Considering that no village has yet established Ninja Academy, Konoha simply canceled the written test for this year's Chunin Ninja Exams.
The original plan was to directly replicate the assessment rules of the Forest of Death, but due to the collective refusal of other villages, the first assessment was ultimately decided to be Capture the Flag.
Capture the Flag tests the overall quality of both teams.
For example, how to locate the enemy, how to conceal one's own flag, how to allocate combat power, and how to adopt offensive tactics, etc.
While strength is important, tactics are equally essential.
Most importantly, these competition rules can be implemented under the supervision of all parties.
Unlike the Forest of Death, where someone could pull some tricks and the players might die without the outside world getting any news.
Moreover, everyone's original intention was to flex their Muscle and engage in isolationism; how could they possibly demonstrate their strength to those wealthy individuals?
"Father." Anzai Eri was overjoyed. She never expected that her father, Daimyō, would travel all the way to Konoha.
Even though she understood that her father hadn't come solely for her, that was enough to make her happy.
"Eri, have you been behaving well at school?" The daimyo stroked his daughter's hair, Daimyō tone as if he were coaxing a child.
Eri silently rolled her eyes; this was exactly what Princess Eri couldn't stand.
Why do I always think of myself as a child?
After talking with his daughter for a while, the Land of Fire Daimyō turned and left, leaving four other old men of equal status waiting for him to deal with.
The strength of Hidden Village is closely related to the status and development of the entire country.
This is a matter of great importance, and he cannot afford to take it lightly.
"Ah, it's the Lord Hokage!!!"
The already noisy venue erupted into chaos after Kyosuke appeared.
Not only the residents of Konoha, but also ninjas from other countries were watching him with extremely fervent eyes.
Regardless of right or wrong, everyone simply held a pure admiration for them.
I admire that being who is the strongest.
"The God of Shinobi, Uchiha Kyosuke." Hanzo stroked his gas mask, a burning passion gradually rising within him.
Will I be able to reach the level of a god in the future?
No, according to Konoha's system of classification, those strong individuals at that level should be called Super Kage, right?
A powerhouse who surpasses even the "Shadow".
Just thinking about it made Hanzo tremble with excitement.
Those who share his thoughts include the future Second Tsuchikage, Mu, and this year's contestant, Ōnoki, nicknamed "Two Scales".
"Master Wu, this is the Hokage, this is Konoha in the Shinobi World." Ōnoki's tone revealed his emotion.
Compared to the bustling city here, Iwagakure is truly like a rural town, full of rustic charm.
In the original story, the master and apprentice came to Konoha with a devout attitude to learn, hoping to bring advanced construction concepts back to the village.
As a result, he encountered the corrupted Madara Uchiha right in front of him, and poor Ōnoki was so badly beaten that he suffered a mental breakdown and even lost himself for a time.
Looking at the now more prosperous and powerful Konoha, it's no wonder he feels emotional.
If Kyosuke allowed it, Ōnoki might have been able to live in Konoha for a year or two, learning all the essential skills before making a decision.
"Yes." The Second Tsuchikage Mu, spoke with a slightly grave tone, "Everyone is saying that it was the Hokage's formidable personal strength that led Konoha to this point."
"Ridiculous, these people have no idea what the facts are."
"According to reports, over two thousand new-generation ninjas will graduate in the next three years."
"Ōnoki, do you understand what this means...?"
Before his bandages were even wrapped around his neck, Wu gazed towards the distant northwest, seemingly watching over his village. "This means that from now on, a large number of Konoha ninjas will graduate every year."
"Over time, that number will be terrifying, and in a few decades it may even reach the point where the entire population is mobilized for war."
"In peacetime, everyone runs a restaurant or sweeps the streets. But once war breaks out, we can put down our brooms and kitchen utensils and pick up Kunai to fight the enemy."
The more he spoke, the deeper his voice became, as if he had already witnessed that moment firsthand.
The mere thought of it filled the man, who was a potential enemy, with despair.
"But... but..." Ōnoki struggled to argue, "Such a massive military force, can Konoha afford the expenses..."
As he spoke, Ōnoki suddenly found himself speechless, because he remembered Konoha's unique Points System.
Expenses?
Sorry, that simply doesn't exist. It's impossible to satisfy the supply of a large number of civilian ninjas using a virtual Points System.
This is a completely exploitative training method.
"What an amazing business philosophy! The God of Shinobi is truly strong in more than just his strength." Ōnoki even considered switching allegiance and becoming Kyosuke's apprentice.
Of course, he was only thinking about it. Rather than blindly worshipping, he should think about how to replicate this implementation plan in Iwagakure.
"If Konoha can do it, so can we." Ōnoki firmly believed this.
As for the teacher standing to the side, his expression was not so optimistic.
Reform sounds simple, but it's far from easy to actually implement.
