https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-294-Two-and-a-Half-Months-of-Progress/12558365/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-296-Nine-Years-Old-Aiming-to-be-the-Fifth-Mizukage-Two-in-One-/12558367/
Chapter 295: The Young Girl, Terumi Mei (Two in One)
Chapter 295: The Young Girl, Terumi Mei (Two in One)
"It's strange, Sensei Minato is actually late today. Could he have overslept?" Obito wondered aloud as he rushed to the training field, only to find Yahiko Lin and Kakashi already waiting.
"Do you think Sensei is like you?" Kakashi gave Obito a look, incredulous that he would dare to criticize their teacher when he himself had arrived just in time for the gathering.
"As if you've never been late, Kakashi," Obito retorted, balling his fists in annoyance.
"I have been late, but not nearly as often as you," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.
His occasional insomnia and erratic sleep schedule did cause him to be late on rare occasions, but Obito's tardiness had become so commonplace that it was almost expected of him.
"You're slandering me without any evidence," Obito protested, eyes widening. He continued to argue, "I wasn't late; I was helping others. How can assisting people be considered being late?"
"Being late means not arriving at the agreed-upon time, doesn't it?" Kakashi countered, effectively ending the debate with a single sentence.
"Alright, alright," Yahiko Lin smiled wryly and changed the subject, "Sensei Minato must have had something important come up for him to be late. With his speed, he might arrive any moment now."
Given Minato's track record of reliability, Yahiko Lin didn't believe he would have simply overslept.
Whoosh!
As if to validate Yahiko Lin's words, Minato appeared before the trio in the next instant.
"Sorry, I'm a little late," Minato apologized, his face showing a hint of remorse before it softened into a gentle smile.
"Do you want to take part in the Chunin Exams? I've recommended you, and if you're interested, you can fill out these application forms," he said, handing out three forms.
Yahiko Lin's guess was correct; he had been delayed because he was at the Hokage building securing their eligibility for the Chunin Exams.
"The Chunin Exams! That means we can become Chunin! Yes, yes, yes!" Obito's eyes lit up, emphasizing his point by repeating himself.
Although he had already bested Kakashi in battle, Obito was irked by the fact that Kakashi held a higher ninja rank, which put him in a superior position during missions.
"It's just an eligibility requirement. You must pass the exam to become a Chunin," Minato quickly explained, concerned that Obito might misunderstand and think that mere participation would grant him the promotion.
However, having said that, Minato realized it wasn't entirely necessary to clarify, as he was well aware of the capabilities of Obito's team. They would undoubtedly succeed in the Chunin Exams.
"Hehe, we'll definitely pass," Obito asserted confidently, having already defeated several Chunin from enemy ninja villages during his missions.
Kakashi eyed the three forms in Minato's hand with confusion. Logically, only two should have been needed, so he asked, "Sensei, am I also participating?"
"Kakashi, you're already a Chunin. Are you telling me you can take the exam again and become a Jonin just by passing it a second time?" Obito snatched the form with his picture on it from Minato and scoffed.
Kakashi: ...
Even if he were asked, he wouldn't know the answer.
"Kakashi, you are indeed taking the exam, but passing it consecutively three times won't make you a Jonin," Minato answered seriously. "Only the Hokage can promote someone to Jonin."
"The reason Kakashi is taking part in this Chunin Exam is mainly because your team is special in many ways," Minato continued to explain.
The official start date of the Chunin Exams was July 1st, and Obito and Yahiko Lin had only graduated in mid-March, making them rookie genin with barely 1.4 lunar months of experience.
Typically, genin who participated in the Chunin Exams had been graduated for at least a year, and it was more common for them to take the exam after three years.
Some delayed their participation not because they didn't want to, but because they couldn't meet the requirements. The Chunin Exams weren't open to everyone; they had prerequisites regarding the length of one's ninja career and the team's mission history.
Obito's team was eligible for this Chunin Exam largely due to the high-level missions they had completed during their internship, especially the S-rank missions, which carried significant weight. Additionally, they had the recommendation of Minato Namikaze, and guidance from a Jonin mentor could overlook the shortcoming of a brief ninja career.
