Second Exam Begins
Five o'clock.
The stone tower's gates closed in that instant.
More than fifty Cloud Ninja, led by a Sensory Ninja, set off from the Stone Tower to search for the examinees who had not arrived at the Stone Tower within the deadline.
Inside the tower.
The lobby on the first floor is paved with perfectly fitted square bluestone blocks, and dozens of strange statues stand at the base of the walls on both sides.
The candidates who passed the first round of screening stood in groups of three in the center of the hall, with a huge statue of a god or Buddha in front of them.
The next instant.
An incredibly bright light suddenly appeared in mid-air. Except for a small number of people who possessed pupil magic or were wearing sunglasses, everyone else instinctively closed their eyes.
Once the bright light faded, they all opened their eyes and looked up.
A new figure appeared in front of the statue of the gods and Buddhas. He was an old man with light yellow hair and a long beard. He wore Raikage hat and a Raikage trench coat. His solemn face was full of majesty.
Four Cloud Ninja stood on either side of the old man, providing close protection.
A commotion arose among the Cloud Ninja examinees.
The Third Raikage has arrived!
Beneath the statues on both sides, the Jonin the teams from the Cloud Ninja, Konoha, and Sand Village also appeared.
"Hey, Shuyuan, what was that light just now?"
"I don't know, but it's probably some kind of Space-Time Ninjutsu... I'm not sure." Shuyuan shook her head and lowered her voice.
His perception was limited to the area inside the tower, and he was unsure where the Raikage had come from.
"Space-Time Ninjutsu, are they the same as Dad's Flying Thunder God Technique?"
Naruto stared intently at the Third Raikage, scrutinizing him closely.
"Shuya, are you alright?" Senju Sayuri asked worriedly.
"It's alright, the medicine is very effective, Senior Bai's medical skills are amazing."
Kaguya Shuuya's face was as pale as paper, and his right hand was still limp and powerless, but he stood very steadily.
"Weren't the Third Raikage supposed to be an old man? How come he doesn't look that old?"
"... Kankuro, you idiot, don't ask me."
Temari rolled her eyes.
"Speaking of which, Konoha has so many new recruits! They all look so young." Temari glanced at Konoha's ranks, a group of twelve or thirteen-year-old boys and girls who stood out.
Kankuro shrugged and didn't say anything.
Gaara remained expressionless, quietly watching the Raikage on the steps ahead.
While the examinees were whispering among themselves, the supervising Jonin on both sides were also chatting idly.
"I really didn't expect this! These kids are performing so well on their Chunin Ninja Exams." Uchiha Shisui couldn't stop smiling as he looked at the spirited young men and women, feeling quite happy.
"Haha, this is youth!!"
Might Guy gave a thumbs-up, striking his signature pose, his gleaming white teeth causing the Genin to turn their heads to the side.
I can't bear to look at this kappa.
"How are you? Haku, are you alright?" Uchiha Obito stood beside Haku and asked quietly.
"Nothing has been found yet, but we can't be careless... Those white monsters' ability to conceal their presence is practically cheating; we must be prepared at any time."
Haku reached out and brushed the hair that had fallen beside his ear. Obito's blood rushed to his head, and his face turned as red as a ripe tomato. He quickly closed his eyes, trying to banish that alluring scene from his mind.
"I only like Lin! I only like Lin! I only like Lin..."
Hearing Obito's mutterings, Haku rolled his eyes in annoyance.
However, this scene caused three Cloud Ninja instantly bend over.
"Lord Bai is so beautiful!!"
The three female medical-nin stared intently at Haku's retreating figure, their eyes oblivious to the presence of anyone else.
Ever since Tsunade started practicing medicine at Konoha Hospital with Haku, a large number of young female ninjas suddenly submitted reports applying to become medical-nin. The girls in the medical department also fell for Haku's stunning looks.
The most frustrating thing is that quite a few male ninjas also frequently visit Konoha Hospital.
"... Thirty-nine people, thirteen teams, quite a few people have been eliminated!"
"Eighty percent to almost ninety percent of the candidates were eliminated in just one round of exams... The Cloud Ninja's method seems pretty good!" Asuma said to Kurenai while smoking.
There were originally nearly three hundred candidates, but now only thirty-nine remain. The Cloud Ninja's assessment method is outstanding.
"All the smaller ninja villages have been eliminated; those remaining are mostly candidates from the larger ninja villages."
Hong looked at the team she was leading, a hint of worry creeping into her heart.
Of the thirty-nine examinees remaining in the arena, eighteen were from Konoha, nine from Sunagakure, nine from Cloud Ninja who were the host ninja), and the last remaining Rain Ninja team consisted of Suzuran and her two companions.
The Third Raikage's solemn face showed no sign of disappointment or displeasure.
His calm gaze swept across the faces of the examinees, but the old man's expression remained unchanged.
"Ahem, quiet down. Anyone who talks again will be disqualified from the exam and kicked out."
The handsome, blond-haired Cloud Ninja, Xi, stepped forward, raised his voice, and suppressed the commotion among the examinees.
Once all the candidates had quieted down, hope continued:
"Now, please listen carefully as the Third Raikage personally explains the rules of the second exam."
Originally, the Raikage didn't need to appear for the second exam, as the examiner was Hijiri. However, they learned from the Yellow Flash of Konoha that two S-rank missing-nin had infiltrated the Chunin Ninja Exams venue.
After much deliberation, in order to ensure the Chunin Ninja Exams proceeded smoothly...
The Third Raikage used the Heavenly Transfer Technique to appear inside the stone tower and personally oversee the exam to ensure its smooth progress.
"I don't like to talk for too long, so I'll get straight to the point: the second test is still a battle, a life-or-death battle. Ninjas exist for battle; without battle, a ninja is nothing. So, use your fists to show your opponents what justice is."
The Third Raikage's voice was deep and resonant, like a brewing storm, full of oppressive power.
"The rules for the second exam are simple: draw lots for one-on-one battles. The winners advance to the final round, and the losers... well, they're just losers. Before the exam begins, let me tell you, both the second and third rounds test your individual abilities. If you feel you're not strong enough, you're welcome to withdraw now..."
A sharp light flashed in his aged eyes, piercing the chests of every examinee like a sword.
In that instant, everyone felt what true power meant. Sweat soaked their clothes without them even realizing it, and they all looked as if they had just been pulled out of the water.
"Quitting now won't affect your teammates. From now on, everyone will fight their own battles. It's not impossible for even teammates to be reassigned as opponents... So, think it over!"
The Third Raikage calmly delivered his final words, then silently gazed at all the examinees.
I'm quitting.
The first person to raise their hand was from one of Konoha's six teams.
Kaguya Shuuya reluctantly raised his left hand.
It wouldn't affect his teammates, which made him feel much more relaxed. At least he hadn't dragged Shera and Haruka down with him.
With his right arm severed, Kaguya Shuuya's ability to stand here is already a testament to his superb medical skills; fighting is just a pipe dream. (To be continued)