"Winner! Ringo Ameyuri!"
Once again, the Konoha medical-nin stepped onto the stage, lifting Akimichi Kōjun's lifeless body and carrying it away.
Examiner Nara Shikaku watched as they exited through the doors, sighing softly in his heart.
The Nara and Akimichi clans had been close for generations. That Akimichi boy... Shikaku had seen him a few times growing up.
He wasn't particularly gifted, but he wasn't mediocre either. Given time, he could have become a jōnin.
But Shikaku was no longer a fresh genin out of the Academy—he had seen too much. The sorrow in his eyes flickered briefly before settling on the red-haired kunoichi from Kirigakure.
Would this girl... one day become a jōnin?
Intelligence gathered was just that—intelligence. Seeing it firsthand was something else entirely.
At that moment, Shikaku and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had the exact same thought.
"No wonder Kirigakure is so confident in this Chūnin Exam."
...
"Well done, Ameyuri!"
This time, Yagura didn't leave Ringo Ameyuri hanging, stepping forward immediately to offer his praise.
That's more like it!
Feeling proud, Ameyuri hummed in satisfaction, wiped her nose, and grinned confidently. She slung an arm around Yagura's shoulders.
"Of course! Heh heh!"
All that pre-battle analysis? Useless.
Sure, that fat pig had some strength.
But unfortunately for him, she didn't need any of that intel. Not one bit.
Against trash like that, her Lightning Release would reduce them to nothing but dust!
Accepting Mukumo's congratulations with a casual nod, Ameyuri then pinned down Yagura, who was struggling to escape her grip, and turned to Mukumo.
"You're up next, little Mukumo!"
Being put on the spot, Mukumo stiffened, nerves creeping in. His expression froze momentarily.
"Uh… yeah!"
Counting Yagura's earlier fight, Konoha had already lost two battles to Kirigakure.
However, Sarutobi Asuma managed to turn things around for Konoha, securing an easy victory. As the son of the Third Hokage, he proved himself worthy, earning a ticket to the final round.
As the matches continued, Mukumo found himself exceptionally lucky—he got a bye.
The final match lineup was drawn, and once again, Mukumo's name didn't appear.
Yagura and Ameyuri simultaneously turned to stare at their extraordinarily fortunate teammate.
Didn't expect this, huh? Turns out, you're lucky!
We should report this!
His streak of luck was undeniable. With his blue-streaked hair swaying, Mukumo blinked in surprise, then met his teammates' stares.
Hmm... yeah, this called for a little celebration.
The white-haired boy raised his hand and flashed a victory sign.
Yeah!
...
With that, the Chūnin Exam preliminaries concluded. Fifteen matches (plus one bye) were over.
Those who had defeated their opponents and secured a place in the finals—where they would showcase their village's strength before foreign dignitaries and wealthy patrons—were gathered at the center of the arena.
Yagura swept his gaze over the competitors standing in line.
Three from Kirigakure, five from Konoha, four from Iwagakure, three from Sunagakure, and one from Takigakure.
A total of sixteen genin had advanced.
"Let's wrap up these pointless formalities already."
A low, hoarse voice interrupted the Third Hokage just as he was launching into a lengthy post-exam speech.
No need to look—it had to be Sasori.
Both the genin and the Konoha examiners standing beside the Hokage turned to stare at Sasori, stunned.
Even Yagura, who was well aware of Sasori's personality, was taken aback by his sheer audacity.
Hey, hey, that's the Third Hokage you're talking to! Aren't you being a bit too reckless?
Hiruzen, however, didn't seem bothered by the rudeness. He merely glanced at the puppet shell housing Sasori and dismissed it without concern.
Clearing his throat, Hiruzen kept his speech short, thanks to Sasori's interruption. In just three minutes, he covered the key points and dismissed everyone.
One month later—the public Chūnin Exam finals in Konoha!
...
With the first phase of the joint Chūnin Exam hosted by the Four Great Villages officially concluded, news of the results—along with the names of the sixteen advancing genin—dominated headlines across the ninja world, fueling lively discussions in taverns and teahouses alike.
The news that all three of Kirigakure's genin had passed reached the desk of the Third Mizukage and Elder Genshi, along with an invitation from the Third Hokage to observe the second phase of the exams in Konoha.
Also present in the Mizukage's office were Elder Karatachi and the leader of the Hōzuki clan.
Elder Genshi's aged face couldn't hide his delight. "That child is truly remarkable."
The Third Mizukage, however, remained unfazed. "Of course. This kind of exam wouldn't be a challenge for him."
He recalled those striking violet eyes—so confident they bordered on arrogance. The Mizukage chuckled softly.
Still, another name on that list caught his interest—Ringo Ameyuri.
Mukumo's strength was well within his expectations. Having been chosen to participate in the Three-Tails Sealing Battle, the heir of the Kumozen clan had long been qualified for the rank of chūnin.
The only reason he hadn't been promoted was due to his unassuming nature. He had only officially graduated at age twelve.
As for Ringo Ameyuri…
The Mizukage gently turned over the hourglass on his desk, watching the sand trickle down with satisfaction.
For a ninja from the Anbu, passing the Chūnin Exam wasn't a measure of true strength—it was expected.
But according to the report from Jinin Akebino, this civilian-born ninja possessed the potential to become a jōnin—or even an elite jōnin.
A report endorsed by Jinin carried more weight than the exam results themselves.
Good. Very good.
The Mizukage closed his eyes, nodding in approval before asking, "Genshi, how are the mission requests looking?"
...
A few days later, the Hokage's desk received a formal response from Kirigakure. The Mizukage had declined the invitation to observe the second exam.
Hiruzen expressed his regrets but replied with the hope of meeting in the future.
Iwagakure's Third Tsuchikage also refused. His response was blunt—he had no interest in visiting Konoha, but if the Chūnin Exam's second phase were held in Iwagakure instead, he would fully support it.
Hiruzen merely chuckled at that.
In the end, neither the Mizukage nor the Tsuchikage would attend personally. Both sent three representatives in their stead.
Only one of Konoha's old allies, the Third Kazekage of Sunagakure, accepted the invitation.
Five days before the exams, he departed for Konoha.
At the same time, upon receiving this news, Yagura finally received contact from Sasori.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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