Exam Results

The Chunin Selection Exams held in Konoha came to a close amidst a joint assault by Sunagakure and the S-rank missing-nin from Konoha, Orochimaru.

On the Konoha side, thanks to timely reactions, swift counterattacks, and the efforts of several outstanding ninja, the forces of Sunagakure and Orochimaru were quickly suppressed with only minimal sacrifices.

Throughout the entire incident, the majority of the ninja who unfortunately lost their lives were nameless individuals, with the exception of Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.

When his body was discovered by the people of Sunagakure, it was already crawling with flies, yet there were no signs of a struggle at the scene; it was highly probable that he had died from a sneak attack.

Using this as a "pretext," the Sunagakure side pushed all responsibility for the attack on Konoha onto Orochimaru. Afterward, Sunagakure paid a symbolic amount of compensation to preserve the alliance between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, preventing the situation from deteriorating further.

However, in order to redeem Gaara, an important Jinchuriki, along with Temari and Kankuro, Sunagakure was still forced to cough up a sufficient ransom.

Three days after the Chunin Selection Exams ended.

Konoha had already returned to its former tranquility; although some buildings remained in ruins, the lives of most villagers were unaffected.

At Naruto's home, Sakura and Sasuke were both present, eating breakfast with Naruto.

"Sasuke, do you think we'll actually be able to become Chunin?"

Sakura asked, "It's already been three days, and there hasn't been a single bit of news."

"It doesn't matter if we do or not."

Sasuke chewed his rice ball slowly, "It won't affect our own strength anyway."

"In the long run, it actually does."

Naruto corrected him, "A Chunin's income is higher than a Genin's, which allows us to purchase more training resources and slightly improve the effectiveness of our training."

"There's such a thing?"

Sasuke pressed, "Why haven't you mentioned this before?"

"Because we spend so little. The medicinal meals Master prepares for us usually use very cheap herbs, and the subsidy the village gives me is enough to cover it."

Naruto explained, "But if we had enough funds, Master could choose formulas with better medicinal effects. However, the price is far higher than what we use now, and the effect is only slightly stronger, so it's not very cost-effective."

"How much more expensive?"

Sasuke had no concept of money, "I also have a subsidy from the village, plus part of the inheritance left behind by the Uchiha Clan."

"Twenty times, maybe thirty times more expensive at most, but the effect improves by less than one-tenth."

Naruto reported a significant figure, "If we switched to a better formula, based on our savings, we would only have enough extra money to eat a medicinal meal once a month while maintaining our normal lives."

Sasuke: "That's too much of a difference, right?!"

Naruto shrugged, "That's why I didn't tell you guys."

Sasuke was silent for a long while before sighing, "It's better to have a bit more money."

"As long as it's enough, the current medicinal meals are sufficient for us. In a couple of years, once the funds from Zabuza's side are in place, we can try it for a while."

Naruto added, "In a few days, when Grandpa Third distributes the rewards, if there's extra, we can ask Master to make a high-grade medicinal meal for us to try."

"Fine."

Sasuke nodded earnestly, "But I'm paying for a portion of it."

Sakura: "Me too."

"Of course you have to pay!"

Naruto: "I don't have that much money to buy three sets of materials!"

After finishing breakfast, the three of them went to the village training grounds to exercise, just as they usually did.

Someone had arrived before them: "You're here to train today, too?!"

"You're still as early as ever, Rock Lee!"

Naruto greeted him with a smile, "How is your recovery coming along? Want to train together?"

"No problem!"

Rock Lee threw punches and kicks rapidly on the spot to show he had recovered, "But I'm only doing taijutsu training. Can we do that together?"

"Just doing the taijutsu portion together is fine."

As he spoke, Naruto suddenly reached out and squeezed the muscles on Rock Lee's arm: "Hmm... as expected, they're very stiff. The way you've been training puts a huge load on your body, and you haven't been getting enough rest, have you?"

Rock Lee: "Because I don't have any talent, I have no choice but to work desperately hard!"

"I'm not saying your hard work is wrong, but your method of working hard—or rather, the direction—is a bit problematic."

Naruto rubbed his chin and turned to Sasuke, "Do you feel like Rock Lee is similar to you in some way?"

"Exactly like I used to be—only knowing how to push forward blindly, ignoring everything else, and as a result, gaining very little, which just makes you feel like you have no talent."

Sasuke said with some emotion, "Rock Lee, hard work is indeed important, but the direction and method of that work are, in some respects, even more important."

Rock Lee clenched his fists and lowered his head: "But I don't know any other way to work hard besides training taijutsu."

"Master knows!"

Naruto patted Rock Lee on the shoulder and flashed a brilliant smile, "Master said he's willing to help you adjust your training content. It might not be as high-intensity as what you do on your own, but the results will be much better."

Rock Lee's mood took a sharp turn for the better: "Re-really!?"

"No teacher could remain indifferent upon seeing a child who works desperately hard yet cannot find their direction—that is what Master said!"

Naruto gave a thumbs-up, flashing his signature sunny smile: "Let Master help you find a better way to work hard, and a more suitable direction for your efforts!"

"Yes! Please, I'm counting on you!"

Rock Lee quickly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, returned a brilliant smile to Naruto, and then asked: "Who is this Master you speak of?"

Master came online: "It is I."

Rock Lee was instantly startled...

From that day on, Rock Lee joined Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura every morning for taijutsu training, primarily to learn "Qi Refining" and "eating" from Master.

Because he had maintained high-intensity training for years, Rock Lee's physical strength had almost reached the limit for his current age group. At the same time, however, his body was nearly "dried up," and no matter how hard he tried, it was difficult to make significant progress in the short term.

Therefore, the first step was to let Rock Lee "nourish" his body back to health. When it came to nourishing the body, the simplest and most effective method was to "eat."

Of course, eating alone was not enough; one had to eat well, with sufficient protein and balanced nutrition.

The second step was Qi Refining.

Qi is a manifestation of life energy, and the process of Qi Refining involves condensing the life energy that the body would naturally dissipate and waste back into the body.

For the body, this life energy is an excellent form of nourishment.

With these two methods working in tandem, Rock Lee's physical condition improved almost every day.

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and the results of the Chunin Selection Exams were released. As expected, only Shikamaru was promoted directly to Chunin.

However, the others were not without gains.

The three members of Team 7 displayed strength far exceeding that of Genin, earning the recognition of the Daimyo and the various proctors; all three were granted the status of "delayed promotion to Chunin."

When the Chunin Selection Exams are held next year, all three members of Team 7 can be promoted directly. For the time being, however, they remain Genin.

As the village returned to peace, the ninjas resumed their daily routine of carrying out missions.

"You're all here."

Kakashi sought them out early in the morning: "It's perfect timing; we have an important mission, a long-awaited A-rank mission."

"An A-rank mission?"

Naruto pointed behind Kakashi: "What kind of A-rank mission requires the participation of Grandpa Jiraiya?"

"It seems you and Lord Jiraiya have already met."

Kakashi turned around and said respectfully to Jiraiya: "I'll have to trouble you to explain the details of the mission."

"Although you are indeed of my grandson's generation, I have quite complicated feelings about being called Grandpa by you."

Jiraiya stepped forward with a subtle expression: "Simply put, we need to leave the village to find someone and bring her back to take over the position of Hokage. I have already grasped the general location of that person; we just need to find a way to bring her back."