However, this Chunin Exam required teams to participate together. Considering Obito's squad's recent graduation and other factors, in the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi allowed Kakashi, a Chunin, to join Obito and Yahiko Lin for the Chunin Exams.
Ever since leaving his previous team, Kakashi had encountered one strange incident after another. First, he had teamed up with students from the Ninja Academy, then he encountered unexpected events on consecutive missions, and now he was about to take part in the Chunin Exams as a Chunin.
"Kakashi, don't hold us back just because you're already a Chunin," Obito said after filling out his form.
He suddenly thought that if Kakashi slacked off during the exam, he wouldn't lose anything since he was already a Chunin, but it would be a huge loss for them as they wouldn't be able to get promoted.
"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself," Kakashi said, glancing at Obito. "The first Chunin Exam is a written test, and those who fail will be eliminated directly." Contempt flashed in his eyes, thinly veiled by indifference.
This was the confidence that came from achieving a perfect score in the theory exam—he could easily trounce Obito in this area.
"Ah? The first exam is a theory test?" Obito's face turned grim as he faced this formidable challenge, momentarily forgetting about Kakashi's gaze. "So, what exactly is considered a passing grade?"
All he wanted now was for Kakashi, who had already experienced the Chunin Exams, to divulge some insider information.
"It depends on the specific requirements," Kakashi replied, shaking his head. "The Chunin Exams are held twice a year, and they're not necessarily the same even within the same year, let alone a few years ago."
"But as a minimum requirement, if we're talking in terms of a hundred-point system, you'd generally need to score at least sixty points," Kakashi added.
Obito's expression turned even more grim; sixty points would be a huge challenge for him.
"Just review it when you get back, you'll definitely make it," Minato smiled encouragingly, full of confidence in his disciples.
"That's because you haven't seen me in my prime," Obito could only mutter to himself.
He wasn't as confident as Minato; after all, back in ninja school, he had scored in the single digits.
His grades had improved slightly after Mu Yue started tutoring him in the fourth grade, but they had dropped again later on as he focused less on theory.
Of course, Obito had another option. While he didn't believe in his own theoretical knowledge, he had absolute faith in the all-powerful Immortal Mu Yue. When in doubt, seek Mu Yue.
...
Perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to help Mu Yue beef up her resume, because for this Chunin Exam, Mu Yue was assigned to quite a few positions.
She was responsible for setting the theory test questions and was also the chief examiner for the second round of exams, in addition to holding some nominal positions that didn't require much work.
While it seemed like she had many positions, the workload wasn't overwhelming, and some tasks could be completed using shadow clones. Overall, it was still within Mu Yue's acceptable range.
If it had been too busy, Mu Yue would have refused outright. Why waste time working for Hiruzen Sarutobi when she could be researching sealing and medical jutsu instead?
"This is such a hassle," Jiraiya complained to Mu Yue as they walked towards the Konoha gate. "Why do we have to invite other ninja villages at a time like this? We could've just handled it ourselves. And why do I have to be the one welcoming them?"
Mu Yue smiled but remained silent. It wasn't appropriate for her to complain about such matters in public.
"Holding Chunin Exams of this caliber during wartime is a way to demonstrate our strength to the feudal lords and clients," Minato explained, pausing in his steps. "Even among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, we are the strongest."
The higher-ups in Konoha had indeed discussed the matter of hosting the Chunin Exams, and due to the smooth progress of the war, they had ultimately decided to invite other ninja villages to participate, just as they had done in the past.
This would allow the visiting ninja villages and clients observing the exams to witness the might of Konoha.
First, they decided on a list of smaller ninja villages to invite, including all the surrounding minor ninja villages. This would solidify their allegiance to Konoha during the war.
As for the larger ninja villages, they chose Kirigakure. Although the Konoha higher-ups were confident in their village's strength, they weren't arrogant enough to invite their opponents to participate in the exams during wartime.
While Sunagakure hadn't engaged in battle with Konoha, their Kage had gone missing, and they were currently locked in intense battles with Kumogakure. Thus, Konoha opted to leave Sunagakure alone and selected Kirigakure, the only village not currently at war.
