"You're taking the Chūnin Exams tomorrow, right?" Minato Namikaze asked with a warm smile, just as Kagetsu was about to leave after their training session.
"Yes, Minato-senpai," Kagetsu nodded respectfully.
"Good luck. Thanks to the exams, I'll get to stay in the village for a few more days," Minato added.
"I understand," Kagetsu nodded again. He knew Minato was indirectly telling him not to worry—Minato wouldn't be leaving the village suddenly during this period. The focus was on the Chūnin Exams.
---
The next day.
The venue for the Chūnin Exams.
The first part of the exam was a written test, held in classrooms provided by the Konoha Ninja Academy. Genin from allied villages had gathered to participate in the exam.
There were shinobi from Kusagakure (Hidden Grass Village), Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village), Sunagakure (Hidden Sand Village), and Amegakure (Hidden Rain Village).
In total, around 200 participants filled the room.
The written test wasn't too challenging. Both Kagetsu and Shisui found the questions easy. However, their teammate Anko was a bit of a wild card—ever since teaming up with them, she had become less inclined to use her brain.
When the results were posted, Anko breathed a huge sigh of relief upon seeing her name on the list of those who passed.
After the written exam, the group event began. The challenge simulated a ninja team's mission: gathering intel and delivering it successfully to the target location.
There were obstacles, of course—poisonous creatures, wild beasts, and enemy attacks. The whole exam was designed with built-in competition, forcing teams to confront each other, leading to eliminations.
The second part of the Chūnin Exams was held in the Forest of Death.
---
"After the first round, 90 Genin remain, divided into 30 teams. To pass this phase, we need to collect scrolls with different types of intel from other teams.
Ideally, 15 teams will advance. But due to unexpected situations—like duplicate scrolls—fewer teams usually make it through.
So, what's our strategy?"
Perched on a thick tree branch within the Forest of Death, Kagetsu and his team discussed their plan.
"Let's just head straight to the target point and wait there. If we run into anyone on the way, we'll deal with them," Kagetsu said after recalling the list of names from the written test. None of them stood out to him.
The time limit for this phase was five days, but Kagetsu had no intention of spending all that time wandering the forest.
"Waiting at the target point, huh? That's pretty bold," Shisui said, immediately catching on to Kagetsu's plan to act like opportunists. But he also knew that this tactic could backfire, provoking other teams to gang up on them.
Still, Shisui didn't object. He trusted his own abilities and believed in his teammates' strength as well.
Anko, of course, didn't care about the risks. In fact, she seemed excited. She jumped to her feet on the branch, full of energy, and pointed toward their destination in the Forest of Death. Without waiting, she dashed off at top speed.
"Save your energy!" Kagetsu and Shisui exchanged a glance, both feeling a bit helpless, and quickly followed her. They called out to Anko as they ran beside her.
"Don't nag!" Anko stomped hard on the branch, launching herself into the air and speeding up even more.
...
"Someone's coming."
A man with brown skin, a well-toned physique, and sunglasses stopped in his tracks. He wore a forehead protector from Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village).
"Where?" His teammates immediately formed a triangular formation, back-to-back, covering all directions with vigilance.
"They're charging straight at us without any attempt to hide. Could it be a clueless rookie?" The man with glasses pointed in a direction and made a quick hand signal. The two companions exchanged glances and disappeared into the ground.
Just as Anko and her two teammates emerged from the forest, flat, crackling thunder orbs shot out from the dense foliage ahead, shimmering with electric light.
"Watch out!"
In mid-air, Shisui grabbed Anko by the collar and twisted his body, narrowly dodging the lightning projectiles. They landed gracefully on the ground.
But as if anticipating Shisui's movements, a figure leapt into the air, forming hand seals rapidly. The instant Shisui's group landed, the enemy unleashed a jutsu.
"Water Style: Great Horn Technique!"
A thin stream of water spouted from the enemy's mouth, expanding into a horn-like shape as it hit the ground. The gushing torrent slammed into Shisui's team, causing them to stumble under the powerful current.
At that exact moment, tendrils of lightning crawled along the ground like a spider's web, merging into the flowing water. The blinding electricity surged through the stream and shocked the trio, leaving them momentarily stunned.
"Lightning Style: Ground Spark!"
"So, there's a Uchiha brat among these Konoha kids, huh? Goodbye!" The first attacker, who had launched the initial Lightning attack, now descended from above, holding a long sword. With the three stunned and paralyzed, he prepared to finish them off in one swift strike.
