"Reiki, did you intentionally end that fight with a tie?" Shisui asked as the three of them walked through the Forest of Souls, their hunt underway.
"Yes," Reiki admitted, smiling. "Darui has potential, but his combat sense is still developing. Give him some time, and he'll become an excellent ninja. Ending in a draw was the best option."
Turning, Reiki noticed Shisui and Nozuki looking at him with curious expressions. "To put it simply," he continued, "we've drawn enough attention already. If we keep pushing too hard, Konoha might become a target."
He punctuated his words by flinging a kunai, swiftly taking down a nearby wild goat for their meal.
Shisui and Nozuki exchanged glances, realizing how far ahead Reiki was thinking. While they'd been basking in their victory, Reiki was already strategizing at a higher level, foreseeing potential conflicts if Konoha stood out too much.
"It's impressive that Reiki thinks this way," Shisui said, feeling a newfound respect. "While we're out here competing, he's already working to protect our village."
"Yeah, he's like a force of nature," Nozuki agreed. "If I didn't know him, I'd never believe he was a medical ninja."
The three continued gathering food and met at a creek as planned. Reiki set to work, seasoning and preparing the game they'd collected, turning their catch into a satisfying outdoor barbecue.
---
Meanwhile, in the guesthouse where the village leaders and proctors were staying, Ai, the Kumogakure leader, was in deep discussion with Gulal, the masked ninja. "You're saying Konoha's power has reached a frightening level?" Ai asked, a grim expression crossing his face.
Gulal nodded. "The Konoha Sannin, Konoha's White Fang, Namikaze Minato...and now this generation of genin. Konoha's strength is undeniable. If you can't oppose them, it might be wiser to seek an alliance instead."
Ai looked skeptical but pondered his brother's words. Konoha's influence and military power were clearly growing, but the idea of an alliance was hard to accept. At the same time, standing idly by while Konoha continued to rise was a risk he couldn't ignore.
---
Elsewhere, Kato Dan approached Tsunade again, attempting to engage her in conversation. "Tsunade, we need to talk," he began.
Tsunade's response was icy. "Kato Dan, if you have any decency left, spare me your lies. You're just a task to me. Yes, I despise you," she said, voice filled with cold disgust.
Kato Dan's face twisted with anger. He had always relied on his charm to influence others, but Tsunade's indifference broke through his facade. Silently seething, he muttered to himself, "I'll make you regret this, Tsunade. Just a woman…"
With that, he disappeared, his mind clouded with resentment and twisted thoughts.
---
The next day, all the remaining genin assembled at the training ground for the final actual combat assessment. Tsunade addressed the group. "This is the last phase of the Chunin Exam. Today, you'll be facing opponents from Sunagakure Village."
She handed Reiki the battle list, and he scanned it quickly. "Pisi, Kayu, and Osawa," he murmured. "They're average in strength, so it's best if we prolong the fight, making it look like a struggle to conserve chakra."
Shisui nodded, catching on to Reiki's strategy. "We're practically assured of passing based on our scores, so this round is all about showing restraint."
The first match soon began, and Reiki found himself across from his opponent, Osawa, a skilled puppeteer from Sunagakure. Osawa gave him a resigned look. "Great, of all people, I get matched against you."
While Osawa hadn't fought Reiki directly in the Forest of Souls, he'd witnessed Reiki's strength in his bout with Darui and knew the odds weren't in his favor. But as a proud ninja of Sunagakure, he refused to back down.
The referee raised his hand. "The first battle of the Chunin Exam: Konoha's Reiki versus Sunagakure's Osawa. Begin!"
Osawa wasted no time, summoning his puppet and sending a barrage of kunai and senbon in Reiki's direction. Reiki deftly blocked the projectiles, but Osawa's relentless assault prevented him from closing the gap. As a puppeteer, Osawa's strength lay in maintaining distance; as long as Reiki couldn't breach his puppet's defenses, he'd be safe.
Reiki observed Osawa's movements carefully, analyzing his technique. The real challenge lay in understanding how to break through the puppet's defenses without showing too much of his true strength.
