"Calling me for help and then collapsing yourself, I won't continue to accompany you." Mei drove Genma and Ebisu back and prepared to escape.
Kisame's team had been completely wiped out, and one of her teammates had also fallen. With four or five Konoha ninjas still capable of fighting, Mei didn't want to be surrounded and beaten by a group of Konoha ninjas.
"If you want to leave, it's simple: hand over the scroll." Obito shouted after thinking for a moment.
Although the battle between him and Mei was intense, it felt somewhat restrained. After Obito was injured, Mei didn't act aggressively anymore. However, letting Mei leave directly was out of the question; such good fortune was rare in this world. Since she participated in the battle, she would have to leave something behind.
Since Mei participated in the battle for the scroll, even though they already had the Heaven Scroll, Obito still intended to take Mei's Heaven Scroll.
"This time, I guess I'm unlucky," Mei decisively took out a white scroll from her ninja tool pouch and threw it towards Obito.
The scroll could be taken again, and Mei was confident in her own strength. However, if she were to be heavily injured, it would be troublesome, and she would still end up losing the scroll. Since she had to give up the scroll one way or another, Mei preferred to conserve her strength.
Throwing the scroll indicated Mei's surrender. Originally heading towards Mei, Guy halted his steps, and Rin, who had been fighting with the Mist Genin, turned to Obito to provide treatment.
The Mist Genin who had been fighting Rin also hurried to check on their teammates and, finding them still alive, rushed to provide aid.
With the battle completely over, Kakashi sighed in relief, his tense body finally relaxing.
However, Kakashi did not lie down to rest. Instead, he began to clean up the battlefield, searching for and taking the Scrolls from Kisame's team.
"Guy, what scrolls are you still missing?" Kakashi asked, walking up to Guy with two scrolls in hand.
He certainly couldn't let Guy and his team help out for nothing. Even if Guy's team was missing the Earth Scroll, Kakashi would still give them the only Earth Scroll he had.
"We received the Earth Scroll, but we're still missing a Heaven Scroll," Guy replied.
Kakashi handed the white scroll marked with the character for Heaven to Guy. This way, both teams would meet the requirements for the exam and even have an extra Heaven Scroll.
"Great, now we can head straight to the central tower," Genma said, showing an excited expression.
This exam turned out to be easier than he had imagined. He had been nervous when signing the consent form, given that he was just a rookie who graduated a few months ago, facing off against those who had graduated years ago in a life-or-death battle.
Yet, within just a few hours, they easily met the requirements to pass the exam. Genma felt ecstatic about the support he received.
"Yes, we need to head to the central tower once our conditions recover," Kakashi nodded and said.
With the exam requirements met, it was best to head to the central tower as soon as possible.
"Encountering such a group of incredible geniuses," Ensui marveled, having watched the whole battle.
Obito's Fire Release and Sharingan, Kakashi's speed and sword techniques, Guy's Taijutsu—everything amazed him. It was hard to imagine how they had trained to achieve such strength at their age.
"Midori thinks so too; they are amazing," Inuzuka Midori agreed, nodding. Her only comment on Guy's Taijutsu was that it was terrifying.
Everyone thought the battle was over and relaxed, discussing the recent fight.
While enjoying Rin's treatment, Obito bragged about Mei's abilities, which he had faced.
"She must be a super genius from the Mist Village. I've never seen anyone's Ninjutsu transform into another Ninjutsu after being used. I haven't even heard of such a thing," Obito declared emphatically.
After all, if that's the case, losing in such a manner is understandable—being in less than optimal condition and having Ninjutsu that was countered, while facing another genius opponent, losing is quite reasonable.
"Yes, yes, Obito, you worked very hard this time," Rin said with a gentle smile and a nod.
Obito did indeed make a significant contribution in this battle. At the beginning, he managed to hold off Kisame and Kurosawa single-handedly, giving Kakashi the opportunity to deal with Zabuza. Later, he also managed to stall the powerful Mei. Although it seemed like no one won, his contribution was substantial.
"Even though I lost to her this time, I will definitely win next time," Obito started to look forward to the future.
From Kakashi, Obito learned that the first two exams of the Chunin Exam would differ, but the third exam would be similar to the Academy's practical exams, involving a lottery for one-on-one combat.
Obito wanted to face Mei in the third exam in his best form.
"I believe you can do it, Obito," Rin encouraged him with a smile.
"Ha-ha..." Obito chuckled as he prepared to respond to Rin's praise when suddenly a figure flashed, causing Obito's pupils to contract sharply. "Rin-chan, be careful!"
Bang!
A black-clad adult ninja suddenly appeared next to Rin, kicking her away from Obito, who was being treated.
"You bastard!"