The entire ambush unfolded with deadly precision, giving the victims no chance to react. The coordination among the attackers was flawless, and their timing impeccable.
Confident in their teamwork, the enemy saw no need for follow-up jutsu.
However, in an instant, the attackers realized something was wrong—their bodies were no longer responding to their commands.
"What... is this?" The Cloud-nin with glasses, still gripping his sword, glanced down only to see shattered wooden logs scattered across the ground.
From behind him, a shadow extended, linking with his. The dark tendrils swiftly connected to the shadows of his two teammates, binding them together.
The last thing he saw was a young Uchiha boy with glowing red Sharingan eyes, holding a short sword, and a girl armed with a kunai. In a flash, they appeared beside him, slitting their throats with swift precision.
"Gotcha! The bait worked!"
Ignoring the warm, freshly spilled blood, Anko excitedly began searching the bodies for loot. Having accompanied Orochimaru on missions outside the village, she had grown used to both seeing death and killing her enemies.
"This is exactly what we need." Anko grinned as she pulled out a scroll from the Cloud Village and stuffed it into her pouch, delighted with the encoded message written on it.
"Now that we've gathered the intel scrolls, let's keep moving. No need to draw attention to ourselves this time," Kagetsu suggested calmly.
He had no interest in showing off or getting in anyone's way. His only goal was to reach the destination quickly and finish this phase of the exam.
The second stage's destination was a massive, gourd-shaped building deep within the Forest of Death. Several chunin wearing flak jackets patrolled the area, checking every entrant thoroughly.
After submitting two intel scrolls for inspection, the three were given back their own scrolls and allowed inside the building.
"You guys made it here faster than expected," a raspy, magnetic voice echoed from behind them, causing all three to turn abruptly.
Standing there, hands casually tucked in his pockets, was Orochimaru, wearing a jonin's flak jacket, staring at them with a sly smile.
"Follow me. The exam isn't over yet," Orochimaru said, making a subtle gesture with his eyes. "You'll need to stay here for a few days. Since you're the first group to arrive, you get first pick of the rooms."
The three exchanged looks and quickly followed Orochimaru.
"After passing one more test, we'll become chunin, right, Orochimaru-sensei?" Anko asked eagerly, her excitement evident.
"Not necessarily, Anko," Orochimaru replied without turning back.
"Huh?" Anko's face twisted in confusion. "You mean... even if we do everything right, we might still not become chunin?"
"The chunin exams are a bit like the bell test," Orochimaru explained with a smirk. "The outcome isn't set in stone. The organizers decide who qualifies based on the village's current needs."
He continued, "Each village has different criteria. Konoha, as the host, only provides the venue and the tests, but the requirements for promotion vary.
Smaller villages like Grass or Rain often promote their teams to chunin as soon as they clear the second round. But for the Five Great Nations, the standards are higher. During times of war or right after, however, those standards can drop."
Anko pouted in frustration, muttering, "That's so unfair!"
Orochimaru chuckled softly and added, "During war, ninja are expendable. It's when they die the most—and also when they get promoted the fastest. But in peacetime, too many chunin and jonin become a burden on the village's economy and resource distribution.
The price for missions varies widely between jonin, chunin, and genin levels. So during peace, the village is stricter about promotions, and there are cases where only one genin is promoted in an entire exam."
Orochimaru stopped in front of a door, gently patting Anko on the head.
"You can stay here. My room is nearby, so if you need anything, just ask," he said, his gaze shifting toward Kagetsu. "By the way, Minato is also one of the exam proctors. He doesn't stay here, but he comes by every day."
A glimmer of determination flickered in Kagetsu's eyes.
"Until the third round starts, you can meet with him to continue your training in sealing techniques," Orochimaru said with a sly grin.
Kagetsu nodded quickly, his mind racing. Passing the exam so swiftly had been part of his plan to free up more time for training with Minato Namikaze.
After all, Minato's free time was rare—he could leave the village for missions at any moment. And even when he was back in the village, he often spent his time with Kushina. Plus, as a newly promoted jonin, Minato had his own squad to lead.
Opportunities to study sealing techniques under someone like him wouldn't last long. Kagetsu knew he had to make every second count.
"If I waste this chance," Kagetsu thought, clenching his fists, "I have no idea when the next one will come."
****
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