Chapter 59: A Genius Whose Five Talents Are Not the Limit

Chapter 59: A Genius Whose Five Talents Are Not the Limit

“The second Chūnin Selection Exam… officially begins!”

Anko Mitarashi’s voice rang through the air as the exam commenced, amplified by the broadcast system to reach every examiner and participant.

The proctors stationed at the gates swiftly unlocked the doors, turning to the waiting genin. “Move out.”

In an instant, the surviving candidates from the first exam surged forward—some blurring into motion, others charging in with fists clenched behind their backs in classic ninja sprints, while a few strode in calmly.

Team 8 chose the latter approach.

“Izayoi-kun, should we make the first move?” Hinata Hyuga asked.

“No rush. Let’s find someone first.”

Izayoi activated his Rinnegan, his gaze shifting to an omniscient perspective. He scanned the entire Forest of Death like a surveillance system, switching between squads until he locked onto Karin and her team.

“Follow me.” He vanished in a Body Flicker.

Hinata Hyuga and Shino Aburame trailed closely behind.

“Izayoi-kun, are you targeting that Grass kunoichi?” Hinata guessed.

“Exactly. A talent like hers is too valuable to waste.” Izayoi nodded.

He’d come prepared for this exam, even wearing colored contact lenses. His goal? To alter two destinies—one being Karin’s.

His recent trip to the Black Market had highlighted the drawbacks of working alone. If he hadn’t cleverly preserved Momochi Zabuza and Haku’s lives, he’d still lack human puppets. While Haku made a capable tool, his loyalty remained with Zabuza—a nuance Izayoi couldn’t ignore. He distrusted Zabuza too much to recruit him.

Yet the experience had cemented Izayoi’s desire for allies. Karin topped his list.

Despite her clan’s destruction, her parents’ deaths, and lost heritage, Karin had awakened the Uzumaki’s rarest ability by sixteen—a feat that placed her among the clan’s greatest prodigies in a millennium. Even without transcendent power, her traits already outshone many protagonists:

【Swirl Bloodline (Purple)】
【Chakra Control (Purple)】
【Medical Prodigy (Blue)】
【Jonin Potential (Blue)】
【Otsutsuki Lineage (Blue)】

Like the disparity between Red Inherited Traits, Karin’s chakra purity dwarfed Naruto’s, despite the Nine-Tails’ presence in him.

Izayoi was certain her potential exceeded five traits. When he first learned Medical Ninjutsu, he’d unlocked the Medical Prodigy trait. The Uzumaki’s innate sealing talent meant Karin would likely gain the Sealing Genius (Blue) trait once she trained in it—making her a six-trait prodigy.

He wouldn’t let her fall into Orochimaru’s hands.

Hinata and Shino remained unaware of his plans. Still, Shino adjusted his glasses, cautioning, “Recruiting shinobi from other villages is illegal.”

“Would you report me, Shino?” Izayoi smirked.

After a pause, Shino replied, “Not if you don’t keep her in Konoha.”

Through their time together, Shino had come to see Izayoi and Hinata as comrades—unlike others who ignored him, Izayoi respected his input, earning his loyalty. To him, they were friends. And friends didn’t betray each other… as long as they didn’t endanger the village.

Kidnapping a foreign shinobi was a diplomatic crisis. As an Aburame heir, he couldn’t ignore that.

“Relax, I’ll handle it.” Izayoi nodded confidently.

Shino relented. “Let me know if you need help.”

“You and Hinata deal with her two Grass teammates.”

Team 8 closed in rapidly. Meanwhile, Karin crouched under her teammates’ orders, setting traps.

“Hurry up! If someone finds us, we’ll leave you here!”

“Y-yes!”

“Useless! The only reason we brought you is for your healing!”

“I’m sorry…”

Karin trembled, her voice breaking as she apologized. Her mother, an outsider to Grass Village, had left her an outcast despite her extraordinary healing chakra. The village exploited her and her mother as living chakra reservoirs until her mother’s early death left Karin malnourished and nearsighted.

“Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!”

A girl’s cry rang out, followed by a deafening boom. One Grass ninja slammed into a tree, his body riddled with cracks, blood spilling from his mouth. The other vanished under a swarm of insects, his scream cut short.

Karin collapsed, her face pale.

A familiar voice chuckled softly. “Fancy meeting you again.”

Izayoi stood before her, flanked by Hinata and Shino.

“You!” Karin gasped, her eyes widening behind her glasses.

“Let me see your arm.”

Hinata knelt, rolling up Karin’s sleeve. Her Byakugan narrowed at the bite marks dotting Karin’s forearm—not from insects, but chakra-draining wounds. Unlike Izayoi’s companions, whose chakra absorption left no marks, Karin’s injuries revealed her teammates’ relentless exploitation.

“Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!”

Hinata struck the surviving Grass ninja, ending him. She hadn’t spoken a word to Karin, yet her actions spoke volumes.

Tears welled in Karin’s eyes. For the first time since her mother’s death, she felt… protected. And it was her enemies who’d shown her this kindness.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end