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Sakura spent all last night thinking about it. The more she thought, the more insecure and even a bit self-conscious she felt.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, she was worlds apart from Naruto and Sasuke. She felt like she was dragging them down.
This realization drained all the excitement she had felt when they were first assigned to the same team.
But now, Sakura didn't have time to dwell on these thoughts—her mind was filled with confusion. Yamato noticed Sakura's puzzled expression and asked:
"Sakura, do you have any questions?"
Hearing Yamato's voice, Sakura quickly responded, "Uh, Captain Yamato, what did you just say?"
Seeing Sakura's confused look, Yamato could only repeat himself.
"The Chunin Exams and the Ogami Clan's entrance selection are happening soon, but they overlap."
"So, you need to choose whether to participate in the Ogami Clan's entrance selection or the Chunin Exams."
After listening to Yamato's explanation, Sakura was even more confused. She had hoped she had heard wrong, but the answer was still the same.
She knew about the Chunin Exams and the Ogami Clan. After all, both their team leader Kakashi and the Hokage couple were members of the Ogami Clan.
But what was this entrance selection? Despite her weak combat skills, Sakura prided herself on her theoretical knowledge.
Yet, no matter how hard she searched her brain, she couldn't find any information about the Ogami Clan's entrance selection.
Naruto and Sasuke, however, didn't share her confusion.
They immediately said, "Is there even a choice? We're obviously going for the Ogami Clan's entrance selection. We've been waiting for this day for years."
Seeing the eager look in their eyes, Sakura hesitantly asked, "Um, can you explain what the Ogami Clan's entrance selection is?"
Naruto and Sasuke looked at her in shock. They couldn't believe that Sakura didn't know about the entrance selection.
However, as teammates, they weren't going to ridicule her.
Despite their surprise, they began to explain, "The Ogami Clan's entrance selection is essentially a grand event where the Ogami Clan recruits new disciples."
"Every ten years, the Ogami Clan holds this selection. It's the greatest opportunity in the world."
Seeing their astonished expressions, Sakura regretted asking. She felt like a clueless country bumpkin.
But as she listened to their explanation, a huge wave of realization hit her. Joining the Ogami Clan was a lifelong dream for many.
Over the years, the Ogami Clan's reputation had spread far and wide. Every member of the Ogami Clan was a top-tier figure in the ninja world.
Faced with such an opportunity, Sakura naturally wanted to join the Ogami Clan too. But could she really do it? She asked herself internally.
After all, she wasn't Uzumaki Naruto or Uchiha Sasuke. She lacked remarkable talent and came from an ordinary family.
Given her circumstances, did she really have a chance? However, her two teammates had already made their decision.
How could she be the one to hold them back? Clenching her teeth, Sakura forced herself to say, "We're definitely going for the entrance selection."
Hearing Sakura's words, Naruto and Sasuke both sighed in relief and burst into laughter.
"Haha, it's decided then!" They had been worried that Sakura might choose to opt out, and they didn't want to leave their teammate behind.
Now, that worry was no longer necessary. Seeing that all three had made their decisions, Yamato handed them each an application form.
Without hesitation, the three signed their names swiftly.
After collecting their applications, Yamato disappeared, leaving Naruto and Sasuke to mention that they needed to prepare, and they too left.
This left Sakura alone, standing in the wind, feeling completely torn about whether to go through with this or not.
Despite her internal conflict, Sakura couldn't ignore the fact that her crush was going. Her pride and feelings for him drove her to follow through.
Meanwhile, the entire village of Konoha buzzed with excitement as countless young ninjas prepared for this journey of a lifetime.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the long-awaited Ogami Clan's entrance tournament had finally arrived.
At the outskirts of the Ogami Clan's island, Nagato stood solemnly, gazing at the vast sea.
The members of the Ogami Clan were also bustling around, each with their tasks, none taking a moment to relax.
They were all determined to perform their best for this event.
The atmosphere was tense for the millions of participants at sea, facing numerous challenges and obstacles.
In stark contrast to their anxiety, Asahi, the head of the Ogami Clan, remained unusually calm.
He sat alone in the main hall, meditating as if he were detached from all the chaos. Yet, his spiritual energy enveloped the entire island, keeping track of everyone's state.
Despite the fiercer competition this time, many participants had previous experience, and the quality of this year's participants had increased significantly compared to the first selection.
Consequently, tens of thousands of people managed to pass the first round and reach the Ogami Clan's island.
As these individuals stepped onto the island, Asahi's face showed a hint of surprise.
The reason for his astonishment was the presence of two familiar faces—very familiar faces.
Indeed, standing at the edge of the island, a man and a woman observed their surroundings with keen interest.
Behind them, a girl holding a small pig stood quietly. Considering the difficulty of passing the first round, bringing a pet along was quite extraordinary.
However, anyone with some knowledge would not be surprised upon seeing the two leading figures.
One was a middle-aged man with white hair carrying a massive scroll on his back, and the other was a blonde woman wearing a green jacket with a large "gamble" character printed on it.
