Konoha's streets.
Shimizu carried a short sword on his back. He had just come from Kakashi Hatake's house.
Whenever they practiced swordplay, Shimizu's strikes left Kakashi's hands numb and the web between his thumb and forefinger aching.
Thanks to the Simulator, he had obtained the Shadow Clone Technique he had long yearned for.
After much effort from his many Shadow Clones, Shimizu had fully adapted to [Lightning Style: Regenerative Body Refinement], allowing the cycle to flow through his body nonstop for twenty-four hours a day.
Even while sleeping, Shimizu could put his time to good use and make his body grow stronger.
The results were impressive. His muscles were more evenly defined, like a perfect vessel shaped from flowing water, and he had grown taller once again.
His black, tousled hair now reached his waist. Set off by his Uchiha robes, his bearing had taken on a touch of sternness and grandeur.
"Most of the people from outside the village have arrived. The exams will begin tomorrow."
Shimizu surveyed the streets, where ninjas of all sorts milled about.
The annual Chunin Exams also gave Konoha's economy a boost.
Many merchants were making a fortune. After all, not every place had an environment as prosperous as Konoha.
This year's Chunin Exams were also quite different from those of previous years.
There was no requirement to compete as a team; participants could enter as individuals.
Just like the "Flames of the Chunin Exams" in the original story, perhaps the nations had all sensed the coming war and were deliberately trying to preserve their manpower.
That worked out well for Shimizu. As the Simulator had predicted, one of his teammates had already died, while the other had left the ninja world to live as an ordinary person.
If the exams still required teams, Shimizu would have had to find a few random teammates to join him.
As he pondered this, someone caught his eye: a man whose left cheek was covered by a white cloth, with two red markings painted on his right cheek.
"Baki of Sunagakure?"
The distinctive outfit brought his intel to mind.
He was the teacher of the Fifth Kazekage and a jonin. In the future, Baki would also kill Gekko Hayate.
Then Shimizu looked at the person beside him: a woman with a curvaceous figure, wearing a light gray backless outfit as she curiously examined Konoha's streets.
As she glanced around, her thin garment struggled to conceal her ample chest. A tight bandage cinched her slender waist, accentuating her graceful figure.
Shimizu understood. This was Pakura, the famous hero of Sunagakure in the future.
She possessed the special Kekkei Genkai known as Scorch Release.
"Are you looking at me?"
When Shimizu's gaze fell on her, Pakura seemed to sense it and turned around.
She was highly sensitive to people's eyes. Whenever someone watched her, she could feel it.
"The Chunin Exams start tomorrow. It's only natural to size up the competition, isn't it?"
Shimizu looked away, his thoughts turning. Pakura's fate would be anything but pleasant.
She would die an untimely death. Because of her village's leaders and their strategy, she would become a bargaining chip in negotiations with Kirigakure. Before she died, she would curse the village and the ninja.
"Hmph."
Pakura gave a cold snort. She recognized the clan crest on Shimizu's clothes: the Uchiha emblem.
Though Shimizu was handsome, she had no reason to be friendly to someone who might prove to be a formidable rival.
She was devoted to her village. Anyone who might stand in her way was an enemy.
If she failed to become a Chunin this time, she would have to spend more time taking the exams again. She couldn't accept that.
"Pakura," Baki said.
Konoha was the host village. Picking a fight with an Uchiha here would be unwise.
He spoke quietly with Pakura for a few moments, then apologized to Shimizu before leading her away.
"This year's exam is certainly lively."
Shimizu shook his head. He had also simulated the outcome of the Chunin Exams, and with his current strength, he could pass with ease.
But that brought him no joy. Becoming a Chunin was only the beginning.
He needed to deal with Fugaku's pressure.
For the past six months, Shimizu had spent less time teaching Nohara Rin because Fugaku had foisted several Uchiha with Yang Release on him.
Shimizu honestly felt that Fugaku was making trouble for no reason. Couldn't the other Uchiha learn at Konoha Hospital? Why waste Shimizu's time?
"Is this what they mean by prestige?"
The Uchiha were a proud clan. They disdained learning other ninjutsu and clung to many clan traditions. Most of them followed convention: those with ability joined the Konoha Military Police Force, while those without it opened small shops.
The fact that Uchiha Itachi and Obito had wiped out the clan together without so much as raising a ripple was proof enough that the Uchiha had grown complacent.
Shimizu glanced over the people in the street, bought a bag of Military Ration Pills, and left.
The Chunin Exam venue.
"Shimizu, you're really taking the Chunin Exams?"
Uchiha Inabi and his team ran into Shimizu at the entrance to the exam room.
He was puzzled. Hadn't Shimizu only just graduated?
Inabi himself had taken the Chunin Exams several times, and he was back again this year. That was enough to show how difficult they were.
The exams showcased a village's military strength, so becoming a Chunin this way was much harder than by other means.
"I'm here to try my luck."
Shimizu checked the information on his form and went to find his assigned exam room.
Inabi scratched his head. Was Shimizu made of iron?
He'd heard that Shimizu had done well at the Academy and often worked part-time at Konoha Hospital. And now he was taking the Chunin Exams too.
Comparisons really were infuriating.
"Inabi, how come you never told us there was such a handsome guy in your clan?"
"Without his Adam's apple and build, I'd have thought he was a woman."
Inabi stared at his two teammates in exasperation and said:
"What's there to tell? Am I not handsome? Shimizu's only a tiny bit better-looking than me."
Inabi held his fingers close together to show just how tiny, then followed them into the exam room.
When Shimizu found his seat, he casually glanced around and spotted quite a few familiar faces.
Pakura and Baki, whom he had run into yesterday, along with another Sunagakure ninja he didn't know.
Asuma Sarutobi sat diagonally in front of him, while Kurenai Yuhi was farther away.
Shimizu counted the people in the room. There were quite a few: Genma Shiranui and Ebisu were there too.
Asuma Sarutobi, who had been busy chatting up Kurenai Yuhi, spotted his "good buddy" Shimizu and hurried to greet him.
"Shimizu, you finally made it. Any later and you would've been late."
As soon as Asuma Sarutobi finished speaking, Kurenai Yuhi whipped around.
Her eyes locked on Shimizu. A tired pair of dark circles shadowed her eyes, but her gaze gradually turned cold as she bit her lip.
This time, she would defeat Shimizu with her own strength and slay the nightmare that had haunted her night after night.
Asuma Sarutobi was about to catch up with Shimizu when a gentle voice rang out in the exam room.
"The exam is about to begin. I hope everyone will remain quiet."
Minato Namikaze entered through the door, accompanied by several examiners in ninja uniforms.
The noisy exam room fell silent at once.
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