Jōnin Examination

Time flew by, slipping away like quicksand.

Three months had passed since the army set out, and throughout those three months, Yūske trained at high intensity every day.

"Yūske, watch the staff!" A rod that looked remarkably like the Adamantine Staff spun rapidly toward Yūske.

Yūske's gaze sharpened. His arm muscles tensed as he abruptly raised a hand, fine threads pouring from his palm and gradually condensing into a sharp sword.

He gathered all his strength into the blade, then slashed viciously at the center of the Adamantine Staff with lightning speed!

The instant the two collided, the Adamantine Staff released its transformation. Enma's thick arms emerged from the white smoke, reaching for Yūske's shoulders like a gale. Quick-eyed and swift-handed, Yūske immediately withdrew his strength and leaped away.

False Bird Cage!

At the same time, he spread his hands and opened all ten fingers, sending countless fine threads shooting forth like arrows. The threads formed groups of dozens, intertwining with one another and assembling into a sturdy cage in the blink of an eye, trapping Enma within.

Enma seized the threads and exerted force with both hands.

"Hah!"

Unexpectedly, Yūske had enhanced the threads' toughness this time. They were so resilient that even Enma, using all his strength, could not budge them in the slightest. Then Enma transformed again into the Adamantine Staff and began rapidly extending.

Yūske continued tightening the threads, trying to suppress Enma. At the same time, he opened his mouth and spat out countless String Shots, firing them at the Adamantine Staff like a dense rain.

Even with Enma's indestructible body, it began struggling to withstand the high-speed barrage of so many String Shots. It therefore focused all its power on the two ends of the staff.

After holding out stubbornly for a while, the Adamantine Staff finally managed to burst through the sturdy cage! Once free, it transformed back into Enma, but unlike before, Enma had expended considerable stamina and was gasping for breath.

However, Yūske did not press his advantage immediately. He knew how drawn-out a fight with Enma could be and understood his own stamina consumption, so he cleverly seized this fleeting opportunity to catch his breath and recover a little strength.

"You're improving more and more, Yūske." After catching his breath, Enma praised him.

"It's rare to hear praise from you," Yūske remarked.

Thinking back on those three hellish months, Enma had relied on its great strength and stamina to put Yūske through inhumane training.

Even when they had agreed to take a break, it would launch a surprise attack the moment Yūske let down his guard.

If it woke up in the middle of the night and could not get back to sleep, it would start looking for entertainment again.

Fortunately, it still had a shred of conscience and had not attacked while he was using his ultimate move. Otherwise, Yūske would have wanted to die.

"Are we continuing?" Yūske suddenly asked.

"It's about time. Hiruzen told me to have you return to the village." Enma gave him a meaningful look.

"Fine, but speaking of which, does seeing a full moon really not make your body grow bigger?"

"..." Enma had heard it too often and was already immune.

Sure enough, Hiruzen's standards for taking disciples were truly different.

After returning to the village, Yūske ignored Enma's warnings and rushed into the bathhouse anyway.

Three whole months—did you know how I lived through them? Meals, sleep, and baths were all just barely managed. This was basically the Hokage version of wilderness survival.

What annoyed him most was that monkey, which had even stolen his grilled meat. Now that he was back, he just wanted a nice bath, a good meal, and then to go home for a comfortable sleep.

"Ah!"

A commotion broke out in the women's bath. Had Jiraiya returned? Yūske thought about it, then dismissed the idea. No, Jiraiya would not return for at least another two years. Even after becoming one of the "Three Legendary Sannin," he would remain in the Land of Rain for three years to teach Nagato and the other two.

"It's just a monkey. Don't be afraid." The disturbance in the women's bath gradually subsided. As expected of Hiruzen Sarutobi's summoned beast—it was a regular at Konoha's women's bathhouse.

Hokage's Office.

"Teacher!"

"Hiruzen."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at the man and monkey he had not seen for three months. He set down the document in his hand, rose to his feet, passed over Enma, lightly patted Yūske's shoulder, then gave it a firm rub.

"You've gotten sturdier, Yūske."

"Thanks to Lord Enma's training over the past three months, I feel that my strength has improved considerably," Yūske said solemnly.

Enma said nothing, but inwardly sneered at Yūske. Who had spent the past three months constantly calling it "monkey-head"? Now he knew to address it as Lord.

"Haha." Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed happily. He returned to his desk, took a sheet of paper from a drawer, and handed it to Yūske.

Yūske checked it again and again, staring at the Jōnin certification in his hand before asking in confusion.

"Teacher, I'm a Jōnin now?"

"Yes." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded at Yūske and continued.

"Enma was the one who assessed you. The fact that it was able to bring you back already proves that your overall strength is sufficient to bear this title."

As he spoke, he took another scroll from the desk.

"I also have some intelligence here that will definitely interest you."

Yūske accepted the scroll. Written on it in bold were the words: "Amegakure Defeated." "Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya were granted Konoha's title of 'Three Legendary Sannin' by Salamander Hanzo."