[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For $5][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
====
[New Fanfics For The Week Poll!!] [THE POLL IS UP!! IT'S FREE! It will finish in 2 Days!]
[I've Already Confronted the Five Kage, and the System Just Arrived!]
[Savior in the DC Universe]
[Marvel: I Started by Containing SCPs]
"The Chunin Exam is finally starting."
Kurenai clenched her fist, looking forward to it, and said, "Let's head to the examination site."
Rumi also spoke up, "Let's go."
The three of them usually followed Yōichi's lead. With Yōichi absent and no temporary team leader assigned, they usually followed Kurenai's lead, especially before the individual matches, with Rumi and Kazuhito listening to her.
They had heard that due to the large number of participants, the Chunin Exam would be divided into three stages, ending with the individual combat phase, possibly leaving only about a dozen competitors.
Upon reaching the exam venue, they found two classrooms, each accommodating over a hundred people. Kurenai and her team were assigned to Room 201.
"Kurenai, you're here too, I knew you'd participate," Asuma approached them near the entrance, smiling at Kurenai. Despite having been defeated by them before, Asuma still took the opportunity to strike up a conversation.
"Yes, Asuma, you're participating in the Chunin Exam as well?"
"Almost everyone from our class is here. This time, we'll see who can become a Chunin."
Asuma, who had mastered two Fire Release techniques at home, was brimming with confidence. He leaned closer and said to Kurenai, "Kurenai, if I become a Chunin, let's go have a meal together, okay?"
"Let's see when the time comes, Asuma, but I think the one who will become a Chunin will be me."
Kurenai finished speaking, spotting Kakashi in the crowd. They had been told by their teacher Yōichi that their biggest competitor in this Chunin Exam, aside from ninja from other villages, would be Kakashi.
An early graduate, Kakashi had become a Chunin three years ago, and although it was unclear why he was participating again in the Chunin Exam, being praised by their teacher Yōichi meant Kakashi was undoubtedly their strongest competitor.
Despite a period of self-degradation after losing his father, being able to become a Jōnin at twelve and developing an incomplete A-rank forbidden technique spoke volumes of Kakashi's talent.
Now, with Sakumo alive and continually refining the White Fang sword technique, even Yōichi couldn't guess Kakashi's current strength, only speculating that it might be close to a Jōnin's.
"Kakashi, I will definitely surpass you in this Chunin Exam!"
"Yes, yes, I hope you make it to the final round."
Kakashi responded indifferently to Obito, not seeing where Obito had put in any effort, considering that simply practicing a few ninjutsu techniques could hardly be called trying.
Back when he was tasked with training under Yōichi, he would train until he could barely stand.
"Alright, that's the spirit of youth, Kakashi! Let's have a decisive battle when the time comes."
"Idiot!"
"There are too many people..."
Soon, the classroom filled up, with thirty genin teams from Konoha alone, plus additional teams from Rock and Cloud villages, totaling over two hundred participants.
In total, two hundred and sixty-seven genin were participating in the Chunin Exam, hence the use of two large classrooms.
"Silence!"
A cloud of smoke suddenly appeared in the classroom, and then ten Konoha ninja appeared, led by an interrogator from the Torture and Interrogation Force.
Besides this Jōnin, fifteen Chunin appeared on the walls around the classroom.
"Everyone, take your seats immediately and prepare for the first round of the Chunin Exam."
Seeing the proctor's serious demeanor and cold expression, the genin quickly found seats as directed.
"Now, I'll explain the rules of the exam. You have one hour for the Chunin-required knowledge test. There's only one rule: if a proctor catches you using any methods other than answering the questions, your entire team will be disqualified. If there are no questions, then let's begin the exam."
The implication was clear: if you aren't caught, it's not a problem. With so many participants and only a handful making it to the end, many would need to be eliminated in the first two rounds.
Kurenai quickly grasped the nature of the situation, as did many other participants.
The proctors didn't prohibit them from eliminating each other, but obvious and foolish tactics would also lead to disqualification; the Chunin Exam was almost like a survival of the fittest right from the start.
"Let's give it a try, fortunately, I learned some sound-based illusions from Teacher Yōichi."
