Uchiha Genka quickly composed herself and smiled.
"Come on, let's go eat."
Hearing this, Chiba nodded. Although he noticed Genka 's unusual demeanor, he didn't know how to comfort her.
Half a month passed quickly.
The third stage of the Chūnin Exam finally arrived.
As a stage designed to showcase individual battles among Genin, the exam took place in a circular training ground. The audience could watch from the stands above, making it a grand event for the villagers. Many family members of the candidates who had made it to this stage came to see their relatives in action.
When Chiba and Genka arrived at the training ground, the place was already buzzing with excitement.
At that moment, Chiba noticed Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Senju in the audience.
"Chiba, over here!" Senju immediately stood up and waved after spotting him.
Seeing this, Chiba turned to Genka. "Mom, let's go sit over there."
Genka nodded indifferently. She didn't mind where they sat.
"Nawaki, Orochimaru-sensei," Chiba greeted them before turning to Tsunade with a smile. "Sister Tsunade."
"Hmph."
Tsunade snorted and turned away.
Genka raised an eyebrow. What was going on? Was there some kind of conflict between Chiba and Tsunade? Without knowing the full story, she chose to remain silent and observe the situation.
Tsunade, noticing Genka , suddenly remembered that this woman might become her future mother-in-law. With that in mind, she turned and began chatting with her.
Chiba, meanwhile, felt a bit awkward. Was she still holding a grudge from their last encounter? It was just a sparring match—was it really worth sulking over?
Despite wanting to complain, he was somewhat relieved. After all, a good relationship between one's mother and future spouse was always a tricky matter in a family.
Just as he was feeling uncomfortable, Orochimaru came to his rescue.
"Chiba-kun, I heard from Tsunade that you've mastered the Sage Mode of Shikkotsu Forest?"
"That's right." Chiba nodded. "Orochimaru-sensei, are you interested in Sage Mode?"
"I've always been intrigued by it, but unfortunately, I lack the talent to learn it," Orochimaru said with a hint of regret.
It was puzzling to him that even Jiraiya had managed to master Sage Mode, while he and Tsunade could not.
"Wait, Chiba, you've learned Sage Mode from Shikkotsu Forest?!" Nawaki exclaimed in shock.
At the same time, he shot an accusatory look at Tsunade. "Sister! Who's your real brother here? How come you let Chiba sign a contract with Shikkotsu Forest but not me?"
Tsunade, who had been chatting with Genka , turned around at once. "What? Do you have a problem with that?"
"..."
"Hmph, no," Nawaki replied with a forced arrogance.
Chiba stared at him, dumbfounded. How could he act so shamelessly while being so obviously intimidated?
"Good. I'll let you sign the contract when I think you're ready. Got it?" Tsunade said coldly.
Genka became even more curious. Hadn't her son developed a good relationship with Tsunade? Although she was primarily a medical ninja, she still knew about the Three Great Sage Regions.
But something felt odd—was her son benefiting too much from Tsunade's influence?
Once again, Orochimaru stepped in to break the tension, saving Nawaki from further embarrassment.
"Chiba-kun, after the exam, I'd like to have a chat with you. Would you be open to it?"
"Orochimaru-sensei, do you want to discuss Sage Mode?"
"Yes. Would you mind?"
Chiba smiled. "Not at all. Just come find me when the time comes."
Just as he finished speaking, an announcement echoed through the training ground.
"All candidates, assemble!"
The examiner for the third exam had arrived. To Chiba's surprise, it was none other than Jiraiya.
The candidates bid farewell to their friends and families before stepping into the examination hall. Among them were Nawaki and Chiba.
"Please confirm your opponent," Jiraiya said, holding up a list for everyone to see.
The third exam consisted of six teams. Apart from the two-person teams of Nawaki and Chiba, as well as the Hyuga brothers, all other teams were groups of three.
The format was straightforward—opponents were assigned randomly, and the battles were one-on-one. The winners would advance, eliminating opponents until only one remained.
Chiba scanned the list: six teams, sixteen participants. This meant he had to win four matches to claim victory.
At that moment, Jiraiya addressed the candidates. "Winning or losing isn't everything in this exam."
"Even if you win, you might not be promoted to Chūnin. Conversely, even if you lose, you still have a chance to be promoted. The purpose of this exam is to evaluate your combat performance and tactics. Understood?"
"Understood!" the candidates answered in unison.
Jiraiya nodded in approval. "Alright, head to the waiting area. The exam will start soon." He then pointed to the large screen overhead. "Your names will appear here. When you see your name, step forward."
"Understood!"
As they entered the waiting area, three familiar figures immediately approached Chiba.
"Chiba, if we're unlucky enough to face you, take it easy on us, okay?" Nara Shikaku muttered.
"Yeah, we don't know how strong you really are, but at least don't completely crush us. Give us a few moves so we don't lose too badly, alright?" Yamanaka Inoichi chimed in.
"I agree," Akimichi Chōza added.
Chiba was speechless. Were they seriously asking for match-fixing?
"That's a bit difficult," Chiba said with a smirk. "We've been friends for years, but I won't go easy on you just for that."