"Heading out?" Reiki called to the group as he noticed them gathering by the entrance. "Let's go together," he offered with a smile, hand raised in invitation.
"Sure!" Mitarashi grinned back. "And Reiki, thanks for all the help in the last combat training! You sticking to the supportive role worked wonders. So, are you planning to go with the support strategy again for this exam?"
Reiki chuckled, "Actually, tonight I'm treating you all to a nice meal. Let's grab something delicious. By the way, did you guys receive the official notification?"
"Notification?" Hayate asked, arching an eyebrow. "Do you mean the Chunin Exam rules? Yeah, we got them. What's your take on it?"
"We'll talk over food. I heard there's a barbecue place here in the Village Hidden in the Waterfall that's supposed to be amazing."
---
The group of teenagers soon settled into a cozy corner at the barbecue restaurant.
"Reiki," Mitarashi said, eyeing him with a grin, "you didn't just invite us out here to eat, did you? Spill it. What do you need?"
Reiki laughed, scratching his head. "I could use your help with something, actually."
"What is it?" Hayate asked, amused.
"I need you to, well…help me bring back some people. Preferably ones you've beaten and can carry back," Reiki explained casually.
"For your medical ninjutsu, right?" Hayate asked.
"Uh, something like that," Reiki replied, looking a bit sheepish.
The group looked at him, surprised.
"Let me get this straight," Mitarashi said with a smirk. "You want us to go all out, defeat opponents, and then bring them to you for…treatment? So you can work on them based on their injuries?"
"Pretty much," Reiki replied with a grin.
Before he could explain further, Okitaji interrupted, "And what if we go to all this trouble, mess up, and then get disqualified from the Chunin Exams? We're risking a lot, Reiki. Failure isn't an option for us like it is for you three. If we don't pass, that's a whole year wasted."
Reiki nodded understandingly. "Fair point. I won't ask for your help without giving something in return. Here's my offer: for each opponent you bring back, I'll prepare a set of potions for you—recovery and stamina included. Bring back a hundred people, I'll make a hundred sets. Plus, Tsunade-sensei and I have developed a new potion that can even assist with training."
With a flourish, he set a few potion bottles on the table.
The six Genin stared at the potions, recognizing their value immediately.
"Potions!" Hayate's eyes widened, and he glanced at his friends, who all looked equally tempted.
As ninja from prominent Konoha clans, they were aware of the demand and rarity of these potions, especially those crafted by Tsunade and her apprentice.
*Gulp…* Hayate swallowed, then nodded, steeling himself. "Count me in."
Okitaji added, "Yeah, I'm in too."
The remaining four exchanged glances and agreed, each reaching for one of the bottles on the table.
"Good," Reiki said, smiling. "Consider these six groups of potions a deposit—each with a stamina and recovery bottle. And tonight's my treat, so eat as much as you like!"
The group burst into laughter, excited for the plan ahead. Reiki's objective was clear: to gain more experience through healing as many people as possible. His experience with treating new injuries showed him that first-time treatments yielded the richest rewards, and with just the three of them, he couldn't cover enough ground on his own. That's where his friends came in.
---
After the meal, they returned to their quarters.
"Reiki, isn't this kind of risky?" Nozuki asked with a hint of worry. "If this is considered cheating, it might affect our Chunin Exam results."
"Actual combat testing is meant to assess how ninjas respond in the field," Reiki reassured her. "As long as we stay within the boundaries of the rules, we can get creative."
"But the ninjas in this exam are different from the ones we faced before," Shisui said, pulling out a list Tsunade had given him earlier. "This time, we're facing some serious contenders."
Shisui opened the list and began reading the names aloud:
"From Kumogakure, there's Darui and Fenrs."
"Iwagakure's sending Baidu and Qianyu."
"Kiri has the shark ninja Shaji, who's rumored to be wielding one of the Seven Ninja Swords."
"From Kusagakure, we have Nagamori and Tatani Yoshi."
"Finally, from Sunagakure, there's Rasi and Paki."
Each name represented not just a powerful opponent but a formidable skill set and unique fighting style, already surpassing the average Chunin.
Reiki's usual light-hearted expression turned serious as Shisui continued. "This Chunin Exam is the first since the last Great Ninja War. Every village wants to make a statement. These participants… they're far stronger than any standard Chunin, some even carrying their village's unique weapons or styles."
Shisui finished, adding, "Without proper preparation, it's going to be difficult to pull off your plan."
Reiki nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. But still, we can't back down now. This is our chance to grow, even if the stakes are higher than before."
"Shisui, you're overthinking things!" Nozuki interrupted with a grin. "Come on, let's get some training in to clear your mind."
"Oh, so you two want to blow off some steam? All right, I'm in!" Reiki chimed in, smiling.
The three friends grabbed their gear and headed to an open field they'd scouted earlier. The Chunin Exam was set to be unlike any they had faced before, but they were ready to face it together.