As the exam papers were distributed, Kurenai didn't rush to answer but instead discreetly formed hand seals under the table while rhythmically tapping on the surface.
Thump, thump-thump-thump, thump-thump
Rumi and Kazuhito, hearing the tapping, quietly blocked their ears, not wishing to be accidentally affected by Kurenai.
Kurenai wasn't the only one acting; other genin who had guessed the exam's true nature began using various covert methods, not just cheating but also disrupting other contestants.
The proctors observed all these tactics, intervening only when the tactics were blatantly obvious.
Whoosh!
A proctor threw a shuriken, striking right next to a Grass Village genin's hand, startling him enough to drop the mirror he was hiding.
"You're disqualified, along with your teammates, numbers 148 and 156. Leave the examination hall."
The Grass Village genin, not willing to leave quietly, stood to curse.
"Get out!"
Before he could speak, the Torture and Interrogation Force Jōnin appeared beside him in a flash, grabbing and hurling him against the wall.
"Anyone disrupting the exam is at my discretion to incapacitate!"
Under the Jōnin's forceful threat, the other two Grass Village genin didn't dare utter a word and promptly left the classroom.
"Numbers 71, 3, and 62, you're disqualified!"
"Numbers 32, 5, and 19, you're disqualified!"
Several minutes into the exam, consecutive disqualifications, including several teams from Konoha, added significant pressure to the remaining contestants.
However, some, like Kurenai, remained unfazed. Though she hadn't answered a single question, the tapping continued unabated.
"Using sound to cast illusions, she's Kurenai, that Uchiha clan leader's student, no wonder."
The Jōnin proctor had noticed early on that Kurenai was casting an illusion. This technique was subtle enough to catch even Chunin off guard, so he didn't intervene.
But he soon realized that Kurenai was attempting to cast a wide-range illusion to ensnare everyone in the classroom.
"I must remind them, otherwise if someone gets caught, it would embarrass all the proctors."
The Jōnin proctor thought to himself, then used a signal only they could understand, warning them not to fall for Kurenai's illusion.
"Genjutsu: This Is Not The Place!"
As the last tap sounded, Kurenai's illusion took effect, impacting everyone in the classroom.
Suddenly, the scene before everyone's eyes shifted, plunging them into an illusion, although the proctors quickly dispelled it.
"Huh? Why am I back here, mom, what are you doing here?"
"A ramen shop? Wasn't I in an exam?"
After the successful deployment of the illusion, many genin who were unaware of the illusion saw their surroundings change drastically.
Seeing many fall for the illusion, the proctor smirked, pleased with his work in reducing the number of participants, confident he had outperformed the neighboring room.
————————————
At the Hokage Building.
Although the Chunin Exam had begun, the Cloud Village's leading ninja showed little interest in the exam itself. Dodai directly went to the Hokage Building, hoping to initiate a second round of peace negotiations.
Compared to the Chunin Exam, they were more concerned about the whereabouts of the Two-Tails.
Coincidentally, Yōichi, Minato, and other leading Jōnin were at the Hokage Building, along with Sakumo, who had come to watch Kakashi's performance.
Seeing Dodai intent on negotiating, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, called over Minato and others.
"Hokage-sama, the Raikage has shown great sincerity this time, offering four long-heritaged Rikudō tools from Cloud Village, along with the previous terms," Dodai said gravely. "Just return the Two-Tails, and Cloud Village will quickly deliver their sincerity."
Hiruzen was tempted, but he turned to Yōichi and asked, "Yōichi-san, what do you think of Dodai-san's proposal?"
"It's not very good. Yugito is a ninja of Konoha now, and we don't have a tradition of betraying our comrades."
Yōichi instantly dismissed the proposal, then coldly looked at Dodai and said, "It was already generous of Cloud Village to admit defeat, although I know your kind lacks honor. Perhaps I should have followed your example and sent back A's corpse!"
Dodai's face darkened as he retorted, "Continuing the war wouldn't necessarily have been favorable for Konoha!"
"Why didn't you continue the war then? It's just the death of an heir."
Yōichi sneered, "The Third Raikage wants a son and benefits; he thinks he can have everything? Are you dreaming?"
This remark angered Dodai, who clenched his fists, insulted not only towards the Raikage but also mocked himself.
