Senju-Uchiha-Uzumaki Super-Reconciliation No-Enemies Squad

The first written test ended, eliminating one-fifth of the genin.

Minato sat at the back of the classroom, watching a dark golden-haired genin in the front row.

That person clearly resembled the future Fourth Raikage, A. Unfortunately, he had not yet inherited the Raikage name "A" and was still using his own name. It seemed to be Ei Yano Yu.

As for the Fourth Raikage's sworn younger brother, Killer B, he was not yet the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.

Since the Cloud Hidden Village and Konoha were jointly holding the Chunin Exams, they would not allow Jinchuriki to enter Konoha.

Minato sensed the faintly abnormal chakra beside him and quickly turned to grasp Kushina's hand.

Kushina was also staring at Ei Yano Yu, gritting her teeth as she struggled to endure.

"I've seen him! When the Uzumaki Clan was exterminated, he was responsible for killing the older children and abducting the younger ones!"

Minato gripped Kushina's hand even tighter.

Kushina had suffered terribly. The Uzumaki Clan had been exterminated, and the Senju Clan had declined. She had countless reasons to lose control and go berserk, yet she had persevered until now.

The village allowed Minato to stay close to Kushina because he was one of the few people who could give her positive emotions.

Originally, the person meant to serve that role should have been Tsunade. But Tsunade's heart had long since died. If she had not left Konoha, she would have broken down first.

Tsunade herself suffered from severe depression. Her addiction to drinking and gambling was merely a way to numb herself.

As for her hemophobia, it was a manifestation of depression becoming so severe that it produced physical symptoms.

Medical ninjutsu could heal illnesses and injuries, but there was no medicine for wounds of the heart.

People with depression were not weak; they simply suffered from a pathological inability to control themselves.

The village would have been even less at ease letting Tsunade look after Kushina.

Biwako, the Third Hokage's wife, personally became Kushina's teacher and constantly monitored her mental state.

The Ninja World was so cruel. This very room contained many mortal enemies.

After killing and being killed enough times, everyone developed some sort of mental illness.

"My older sister was killed by him. My younger brother was abducted by him. My cousin had her chest blown apart by a single punch from him. My Senju cousin, who had been visiting Uzushio, was trampled to death by him too..."

Minato froze. The night of the Uzumaki Clan's extermination had only been mentioned in a few lines in the original story, yet the details of the truth were so cruel.

The future Fourth Raikage had apparently been a direct participant, perhaps even a commander, in the massacre of Uzumaki children.

The two ANBU elites in the last row tensely slipped their hands into their clothes. They carried Sealing Scrolls provided by the village, which were said to offer at least a little sealing power at a critical moment.

One of Minato's hands held Kushina's, while the fingers of his other hand gently stroked her throbbing temple as he said, "Don't be afraid, Kushina. I'll avenge the Uzumaki Clan for you."

The Fourth Raikage had been very popular in the original story, but after learning of Kushina's past, Minato understood that whether this man was good or evil no longer mattered.

The Uzumaki Clan had been exterminated only three years ago. It was too recent, so recent that the hatred remained painfully clear. It was Kushina's greatest inner demon.

As the Fourth Raikage himself might put it, they could talk about forgiveness or admiration after avenging Kushina.

Akimichi Jirokuma uneasily shifted his fat backside. It was the first time he had seen such murderous intent on Minato's face.

As though sensing something, Ei Yano Yu turned around and met Minato's gaze.

Ei Yano Yu ignored Minato and looked at the red-haired Kushina.

Let the second round begin soon... The second round of the Chunin Exams always has casualties.

If an Uzumaki Orphan dies during the Chunin Exams, it won't be anything too unexpected. Then I can take the orphan's tissue cells and bring them back to the Cloud Hidden Village for proper research.

Ei Yano Yu intended to do even more than Teacher Dotō had instructed. He wanted to try capturing the Uzumaki Orphan alive.

A Perfect Jinchuriki was something the Cloud Hidden Village was determined to obtain. No one could stand against the will of the Cloud Hidden Village.

After the eliminated candidates were announced, every team headed for the Death Forest.

"Ninja must be prepared to face death at any moment!

"In assassination missions, either the target dies, or you perish together with the target.

"In guard missions, either the assassin dies, or you perish together with the assassin.

"In wars between ninja villages, either the enemy dies, or you perish together with the enemy.

