"Now that the Chūnin Exam is over, we'll return to the Land of Earth tomorrow," Ohnoki stated, glancing at Kitsuchi, who was still kneeling before him. "Enough of that—stand up."
Kitsuchi rose to his feet and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Father, why did you collaborate with Konoha to organize this Chūnin Exam?"
This question had been bothering him for a long time. In previous Chūnin Exams, each village had conducted its own without outside interference.
Ohnoki sighed. "Now that the exam is over, I suppose it's fine to tell you." He gestured for the Iwagakure Anbu stationed nearby to maintain their vigilance.
"The ninja world has grown increasingly tense. I anticipate that another war will break out soon. This trip to Konoha served two purposes: first, to assess Konoha's current situation, and second, to gauge Hiruzen Sarutobi's stance on things."
"Another war?" Loess was surprised but did not doubt his father's foresight.
"Yes," Ohnoki confirmed. "Resources in the ninja world are limited. More than a decade has passed since the last war, and the populations of all nations have increased. This has put immense pressure on both the countries and their respective ninja villages."
"Although the Land of Earth isn't as wealthy as the Land of Fire, we manage well enough. However, the same cannot be said for the Land of Wind and the smaller nations. You know the state they're in."
"The Land of Wind is mostly desert, and securing resources—especially water—has always been a challenge for them. Their situation has worsened over the past two years, so it's only a matter of time before they make a move."
Ohnoki spoke with confidence, convinced of his analysis.
Loess listened intently, admiration for his father growing. As a young shinobi, he lacked the broader perspective Ohnoki possessed.
"That's all you need to know for now," Ohnoki said. "Think it over carefully. Get some rest—we leave for the Land of Earth tomorrow."
With that, he left the room, intent on meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi one last time to extract any useful information before their departure.
Uchiha Clan Compound
When Chiba returned home, he found Genka, Uchiha Inada, and Uchiha Mikoto waiting for him.
"Chiba, congratulations on your promotion to Chūnin," Mikoto said with a warm smile, handing him a beautifully wrapped gift box.
"Thank you, Mikoto-san," Chiba replied, a bit surprised but accepting the gift nonetheless.
Curious, he asked, "By the way, Sister Mikoto, why didn't you participate in this Chūnin Exam?"
He suddenly remembered that Uzumaki Kushina hadn't participated either.
Mikoto tilted her head thoughtfully. "I didn't feel strong enough yet, and my team leader agreed. Besides," she added with a smile, "Kushina and I made a pact to take the next Chūnin Exam together."
Chiba raised an eyebrow. "So, the reason you both didn't participate was because of some pact?"
Something felt off. Mikoto's strength might not have been at its peak, but Kushina was another matter entirely. She was the new Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and a member of the Uzumaki Clan. While she wouldn't have been able to defeat him, most of the other competitors wouldn't have stood a chance against her.
Before he could dwell on it further, Uchiha Inada spoke. "Chiba, there's no need to think too much about Jinchūriki matters."
Jinchūriki?
It clicked. The village must have prohibited Kushina from entering the exam. Since this event was co-hosted with another village, the last thing Konoha wanted was for Ohnoki to discover the identity of their Jinchūriki.
Understanding this, Chiba nodded. "I get it now, Grandpa."
Seeing his grandson grasp the situation, Uchiha Inada nodded approvingly. "By the way, there's one more thing—you need to report to the clan office when you have time. Newly promoted Chūnin are eligible for a stipend."
Chiba was already aware of this. The Uchiha Clan provided financial support for newly promoted Chūnin, as they were considered the backbone of the village.
"I'll take care of it," he assured.
At that moment, Genka emerged from the kitchen, wearing an apron and holding a spatula.
"Chiba, you're back! Dinner will be ready soon."
Chiba blinked in confusion. "Wait… didn't you say we were going out to celebrate? Why are you cooking instead?"
Genka thought for a moment. "Did I say we were eating out?" She paused before nodding to herself. "I said we'd celebrate—I never said we'd go out."
Chiba sighed, realizing she was technically correct.
The Next Day
After breakfast, Chiba headed to the Uchiha Clan's administration office to officially report his promotion.
Then he recalled his plans with Nawaki, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza.
Leaving the clan compound, he made his way to the designated meeting place at the ninja academy.
Upon arriving, he found that Nawaki and Inoichi were the only ones missing.
"Chiba, you're the last one again," Nawaki remarked as he arrived. "Not that it matters—you never listen, and you'll never change."
"Anyway," Nawaki continued, "let's celebrate! All five of us got promoted to Chūnin—it's a big deal!"
The group nodded in agreement. They had planned this celebration yesterday after receiving confirmation of their promotions.
"Where are we eating?" Akimichi Choza asked, his primary concern always being food.
Chiba found the idea of a simple meal a bit dull. If they were older, their celebration might have been a bit more... exciting. He couldn't help but think about visiting a certain type of establishment with his friends—but that was a discussion for another day.
"Barbecue? Sushi?" Inoichi suggested.
"I don't care. You guys decide," Chiba said with a shrug.
"Let's go with sushi," Shikaku decided.
No one objected, so they headed to a sushi restaurant.
At the Sushi Restaurant
Once seated, Inoichi turned to the group. "Since we're all Chūnin now, did your families get you any gifts?"
The others perked up at the question, their interest piqued.
"Yeah! My dad promised to get me a summoning contract," Inoichi said proudly.
"A summoning contract?" Nawaki raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Now filled with confidence, Nawaki smirked. "No matter what summon you get, I doubt it'll be stronger than my Katsuyu!"
Chiba chuckled as the conversation continued, enjoying the moment with his friends.