Shikamaru, nice work! It seems that Temari from the Sand Village has a bit of a crush on you." Shikamaru panicked, "Hinata, don't joke about that." "What are you talking about?" Naruto interjected, radiating confidence in Sasuke, "Sasuke will definitely come!" In a rare moment, Hinata backed Sasuke, "Oh, Sasuke will come, no doubt, but I hope he hasn't picked up Kakashi's habit of tardiness. Let’s just hope he doesn't arrive after everything's over!" "Oh my goodness!!!" Hinata suddenly gasped. Thinking about Sasuke led her to think of Gaara, which reminded her of those cannon fodder in the original story who tried to stop Gaara from winning. This Chunin Exam had a betting pool... Hinata's eyes welled up as she gazed skyward, realizing she might have missed out on billions! Naruto looked at her, concerned, "Hinata, are you okay?" Even Shikamaru was taken aback, wondering if Hinata was recalling something troubling again. Hinata ignored Naruto and turned to Shikamaru, asking, "Shikamaru, do you know about the betting going on during the Chunin Exams?" Shikamaru nodded, "I've heard about it—just idle nobles and their games. Why are you asking, Hinata?" "What else? To place a bet!" "The outcomes of these matches are so predictable. If I had bet beforehand, I might have made a fortune by now!" Hinata lamented. Shikamaru turned away, apparently uninterested in entertaining Hinata's plight. Hinata grabbed Shikamaru, pressing further, "Shikamaru, do you know where I can still place a bet?" Wondering if it was too late, she considered, with Sasuke and Gaara's match coming up, the Konoha Crush plan would soon be in motion! Shikamaru shrugged, "The betting happens outside, and ninja aren't allowed to place bets!" Hinata glared at Shikamaru, dismissing him, "Did you learn Transformation Jutsu from Akamaru or something?" "Even if someone might see through a Transformation Jutsu, you could have a civilian place the bet for you!" Shikamaru was annoyed, realizing that Hinata had just questioned his intelligence. Uninterested in engaging them further, Hinata went off to mourn the millions she potentially lost by herself. In the arena below, Neji and Choji's battle was winding down. Choji's techniques were bold and broad, while Neji was swift and agile. Once Choji exhausted his kunai and explosive tags, Neji dispatched him with a few attacks, leaving him dazed. Though Neji remained unharmed, he looked a bit scruffy after the explosive tags. A tepid applause echoed among the audience. This match lowered the standard of the Chunin Exams, disgracing the Hidden Leaf Village. "What's happening with the next match?" "Isn't the Uchiha here yet?" Voices filled the stadium. Some in the audience were practically ready to toss bottles into the arena out of frustration. Hinata scanned the stands and noticed Hiashi Hyuga had already made his exit along with Hanabi. This slightly reassured her, knowing the area was soon to become a battleground, and it was too perilous for Hanabi to stay. Naruto, frustrated by Sasuke's tardiness, almost vaulted over the railing, prepared to use Transformation Jutsu to take Sasuke's place. “They’re here!” Without even activating her Byakugan, Hinata’s heightened sensory abilities from Sage Mode kicked in. In the center of the field, a leaf gently descended. Before it touched the ground, a gust of wind suddenly appeared, swirling countless leaves around in a dramatic display. In her mind, Hinata pictured Kakashi and Sasuke, back-to-back, each holding a handful of leaves, tossing them around while spinning. The scene was reminiscent of *Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons*, the entry of the Hollow Young Master. Except, with Kakashi and Sasuke concealed beneath the leaves, no one saw them in their awkward moments of leaf-tossing. It must have looked ridiculous! As the wind subsided and the leaves settled, Kakashi and Sasuke struck poses, standing coolly in the center of the arena. "Wow!" "The Uchiha is here!" The audience erupted in fangirl screams erupting from the stands. Kakashi, smiling behind his mask, looked at Genma Shiranui and casually apologized, "Sorry for being late!" Genma, with a senbon toothpick in his mouth, nonchalantly replied, "State your name!" "Uchiha... Sasuke!"