Reunion with Nonō

The test in the Forest of Death allowed many examinees to discover their own shortcomings; some were poor at coordination, some were bad at concealment, and others simply lacked the necessary strength. However, the exam rules announced by Dan Katō at the end undoubtedly gave many of them hope.

Regardless of whether they obtained the Yin Scroll or the Yang Scroll, as long as they could reach the Tower of Death by the end, they still had a chance to become Genin—it was merely a matter of how high their odds were. Perhaps this was the true meaning of the exam: beyond discovering one's own weaknesses, it was about realizing the spirit of never giving up until the very last moment!

The Tower of Death test was declared over on the afternoon of the seventh day. Once it concluded, two Anbu ninjas wearing animal masks and beige trench coats found Sato Hideaka and brought him to a room in the Tower of Death to file some records.

As for the content of the records, it documented that Sato Hideaka had accidentally killed two people and wounded six others while in the Forest of Death. Although the Genin Exam did not explicitly forbid killing, this report was a mandatory procedure.

Possessing a record of killing was perhaps an important assessment standard for Sato Hideaka to be rated as "Excellent." A ninja is a profession that requires the resolve to kill; even someone as kind-hearted as Yakushi Nonō would still kill when necessary.

No ninja can escape slaughter and bloodshed; to kill and be killed is the fate of a ninja!

When Sato Hideaka walked out of the room, he happened to run into Uchiha Kaoru, Uchiha Kenichi, Hyuga Ningbo, and others who were also emerging from various rooms. It was clear that they, too, had records of killing.

The Genin Exam had finally come to an end. Arriving at the base of the Tower of Death, Sato Hideaka stretched, took a deep breath of the primeval forest air, and lifted his feet, preparing to leave with Yuhi Kurenai and Hyuga Ningxiang. But at that very moment, a dark shadow suddenly appeared before him.

Sato Hideaka had no time to react. He suddenly caught a faint, clean scent, followed by a cold, crisp female voice echoing in his ear: "Little ghost, I have always regarded you as a worthy opponent. Don't you dare disappoint me in the match a month from now."

It was Uchiha Kaoru. Such incredible speed!

Sato Hideaka's pupils constricted sharply, and cold sweat nearly broke out. The opponent had reached his side in an instant, yet his body hadn't registered a single reaction. If she had thrust a Kunai at him instead, wouldn't he have been killed on the spot?

Looking at the delicately carved, pretty face before him, a chill rose in Sato Hideaka's heart. The speed Uchiha Kaoru was displaying now far exceeded the speed she had shown during their duel in the Forest of Death.

In other words, Uchiha Kaoru had held back her true strength during their previous fight. I'm afraid her real goal in that last battle was to gather intelligence on my Lava Release and Crystal Release. What a terrifying person!

Standing beside Hyuga Ningxiang, Hyuga Ningbo frowned, his expression turning grim. Clearly, the sudden burst of speed from Uchiha Kaoru had also refreshed his understanding of his opponents; such speed seemed to have already surpassed that of an average Chunin.

"Regard me as your opponent? Uchiha-san, I think you've got the wrong person. How could my strength possibly be a match for yours? If you want a real opponent, surely it would be the genius of the Hyuga Clan, the other prestigious family in Konoha, Hyuga Ningbo!" Sato Hideaka chuckled dryly, gesturing toward Hyuga Ningbo beside him.

"With the dual Kekkei Genkai of Lava Release and Crystal Release, plus your high aptitude for ninjutsu, you are the only one who can truly pose a threat to me, little ghost! Don't you dare disappoint me..."

Regarding what Sato Hideaka had said, Uchiha Kaoru cast a glance at Hyuga Ningbo, her lips curling into a look of disdain. After whispering these words into Sato Hideaka's ear, she turned and left with the other examinees of the Uchiha Clan!

Watching the backs of the Uchiha Clan as they gradually moved away, Sato Hideaka sighed softly. Truth be told, he did not want to be Uchiha Kaoru's opponent, because he felt he hadn't even seen her trump cards yet.

However, his own combat style and tactical intelligence had been thoroughly exposed during his previous fight with Uchiha Kaoru. With his own strength already inferior to hers, and his intelligence compromised, his chances of winning if they were to face off in the arena were slim!

Guided by the staff, the examinees from the Forest of Death spent two days taking a shortcut out of the woods. Sato Hideaka's group arrived at the gates of Konoha, and under the watchful eyes of the sentry ninjas, they entered the bustling, peaceful Konoha.

Hyuga Ningxiang had been quite interested in visiting Sato Hideaka's home, but she was dragged back to the Hyuga Clan's compound by a dark-faced Hyuga Ningbo, who grabbed her by the collar. Perhaps he was deeply troubled by Hyuga Ningxiang's lack of family pride and decorum.

The examinees returned to their homes or temporary lodgings one after another. Sato Hideaka and Yuhi Kurenai walked along the busiest street in Konoha, and before they knew it, they were the only two examinees of their age left.

Under the glow of the setting sun, the two children—only as tall as an adult's waist—weaved through the crowd like two innocent childhood sweethearts, drawing glances from those around them. Some young girls even began to point at them, whispering and giggling to their companions.

Yuhi Kurenai turned her head to sneak a glance at Sato Hideaka. At this moment, he had his hands behind his head, his gaze fixed straight ahead as he walked, as if deep in thought. His tousled blue hair fluttered in the breeze, and the delicate, soft face that once looked like a girl's now appeared incredibly reliable in Yuhi Kurenai's eyes.

During their days in the Forest of Death, Sato Hideaka's various reflections, strategies, tactics, vigilance, and the mature, perfect tactical layouts he deployed showed a maturity far beyond his years. Yuhi Kurenai even felt that Sato Hideaka, who was two years younger than her, was more mature and reliable than she was.

This made the competitive, headstrong, and stubborn Yuhi Kurenai feel somewhat discouraged!

Sensing Yuhi Kurenai's gaze fixed on him, Sato Hideaka turned his head. Seeing her staring at him in a daze, he waved his right hand in front of her jewel-like eyes and said, "Kurenai, what's wrong? Why are you spacing out while walking down the street?"

"...Spacing out? Wh-where? I was just thinking about something. Yes... that's it, I was just guessing what the content of the Genin written exam in thirteen days will be." Yuhi Kurenai, like a startled rabbit, hurriedly took a step back, her face flushing red as she stammered.

"Oh, is that so? Do you really think I believe that?"

Sato Hideaka leaned in slowly, his eyes flashing with a strange light as he asked, word by word, at the Yuhi Kurenai who dared not meet his gaze. In such a boring situation, teasing the future "big sister" archetype Yuhi Kurenai was quite an enjoyable pastime.

Watching Sato Hideaka lean closer, the lying Yuhi Kurenai felt her heart beat even faster. With a flushed face and a weak gaze, she took step after step backward.

"Hideaka, Hideaka..."

Just then, a familiar voice rang out from not far away. Sato Hideaka looked toward the source of the sound and saw a woman of about twenty, dressed in a nun's habit, wearing black-rimmed glasses, and holding a cake in her arms. She stood amidst the flowing crowd, her eyes filled with surprise as she looked at him.

It was Nonō, Yakushi Nonō!

A surge of joy, excitement, and happiness—all sorts of positive emotions—welled up in Sato Hideaka's heart. Looking at the unharmed Yakushi Nonō, the worry in his heart could finally be put to rest. Just as the Third Hokage had promised, although she had betrayed Root, Yakushi Nonō had come to no harm...