Chunin Exam

It was the third day after his return to the village that Kazekaze Genma finally saw Tsunade again.

Huixiang was there too, and she instinctively tensed up the moment she saw Kazekaze Genma.

"What are you afraid of, a little brat like him?"

"From now on, make him call you big sister!"

Having just lost all her money, Tsunade was radiating an overbearing aura.

Shizune covered her mouth to hide a giggle from the side; she already knew that Huixiang was someone Kazekaze Genma had secretly spirited away from Kusagakure.

Huixiang felt very embarrassed, then spoke up to greet him: "Hello, Lord Kazekaze Genma."

To think someone would actually call him Lord Kazekaze Genma—tsk tsk, this feeling was actually quite nice!

Kazekaze Genma felt satisfied, glanced at the pouting Tsunade, and responded with a smile: "Hello. Let me reintroduce myself: I am Kazekaze Genma. You can just call me Kazekaze Genma, Big Sister Huixiang."

"Of course, Lord Kazekaze Genma is also fine."

This remark made Tsunade curl her lip in mockery.

Huixiang blushed, then nodded: "Yes."

She was still a bit afraid of the little brat before her, even if he didn't look as cold and ruthless as he had before.

Kazekaze Genma looked at Tsunade: "Did you go to Tanzaku Town, Lady Tsunade?"

She had gone to pick someone up, only to go missing for several days.

Anyone who didn't know better would think she was off shipping cargo like Tony.

Tsunade's expression turned unnatural for a split second when asked, then she feigned impatience: "Don't nag. What is it? If there's nothing, I still have to teach Huixiang and Shizune Medical Ninjutsu!"

Kazekaze Genma's mouth twitched, and he said helplessly: "I want to get some materials related to Sealing Technique."

Tsunade turned her head away: "Shizune, take him to get them."

She wanted to send this brat away as quickly as possible to avoid him digging into her business.

"Yes, Lady Tsunade."

Shizune immediately smiled and pulled Kazekaze Genma away.

Watching the two leave, Huixiang asked with a puzzled look: "Lady Tsunade, you seem... a bit afraid of him?"

Tsunade appeared boisterous and even quite domineering, but after spending a few days together, Huixiang was no longer afraid of her, which was why she dared to ask.

At this, Tsunade's voice immediately spiked several octaves: "He's just a brat who is still a Genin."

"I just don't want to listen to his nagging."

"Aside from having good luck and good talent, that guy is useless."

Huixiang had a head full of question marks: Was that supposed to be a compliment?

However, just being able to use a shadow clone to safely bring her out of Kusagakure meant that, despite his young age, he was a very formidable ninja.

After obtaining the materials, Kazekaze Genma didn't linger at Tsunade's house and turned to head home to study Sealing Technique.

He had completely figured it out now: he would do the most basic training himself, and leave the rest to his cheats.

Because no matter how hard he worked, it wouldn't compare to modifying the Setting Value.

Therefore, Kazekaze Genma decided he should put more energy into how to obtain Setting Value.

If he was already cheating, what would be the point of working so hard at cultivation? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of having cheats?

The three-day holiday passed quickly.

Outside the Hokage Building, the squad gathered, and the three of them received three application forms from Hatake Sakumo.

"Chunin Exam application?"

Yamashiro Aoba asked in confusion: "Teacher, we only graduated a little over two months ago. Is this allowed?"

Hatake Sakumo smiled: "I will vouch for you."

"Besides, it doesn't matter if you don't pass."

"This is also a chance for you to compete with other ninjas from the village."

Yamashiro Aoba pushed up his sunglasses: "Kazekaze Genma should be confident, right?"

Kazekaze Genma shook his head: "That's not necessarily true."

"The exam has three rounds. If there are particularly strong opponents, it's possible not to be promoted."

Shizune was shocked: "Aside from Kakashi, is there anyone in our cohort more powerful than you?"

Hatake Sakumo said: "It's not just your cohort; there are also some older ninjas, or those who haven't passed the exam before."

"The village holds the Chunin Exam every July, so even Kazekaze Genma cannot be careless."