Sakumo shook his head, thinking it was typical of Yōichi to provoke the Cloud ninjas like this.
"Hokage-sama, are you going to let others mock us during negotiations? Regardless, we are envoys from Cloud Village."
"Let me correct that; you are shameless Cloud ninjas who refuse to accept defeat even after losing a war," Yōichi interjected.
Dodai, enraged, pointed at Yōichi and warned, "Don't go too far, Cloud Village won't let this slide."
Zzzt!
A flash of lightning flared as Yōichi instantly appeared beside Dodai, grabbing his neck and slamming him to the ground.
Bang!
The floor cratered under Dodai's head, and Yōichi also pinned his other arm behind his back.
"This bow is for you to thank the Hokage-sama. If it were up to me, you Cloud ninjas would have been killed upon entering Konoha, sparing you the chance to stand here and spout nonsense."
Yōichi's strength was not something Dodai could resist, especially with the Chakra Mode active; any resistance, and Yōichi could snap his neck.
Hiruzen's expression changed as he called out, "Yōichi-sas, enough!"
Sakumo approached Yōichi, placing a hand on his shoulder and saying, "Let it go, Yōichi-san."
Seeing Sakumo intervene, Yōichi finally released Dodai, warning him, "Cut out your tricks. If I catch you loitering near Uchiha lands again, even if you're a competing genin, I'll have the police force execute you on the spot."
"Hokage-sama, it seems we're not needed here. I'll go check on the exam site with Yōichi-san."
As tensions rose, Sakumo, fearing Yōichi might kill Dodai on impulse, spoke to Hiruzen.
Hiruzen's grim expression eased slightly as he replied, "Yes, go ahead, Sakumo-san."
Sakumo nodded, then pulling Yōichi along, said, "Come on, Yōichi-san, let's go have some red bean soup."
With that, Sakumo led Yōichi out of the Hokage's office. Hiruzen sighed, relieved but also realizing that Minato had just witnessed the Uchiha's way of handling matters.
Jiraiya, catching Hiruzen's glance, stepped forward to help Dodai up, then said, "Dodai-san, today was an accident. Let's talk another day."
Dodai ignored Jiraiya and the Third Hokage, leaving the office without a word, his departure leaving Hiruzen with an even more displeased expression.
Afterward, Hiruzen addressed the remaining people, "You may leave now. Minato, Jiraiya, stay behind."
Once the others had left, Jiraiya spoke up, "Don't be mad, old man. You knew Yōichi and the Cloud ninjas don't get along. Why did you let him come? Looks like the peace talks are going to fail again."
"I thought he would respect my position as Hokage... The Uchiha temper really is too much," Hiruzen lamented, lighting his pipe and taking a puff before turning to Minato, "Minato, if you become Hokage, you'll encounter even more frustrating situations than I have. Try to get used to it."
Jiraiya interjected, "Hey, old man, I'm still here as his teacher. Why are you skipping over me and picking Minato?"
He knew Hiruzen favored Minato, and his comment was meant to lighten the mood.
Hiruzen, somewhat annoyed, looked at Jiraiya and replied, "If you were serious about handling Hokage duties, I'd recommend you to the daimyo in a heartbeat!"
"Forget it, let Minato be Hokage. He's more suitable than I am."
Jiraiya quickly shook his head, still eager to travel the ninja world, perhaps even encountering Tsunade once the wars subsided.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For $5 [www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
====
[The Poll has Ended! Winner: I've Already Confronted the Five Kage, and the System Just Arrived!]
[Thanks to everyone that voted and reviews!, if your favorite fanfic lost, don't worry, it can still be picked up later! Or you can sponsor it by becoming a Hyper Supporter in my P@treon!]
After Jiraiya's interjection, Minato also smiled.
Then, Hiruzen put down his pipe and asked Minato, "What would you do in such a situation, Minato?"
Minato paused thoughtfully before responding, "Third Hokage, I'm not entirely sure."
"But I probably wouldn't agree to Cloud Village's demands. They have shown untrustworthiness twice now, which makes it hard for me to trust them again. What if they retaliate against Konoha once they get the Two-Tails back?"
