Chapitre 182: 181.A Win Is A Win
Renjiro glanced around at his fellow competitors. Each of them wore a look of determination, their focus unwavering. Amari was there too, her eyes fixed ahead, and there was a silent resolve in her stance.
As they awaited further instructions, Renjiro's mind raced with thoughts of what might come next. 'We've been tested on our combat abilities, our capacity to think strategically and adapt. What more could they throw at us?' he wondered.
The final stage of the contest was met with palpable anticipation as Iwata's voice broke through the silence. "For the final stage, you will do it separately and privately."
This announcement sent a ripple of surprise through the crowd, most of whom had been eagerly hoping to witness the culmination of the day's events.
Instead, they were left with no choice but to walk away as the seven finalists were ushered into a nearby building.
'Why does it need to be private?' Renjiro wondered as he followed the proctor.
The building itself was unremarkable, a stark contrast to the excitement of the training ground. The walls were bare, painted a dull, institutional grey, and the floor was covered with simple, utilitarian tiles. Renjiro was led down a long, dimly lit corridor, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the stillness.
After a few moments, they stopped in front of a door. The one leading them turned to Renjiro and said, "Enter," pointing at the door.
Renjiro took a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped inside.
The room he entered was sparingly decorated. There were two chairs positioned in the centre, facing each other, and a small table off to the side.
'Is this some kind of office?' Renjiro wondered.
A single, bare light bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a harsh, unforgiving light over everything. Renjiro took a seat in one of the chairs and waited.
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened, and a man walked in. He was a shinobi, but not one Renjiro recognized. The man took the other seat and offered a curt nod.
"Good afternoon, Renjiro," he greeted. "My name is Shinichi. I will be asking you a few questions."
Renjiro nodded back, though he was still puzzled by the setup. "Good afternoon," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.
Shinichi leaned back in his chair, his eyes sharp and assessing. "Let's start with your experience in the force. How has your time been so far?"
'Are they interviewing me?'
Renjiro considered the question for a moment. "It's been challenging but rewarding," he said. "I've had the opportunity to learn a lot and improve my skills. The missions have been tough, but they've made me a better shinobi."
Shinichi nodded, jotting down notes. "And what are your duties in the force?"
"I've been involved in various missions, ranging from reconnaissance to direct combat," Renjiro explained. "I've also taken on some leadership roles within my team, guiding and supporting my comrades."
The questions continued, each one probing deeper into Renjiro's experiences and mindset.
'What is the use of all these questions?' Renjiro couldn't help but think. It felt like an interrogation, but he couldn't discern the purpose behind it.
As the questioning went on, Renjiro started to get a feeling that something was not right. There was a tension in the air, a sense of unease that he couldn't shake.
Then, without warning, Shinichi activated his Sharingan, the red eyes gleaming with an unsettling intensity as they stared at Renjiro.
'Huh? What is he trying to do?' Renjiro wondered, staring back at the proctor.
Renjiro immediately disturbed his chakra and only when he did not sense anything wrong did he Relax in confusion. A few seconds passed, and Renjiro felt nothing out of the ordinary. He met Shinichi's gaze steadily, refusing to be intimidated.
Beads of sweat began forming on Shinichi's forehead. His confident demeanour faltered, replaced by a nervousness that was hard to miss.
"Congratulations, Renjiro! You passed," he said abruptly, his voice a bit shaky. Without another word, Shinichi stood up and left the room, leaving Renjiro alone and confused.
'What just happened? He just used his Sharingan, and nothing happened? Was it supposed to scare me?' Renjiro thought as he stood up and exited the room.
As he made his way back to the training grounds, he noticed two of the other six finalists outside the building, both visibly exhausted. One was profusely sweating, and the other was bent over, panting heavily.
'Well, that was odd,' Renjiro thought.
He spotted Fujioka among the examiners and felt a strong urge to approach him and ask what was happening. However, he refrained since they were there to judge the contestants.
'I need to find that girl, what was her name again? Amari, right?' Renjiro thought.
Fortunately, Amari walked out of the building just as Renjiro was thinking of finding her. She was visibly shaken, her usual composed demeanour replaced by an expression of disquiet. Before Renjiro could approach her, Iwata's voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention.
"It seems that we have our winners," Iwata announced forcing everyone to turn their attention to him. His tone was grave but tinged with satisfaction.
"Uzumaki Renjiro, Uchiha Amari, Uchiha Asato, and Uchiha Hiroki, step forward."
Renjiro's heart pounded in his chest as he took a step forward, joining Amari and the other two chosen shinobi. Iwata's gaze swept over them, his expression one of pride and approval. "Congratulations. You are the new squad leaders in the Konoha Military Force."
A wave of applause and cheers erupted from the crowd.
'So it is over just like that?' he wondered. He looked around at the other three, who were visibly relieved and elated. Amari's face broke into a rare smile, and Asato and Hiroki exchanged excited glances.
As the applause died down, Renjiro turned to Amari, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"What happened when you entered the room?" he asked, his voice low so as not to draw too much attention.
Amari's smile faded slightly as she recalled her experience. "It was... intense," she began recollecting her experience.
Meanwhile, inside the nearby building, Shinichi was giving a review of the feedback from the other higher-ups in the force about the finalist candidates to the Clan Head.
He went through each name meticulously, providing detailed assessments of their performance. When he reached Renjiro's name, he paused, his expression thoughtful.
"Renjiro showed exceptional composure and skill," Shinichi began. "He did not exhibit any signs of struggle in the third stage. His ability to remain unaffected by the genjutsu was impressive. He demonstrated a high level of mental fortitude and chakra control."
Fugaku, who was present during the review, listened intently. When Shinichi mentioned Renjiro's unaffected state during the genjutsu, a realization hit Fugaku.
He wanted to facepalm but maintained his composed demeanour. 'How could I forget about such a thing!' he thought.
Renjiro nodded, his suspicions confirmed. 'So it was genjutsu... I wonder how come I did not sense anything with my chakra. I remember when Fugaku tried to use his on me, at least I was able to feel my chakra moving. Or was it because of the difference in strength between him and Shinichi?' he pondered.
Renjiro muttered under his breath, "Anyway, a win is a win."
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