"Since the second candidate, Hozuki Suigetsu, had already broken from convention, it seemed there were even more options for the third candidate!"
After settling on Hozuki Suigetsu, Soji's thinking undoubtedly broadened considerably.
The so-called conventional choice would have been to select from Kirigakure's currently known genin.
But among those candidates, only Chojuro qualified. The other genin could only be there to make up the numbers.
It could be said that after Pakura suggested Hozuki Suigetsu to Soji, his selection targets were no longer limited to the genin group alone.
On the White Paper beside the desk, the names Chojuro and Hozuki Suigetsu stood prominently on a finalized list.
On another sheet of White Paper, Soji had written several backup candidates: Chiyo, Ranmaru, Timsi, and Jinin Akebino, whose name had already been crossed out.
The reason Jinin Akebino had been crossed out was that he was now the deputy director of the Anbu. Sending him to take the Chunin Exams would be going a little too far.
Furthermore, regarding the Gelel Ore Vein, Jinin Akebino had used Daijutsu when he supported Sunagakure's fortress back then.
And Sunagakure, like Kirigakure, was one of the hosts of the Chunin Exams.
If Jinin Akebino used Wind Release during the Chunin Exams, Sunagakure might recognize him.
Then they might simply ask, "Did Kirigakure send Anbu members to participate in the Chunin Exams?"
Where would Soji put his old face then?
So while Jinin Akebino's strength was not a problem, his identity really could not be exposed.
That left only those final three candidates in Soji's mind.
The pen in Soji's hand tapped back and forth between the three names.
It was clear that he was still hesitating.
"Timsi doesn't seem very suitable either!"
When the pen tip landed on Timsi's name once again, Soji froze.