On the raised platform.
While the examinees below discussed matters among themselves, the higher-ups of the major shinobi villages were also making small talk.
The intensity of today's second examination had far exceeded the expectations of the leaders from every village present. Beyond their surprise, they were also greatly pleased.
The emergence of so many rising talents not only meant that the Five Great Shinobi Villages had successors, but also that their strength was steadily growing. With the threat of Akatsuki becoming increasingly severe, this was undoubtedly a good thing!
Yet the barriers between them still remained.
Even under the overarching premise of cooperating against Akatsuki, the open and covert struggles between the villages had never ceased.
For example, the Third Tsuchikage had been continually probing for information on Darui of Kumogakure, hoping to learn more about this rising talent from Kirigakure who wielded both Black Lightning and Storm Release. Meanwhile, after learning that Kirin of Kirigakure possessed the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai, the Fourth Raikage had repeatedly pressured the Fourth Mizukage, seeking to uncover Kirin's identity.
After all, whether it was the Storm Release Kekkei Genkai or the nature transformation of single-element Lightning Release chakra, both had originally been monopolized by Kumogakure.
Now, with Kirin's emergence, these Forbidden Techniques and Kekkei Genkai tied to Kumogakure's core inheritance had suddenly fallen into Kirigakure's hands. This was truly difficult for Kumogakure to accept.
And it was not just those few villages. When Konoha learned that a Sunagakure examinee named Shira had created his own taijutsu secret technique called the Seven Heavens Breathing Method, and had fought Rock Lee, who had opened the Eight Inner Gates, to a standstill, Utatane Koharu, the elder in charge of intelligence gathering, began making inquiries with the Fourth Kazekage.
Konoha's higher-ups all knew perfectly well how