After all, inviting only small ninja villages would seem like bullying, and even if they performed exceptionally well, it wouldn't truly showcase their strength.
"The wind is rather boisterous today," Jiraiya began, changing the subject.
He could see Hiruzen's intentions, but he truly had no desire to become Hokage. He just wanted the war to end so he could continue his travels across the ninja world.
The two advisors exchanged glances, their expressions conveying their disappointment in Jiraiya's attitude.
As they approached the entrance, the advisors adjusted their expressions, putting on a smile as they greeted the incoming Kirigakure ninja team.
They would, of course, only accord such a welcoming treatment to Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. The smaller ninja villages were expected to present their credentials and enter on their own.
Mu Yue stood calmly within her team, observing the Kirigakure group and appraising each member with her Identification Technique.
Name: Yuan Shi
Chakra: 74,000
Skills: Water Attribute Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient), Hiding in Mist Technique (Proficient), Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique (Proficient)...
This elder, who appeared to be in his late sixties to early seventies, carried a snake-shaped wooden staff. His stats were impressive, and Mu Yue estimated he was an elder of Kirigakure, holding a high position.
Despite his impressive stats, Mu Yue felt that in a real fight, this Yuan Shi would likely lose to Danzo, as a ninja's power tended to wane with age.
Mu Yue also spotted some familiar faces from the storyline, though they were still young.
Name: Terumi Mei
Chakra: 4000
Potential: S
Skills: Water Attribute Chakra Nature Transformation (Skilled: 2200/3000), Boil Release (Skilled: 1000/3000), Steam Release (Skilled)...
The future Fifth Mizukage, known for her attractive figure, was currently a red-haired child, appearing to be around the same age as Kakashi and the others. However, Terumi Mei's talent was evident, as she could already use her Water Style to counter Amaterasu's flames, and her overall stats were impressive.
Name: Momochi Zabuza
Chakra: 3600
Skills: Water Attribute Chakra Nature Transformation (Skilled: 900/3000), Hiding in Mist Technique (Skilled)...
Due to his early appearance in the story, Momochi Zabuza had quite an impressive track record. He once single-handedly pushed the Sixth Hokage, the Indra Chakra reincarnation, and the Ashura Chakra reincarnation to the brink of defeat.
The current Zabuza looked to be around Kakashi's age, though he was still in his child form. His expression, with his lower face wrapped in bandages, was cold and aloof, as if he disliked everyone around him.
Name: Hoshigaki Kisame
Chakra: 7000
Skills: Water Attribute Chakra Nature Transformation (Skilled: 2400/3000), Water Style: Water Prison Technique (Skilled), Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique (Skilled)...
Hoshigaki Kisame appeared to be significantly older than Kakashi. Mu Yue conservatively estimated him to be at least two or three years older, as his distinct features made him look younger than he was.
"But this stat panel doesn't seem like that of a genin at all," Mu Yue thought, considering Kisame's stats.
His chakra levels were already comparable to those of some average jonin, and while his skill proficiencies were a bit lacking, they weren't far off.
"Is Kirigakure trying to stir up trouble? Is this part of the original storyline?" Mu Yue wondered, deep in thought.
There wasn't much information about the events leading up to the Third Great Ninja War, and all she knew was that Kirigakure and Konoha would eventually clash. She wasn't sure if Kirigakure's participation in this Chunin Exam was part of the original storyline or a result of her own butterfly effect.
Unable to figure out the narrative, Mu Yue could only guess Kirigakure's intentions based on their team's overall strength. They seemed to be aiming to outshine Konoha during the Chunin Exams.
With their current strength, this Kirigakure team wasn't a threat to Konoha within the village. Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't even need to lift a finger; Jiraiya alone could wipe out this team.
Mu Yue could only attribute it to coincidence. In another Chunin Exam, Kirigakure might have been able to gain the upper hand with Terumi Mei and others who weren't too old. But in this particular exam, her disciples were also participating, and she had been present when the jonin recommended their students.
Actually, Terumi Mei wasn't that old. She was only 31 during the Fourth Great Ninja War, the same age as Kakashi.
(End of Chapter)
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