The major villages' exam lineups (part one)
The Fourth Raikage is not one to stick to the old ways.
Since Samui suitable to be the third member, what does his Chunin status matter? Just change it.
Anyway, Samui not very old. Although she is a bit scary because of her fierceness, there is no rule that says a girl cannot develop amazingly.
The key point is that Samui's promotion was arranged internally by the Kumogakure, and the missions she carried out were also village missions, which were never made public. Changing anything about it would not attract any attention.
Thus, the Fourth Raikage finalized the selection: the laid-back Darui, paired with Hi and Samui, to form the most competitive Ninja Squad.
The Kumogakure is developing very well, possessing many excellent Genin, but the Fourth Raikage has lost interest in it.
The other Genin teams will sign up themselves, and then Dodai will be responsible for the review, so as not to waste the Raikage's time.
Since the Fifth Hokage established his formidable reputation, his hands-off management style has become widely known.
Therefore, the four Kazekage and the Fourth Raikage followed suit, delegating ordinary tasks to their subordinates and focusing on more important matters themselves.
Kirigakure did not imitate this because they have not yet selected Fifth Mizukage.
Iwagakure didn't imitate it either, not because Ōnoki couldn't let go, but because there were too many simpletons among the Iwagakure Ninja, making it impossible for Ōnoki to let go.
After handling a few more important matters, the Fourth Raikage handed over the remaining tasks to Dodai and his administrative team, and then left the Raikage's Office with Darui.
Kumogakure does want to acquire more Kekkei Genkai, but the Fourth Raikage is well aware that the village's focus is not on Kekkei Genkai for the time being.
The key to Kumogakure is powerful Ninja Tools capable of killing the Fifth Hokage!
It was the Fourth Raikage who was able to hold off the Fifth Hokage!
He is Darui, the successor to the Fourth Raikage Fifth Raikage will succeed the Fourth Raikage after his death!
Despite the change in the Fifth Hokage's approach, the Fourth Raikage, whose ambition remained unchanged, believed that Kumogakure needed violence as a safeguard and a way to kill the Fifth Hokage, even at a great cost.
Only if the Fourth Raikage Fifth Hokage threaten Konoha and the Fifth Hokage with violence could he negotiate with the Fifth Hokage with peace of mind.
The Fourth Raikage never kept his promises when facing Shinobu villages.
Even if he promised peace one second, the next second he would rush into the enemy's ninja village without blinking an eye and steal what he wanted if he discovered the treasure he desired.
The Fourth Raikage was that kind of person, so he couldn't trust Konoha or the Fifth Hokage's credibility.
He only trusts himself.
When news of the Joint Chunin Ninja Exams reached the Fourth Kazekage, he was panning for gold deep in the desert.
Upon hearing the report from the Sunagakure Ninja, he showed no excitement, calmly retorting, "Is it another case where refusal is not permitted?"
Baki, Sunagakure Ninja and Rasa's disciple, lowered his head sadly upon hearing this. "Yes, teacher."
Rasa paused, then said with a wry smile, "Go tell Fusha and the others to select some Genin from the village and see who can be sent over."
"Going to Konoha —that's suicide."
Regardless of the village, the Chunin Ninja Exams are extremely risky.
Chunin are the backbone of a village and its leaders when carrying out missions. In a sense, the number and quality of Chunin represent the strength of a ninja village.
Therefore, Genin wants to be promoted to Chunin, unless they have clear battle records to prove it, they must win in a brutal elimination process and prove that they are Chunin terms of strength, personality, and knowledge.
Therefore, people die Chunin Ninja Exams, and many people die.
Sending them to Konoha to take the exams would naturally mean they wouldn't receive protection from the Konoha Ninja, and they would easily be targeted by Konoha Ninja, Iwagakure Ninja, Cloud Ninja, and Mist Ninja, making their risks even higher.
Unfortunately, Sunagakure has been short of money for the past ten years or so, making it unable to train excellent Genin.
Even with repeated reductions in scale and the implementation of elite education, not many outstanding Genin have emerged, or rather, they haven't had a chance to emerge yet.
The Fourth Kazekage sighed, "If only we could wait another two years. Sana, Saya, Viper, Sen, Yome are all promising talents, but right now they're just prospects."
Baki angrily pounded the sand, then, fighting back tears, left without looking back.