"The second-round selection in the Death Forest will weed out those unlucky fools destined to die early.

"You now have one final chance to withdraw—the only chance to give up!

"Once you enter the Death Forest, Konoha Village will not be responsible for whether you live or die, whether you are genin from within the village or from outside it.

"Either enter the third round alive, or become rotting corpses and nourishment for the Death Forest!

"You see how lush the Death Forest is? That is because people die inside it every year.

"Now tell me, which team wishes to withdraw?"

The chief examiner looked around, only to find that not a single team had withdrawn.

He rubbed his face. Was it because he was too handsome, making his words insufficiently intimidating?

These genin truly did not know the meaning of death.

"All team captains, enter the tents in order and collect your mission scrolls!"

After each team collected its scrolls, the gates of the Death Forest opened, and more than twenty genin teams vanished in an instant.

After entering the Death Forest, Minato waited in place. Before long, three teams arrived one after another at his side.

Kushina's team, Senju Chihiro's team, and Mikoto's team. This was the small alliance they had confirmed before the exam.

Minato said, "There are twenty-seven teams in total. Our four teams will become their nightmare."

Chihiro continued, "Since the four teams are acting together, we are a company. A company needs a captain, so I nominate Minato as our company captain."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

Though there were both Senju Clan and Uchiha Clan members here, Minato Namikaze was clearly a cut above the others. Especially since they all knew Minato had learned Jiraiya's Mount Myōboku Summoning Technique.

Minato did not decline. He said, "All right, then I'll be the company captain. Next, I'll do everything in my power to get our entire company through the third round.

"I hereby name our company the Senju-Uchiha-Uzumaki Super-Reconciliation No-Enemies Squad! Let's work hard together!"

Kushina looked helplessly at Chihiro and Mikoto, hoping they could understand. Minato was good in every way, except that he liked weird, absurd things.

To avoid ending up like the original owner, who had become Hokage only to remain alone, Minato had deliberately befriended people he could unite with from an early age. This company was the foundation from which he would exert influence in Konoha Village in the future.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Chihiro, the strongest genin of the Senju Clan, and Mikoto, the fiancée of the Uchiha Clan's young patriarch. It was a rather solid foundation.

Minato examined each team's scrolls. They had three Heaven Scrolls and one Earth Scroll.

"Our goal is to obtain three Earth Scrolls and one Heaven Scroll.

"Uchiha Yashiro, you have already awakened the Sharingan and possess the sharpest observation skills. You'll be responsible for reconnaissance and finding the other teams.

"Move out! The Senju-Uchiha-Uzumaki Super-Reconciliation No-Enemies Squad is invincible!"

Most teams cautiously set traps and searched their surroundings.

Nara Shikaku's team had even found the brothers Hyuga Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuga, persuading them to form an alliance. With the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, they were practically playing with the full map revealed inside the Death Forest.

Becoming a Chunin was extremely easy for Nara Shikaku. The Hokage had personally assigned him a more important task: observe the performance of the Cloud ninja teams, so Konoha could achieve a dazzling and overwhelming advantage when the daimyo watched the third round.

Elsewhere in the Death Forest, two Cloud Hidden Village teams were preparing to stir up trouble.

Ei Yano Yu looked at the other team. There was a child in that team, an exceptionally young child.

They removed the child's cloak and mask, revealing red hair. He looked only four or five years old. His gaze was blank and lifeless, as though his soul had been taken away.

This was an Uzumaki infant Ei Yano Yu had captured from Uzushio several years ago. Unfortunately, he had been too young to withstand the village's Sealing Technique experiments.

A Cloud ninja took out a talisman. After forming hand seals, he fiercely slapped it onto the Uzumaki child's back.

The child let out a miserable scream. A glowing chakra chain burst from above his head as he used the Uzumaki Clan's secret Sealing Technique with nearly the last of his life force.

One chain shot straight into the sky.

Kushina suddenly rushed out of the grass where she had been hiding and looked toward the chain.

"That's... the Uzumaki Clan's Adamantine Sealing Chains! A technique only those with Uzumaki Clan blood can use!"

Minato immediately sensed that something was wrong. He instantly guessed that someone had targeted Kushina and was using this bloodline ability to force her into a trap.

However, Minato did not stop Kushina.

Who could remain rational at a time like this? There might be another Uzumaki Orphan there.