"Moreover, the items they offered in exchange for the Two-Tails can't really be compared. We're not familiar with the Six Paths tools; what if Cloud Village gives us defective ones?"
In the ninja world, even enemy tools must be handled with extreme caution, let alone the legendary tools of the Sage of the Six Paths. If they used tools provided by Cloud Village and something disastrous occurred, it would make Konoha the laughingstock of the ninja world.
"Yes, you're correct, Minato. You're already looking at issues from the perspective of a Hokage," praised Hiruzen with a smile, then glanced at Jiraiya, "If it were you, Jiraiya, you might just say 'I don't know,' right?"
Jiraiya crossed his arms and replied defensively, "Old man, don't start appreciating Minato and disparaging me. Remember, I taught him!"
"Thankfully, Minato didn't pick up your peeping habits."
Hiruzen retorted disdainfully, then continued questioning Minato, "What's your view on the Two-Tails, Minato?"
"The Two-Tails, you mean Yugito? Since she has joined Konoha, she is a ninja of Konoha. If I become Hokage, I will protect her as the Hokage."
"But you don't know everything about her. Can she control the Tailed Beast? Might she cause unrest in the village? Currently, we only know her movements outside the Uchiha clan territory."
Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke, then added, "Minato, you've seen what happens when a Jinchuriki loses control. Kushina nearly killed you when you helped seal her. A free Jinchuriki unleashing the Tailed Beast's power in the village…"
These words silenced Minato. He had been severely injured by an out-of-control Kushina before, and the memory of a Jinchuriki losing control was vivid in his mind.
"If it were me, I would personally meet with Yugito, explain my intentions, and then persuade her to agree to Konoha's method of managing Jinchuriki."
After some thought, Minato continued, "Everyone in Konoha is my comrade. I will strive to understand my comrades and have them understand me. That's my approach."
"Well said, Minato."
Jiraiya expressed his satisfaction. His novels always hoped for mutual understanding among people, which he believed would eliminate wars.
His student had inherited his will and seemed to be even more exceptional.
Hiruzen also nodded, although it wasn't exactly the answer he was hoping for, Minato's proactive and determined attitude, supported by his own endorsement, was promising. Hiruzen then prepared to convene with two advisors to discuss matters and asked Jiraiya and Minato to leave.
After leaving the Hokage Building, Minato asked Jiraiya quietly, "Sensei, is the Uchiha clan really so domineering in the village?"
"It used to be fine. I remember before Fugaku defected, he got along well with the old man. But after the new clan leader took over, the Uchiha's attitude became more assertive."
Jiraiya stroked his chin, recalling his interactions with Yōichi and rumors he had heard in the village.
"I've heard there are two factions within the Uchiha clan: one that prefers peaceful methods and another that is more forceful. Yōichi, the new clan leader, belongs to the latter. Even among the village's senior ranks like Danzo, he is known for his militant style."
"However, such a militant style isn't very popular in the village, as most ninjas prefer peace."
Hearing this, Minato nodded in understanding, wondering how well he had performed in front of the Third Hokage. It seemed he still had a long way to go if he wanted to become Hokage.
Elsewhere.
Sakumo initially intended to take Yōichi to a dango shop, but a disagreement led them to the food district instead.
"Sakumo-senpai, haven't you had lunch yet? Why not try the hotpot restaurant my clan recently opened? It could also be an opportunity for me to receive some guidance from you."
Thus, Sakumo found himself standing outside the Uchiha hotpot restaurant, the pungent spicy aroma wafting out even before he entered.
"How could such a place exist in Konoha?"
Sakumo was about to make an excuse to leave, but Yōichi firmly dragged him inside.
Inside, Yoichi initially ordered the super spicy pot, but upon seeing Sakumo's changing face, Yōichi switched it to a dual-flavor pot, which relieved Sakumo a bit.
Once the hotpot arrived, Yōichi also ordered ten servings of magical goat meat, a rare dish limited to 200 servings per day, usually sold out by noon. Fortunately, they arrived early enough to secure some.
"Sakumo-senpai, do you think Cloud Village will start a war?"
"It was uncertain before, but after what just happened... it's very likely."
Sakumo said with a smile, not because of Yōichi's slap, but because if Cloud Village didn't want to start a war, even cutting off Dodai's legs wouldn't stop it.