The Fourth Kazekage suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Uchiha Izumi, losing all face. However, this experience gave him a new perspective, and he dared to emulate the Fifth Hokage by abandoning the village to train, pan for gold, or do things that required extreme secrecy.
During that great battle, Rasa also clearly saw the extent to which the Ninja of Sunagakure had been dwindling.
No matter how disgraceful he is, he is still the strongest Ninja in Sunagakure, and there is absolutely no Kage-level Ninja who can replace him.
His gold panning, in particular, is now the village's biggest source of income, and everyone has no choice but to make do.
We can't possibly let the old and frail Chiyo become the Fifth Kazekage, can we?
The Fourth Kazekage's position is actually quite secure.
After Baki brought the Kazekage's decision back to the village, Fusha and the Jonin began selecting outstanding Sunagakure Genin.
But soon, the Jonin charge from Sunagakure were all dumbfounded.
The vast Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, could only select two excellent Genin, and both of them were children of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa.
The Fourth Kazekage was so overwhelmed by the report that he felt like dying, so he made a decision in a nonchalant, "what the heck" manner.
Back in Sunagakure, the Fourth Kazekage told the Jonin, "It's Temari and Kankuro now, plus Gaara, to make a proper Ninja Squad."
Jonin Fusha stared in disbelief. "Isn't it inappropriate to send Jinchuriki to Konoha like this?"
The Fourth Kazekage chuckled. "It's alright. After being beaten up by the Hokage last time, Shukaku has become very well-behaved."
"Furthermore, we must demonstrate our strength to the other villages, proving that Sunagakure has not collapsed. If our Genin perform poorly, things will become even more difficult in the future."
"Therefore, we won't select any other Genin; we'll just send this small team."
"No matter how weak they are, our Sunagakure is one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. We can't send those weaklings who are not up to par and make a fool of ourselves."
The Fourth Kazekage sacrificed all his children for the sake of Sunagakure; what more could the Sunagakure Jonin say?
They bowed deeply together, and sincerely shouted, "We obey your command, Fourth Kazekage!"
After receiving information about the Joint Chunin Ninja Exams, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, immediately dispatched a large number of personnel, including his son, Kitsuchi.
The Iwagakure Ninja have only one mission: to capture Deidara, the traitorous disciple who has defected, throughout the entire Ninja World.
Ōnoki didn't expect this brat to learn another Kekkei Genkai, but Iwagakure needed him to hold the fort.
As the most stable of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Iwagakure has always developed steadily, with a sufficient Genin to choose from, including many outstanding children.
However, there wasn't a single outstanding genin among the Iwagakure (Iwagakure) Genin.
In the past two years, the Fifth Hokage has swept across the Ninja World, Iwagakure naturally focused on gathering intelligence. As a result, Ōnoki learned about the new generation of Ninja in Konoha.
Neji Hyuga, Tenten, Uchiha Sasuke, and Naruto Uzumaki —these are the most dazzling Nova Konoha in the last two years; they're simply blinding.
--
Ōnoki racked his brains but couldn't think of any Genin from Iwagakure who could compare to them.
What frustrated him most was that even Chunin weren't confident they could overpower these four Konoha Genin.
For example, Uchiha Sasuke Awakening the One-Tomoe Sharingan at the age of 12 and became a disciple of Sannin, one of the Orochimaru. He was personally taught by the Fifth Hokage and it is very likely that he fused with a second Kekkei Genkai.
But this monstrous Genin was completely suppressed by Naruto Uzumaki and was always at a disadvantage.
Naruto Uzumaki's information was well protected. Apart from knowing that he was the Fifth Hokage's disciple, Ōnoki didn't know what Ninjutsu Naruto was good at or how he was able to suppress Uchiha Sasuke.
Neji Hyuga was born into the Hyuga Clan, so it was inevitable that he would awaken the Byakugan and be skilled in Gentle Fist. Previously, not many people paid much attention to him.
Because the greatest genius of the Hyuga Clan was trampled underfoot and suppressed for a full four years by a commoner girl Ninja whose parents were not Ninja.
Who would worry about a "genius" who can't even beat an ordinary girl?
However, during the past year's Ninja missions, Neji Hyuga displayed astonishing strength, managing to overwhelm some veteran Chunin and even briefly hold his own against Jonin!
Such a monster isn't even number one in the grade!
What kind of monster is Tenten, the girl who lords it over monsters but is ignored by everyone?