Establishing Ninja Academy is fine, but adopting Points system across the board would be tantamount to weakening the interests of the major Family.
Without the level of dominance of the Senju and Uchiha, if you want to oppose the major Family, do you still want to hold onto your position Tsuchikage?
"Well."
On the other side, Chiyo from Sunagakure looked at the high platform with a less friendly gaze.
Being knocked down by Genjutsu at the main gate of Konoha was a lifelong disgrace to her.
While others saw the prosperous Konoha and thought only of how to strengthen their own villages, she was preoccupied with how to destroy it.
Chiyo's current thought is that it's better to destroy others than to improve herself.
"You'll be the first one I deal with, Uchiha Yuto."
Beside him, Ebizo knew perfectly well what his sister was thinking.
"Sister, we can't touch Konoha right now." He didn't say these words aloud, because he knew that even if he did, his sister wouldn't listen.
There's nothing I can do; she's just that stubborn.
Among all the candidates, Ebizo's wisdom and resourcefulness are absolutely unique.
Don't be fooled by Konoha's seemingly open and honest words, as if they truly uphold the principles of fairness, impartiality, and transparency. In reality, it's all bullshit. If you don't believe me, try messing with those important figures, and I guarantee you won't see the sun rise the next day.
On the high platform, Kyosuke cleared his throat, his voice echoing clearly in everyone's ears. "Thank you all for coming. I'll just say a few words..."
Forty minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and seeing that everyone was getting drowsy, he reluctantly ended his speech.
I have to say, this feeling of me talking while you can only listen is actually pretty good~
Seeing the Lord Hokage take his seat, Sarutobi Sasuke, as the referee for the first round, stepped forward and announced loudly, "I hereby declare the first round of the assessment officially open."
Soon, the teams lined up in four directions and all rushed into the complex terrain.
As Konoha's top seed, Yuto's team is attracting a lot of attention.
"As per the pre-arranged plan, Jun, you'll be in charge of defense, Eri and I will handle tracking and combat against the enemy."
"Good."
"Clear."
With Kurama Jun's powerful Genjutsu, he can completely ignore the vast majority of enemies.
Even if you know the flag is right in front of you, you might never be able to touch it in your entire life.
The rules of the Capture the Flag were practically tailor-made for Kyosuke's team; they simply couldn't afford to lose.
"Hey, let's have a fun battle." Yuto's eyes were deep, and he had made up his mind to eliminate most of the enemies in this level.
This Joint Chunin Exams is Konoha's way of showcasing its future potential to the entire Shinobi World.
Want to get involved?
Sorry, we didn't prepare a stage for you at all.
He, Uchiha Yuto, was the sword that blocked the outlying ninjas' path to the second round of assessments.
"Hey, Yuto's got some energy, huh?" Izuna walked up to the platform and plopped down next to Kyosuke.
As the current head of the Uchiha clan, he is qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Hokage, not to mention that the two are good brothers who have grown up together.
"Don't talk about him," Kyosuke said with a smile. "Don't you think about how old you are? You've never thought about bringing a little life into the world."
When this topic came up, Izuna couldn't help but sigh, "Don't I know what you're guarding against? The situation is still uncertain, how could I have any thoughts of settling down?"
"Don't say that," Kyosuke said with a smile, trying to comfort him. "It's not like your presence can help the battle in any way."
"... Your ability to comfort people is still as excellent as ever."
"You flatter me."
After exchanging a few habitual barbs, the two turned their attention to the battlefield, commenting on the performance of each squad.
"Their fighting spirit is a bit lacking, but many of the kids have extraordinary potential."
"If you went up there at the same age, you'd just get beaten up."
I don't want to talk to you.
Just as the Joint Chunin Exams were in full swing, and everyone was focused on who would come out on top.
On an uninhabited planet in outer space, a major event is unfolding that could reshape the Shinobi World.
Boom!
A small mountain collapsed, and amidst the billowing smoke, a man with pale skin and gray hair appeared in the air.
A fitted white tailcoat paired with loose black trousers—even with a curved horn on the back of her head, her Isshiki elegance was undeniable.
Ignoring the collapsing mountains, he took out a glass of red wine from the still space, his calm face barely concealing a fiery madness.
"More than three thousand seven hundred years..."
"I have finally completed the Reincarnation Ritual."
He tilted his head back and downed the red wine in one gulp. He threw down the glass, and the exhilarating feeling of being reborn made him burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Ha ha ha ha!!!"
Suddenly, as if sensing something, Isshiki abruptly turned around and looked at the black Portal that had appeared behind him.
There, the Sage of Six Paths, who had fused with a inferior Chakra Fruit, stepped out of the Alternate Dimension in one stride.
His expression was solemn and dignified, and nine Truth-Seeking Orb floated slowly behind him.