Seeing Rin being attacked right before his eyes, a furious Obito, disregarding his injuries, launched an attack on the black-clad ninja, throwing powerful punches.
"Is that all you've got?" The black-clad ninja effortlessly caught Obito's fist and then threw him forcefully into a large tree, smashing it with such force that the tree was broken in half.
The sudden turn of events shocked everyone.
"Another Mist Ninja. Why is it just one person, and I don't recognize him at all," Kakashi said, first confirming the identity of the black-clad ninja through the headband, followed by confusion.
There were ten teams from the Mist Village participating in this Chunin Exam. Kakashi had a good memory, and although he didn't remember everyone in detail, he was sure he had not seen this suddenly appearing black-clad Mist Ninja before.
"Could it be someone using Transformation Jutsu?" Kakashi speculated. Judging by the appearance of the black-clad Mist Ninja, he seemed to be in his thirties, which was unusual for a Chunin Exam participant.
Kakashi immediately dismissed that idea, as the Chunin Exam was not a covert mission, and there was no need to use Transformation Jutsu for killing.
If only one option remained, then even if it seemed unlikely, it had to be accepted as the truth.
"An unexpected incident, a non-candidate has infiltrated the exam!" Kakashi's expression was very grim.
"Stone Breathing, Total Concentration Breathing, Gate of Opening, Open! Gate of Rest, Open!"
Guy immediately opened the Eight Inner Gates and concentrated his breathing, launching himself at the black-clad Mist Ninja and engaging in a fierce battle.
The two fought at incredible speeds. Despite Guy opening two gates and using Total Concentration Breathing, the black-clad Mist Ninja was unperturbed, skillfully wielding his short blade. In just half a minute of combat, the black-clad Mist Ninja left several scratches on Guy's clothes.
"Hey, hey, they didn't mention this part when they assigned me the mission," Kurosawa said, his expression changing as he watched the Mist Jonin appear.
With the Mist Jonin attacking Konoha Genin in the Chunin Exam arena, Kurosawa could already see his own death approaching.
He wasn't afraid of death; rather, he felt that he had been sold out by the Mist Elders.
Being killed in a fight with Chunin Exam candidates would mean he was outmatched, but being betrayed and killed had a different meaning.
"Ha-ha, is this Hidden Mist Village? It's truly laughable," Zabuza sneered with a mocking smile.
"Do you know who he is?" Kakashi, who was preparing to step in and help, stopped and asked Zabuza.
"His name is Akutami Hideyuki, a Jonin who almost became one of the Seven Ninja Swordmasters of the Mist," Zabuza glanced at Kakashi and shared what he knew.
At this moment, Zabuza felt unusually calm. After all, it was a village where classmates could be killed during graduation exams, so such things happening was quite reasonable.
"I don't know if that sword you use to protect your comrades will be of any use this time. That guy is not someone we can compare to," Zabuza even took on a spectator's attitude.
In his mind, both he and Kakashi were doomed, just by different hands.
Zabuza knew about Akutami Hideyuki because he was his guiding Jonin. Akutami Hideyuki was no ordinary Jonin, and killing a few genius youths in less than optimal condition would be far too easy for him.
"Mist Jonin..." Kakashi frowned deeply, ignoring Zabuza's words and unleashing his Breathing Technique to help Guy deal with Akutami Hideyuki.
At this moment, Guy had already been forced to open the Third Gate, but he still struggled against Akutami Hideyuki's fierce assault. The combination of fluid Water Release and sharp sword techniques from Akutami Hideyuki put immense pressure on Guy.
There was no doubt that the black-clad Mist Ninja in front of him was stronger than the Hidden Cloud Jonin he had faced before!
Genma and Ebisu, who tried to assist, were directly injured.
"He's so strong," Genma said, covering his injured arm, looking shocked.
When he faced Akutami Hideyuki directly, he felt the presence of death for the first time. If Guy hadn't been there, he felt that he and Ebisu might have been instantly killed.
"This guy doesn't look like a candidate," Ebisu also noticed the problem with Akutami Hideyuki.
With Kakashi joining the fight and Rin briefly treating herself before joining the battle, the additional two people only eased the pressure on Guy a bit, but they did not turn the situation around.
In less than two minutes, everyone fighting Akutami Hideyuki had numerous bloodstains on them.
Kakashi and Rin, who had been through multiple battles, were in very poor condition.
"Give up resisting; it will be a bit easier to die this way," Akutami Hideyuki said with a relaxed and content expression, keeping an eye on Obito, who was nearby, looking pained and gasping for breath.
Obito, already injured and not yet fully treated, was now under attack. Even moving a bit faster made him feel very uncomfortable.
But Obito knew he couldn't fall; his teammates were still fighting and were at a disadvantage.
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