Hitsugaya couldn't help but marvel, although everyone here was human, the differences were visibly obvious. Compared to this man, even the proud Uchiha clan seemed lackluster. Blended into the crowd!
Seeing his appearance achieving the desired effect, Minato Namikaze sighed in relief. The reason he used the Body Flicker Technique to make his entrance was to intimidate these genin. Having just experienced the interruption caused by Jiraiya-sensei, the examinees were restless. If he didn't show some real skill to subdue these juniors, the subsequent tasks would not proceed smoothly. He wasn't fortunate either, as his own teacher was roped in by the Third Hokage to be in charge of this Chūnin Exam. Likewise, he was also caught by his teacher to serve as Jiraiya's assistant. Though termed as an assistant, his teacher's carefree nature was truly headache-inducing. Basically, he was handed all the tasks to handle, all in the name of "training."
"This time's assessment is very simple! We have hidden various mission items in this forest, each group of items totals six. Using the clues we provide, find them and stay in this Forest of Death for three days. Your task is to find these items, then hide yourselves and reach the central area of the forest. There is no limit on the number of participants! But each set of mission items allows a maximum of three people to pass the test!"
After explaining the rules of the exam, Minato felt somewhat relieved. At least he hadn't messed things up. Otherwise, Kushina would definitely mock him! She had originally wanted to be an examiner for this assessment. Thankfully, Jiraiya-sensei vetoed that idea! Imagining her hot temper mixed with the fearless examinees was a scene that made his scalp tingle.
"Examiner-san, you haven't introduced yourself yet!" A girl around fifteen or sixteen looked at him with a starry-eyed expression. From her look, if it wasn't the wrong time, she probably would have rushed up to him already.
Seeing this, even with Minato's top-tier reflexes, he felt overwhelmed for a moment! Luckily, Kushina wasn't here, otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable!
"Ah! Sorry! I forgot to introduce myself first!" Scratching the back of his head and revealing an apologetic smile, he caused an even bigger commotion among the girls.
He then said, "My name is Minato Namikaze, currently a jōnin in Konoha! You can call me Jōnin Minato, or Senpai Minato!"
"Ah! So you are Senpai Minato! Your deeds are still told in our ninja school! Who would have thought you're even more handsome than the legends!"
Some bolder girls, seeing this, showed no shyness and started striking up a conversation with Minato. While they had heard tales of him at the ninja school, those stories paled in comparison to seeing him in person! His appearance and demeanor were so perfect~~
Seeing the starstruck girls turning the assessment into a fan meet, even the Uchiha next to him, who was angry moments ago, was now fully focused on Minato, completely forgetting what had previously upset her.
Hitsugaya couldn't help but marvel at the immense charm of "Eternal Hero"! No wonder he became the Fourth Hokage!
"Um~ Senpai Minato~ Is there any restriction for this assessment?" Seeing someone finally helping him out, Minato inwardly sighed in relief! These underclassmen were too enthusiastic! It would be really tough if Kushina knew about this!
Returning a gentle smile to the underclassmen, he quickly explained, "The only restriction for this assessment is that you must not kill or cripple other examinees. If such incidents occur, you will immediately lose your qualification to be part. Next, follow the number assigned to your team, take clues every three minutes, and enter the exam venue! Remember, we have proctors monitoring you in the shadows. We hope everyone behaves appropriately! Also, if you encounter danger or want to quit the exam, please use the signal flares provided to you! Someone will come to rescue you!"
The Chūnin Exam was designed to be this mild largely because of Minato's efforts. After discussing with Jiraiya-sensei, he submitted the exam plan to the Third Hokage, who highly appreciated it and signed off without hesitation, ignoring any opposing voices! The Third Hokage even kept him behind in his office, talking at length about the "Will of Fire," and warmly encouraged him!
"Everyone, gather according to your teams. I'll call out the team numbers one by one to enter the exam venue!"
"Team One!" "Here!"
As Minato called out each team number, the number of participants in the field quickly dwindled.
"Team Thirteen!"
Hearing his team's number called, Hitsugaya led Uchiha and Tetsu swiftly into the Forest of Death. Minato noticed the one who helped him out was an Uchiha genin, momentarily surprised. However, with his demeanor, he treated everyone equally, sending a sunny smile towards their retreating backs~
Unaware of what was happening behind, Hitsugaya, already in the Forest of Death, was mentally critiquing the outdated nature of the Chūnin Exam. Vigilantly observing the surroundings, he knew that a considerable number of participants were involved in this exam. For someone of his capability, passing the Chūnin Exam was almost a certainty. However, being cautious never hurt—best to avoid unexpected mishaps!