"Chirp... chirp..."
The pale dawn light in the east cast a faint white sheen over the towering Red Pagoda. A few early birds chirped softly across the silent clearing before the tower—a place no longer dark and eerie, as though eyes watched from everywhere.
"Mm... ah!"
Along with the birdsong, a boy's yawning stretch completely shattered the stillness of the area.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
Then came a set of rather casual footsteps from the edge between the Central Tower clearing and the primeval forest of giant trees.
"There really isn't anyone here. Did I arrive too early, or did everyone run when they saw me?"
Where the footsteps stopped, Hada Ichiba raised his head and looked around. After glancing over the surroundings of the Central Tower, he wore a relaxed expression and smiled rather carelessly as he muttered to himself.
Nearly a day ago, around yesterday morning, he had already arrived at the Central Tower. But since Hada Ryuhiko and Hada Anna were not there, even if he had arrived, he could not pass.
Besides, he had already checked. All the tower's entrances were sealed, and they would probably only open on the final day of the five-day period.
So he had spent an entire day waiting here idly.
However, it seemed he had gone a little too far before and basically scared everyone off. He had no idea how the various ninja villages had spread rumors about what he had done during this exam, but in any case, other than birds and beasts, no one had come anywhere near this place.
The occasional team that passed by seemed to do so from another direction, or they would "coincidentally" detour around him, pretending not to notice him as they hid themselves away.
And now, it was already the final day.