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The spectators in the stands watched the battle intently, their focus on Reiki, Konoha's genius medical ninja and Tsunade's protégé. His reputation had grown not only due to his skills but also due to his cunning in the Forest of Souls, where he'd left quite a few with lighter pockets.
"Does it seem like Reiki's attacks have some obvious gaps?" one observer asked, frowning.
"Yeah, he's fighting a puppet master but isn't adapting his approach at all," another agreed, sounding puzzled.
As the audience speculated, Darui walked over, overhearing the commentary. Among everyone present, he had the best sense of Reiki's true strength, having fought him directly. He narrowed his eyes. "What's that kid doing…?" he muttered, genuinely baffled.
"Perhaps he didn't get enough rest yesterday?" Yamanaka Kaiyo offered, trying to rationalize Reiki's apparent lack of energy.
Eventually, Reiki claimed victory over Osawa, but he looked weary, as though the battle had been a struggle. He had deliberately held back, trying to appear as though the match had been challenging.
"Yes!" cheered Qian Yuheshi from Iwagakure. "Looks like I'll face him next. If I wrap up my first match quickly, I'll have an easy win against him."
---
Later that evening, Tsunade called Reiki, Shisui, and Nozuki to her quarters.
"Good," she said, smiling as she handed each of them a scorecard. "You've understood the importance of subtlety, and that shows you're ready to become chunin. Your scores are already above the passing threshold, so there's no need to participate in any further matches. But if you want to save yourself the hassle, you can just forfeit the upcoming rounds."
Reiki glanced at his scorecard, a grin spreading across his face. "So…we have plenty of free time now?" he asked, leaning back with a smirk. "By the way, I saw Kato Dan outside earlier, Teacher. Has he been bothering you again?"
Tsunade's face darkened as she recounted the previous day's encounter with Kato Dan. Reiki listened closely, a thoughtful expression forming as he considered the implications.
"I wouldn't worry too much about him," Tsunade said, dismissing the subject. "Now, go enjoy yourselves. I'm off to Cangzi's for a quiet drink."
---
At the barbecue restaurant, Reiki met with a masked ninja, Gulal.
"You tracked me down here?" Gulal asked, looking bemused.
"I sensed the curse seal," Reiki said with a slight smile. "And I've got a task for you."
---
Three days later, as the Chunin Exams wrapped up, Reiki stretched out on his bed, feeling a wave of satisfaction wash over him.
"The exam's finally over," he sighed, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders.
"Yeah, but it barely feels like we were part of it," Shisui said, lying back. Throughout the exam, they had been subtly stepping back, allowing others to win or holding back in the Forest of Souls. It was more like training than a real test of strength.
"But hey, the outcome's what matters," Nozuki said with a smile. "Now that we're officially chunin, we can take on solo missions. I've already got plans with my brother for our first one together!"
"I'll probably stay in the village for a while," Reiki said thoughtfully. "There's plenty of work in the hospital, the interrogation department, and the combat training grounds. Besides, my experience grows faster when I stay focused on improving my skills."
"Not me," Shisui said, determination in his eyes. "I need to be out in the field. It's where combat ninjas truly develop."
Nozuki nodded, her eyes shining with excitement. "And I've got the chance to work alongside Minato-sensei. It's like a dream come true."
"Alright then," Reiki said, yawning. "Let's rest up tonight and prepare to return to Konoha tomorrow. Once we're back, let's spar properly."
With a wave, he took out a scroll, set up a barrier, and settled into meditation.
Shisui and Nozuki watched, then followed suit, refining their chakra.
---
Within the barrier, Reiki checked his progress, smiling to see that his skill mastery was nearing 90%. "I'm improving," he murmured, though his frustration with his Wood Release remained. He'd gained it almost half a year ago, but outside of the initial breakthrough, it had shown little progress. If he could activate it, it would be a game-changer for his development.
"It's time to consult with Tsunade-sensei," he thought. But just as he decided this, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind. Startled, Reiki swiftly sealed his scroll and prepared to respond, vanishing from the room.
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