"Fifteen people? It seems the next generation of ninjas in every village is quite impressive~"
At the Konoha Chunin Ninja Exams, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked down at the fifteen Genin from Konoha, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure standing in the center of the arena.
The representatives from the other villages, however, merely curled their lips in disdain. Sunagakure in particular believed Konoha was showing off its strength to intimidate them, hoping to gain greater benefits when the ceasefire agreement was signed later. They even suspected Konoha had sent outstanding Chunin to pose as Genin!
The enormous circular arena gleamed beneath the midday sun, like a colossal colosseum.
The stands roared with noise. The cheers of Konoha's villagers, the quiet murmurs of foreign delegations, and the scrutinizing gazes of the ninjas intertwined, forming a wave of scorching energy.
After two grueling rounds of elimination, the fifteen people who had made it this far could only be called the elite of the elite among the four great ninja villages!
Konoha had an overwhelming advantage:
Nara Shikaku surveyed his opponents with a lazy gaze that still held a glint of sharpness. Yamanaka Inoichi looked focused, as if communicating silently with someone. Akimichi Choza's enormous frame stood like a boulder, radiating tremendous strength.
Namikaze Minato stood calmly, his blond hair gleaming like molten gold in the sunlight. Uzumaki Kushina was like a blazing flame, her immense chakra almost visibly surging as she eagerly rubbed her fists together. Akimichi Yoshimaru smiled shyly, but beneath his honest, unassuming exterior seemed to lie boundless strength!
Shirokumo Hayama still wore his long sword slung diagonally across his back, his gaze as sharp and intimidating as a hawk's. Yakushi Nonō pushed up her thick glasses, her eyes behind the lenses coolly analyzing every potential opponent, including her former teammate standing beside her: the unfathomable Uzumaki Qi Luna, whose chakra was as deep and powerful as an abyss!
Qi Luna calmly watched the arena. He could clearly feel the tension in the air, the fighting spirit, and the unmistakable murderous intent directed at Konoha!
The drawing soon ended. Once the results were announced, the thirteen contestants who weren't fighting in the first match withdrew one after another to different waiting rooms.
The first match was between Namikaze Minato and a Genin from Iwagakure.
At the chief examiner Inuzuka Gaku's command, both moved at once.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
The Iwagakure Genin rapidly formed Hand Seals, preparing to raise the defensive wall he prided himself on directly in front of him. But the wall had barely risen halfway when a golden flash appeared behind him.
Namikaze Minato appeared as if he'd flashed into existence. His sharp, cold Kunai rested lightly against his opponent's neck.
"Winner: Namikaze Minato of Konoha!"
Inuzuka Gaku's announcement was crisp and decisive.
Earth-shaking cheers erupted from the stands. For the first time, the name Namikaze Minato resounded throughout Konoha and sank into the hearts of the delegations from the other ninja villages.
Fast—too fast! He's this quick even before he's learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. I can't imagine how fast he'll be later. No wonder the great ninja villages will eventually decide that if they encounter him, they can abandon their mission without penalty!
Watching Namikaze Minato end the fight so quickly, Qi Luna couldn't help thinking to himself.
"Contestants for the second match, please report to the arena immediately. Anyone who hasn't arrived within ten minutes will be considered to have forfeited this round of the exams."
As chief examiner Inuzuka Gaku's voice rang out again, Namikaze Minato and the defeated Iwagakure Genin quickly left the arena and returned to their respective village waiting rooms.
As they left, the two contestants for the second match leaped out of the waiting-room windows almost simultaneously and used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in the center of the arena.
"Second match: Ayani of Kumogakure versus Uzumaki Kushina of Konoha. Begin!"
"Lightning Release: Lightning Arrow!"
That Kumogakure punk played dirty, firing several white lightning arrows at Kushina from the very first frame.
"Don't underestimate me!"
Facing Ayani's attack, Kushina let out a clear, angry shout. Her vast, almost tangible chakra burst forth in a shock wave, shattering the lightning arrows outright!
"That chakra really is impressive, but you've got no chance now!"
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode! Raiton: Raido Ninyu Sutori-to!"
Wrapped in lightning, Ayani used the Body Flicker Technique to charge at Kushina, swinging a heavy punch at her!
Kushina looked startled by the sudden attack, but when Ayani truly closed in, a mocking smile curled her lips.
"Just as I thought—you fell for it, dattebane! Idiot!"
"Ninja Art: Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Several brilliant golden chains surged out like living dragons. They ignored Ayani's charge, crushed his right arm, then coiled around him with precision, tightening and sealing him in place. He was left firmly bound in midair, half a foot above the ground.
"Winner: Uzumaki Kushina of Konoha!"
As soon as Inuzuka Gaku finished speaking, another thunderous cheer erupted from the stands!
The third match was Akimichi Yoshimaru versus Ishigaki of Iwagakure.
"Ninja Art: Partial Multi-Size Technique! Palm Strike!"
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"
It was a clash of strength against strength, and a contest of fist against palm!
Neither hesitated from the outset. They simply traded blows with pure, overwhelming strength, and every collision made the air tremble!
In the end, Yoshimaru seized the moment when Ishigaki had spent his old strength but hadn't yet gathered new strength. His enlarged palm struck with tremendous force, sending Ishigaki flying into the wall and knocking him unconscious.
"Winner: Akimichi Yoshimaru!"
In the fourth match, Shirokumo Hayama faced a Kumogakure ninja who specialized in Lightning Release and fought like an "artillery platform." With exquisite swordsmanship and Wind Release, which countered Lightning Release, he delivered a crushing, textbook victory!
In the fifth match, Yakushi Nonō faced the last Iwagakure ninja. She used an Explosive Tag-laden Kunai to kick up a cloud of dust and conceal herself, then quickly severed the Iwagakure ninja's key muscle connections with her Chakra Scalpel, temporarily robbing him of control over his limbs and leaving him sprawled on the ground.
In the sixth match, Qi Luna faced the last Kumogakure Genin: a boy named Kiraru who wore black sunglasses and carried four piercing swords on his back!
"Konohagakure no baka yarō~ Raimei ga ore no yarō~ yō~ baka yarō~ kono yarō~"
("Konoha's idiot, thunder will smash you, idiot, bastard~" Something like that, anyway. I haven't studied Japanese, so bear with me.)
"Kiraru? I think you might grow up to become 'Bee' someday!"
Facing an important character who would appear in the original story in the future, Qi Luna wasn't particularly bothered by his provocation. Instead, he unexpectedly praised Kiraru, his opponent and enemy.
"Oh~ Konohagakure no gaki domo~ sonna koto iware wa ureshiku nē desu yo~ baka yarō~ kono yarō~"
("Konoha brat, even if you say that, it won't make me happy, idiot, bastard!")
"That's enough small talk. Kiraru of Kumogakure versus Uzumaki Qi Luna of Konoha. Begin!"
As chief examiner Inuzuka Gaku's words fell, the calm atmosphere instantly became charged with tension!
Additional notes:
Inuzuka Gaku is about the same age as Fugaku. At this point in the timeline, he's around twenty years old, and his strength is probably around Special Jōnin level. He should be more than qualified to serve as chief examiner for the Chunin exams.
As for Killer B, he should be around the same age as Minato and the others, but I couldn't find any specific information about how old he was when he partnered with "Ai" or became a Jinchūriki. Judging by the anime, Killer B became "Bee" before becoming a ninja, then became a Jinchūriki just as he was about to become one.
But I'll take a creative liberty here and say that he became a ninja first, then became "Bee," and finally became a Jinchūriki.
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