Is This a Refugee Migration?

Fu and her group showed no hostility toward Moriyue's party. It seemed she had really caught up with them just for fun, and once the others realized that, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

This exam could be called the simplest and most straightforward one yet. There were no flashy ninjutsu clashes, nor was there any need for plotting and fighting each other—at least, that was how Shikamaru saw it.

"They should be almost here by now. What's going on? Did something happen on the way...?"

Asuma and Kurenai, who were responsible for receiving the examinees, had waited outside the Forest of Death for quite some time. The information Shikamaru had given them should have been correct, so why had no examinees shown up after all this time?

Shikamaru's plan had been a good one. By the original process, this exam should indeed have been completely unobstructed—a fair competition based entirely on the contestants' physical endurance. They only needed to eliminate the last hundred examinees, so it really should not have required much thought.

But Moriyue's involvement changed everything. What had originally been an endurance-testing marathon had somehow turned into an item race under his lead. Those ninjas who had not seen much of the world were utterly screwed over by him. They had planned to show off their proud taijutsu in this exam, so why had all these people gone bad? Every single trap they set was viciously underhanded.

"Did I sign up for the wrong exam? Neji, you're a genius, so tell me—is there something wrong with this exam?" Rock Lee's group was not making slow progress at the moment. They had the advantage of starting early, and Rock Lee was a proper taijutsu practitioner. Running this distance was no problem for him.

Neji looked at the examinees behind them, who were constantly making traps and stepping into them one after another, then solemnly nodded.

"Something is indeed wrong, but it's not a big issue. As long as we pass, that's enough." Neji nodded. There was no point thinking about such things now. They had indeed not fought, but this battle without smoke or fire was even more brutal.

Of course, none of this had much to do with Moriyue's team at the very front. They were only responsible for stirring things up. Only the first lightning traps had been set by them; everything afterward had nothing to do with them.

"What a relaxing and pleasant exam~" Fu flew through the air with both hands behind her head, drifting along in an especially relaxed posture.

Kazeki, who was still running below, glanced at Fu flying overhead and unconsciously clenched her little fists.

"Damn it, if only I could grow wings too."

It was already getting late, and they had been traveling through the desert for three days. Judging by the time, they should be close to Konoha.

"It feels like a dream. We're about to pass the second exam just like that? Captain, why don't you hit me? I can hardly believe it."

Ando only felt that this journey had gone more smoothly than ever before. He did not have to worry about being eliminated, worry about those behind him overtaking him, or guard against sudden attacks.

Was this still the Chunin Exam? So far, couldn't anyone pass this?!

Smack~ Moriyue fulfilled Ando's request with a slap to the head. The pain in his forehead constantly reminded him that this really was not a dream.

"I told you already, the ninja world isn't just about fighting and killing. It's even more about social connections and worldly wisdom." Moriyue patted Ando on the shoulder. This kid needed to learn how to adapt.

At that, Moriyue looked up at Fu drifting through the sky. He had been curious about something. He did not know whether he was worrying too much or Fu was simply too carefree, but now that they were nearly at their destination, he decided to mention it to her.

"Fu, there's something I've been wanting to ask you."

"Hm? Go ahead. I'd be happy to answer." Fu spun once in midair, then circled playfully around the three of them.

"Are your teammates all right? You do have teammates, right? Or did you... forget about them?"

"!!!"

Moriyue and the other two did not even need to hear Fu's answer to know it. The shock on her face, mixed with belated realization; the hint of impending disaster beneath her playfulness; and the flustered panic beneath her guilt told them everything.

"!!! I need to find my teammates! Moriyue, you guys go on ahead! I'll catch up! See you at the next exam!"

Fu could not spare another thought for anything else. She had been having so much fun that she had actually left her teammates behind. Oh no, oh no, oh no—she had to find them quickly.

Watching Fu's retreating figure shoot away like a jet fighter, Moriyue and the others sighed in unison.

"What a careless optimist."

Without wasting any time, the three of them had already spotted the Konoha ninja responsible for receiving them in the distance. That lush forest ahead was the key point of this journey. They needed to pass the exam quickly.

After waiting in misery for so long, Asuma and Kurenai finally spotted a team in the distance. Countless examinees had participated in the exam, and they could not tell which village the first team to pass belonged to.

"Kurenai, want to make a bet? I'm guessing they're Konoha examinees. Being so far ahead, they should be Guy's team."

Asuma lit a cigarette. Someone had finally come, and their mission was nearly over.

Kurenai, standing elegantly beside him, looked into the distance distractedly with her arms folded. She was not nearly as relaxed as Asuma.

"I think it's Kiba and the others. Asuma, we still have a mission. The new Kazekage, Gaara, has an unstable position. We have to protect his safety..."

"Gaara... He should be coming with these examinees too, right? I heard he has matters to discuss with Lord Hokage."

Asuma flicked off some ash. The examinees were almost here, so he needed to finish his cigarette quickly.

"I don't know. We should just do our own jobs properly."

"Hey, wait, these three... don't seem to be from Konoha..."

"Are they from Sunagakure? Looks like Sunagakure has produced some incredible newcomers this time."

"Not Sunagakure either... Those forehead protectors... they're from Kumogakure!"

"???"

Moriyue and the other two quickly arrived at the registration point, passing the second exam in first place beneath Asuma and Kurenai's astonished gazes.

"Whew, that was close. The people behind us were chasing way too tightly." Moriyue suddenly put on an acting performance. Though what he said was complete bullshit, seeing the suspicious looks on Kurenai and Asuma's faces made him feel that he ought to act a little.

Ando and Kazeki followed his lead, but aside from the dust on their clothes, the three of them did not look the least bit bedraggled.

"Asuma... look..." Kurenai pulled Asuma aside. Naturally, they would not be fooled by Moriyue's group's clumsy acting, but Kurenai had discovered something more urgent.

Asuma followed the direction of Kurenai's finger and saw a vast crowd in ragged clothes, their faces caked with dust, their hair standing on end as if they had been electrocuted, and their complexions black as the bottom of a pot. This massive group surged toward them like migrating beasts, with a momentum nearly equal to an army.

"Who the hell are these people? Are refugees migrating?"