Shizune finally understood.

Hatake Sakumo pointed to the forms in the three people's hands: "Go back and fill out the forms, and I will submit them."

"From now until the exams, we won't be going out on missions. We'll be conducting special pre-exam training."

"Let's go. We start today."

The Chunin Exams arrived as a matter of course.

This reminded Genma that because of him, Kakashi had already lost the records for the fastest Ninja Academy graduation and the youngest Chunin.

All that remained was the youngest Jonin in the history of Konoha.

Lord Kakashi's prestige was going to drop in the future.

The squad arrived at the training ground.

Hatake Sakumo said, "We'll start with one-on-one duels."

"Aoba, Genma, you two go first."

Genma and Yamashiro Aoba nodded and walked to the center of the training ground, standing opposite each other.

Hatake Sakumo and Shizune stood at the edge of the training ground, surrounded by the forest.

"Genma, although I know I'm no match for you, I will still fight with all my might. I hope you do the same and let me see just how big the gap between us really is."

Yamashiro Aoba said solemnly.

Seeing him so serious, Genma nodded. "Understood. I will go all out."

Hatake Sakumo raised his hand and then swung it down. "Begin!"

As the voice fell, Genma and Yamashiro Aoba lunged forward almost simultaneously, like arrows released from a bowstring.

Thud, thud, thud.

Fists and feet collided, emitting dull, muffled sounds.

Just after the initial clash, Yamashiro Aoba's movements began to falter because Genma's strength far exceeded his own. Even when trying to deflect the force, he found it difficult to withstand and had to change his combat strategy.

Boom, boom, boom.

Craters exploded in the ground, sending soil flying. Yamashiro Aoba retreated repeatedly to dodge, but suddenly, Genma appeared at his side.

"So fast!"

Catching a glimpse of Genma's figure out of the corner of his eye, Yamashiro Aoba immediately raised his arms to protect his head, bracing for Genma's whip kick.

Bang!

The terrifying force sent Yamashiro Aoba's arms crashing into his head, sending his sunglasses and his body flying sideways.

After rolling several times on the ground to dissipate the momentum, Yamashiro Aoba pushed himself up with his hands and immediately unleashed a Great Fireball Technique.

The scorching flames left the ground charred black.

Genma charged straight into the fireball, but just as he was about to collide with it, his figure suddenly flickered and vanished.

"It's that Substitution Technique."

Yamashiro Aoba was startled. Just as he was about to scan for Genma's position, he realized his body could no longer move.

"It's a genjutsu! Damn it, I can't break it—I'm completely paralyzed!"

Yamashiro Aoba's mind was perfectly clear, but he couldn't even blink his eyes, let alone weave hand signs or bite his tongue to break the illusion through pain.

He felt as if his entire body were tightly bound by a Spider Web.

He knew Genma was skilled in genjutsu, but experiencing it for the first time, he hadn't expected it to be so overwhelming.

As Yamashiro Aoba struggled, Genma appeared at his side, a Kunai pressed against his neck.

"Genma wins!"

Hatake Sakumo announced.

Genma immediately withdrew the Kunai and held up one hand to dispel the genjutsu.

"It seems I have no way to force you to use your full strength."

Yamashiro Aoba said with a hint of helplessness.

Hatake Sakumo offered his critique: "Aoba, since you know some of Genma's intel, you shouldn't have engaged him in taijutsu."

"Even if you know defeat is certain, if you are forced to fight on the battlefield, stalling for time against a strong enemy is the best strategy—either to buy time for your comrades or to wait for reinforcements."

"Treat this sparring session as a real battle."

Yamashiro Aoba nodded solemnly. "Yes, Sensei, I understand!"

Hatake Sakumo then looked at Genma: "On the battlefield, you need to eliminate the enemy with the least cost and the fastest speed."

"What you just did was clearly not the optimal solution."

Genma nodded.

Hatake Sakumo continued: "However, the gap in strength between you and Aoba's group is too large. For this period of special training, you will act as their sparring partner."

"I will be your opponent."