Apprenticeship to Jiraiya, the Selection Tournament Begins

Yosh, this girl is truly something else!

You brat, you really are a genius.

Jiraiya couldn't help but spray two jets of blood from his nostrils, giving a thumbs-up with both hands in admiration.

A beauty like this, half-hidden from view, was exactly the secret ingredient he needed to spark his creative inspiration.

Judging by your attire, you must be the legendary one of the Legendary Sannin, Lord Jiraiya!

Lin Fan seized the opportunity to quickly walk over to Naruto's side, saying with a smile.

You brat, you certainly have a discerning eye.

I am none other than the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya!

Jiraiya said, his long white hair flowing down to his waist as he spoke with a face full of pride.

That's it?

A lecherous old man dares to call himself a sage?

You think you're worthy of a key that costs five bucks for three? How many do you think you're worth?

Naruto looked at him with disdain and spoke irritably.

Following that, Lin Fan and Naruto watched as Jiraiya instantly bit his right thumb.

After finishing the hand seals, he slammed his hand onto the ground and shouted.

Summoning Technique.

Poof.

With a loud bang, Jiraiya was instantly enveloped in white smoke.

When he reappeared, a large toad with a red and green body and a necklace bearing the character for "Loyalty" stood beneath his feet.

Impressive!

Seeing this, Naruto was so shocked his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Believe me now?

Of course I do! Uncle Jiraiya, please be our master! We're going to participate in the Chunin Exams, and we both want to train with you!

Lin Fan also said with an excited expression.

Naruto nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice.

Take you two as my disciples? What's in it for me?

Jiraiya glanced at the two of them and said with a haughty look.

The Naruto beside me knows the Transformation Technique you just saw!

Plus, I can pay for a membership card at this bathhouse, so you can come here to gather your "material" whenever you want.

Lin Fan's lips curled into a slight smirk after he finished speaking.

Nani? That condition isn't entirely unacceptable.

As Jiraiya imagined the towering peaks and slender legs in the bathhouse slowly walking toward him, he drooled and agreed without hesitation.

Subsequently, the large toad beneath Jiraiya's feet slowly extended its long tongue.

A massive Summoning Scroll unfurled.

Sign your names on this Summoning Scroll and press your blood seal, and I will acknowledge you as my disciples.

Soon, Lin Fan and Naruto did exactly as instructed.

[Ding, congratulations to the host for completing the tutorial mission. Obtained Fire Style: Great Flame Bomb Lv1, Fire Style: Toad Oil Flame Bomb Lv1, Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld Lv1.]

[Congratulations to the host for successfully upgrading Fire Style: Great Flame Bomb to LvMAX, obtained]

[Congratulations]

[]

Lin Fan and Naruto officially became Jiraiya's disciples, and the three of them naturally had to celebrate inside the bathhouse.

When the three paid and walked into the bathhouse, almost every woman's gaze was drawn to the handsome Lin Fan.

Wow, that little brother is so handsome.

Let big sister wash your face; my facial cleanser is very fragrant!

Are the two people next to that little brother his grandfather and his brother from another mother? They don't look like him at all.

As soon as Lin Fan walked into the bathhouse, twenty or thirty idle female employees rushed over, scrambling to scrub his back.

From time to time, someone would even offer him a free facial wash treatment.

Lin Fan almost suffocated in the bathhouse.

In contrast, over on Jiraiya and Naruto's side, there were only two fifty-year-old women scrubbing their bodies violently with rough washcloths.

As expected, being handsome allows you to do whatever you want in any world.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the Konoha combat arena.

The second stage of the Chunin Exams, the Forest of Death, had officially concluded.

The preliminary matches leading up to the third stage were about to begin right here.

There were a total of 22 participants across 7 groups who had made it to the preliminaries (Team 8 had an extra person due to Sakura).

Cough, cough.

I am Hayate Gekko, the proctor for the preliminary matches. We will now begin the match-up lottery.

Hayate Gekko spoke languidly with a face that looked as though he were suffering from a severe deficiency of vitality.

The display screen on the wall lit up instantly.

The 11 match-ups for the preliminaries were quickly decided.

Lin Fan's opponent was none other than Kabuto Yakushi, a subordinate of Orochimaru.

"Um, Proctor, I would like to withdraw from the exam."

"The injuries I sustained in the Forest of Death haven't healed yet. It was clearly too much of a stretch to participate in the exams so soon."

Kabuto raised his hand, shaking his head helplessly.

He then limped his way out of the arena.

Seeing Kabuto's retreating figure, Naruto couldn't help but feel a sense of pity.

Lin Fan, however, couldn't help but sneer.

Another character who deserved an Oscar for his acting.

He naturally understood that Kabuto had come to the exams to gather intelligence for Orochimaru.

Now that his mission was complete, he naturally needed to conserve his strength for the upcoming Konoha Crush.

Still, Lin Fan was quite happy to save some energy during these inconsequential preliminary matches.

Cough, cough.

"Due to the withdrawal of candidate Kabuto Yakushi, his opponent, Lin Fan, automatically advances to the third stage of the exams."

Hayate Gekko announced the news to the candidates.

The crowd wasn't particularly surprised.

After all, they had all witnessed the strength Lin Fan displayed during the Chunin Exams; even if Kabuto hadn't withdrawn, it was only natural that he would advance.

Lin Fan also noticed that Orochimaru, currently disguised as a ninja from Otogakure, was watching him intently from the spectator stand.

First match: Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi.

As a spy planted in Konoha by Orochimaru, Akado Yoroi didn't hold back from the start.

His hands, capable of absorbing chakra, gave him an overwhelming advantage over Second Pillar early on.

However, after glancing around the arena, Second Pillar suddenly spotted Rock Lee.

He then used the Shadow Leaf Mist he had copied from others to create his own Lion Combo, defeating Akado Yoroi.

Afterward, he left with Kakashi to have his Cursed Seal sealed.

Second match: Shino Aburame vs. a swordsman from Oborogakure (the trio from Otogakure led by Dosu had all been shot dead in the Forest of Death by Lin Fan's shadow clone using Senbon).

Just as the swordsman was about to stab Shino with his blade, he suddenly discovered his body was covered in Shino's Kikaichū.

Suffering from trypophobia, he was so disgusted by the sight of the bugs crawling all over him that he began foaming at the mouth, rolled his eyes back, and fainted on the spot.

Third match: Kankuro vs. Misumi Tsurugi.

Despite being at a disadvantage early on, Kankuro used his puppet to escape Misumi Tsurugi's offensive, eventually turning the tide to secure the win.

Fourth match: Ino vs. Sakura.

The two engaged in a plain and simple taijutsu battle, eventually both landing hits and collapsing to the ground unconscious. (I don't want to write too much about Sakura's plot.)

Fifth match: Tenten vs. Temari.

Tenten, that little rich girl, started off throwing ninja tools at Temari as if they were free.

However, they were all blown back by the powerful gusts generated by the Giant Folding Fan in Temari's hands.

Tenten was hard-countered and ultimately lost the match.

Sixth match: Shikamaru vs. an Oborogakure Water Style user.

Shikamaru directly utilized his superior intellect, using the Shadow Possession Jutsu to control his opponent's movements.

After both sides threw shuriken simultaneously, the Oborogakure Water Style user lost the match when his head slammed directly into the wall.

With the six matches concluded, almost all the main characters had advanced.

(I am deeply grateful for all the little gifts you guys have sent; thank you all so much for your support. I will definitely keep working hard.)

You are reading "Naruto: Starting with Infinite Skill Points" by the great Shenqi Xiao Sima.