Training the Miserable Duo

The days of special training were dull yet fulfilling.

Training Ground 3 was divided into three areas, each echoing with different sounds.

In the area belonging to Ning Xue, he was focused intently on a massive stone slab.

Kamizuki Izumo stood beside him, guiding him with a steady voice.

"Clear your mind, feel the chakra flowing through your meridians, and imagine it is no longer water, but sticky syrup... Yes, just like that. Keep your hand seals steady and your output gradual..."

Ning Xue formed the hand seals, beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

He opened his mouth, and a clear stream of water surged out, striking the stone slab. Most of it splashed away, but a small portion at the center seemed to carry a hint of viscosity, barely clinging to the slab before sliding off.

"Not sticky enough."

Kamizuki Izumo pointed out the problem.

"The essence of shape transformation lies in changing the quality, not piling up the quantity. Continue, feel that adhesive state."

Seeing his failure, Ning Xue did not lose heart. Instead, he listened to Kamizuki Izumo's guidance and continued trying to change the structure of the water, condensing and thickening it.

He then attempted to spit out a sticky thread, continuing to output chakra on the basis of this thread in hopes of achieving the effect of a water column.

He practiced over and over again, from only being able to spit out ordinary water at the start to gradually being able to create a small puddle of slime that could barely stick to a leaf. Although the progress was slow, every step was solid.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

The scene was slightly different.

"Faster! Faster! Sugiyama Tetsu, did you not eat? Even an old lady could run faster than this speed!" Hagane Kotetsu's booming voice sounded like a war drum.

Sugiyama Tetsu had sandbags tied to his feet and a stone strapped to his back.

He ran back and forth on this steep hillside, and during the process, that damned Hagane Kotetsu would hold a cane; the moment he caught him slacking, he would give him a whack.

At this moment, sweat was already pouring down his face like rain, and every step he took felt as if his legs were filled with thousand-pound boulders.

But his eyes were still filled with fighting spirit and fire.

Although the method was crude, it was effective. He felt that his lower body was now as firm as a rock.

Looking at Hagane Kotetsu now, he no longer saw a teacher, but a demon!!

He gritted his teeth and persisted, swearing that one day he would take on a disciple and do the exact same thing to them.

"Hey! Ha!" Sugiyama Tetsu roared to cheer himself on, desperately quickening his pace because that damned cane was coming again.

And what about Nakamura Daisuke?

Oh, right, he was training in defense, so he shouldn't have to deal with this kind of physical and chakra exhaustion, right?

"Get down there and practice your hand seals and maintaining the Earth Style Wall! You only pass when you can steadily raise a wall in the mud pit and lift yourself out!"

Hagane Kotetsu crossed his arms, showing no mercy.

"Huh?"

Nakamura Daisuke looked at the mud pit, which was taller than he was, thinking that if he fell in, he definitely wouldn't be able to climb out, right?

And could you really use Earth Style Wall in this mud?

"Here? Do I really have to go down?"

Nakamura Daisuke swallowed hard and asked timidly.

"Don't talk nonsense. You pass when you can lift yourself out with the Earth Style Wall. I don't want to repeat myself a third time."

Hagane Kotetsu repeated coldly.

"But this mud is... wet...!!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Hagane Kotetsu kicked him down.

"Wet is better. Oh, and tie these to your feet while you're at it."

Hagane Kotetsu tossed two sandbags down.

Having fallen in, Nakamura Daisuke rubbed his backside and helplessly picked up the sandbags to tie them to his feet.

Inside the mud pit, he could clearly feel that its depth was far greater than it appeared.

Helpless, he immediately tried to perform the Earth Style Wall, attempting to lift himself up.

But the moment he condensed it beneath his feet, it collapsed due to the weight.

After condensing it time and time again, only to have it collapse each time, he finally broke down.

"Ah!!! This isn't how you play!!!!" His roar echoed throughout the entire training ground.

But his roar did not elicit any sympathy from Hagane Kotetsu, who only urged him on.

"Aren't you trying to master defense? If you can't even condense this much, how can you talk about defense?"

These words pierced Nakamura Daisuke's heart like an arrow.

He thought with grievance that this was completely different from the ninja life he had imagined!

And so, time passed day by day.

The training of the three was interspersed with D-rank missions.

Ning Xue's mastery of Water Syrup Capture grew increasingly proficient; although there was still a gap compared to Kamizuki Izumo's level, he could already create a sticky area sufficient to trap the movements of an ordinary person.

Sugiyama Tetsu's physique grew visibly stronger, and his footsteps became steady.

As for Nakamura Daisuke, he had clearly lost several circles of weight—there was no helping it, as he had gone from maintaining one at the start to maintaining two simultaneously.

This was an all-encompassing squeeze on both his body and his chakra.

At this moment, the thought had already sprouted in his heart that he might as well just open a cookie shop with his father.

Until this day, when Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu simultaneously received a summons from the Hokage Building.

After the two returned, their expressions were somewhat serious as they gathered Team 11, who were in the middle of training.

"Training is temporarily coming to an end."

Kamizuki Izumo got straight to the point.

"Kotetsu and I have received orders to serve as proctors for the upcoming Chunin Selection Exams."

"Chunin Exams?!" Sugiyama Tetsu's eyes lit up instantly, filled with fighting spirit.

Nakamura Daisuke also pricked up his ears.

Ning Xue's heart stirred; the Chunin Exams... it felt like there was something about them.

Kamizuki Izumo looked at the three different expressions and continued.

"As for you lot... I will not be recommending you to participate in this exam."

"Why, Sensei!" Sugiyama Tetsu couldn't help but shout, his face written with disappointment.

Hearing this answer, Nakamura Daisuke let out a sigh of relief and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Kamizuki Izumo's gaze swept over them and finally landed on Ning Xue.

"The reason is simple: you aren't qualified yet. The first stage of the Chunin Exams is usually a written test, which might be a bit difficult for you two."

He specifically pointed to Sugiyama Tetsu and Nakamura Daisuke.

"As for the second stage, it tests a team's coordination and their ability to gather intelligence."

"We won't even talk about intelligence gathering. Just looking at the team itself, there is simply no coordination at all."

"You might get eliminated the moment you step onto the field because you lack coordination and leave openings for the enemy to exploit."

His words were like a basin of cold water, extinguishing Sugiyama Tetsu's hot blood and causing Nakamura Daisuke to shrink his neck.

"However," Kamizuki Izumo changed the subject.

"This exam is an excellent learning opportunity for you."

"Therefore... during the exam, the three of you must be present to watch."

"You won't be able to see the first two stages, but you must come for the final 1v1 matches."

"Study the other Genin carefully. Especially the performance of those from great clans and ninjas from other villages; learn their fighting styles well, understand?"

Hagane Kotetsu also added.

"That's right, brats. Watch more and learn more so you can realize your own shortcomings."

"When you finally act like a real team, perhaps you'll have a spot in the next Chunin Exams."

Although not being able to participate personally made Sugiyama Tetsu somewhat dejected, being able to watch the duels of experts made him excited all over again.

As for Nakamura Daisuke, he felt that not having to take risks was fine; sleeping was still more comfortable.

Meanwhile, on the other side.