Slide Kneel to Kushina Uzumaki!

The confrontation on the street ended quickly after Kakashi appeared.

But everyone had achieved their goal.

Gathering intelligence!

No matter how much intelligence one heard, it could never compare to testing things personally.

Gang Tu and Baki both saw the other as their greatest obstacle in the fight for the championship.

As for Kakashi?

They had originally thought he was merely a seven-year-old kid, whose immense reputation had been inflated by Konoha.

But after seeing him in person, they began to regard him as an equal opponent.

So, after exchanging threats, they turned and left.

Elsewhere!

Tang Ping and Yamaa Koji arrived at the Training Ground where Team 3 often gathered.

By now, this Training Ground had practically become their private venue.

There were three people at the Training Ground.

The older and younger pair were Minato Namikaze and Kakashi.

The other was a young woman wearing a Konoha Headband and a green Jonin Vest. Her red hair was tied in a high ponytail, and she radiated energy.

Kushina Uzumaki!

Even though he had never met her before, Tang Ping recognized her at once.

Leaving aside her rare red hair, the way Minato Namikaze looked at her practically announced her identity.

Right!

Because she was a Jinchuriki, this was also Tang Ping and Yamaa Koji's first time meeting her.

Minato Namikaze bringing her here meant that he had approved of their character.

Otherwise, he definitely would not have brought her to meet them.

As for Kakashi?

Sorry, but he was a true "disciple," practically family, so he had naturally met her long ago.

"Tang Ping, Koji!" Minato Namikaze introduced them. "This is Kushina!"

Well, her surname was somewhat difficult to mention because it was rather sensitive.

"Sister Kushina!"

Tang Ping immediately performed a slide kneel and acknowledged her as his sister.

For him, someone who could even live off a rich woman, this was nothing.

Besides, calling her "Sister" was no loss.

She was the undisputed master of Sealing Technique, leagues beyond everyone else. If it were not difficult to take her as his teacher, he would have called her Teacher immediately.

"Not bad, brat. From today onward, you're Kushina's Little Brother!"

Hearing how sweetly Tang Ping addressed her, Kushina Uzumaki could no longer maintain her "quiet and gentle" persona. She threw an arm around his neck and eagerly took him under her wing.

Do not mistake her for some simple-minded big sister.

She was the Nine Tails Jinchuriki, with Uzumaki Clan blood running through her veins and unbelievably sharp instincts.

She could sense ill intent immediately.

"Sister Kushina, I can't breathe!"

Tang Ping felt as though he had been caught in the embrace of a giant bear. Even breathing was difficult, and he hurriedly struggled.

"All right, Kushina. You're scaring him!"

Minato Namikaze stepped in to rescue him.

Only with his help did Tang Ping finally "escape disaster."

He vaguely understood why she was being so enthusiastic.

Because she was both an outsider and a Jinchuriki, she had few friends in Konoha. Now that she had met Tang Ping, this "little brother," she was naturally overflowing with warmth.

She was also extending that affection through Minato Namikaze.

After soothing Kushina, Minato Namikaze turned to his three disciples.

Of course, he knew how dangerous these Joint Chunin Exams were, which was why he had been diligently guiding them during this time.

He had called them here today to tell them the intelligence he had gathered.

The information in that intelligence handbook was still far too limited and not comprehensive enough.

This did not count as cheating.

Because every major ninja village did the same.

Only the small ninja villages lacked such intelligence-gathering capabilities and could only use lives to probe for information.

As Minato Namikaze explained the intelligence, Kushina Uzumaki sat quietly to one side, without a trace of the "Red Hot Habanero" about her.

She was a woman who appeared wild on the outside but was exceptionally gentle within.

In contrast, Minato Namikaze appeared sunny and gentle, but he was extremely cold-blooded inside.

Because, in his heart, the village stood above all else.

No matter who it was, as long as they hindered the village, he would act without hesitation.

Perhaps that was why the future Third Hokage would choose him rather than Orochimaru, who valued companions and research while caring little for the village.

But none of that concerned Tang Ping. He was carefully memorizing the intelligence.

This information could save lives!

