On the day the Chunin Exams began, Orochimaru finally deigned to leave his laboratory and met with many people on the village's behalf.
He appeared after the first written exam ended, met with the candidates, and offered a few words of encouragement.
The so-called written exam assessed a genin's theoretical knowledge, character, teamwork mindset, and a series of other qualities.
After the written exam came the second test, which tested team cooperation, followed by the third test, which assessed individual strength.
This was the established process of the Chunin Exams. No matter how the contents changed over the years, its core purpose never did.
The first exam alone eliminated nearly half the candidates.
Many hoped that the ninja from their own villages would perform well, but they were not truly interested in the exam itself. As long as the Chunin Exams proceeded smoothly, that was enough.
During the second exam, all the genin from smaller places were eliminated, which was only to be expected.
The only ones left for the third exam were members of Konoha and Sunagakure.
Shin met Pakura of Sunagakure again. Amid their pleasantries, he asked how the situation between Sunagakure and the Hidden Mist Village was progressing.
Pakura was surprised that Shin would directly inquire about such a matter with her. Shin went on to say that if Sunagakure needed Konoha's help, they could speak freely. He also said that Sunagakure had aided Konoha in its time of crisis, and Konoha wished to repay that friendship.
After some thought, Pakura merely said vaguely that Sunagakure would certainly prevail, adding that she would relay Konoha's intentions to the Kazekage.
Having passed the second round, Anko eagerly ran over to Orochimaru and asked how she had performed.
Orochimaru merely smiled faintly and patted her head, offering a few