It was perfectly accurate to call them old acquaintances of Asahi because they were none other than Jiraiya and Tsunade, two of the legendary Sannin from Konoha.
As veteran powerhouses, their abilities rivaled those of the Kage from various villages. In fact, they were even stronger than many ordinary members of the Ogami Clan.
Given their long-established reputations in the ninja world, it was no surprise they could pass the first round of tests with a pet in tow.
Asahi's astonishment was not just because of their presence, but because these two formidable figures had actually arrived.
Although the Ogami Clan had already reached the pinnacle of the ninja world, the arrival of the free-spirited Jiraiya and Tsunade was something Asahi had never expected.
Despite his initial surprise, Asahi was delighted by their arrival.
This not only underscored the success of the Ogami Clan but also brought in two formidable Ninja.
It's important to note that Orochimaru, another member of the legendary Sannin, was already advancing to the Six Paths level.
Given the talent and resolve of Jiraiya and Tsunade, they were also likely to reach this level within ten years, perhaps even sooner.
Jiraiya, who had long been training in Sage Mode, and Tsunade, with her vast chakra reserves and precise control, both had significant natural advantages.
However, unlike Asahi, who welcomed the duo, the other participants viewed Jiraiya and Tsunade's arrival with dismay.
The competition was already fierce, and now, with these two contenders, the available spots had effectively decreased by two.
This heightened the pressure on everyone. Even the Kages were secretly frustrated.
While they didn't fear elimination due to their skills and experience, their subordinates were another matter.
Fewer spots meant diminished chances for their village's ninja. And since Konoha claimed these two spots, it added to their frustration.
Although Jiraiya and Tsunade hadn't been in Konoha for a while, no one doubted their loyalty to the village.
Both were students of the Third Hokage, and Tsunade was even considered Konoha's princess.
Despite the other participants' grumbling, Jiraiya and Tsunade remained unconcerned. The phrase "winning without fighting" perfectly described the situation.
Asahi had no ambitions to conquer the world, but his immense strength had naturally elevated the Ogami Clan to the top of the ninja world.
The clan's advanced training methods made every member exceptionally powerful.
To avoid being left behind, other ninja villages had no choice but to join the Ogami Clan to enhance their strength, solidifying the clan's dominant position.
"Asahi senpai's methods are beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. In just over a decade, the Ogami Clan has reached this level," Jiraiya said with a sigh.
Tsunade nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I still remember when Asahi-senpai saved us. His unmatched power made me feel as insignificant as an ant."
"Despite his strength, he remained unbelievably humble. But when he chose not to stay humble, his actions were even more astonishing."
Jiraiya nodded, reflecting on her words. "It's true. Only in this scenario can we fully appreciate Asahi senpai's talent and magnanimity."
"Befriending him was the best decision of our lives. Look at Konoha now—I'm sure the old man smiles even in his sleep."
As Jiraiya laughed, a bright smile appeared on Tsunade's face as well.
Indeed, Konoha was now more prosperous than ever, even surpassing the days when her grandfather, the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, was alive.
All this success began the day they met Asahi.
"Jiraiya-sama? Tsunade-sama?" A clear voice suddenly interrupted their reminiscing.
Jiraiya and Tsunade turned their attention to the source of the voice, seeing a girl with face paint similar to Jiraiya's.
They were momentarily stunned, wondering who she was.
"Who are you?" Tsunade and Jiraiya, who hadn't returned to Konoha in many years, asked in confusion.
"Jiraiya-sama, Tsunade-sama, it's really you! I'm—"
"Ah, you're Rin!"
The girl carrying the pig behind Tsunade and Jiraiya suddenly exclaimed with delight.
Indeed, the one greeting them was none other than Rin Nohara, who had been a member of the Ogami Clan for ten years.
Rin, in turn, heard the girl's voice and shifted her attention to her. As she saw the short-haired girl, memories from her teenage years flooded back.
"You're… Shizune!" Rin exclaimed with joy.
In their youth, Rin and Shizune had been inseparable friends.
However, since Shizune left Konoha to become Tsunade's apprentice, Rin hadn't seen her for nearly twenty years.
The sudden reunion with her old friend was exhilarating.
As Jiraiya and Tsunade watched the excited girls, information about Rin resurfaced in their minds.
Despite not returning to Konoha for many years, they were aware of Rin's achievements, especially since she had successfully joined the Ogami Clan.
Rin was Minato's student, making her Jiraiya's grand student.
Though Rin's performance in the Ogami Clan seemed average, the very fact that she had joined was a source of pride for Jiraiya and Tsunade.
Furthermore, it was crucial to remember that this was the Ogami Clan.
Even an average performance within the clan was exceptional in the outside world.
A member of the Ogami Clan, even one considered average within the clan, would be regarded as a top-tier ninja elsewhere.
Jiraiya and Tsunade, with their keen eyes, could see that Rin's strength was formidable, even if it didn't quite match their own.