There might be examiners during the test, but if true danger arose, the examiners might not make it in time. They could only rely on themselves.

If they were careless, dying during the exam would not be surprising.

Especially this time. Every major ninja village intended to eliminate the geniuses of other villages, making it even more dangerous.

Even though Kumogakure and Kirigakure were not hosts of the Joint Chunin Exams, they had still sent people to blend in among the small ninja villages.

The goals of the two great ninja villages were clear.

Create chaos and assassinate geniuses!

Yet even knowing this, the Three Great Ninja Villages could not act.

Because if they made trouble before the others had acted, did they still want their village's reputation? Who would dare cooperate with them in the future?

That was simply the rule of the game. If they did not like it, they should not play.

"All right. With your strength, you'll definitely be fine as long as you're careful. Do your best!"

Minato Namikaze encouraged them.

And he was not merely comforting them. It was the truth.

Although the three-person team had graduated less than two months ago, their strength was completely different from before.

After seeing blood, every aspect of them would advance by leaps and bounds.

Chakra!

It was an extraordinary power formed from a mixture of spiritual energy and cellular energy.

The body's cells could be strengthened through ample food and Medicinal Baths, while the spirit could also be strengthened through the stimulation of "seeing blood."

Once the spirit improved, every other aspect naturally improved as well.

That was why strength increased so rapidly after graduates saw blood.

With constant fighting and bloodshed, the spirit would certainly keep growing, and strength would naturally grow with it.

The current Kakashi could hold off even a Special Jonin for a while.

And that was while limited by his body. If he were a little older, he would at least start at the level of a Special Jonin.

At present, every aspect of him had reached the limit of his body at this stage.

A super genius!

He fully deserved that title.

Compared to him, Yamaa Koji, the "genius" of a small ninja clan, seemed somewhat ordinary.

Finally, there was Tang Ping!

The one who had given Minato Namikaze the greatest "surprise."

It was not because he was a genius as a ninja.

It was because of his ability to develop techniques!

In only about a month, he had developed a ninjutsu with enormous potential. How could Minato Namikaze not be surprised?

Perhaps it was this talent for development that had persuaded the Third Hokage to allow Kushina Uzumaki to meet him.

His desire to learn Sealing Technique had never been hidden from anyone.

But knowledge in that field was too precious, so it naturally could not be handed over lightly.

Letting him meet Kushina Uzumaki now made the meaning obvious.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had calculated things very well.

Both Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki were considered "one of their own" in the Hokage Faction.

Teaching him some Sealing Technique was nothing. Not just anyone could learn it anyway, and with the Hokage Faction's "help" in developing ninjutsu, would it make sense for him not to hand over the techniques he developed in the end?

They would profit immensely!

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt that he was not losing out at all.

And Tang Ping was not actually losing out either.

The ninjutsu he developed was completely tailored to himself. Even if he handed it over, no one else could master it.

The Sealing Technique knowledge he received was the truly valuable thing.

Oh!

To dispel the wariness of others, he had disguised his progress in Medical Ninjutsu as utterly unremarkable.

Of the ten introductory books he had borrowed at the start, he had returned only a few. Let alone learning the three D-rank Medical Ninjutsu techniques or applying for Medical Ninjutsu experiments.

He appeared to have talent only in development and research, while being completely mediocre in every other regard.

That greatly reduced how threatening he seemed.

For Tang Ping, what mattered most was Medical Ninjutsu knowledge, not Medical Ninjutsu itself.

As for Experimental products... would he lack those?

So, his Medical Ninjutsu had actually advanced by leaps and bounds, even far surpassing his ninjutsu development. It was simply not suitable to reveal.

"Tang Ping, show Kushina your ninjutsu!"

Minato Namikaze suddenly spoke.

Since he would need Sealing Technique knowledge for further improvement, and Minato Namikaze was inferior to Kushina Uzumaki in that regard, he naturally wanted Tang Ping to seize this opportunity.

"Yes, Teacher Minato!"

Tang Ping naturally understood Minato Namikaze's good intentions. He walked to the center of the Training Ground and began using ninjutsu beneath the curious gazes of the others.