However, their eagerness to retrieve the Two-Tails, even offering Six Paths tools and conceding defeat, likely indicated an intention to continue the war once they regained the Two-Tails.
This was unlike Cloud Village's usual style.
"Just now, the Third Hokage called us over, and it didn't seem like he intended to negotiate seriously with Cloud Village. Otherwise, why involve me?"
After their meal, Yōichi and Sakumo headed to the exam site. When Kakashi and Kurenai emerged, they learned of the sudden change to the second round's format.
However, sudden changes were common in missions. Kakashi had experienced missions meant to protect someone turning into a situation where they became accused of murder and had to flee.
"Yōichi-sama."
Obito approached, excitedly greeting Yōichi; his life had improved significantly, and thanks to Yōichi, wearing the Uchiha clan's fan symbol earned him much attention.
"Obito, do your best to eliminate Kakashi in the third round."
This encouragement hit right where Obito needed it, and he responded enthusiastically, "Yes, Yōichi-sama, I will do my best."
Kakashi rolled his eyes as Yōichi stirred trouble upon meeting him.
After meeting Kurenai and her team, Yōichi intended to return home, but instead, he headed towards the supermarket.
He had noticed that Mikoto seemed unwell yesterday, unsure if it was due to exhaustion or mood, and decided to check on her.
Upon reaching Mikoto's office, he entered directly, finding her desk tidy but her face lacking its usual gentleness, replaced by worry.
"Mikoto, what's bothering you?"
"Yōichi-sama."
Mikoto, feeling reassured by Yōichi's presence, was about to speak when Yōichi pulled her to sit on the sofa.
"Yōichi-sama, I might not be a qualified mother. I forgot the time I was supposed to meet Itachi, and by the time I remembered and went to find him, I felt that no matter what I did, I couldn't make up for breaking that day's promise."
Mikoto expressed deep regret. Whenever she went to see Itachi now, he still called her 'Mother,' but there seemed to be a barrier between them.
"Yōichi-sama, what should I do?"
Mikoto, feeling helpless, grasped Yōichi's hand, seeking support.
"Itachi, right? I remember he's only three. Why not move him to live with you? Last time you were worried about being too busy, but if you live together, your concerns will disappear."
Yōichi suggested as he caressed Mikoto's soft, pale hand, "Don't overwork yourself. Just delegate more to other clan members, work four to five hours a day. I spend no more than two hours at the police force; that should be manageable."
"But what about the task Fugaku assigned to Shinji-san?"
"Defector's tasks are irrelevant. I'm the clan leader, I'll speak to Shinji. Mikoto, you are Itachi's mother."
Yōichi advised, but then his gaze unintentionally landed on Mikoto's nylon-clad leg, and he couldn't help but hold it.
Perhaps influenced by Mina, who often placed her nylon-clad feet in Yōichi's hands, he had developed a particular interest.
"There's plenty of space around my house, Mikoto. You could pick a spot and build a house there, then move Itachi to live with you. Dwelling on past oversights is pointless; make up for them in the future."
"Besides, you've been too busy. I shouldn't have given you so much responsibility that you sometimes skip meals."
Mikoto felt touched by Yōichi's empathetic perspective and his willingness to help her address her worries. "Yōichi-sama, it was my choice before, it's not your fault. I just need to pay more attention."
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke, feeling a sensitive tingle where Yōichi held her foot; though distracted by thoughts of Itachi, it was hard for her to concentrate.
"Yōichi-sama, I..."
"I understand. We still have some time. I'll head over to the police force shortly; Mikoto, you should start delegating your work too. It's impossible for one person to handle everything."
After finishing his advice, Yōichi helped Mikoto up from the sofa.
If he didn't help Mikoto resolve this issue soon, she might even start neglecting her meals.
Although Yōichi didn't particularly care for Itachi, there was no need to deliberately make things uncomfortable for Mikoto.
Before leaving, Mikoto gratefully adjusted Yōichi's clothes—a gesture more about reconnecting with her role as a wife than actual necessity.
After Yōichi left, Mikoto felt slightly relieved. The past couldn't be changed, but she resolved to make amends going forward.
(End of Chapter)
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT