Crossing the Border

The student squads that had passed the screening advanced rapidly toward the Land of Hot Water along their assigned routes.

From high above, it was clear that the squads were keeping as much distance from one another as possible, spreading out in a fan shape.

At the center of the formation were the squads led by "geniuses" like Yakumo, Sasuke, and Neji. The weaker student squads deliberately steered clear of them, choosing to travel along the edges of the fan.

Behind the student squads followed teams of elite Jonin.

These elite Jonin teams served both as examiners and as protection for the students ahead of them.

For example, following Yakumo's squad was a three-person team personally led by Tsunade, one of the Sannin.

Following Sasuke's squad was a three-person team led by Kakashi. Following Neji's squad was a three-person team led by Might Guy.

Asuma's team was responsible for protecting Shikamaru's squad, while Kurenai's team protected Hinata's. Other Special Jōnin from the village, such as Anko, Genma, and Hayate, were also hard at work, each assigned to a student squad.

Besides these Jonin teams providing one-on-one protection, the village had also dispatched a mixed unit made up of ANBU, the Intelligence Squad, the Communications Squad, and the Medical Team. Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, served as its commander, coordinating support from the center.

This was an extravagant lineup, more than enough to wage a small-scale war. It showed just how seriously the village was taking this exam.

In the forest.

Shinji, Haku, and Karin raced through the trees at tremendous speed. Only a fleeting shadow flashed across the dappled ground beneath them.

Suddenly, Karin frowned. "It seems someone's following us."

Thanks to her Mind's Eye of the Kagura, she could accurately sense the number of Jonin teams following them and