"I'm really sorry about what happened last time. The people in my group just can't stand ninjas who think they're above everyone else because of their Kekkei Genkai." Violet apologized to Shiyu first.
Shiyu seemed a little surprised. He hadn't expected things to go this way; he'd thought they'd be at each other's throats.
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But Shiyu didn't really dislike them that much. They were all Konoha Ninja, after all; it was just a small misunderstanding.
"There are lots of familiar faces, and quite a few ninjas I've never seen before. Looks like they're all here for the Chunin Exams," Shiyu said conversationally to Violet.
"You need to be careful around the Uchiha Clan."
Violet Katori quietly warned him, "I can tell they're hostile toward you."
"Not just tell. We already had a little run-in at the gate," Shiyu said, unable to help himself.
"No, I mean the regular Uchiha Clan exam candidates—"
"Violet, it's time for us to go in," Katsuhira Yoshida called. Violet had been about to say more, but swallowed the words.
"Anyway, be careful." Shiyu couldn't quite make sense of Violet's warning. She was a fellow Konoha Ninja, but they weren't related or anything, so why was she going out of her way to warn him?
Still, Teacher Hizashi had told him that the Uchiha Clan planned to make a move against him. As soon as he'd entered the waiting room, he'd felt countless hostile stares fixed on him. Some of them belonged to the Uchiha Clan.
"Looks like these Chunin Exams won't be as simple as I imagined!" Another voice drew everyone's attention once more.
"That's Konoha's Inoshikacho trio," someone pointed out.
Nara Kakuru, Yamanaka Yuki, and Akimichi Tonki were known as Inoshikacho. They were a time-honored team passed down through generations in Konoha, and they'd graduated from the Ninja Academy together. Shiyu knew who they were, of course.
With the Inoshikacho trio's arrival, the waiting room grew even livelier.
They were from the same class as Shiyu's group, so they knew one another.
"Hey, Uchiha Shiyu?"
"Let's look out for each other during the practical exam!" Yamanaka Yuki greeted Shiyu with great enthusiasm.
"Yuki, you're that confident you'll pass the written exam?" Akimichi Tonki asked between bites.
"Of course. We've got Kakuru, don't we?" Yamanaka Yuki glanced at Nara Kakuru. "He's our brains!"
It was clear that Shiyu was quite popular. After all, his graduation exam at the Ninja Academy had been truly spectacular.
Might Guy, who had noticed Shiyu's remarkable popularity, was clearly a veteran candidate. He still hadn't become a Chunin, though.
Guy could sense the youth brimming inside Shiyu. He decided that, like Kakashi, Shiyu would make a worthy rival. Since Shiyu was qualified to be his opponent, Guy challenged him to a fight.
"You're Shiyu, right?" Guy looked at him, his fighting spirit blazing.
"What do you want, Guy?" Shiyu met Guy's gaze without fear.
"I can tell you're strong! If we get the chance, let's settle things during the exams!" Might Guy said.
Shiyu had been wondering how to get close to Guy so he could learn the Eight Inner Gates someday, so he happily accepted.
"Sure. I'll make sure we have a fair and honest fight. I want to see just how strong you are, Might Guy!" Shiyu replied with even greater enthusiasm.
"Genma, Ebisu! I've found us a powerful opponent!" Guy said excitedly to his teammates.
Genma Shiranui looked suave, with a Senbon between his teeth. Proud as he was, he grinned and said, "Great! I've been itching for a fight too!"
"The Uchiha Clan? Guy? Are you sure you want to make an enemy this powerful?" Ebisu adjusted his sunglasses.
"It's fine, Ebisu. They're not our only enemies. Aside from ourselves, everyone else is an enemy, right?" Genma Shiranui said.
"Fine." Ebisu sounded a little helpless.
Shiyu watched everything from the side, carefully committing everyone around him to memory.
"Besides Nao and Kurenai, there are all the other Konoha teams."
"Kakashi Hatake, Obito Uchiha, Rin Nohara."
"Nara Kakuru, Yamanaka Yuki, Akimichi Tonki."
"Shuichi Matsuyama, Violet Katori, Katsuhira Yoshida."
"And Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, Ebisu."
"The ones I just clashed with: Shuichi Uchiha, Naomasa Uchiha, and another Uchiha."
"Just from the people I know, there are five teams so far. And then there are those guys!" Shiyu tilted his head and spotted a group of other ninjas who looked hostile.
"With a hundred teams, there should be at least five waiting rooms. They've made this exam huge," Shiyu guessed.
"Nao, you'll be fine. Don't be nervous," Kurenai kept reassuring Nao. He had very little confidence in his written exam.
"Nao, Kurenai, when the exam starts, the questions aren't the most important thing. Pay attention to what the examiner says beyond the questions. And whatever you do, don't withdraw on your own. Even if you can't answer a single question, don't quit. It's very possible that if one person withdraws, the whole team will be eliminated." Shiyu reminded Kurenai and Nao just before the exam.
While everyone was trying to guess what the questions might be, a Chunin announced, "Uchiha Shiyu, Hinata Kurenai, and Kakashi Nao, report to the 'Ox' examination room. The exam is about to begin. Prepare yourselves."
"We should go in." Shiyu reminded them again, "Don't forget what I said."
Nao and Kurenai didn't understand what Shiyu meant, but they remembered his words.
After the three entered the examination room, their seats were rearranged. They were each seated far apart, clearly according to the examiner's arrangements.
The chief examiner was none other than Shikaku Nara, whom they had all just met.
Once everyone was in place, Shikaku began his introduction.
"Everyone! Welcome! I'm Shikaku Nara, a Konoha Jonin and the chief examiner for the first round of the Chunin Exams. I have two things to tell you about this exam."
"First, from the moment you enter this examination room, you are forbidden to speak. Anyone who speaks will immediately be sentenced to remain a Genin for life and lose the right to ever become a Chunin!"
The examination room was completely silent; no one even answered. Nobody wanted to say anything and get disqualified by the examiner.
"Good. It seems you understand the first rule." Shikaku nodded in satisfaction, then continued.
"Second, I'm going to read out the exam rules. All you need to do is listen and understand. If you can't understand them, you'd better leave the examination room now."
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