https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-21-The-News-of-the-Shousaki-Lizard-/12831994/
Chapter 22: The Joint Chunin Exam!
Chapter 22: The Joint Chunin Exam!
Psychic abilities... no, make that cash power!
If there was anyone in the shinobi world who had the strength to retrieve the summoning scroll for Dou Tangping without the risk of them keeping it for themselves, it was one person.
Kakuzu!
The future financial officer of the Akatsuki.
His obsession was money.
In other words, there was no need to worry about him betraying for a payday.
As long as Dou Tangping paid him to carry out the task, he could retrieve the summoning scroll.
With his Kage-level strength and the advance knowledge of the giant lizard in the forest, a direct confrontation might be impossible, but getting the scroll would be no problem.
But where would the money come from?
In the past, Dou Tangping would have been at a loss.
But now, he had a simple solution.
His fiancee, Uchiha Mei, was well-off.
Of course, there was an added benefit to being honest with her and asking for the money: it would provide a scapegoat for the summoning beast.
Otherwise, even if he found the summoning beast, Dou Tangping wouldn't dare use it.
But if it belonged to Uchiha Mei and he was just "borrowing" it, that would be fine.
After considering all this, Dou Tangping bid farewell to Hyuga Aozuki.
If he had a "system," he would have seen her loyalty meter skyrocket.
But even without a system, he could tell that Hyuga Aozuki's gratitude and affection for him were genuine and unmasked.
Leaving the forest, Dou Tangping didn't take long to reach the nearby training ground.
"Dou Tangping!"
Kakashi and Minato were training the other two members of Team 3. Minato waved to greet him.
Minato usually treated them like a big brother, never putting on airs.
His charisma was off the charts.
Regardless of what Dou Tangping thought, Kashi and Kakashi were both influenced by his charm.
Especially Kakashi, the stubborn one, who was now just putting up a front.
His eyes, once cold and lifeless, now showed a hint of warmth.
Terrifying indeed!
Minato's charisma rivaled that of Orochimaru.
With everyone gathered, Minato began checking their progress.
Physical strength, hand seal speed, chakra control, and more were all areas of focus.
Only by understanding these aspects could Minato provide targeted guidance.
Of course, these tasks were usually the responsibility of their "teachers" rather than their team leader.
But even though Minato hadn't taken Dou Tangping and Kashi as disciples, he still provided them with earnest guidance.
"Alright, I know you've all been working hard!"
Minato clapped his hands to get their attention and continued:
"Kashi, overtraining isn't good for your body!"
He started with Kashi, the "workaholic."
Kashi always pushed himself to the limit, and he even trained in his free time. He was the definition of a hard worker.
Actually, Minato left something unsaid.
Intense training wasn't the issue; the problem was having enough support to back it up.
For example, various herbs and secret techniques to replenish the body's energy after training.
Kakashi's training was even more intense, but it didn't hinder his growth because he had the resources to recover.
"Yes, Sensei Minato!"
Kashi fell silent.
He understood the importance of this.
Even though the Kashi family had fallen, he knew the value of these things.
But he pushed himself because his teammates were so exceptional. If he didn't, he would become a liability.
"Dou Tangping, you need to continue improving your close-quarters combat skills. If an opponent finds a weakness, they'll exploit it. Make sure you have several close-range tactics ready!"
Minato reminded Dou Tangping.
With his keen eyes, he could easily tell that Tang Ping's close-quarters combat skills were not outstanding, at least not compared to his other abilities.
Ninja don't need to be well-rounded in the three main areas of stealth, physical prowess, and illusions. Instead, they tend to specialize in their strengths. However, even illusion-type ninja strive to compensate for their close-combat weaknesses, often using them to set traps and lure enemies into their grasp.
So, even though he could see that Tang Ping was leaning towards becoming a jutsu specialist, he still advised him to improve his close-combat skills.
As for Kakashi, there was little he needed to interfere with.
After giving his advice, Minato Namikaze hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Are you planning to sign up for the upcoming Joint Chunin Exams next month?"
This was a task given by the Third Hokage to Team 3.
Normally, genin who want to advance to chunin would need to train for several years before applying, especially outside of wartime. However, some individuals could bypass these restrictions.
Geniuses!
Like Kakashi, who was already as strong as a chunin right after graduating from the Academy.
Even Tang Ping and Yamashima Koji were growing at a rapid pace, surpassing the average genin in strength.
A team like this was indeed capable of participating in the Chunin Exams.
For the major ninja villages, the Joint Chunin Exams were like a showcase of future military talent. The better a village performed, the more its reputation grew. This reputation affected everything from mission requests to commercial dealings.
So, even the most precious geniuses had to give their all, sometimes even at the cost of their lives.
"Do you want us to sign up, Sensei?"
Tang Ping asked.
"Yes!"
Minato nodded. Though it was the Third Hokage and Danzo's idea, he didn't mention it.
"Then please sign us up, Sensei!"
Tang Ping agreed without hesitation. Given Minato's character, if he could have refused, he would have suggested they not rush into it. But since he didn't, it meant there was no room for refusal.
If they couldn't refuse, it was better not to make things difficult for him.
"Alright, I'll handle the registration!"
Hearing Tang Ping's agreement, Minato finally relaxed and made a promise.
"During this time, I'll give you special training. If you need any help, just let me know!"
Since Team 3 was being pushed to participate in the Joint Chunin Exams early, they deserved some benefits. The rewards from the previous mission also had this in mind. Otherwise, even with their contributions, they wouldn't have received much.
By giving them more benefits, they hoped to help them grow faster and perform better in the exams.
Participating in the Joint Chunin Exams was both a risk and an opportunity.
Like the future Twelve Guardian Ninja, those who participated early received special training. Naruto got the Summoning Scroll from Mount Myoboku, and Sasuke learned the A-rank Lightning Blade from Kakashi, among other things.
However, the rewards came with risks.
Since it was a joint exam, genin from other villages would participate, and they wouldn't hold back. Some even specialized in hunting down geniuses from other villages.
Because of these dangers, the Joint Chunin Exams were highly entertaining, attracting countless spectators.
Kakashi, however, wasn't interested in the upcoming special training. The focus would be on Tang Ping and Yamashima Koji. They had never had the chance to train under someone of the caliber of the White Fang, so this opportunity was invaluable to them.
(End of Chapter)
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