Whenever Ōnoki thought of those four Konoha Genin, he felt a pang of sadness, and his breathing became erratic, even causing a dull ache in his lower back.
Konoha has already produced a Fifth Hokage, so why are so many more geniuses emerging? To whom can Iwagakure entrust its future?
Therefore, Deidara must be brought back, even if it means breaking his legs and binding him.
But Ōnoki was unaware that his student had encountered his nemesis Uchiha Itachi, and was being harmed by this guy using his Sharingan.
Having suffered immense humiliation, Deidara has become a psychopath, his mind twisted beyond comprehension, to the point where he could commit suicide at any moment.
Deidara is beyond saving.
In Amegakure, Nagato chuckled and said, "The Fifth Hokage is becoming increasingly powerful, but this power has indeed made the Ninja World a much better place."
Konan nodded in agreement. "Yes, there are no more wars between countries, and the internal chaos within countries has been swept away by Ninja from various nations. It's much safer than before."
Nagato stood up from his seat with a determined look in his eyes, standing straight and upright, steady and composed.
--
He stated confidently, "Both the First Hokage and the Fifth Hokage have proven that powerful and dominant forces can indeed bring about peace."
"The problem is, the First Hokage also proved that Hokage are people who die. After such powerful Ninja die, the Ninja World will return to its old state of constant warfare."
"The future of the Ninja World still depends on me, on me, the god who inherited the eyes of the Sage of Sage of Six Paths."
Konan frowned, her lips moved a few times, but she didn't say anything.
Although Konan was standing to Nagato's right rear, her actions still caught the attention of Nagato's Rinnegan.
Nagato knew what Konan wanted to say, and he confidently explained, "Konan, I know what you're worried about. I will die too, after all, the Sage of Six Paths himself died."
"But I will leave behind a weapon that will last forever, a weapon controlled by the Akatsuki, more formidable than the Fifth Hokage's. It will Guardian Ninja world in my place, ensuring that peace continues forever."
"For a more lasting peace, we must sacrifice the current, temporary peace. This is an unavoidable price to pay, but I assure you that this price is absolutely worthwhile."
Nagato's explanation put Konan at ease, and she finally raised her second concern. "Nagato, are you capable of defeating the Fifth Hokage now?"
Nagato's face suddenly froze. Thinking of his crushing defeat last time, he even stopped breathing involuntarily.
It took Nagato a dozen seconds to recover, and he confidently replied, "No problem!"
"Last time, my body was in terrible condition. Not only was my Chakra insufficient, but even controlling the Six Paths of Pain was very difficult."
"Now, with Madara Uchiha's help, I've received excellent treatment. Not only has my paralyzed body recovered, but my Chakra levels have also increased more than tenfold."
"Konan, do you think the Fifth Hokage can become ten times stronger in the next two years?"
Konan was completely relieved to hear that Nagato 'Chakra had increased tenfold, and a smile appeared on her face, "Of course not, he's already so strong, how could he be ten times stronger?"
Nagato raised his hands, clenched his fists tightly, and felt the long-lost sense of power. He smiled and said, "I couldn't beat you last time, but this time will be different."
"Fifth Hokage, wait a few more years. Once the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path has fully recovered, I will challenge you again. I will defeat you, steal the Nine-Tails from Konoha, create the strongest weapon, and bring eternal peace to the Ninja World."
"At that time, Yahiko and everyone's dream will come true."
Nagato spoke, tears streamed down her face, and she choked up, unable to continue.
Konan heard Yahiko's name, she thought of her friend and the first Akatsuki members who died in the ambush, and tears welled up in her eyes.
After so many years of hard work, we're finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
After a moment of reflection, Konan composed herself and continued, "The search efforts launched by Iwagakure against Deidara are too intense. Right now, Deidara and Sasori's group can only hide and can't do anything."
Nagato remarked with deep surprise, "Their eagerness to capture Deidara suggests that the Joint Chunin Ninja Exams are putting a lot of pressure on the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki."
He asked, "This matter mainly concerns Deidara; what is his opinion?"
Konan said, "Deidara wants to go back temporarily, but can we trust him?"
Nagato smiled confidently, "Tell Deidara that I believe him and allow him to return to Iwagakure."
"He is still 'Blue' in our Akatsuki, and he keeps and collects the ring himself."