Chunin Exams

Time was like stream water flowing through a bamboo basket. The moment one tried to scoop it up, it flowed away without looking back.

Two months passed. The fighting at the front lines grew increasingly tense, while Xuanhui's research remained stuck at the preliminary stage.

"Developing a Bloodline Limit is still too difficult. I thought it would be as simple as learning ninjutsu, but innovation is always full of twists and turns."

On the day of the Chunin Exams, neither Orochimaru nor Uchiha Uzumaki came, just as he had expected.

He passed both the written test and the skill assessment without trouble.

Using the Mind Body Switch Technique to take over others and copy their answers, then relying on Fire Release: Head Mincing and Lightning Release: False Darkness, he cleared the wilderness training on his own.

The process was so easy that he could hardly believe it.

It was not hard to understand, really. Among the ninja taking the exam alongside him, there were no familiar names or faces.

Xuanhui had practically treated the Chunin Exams as a complete stomp.

Even so, he understood that these minor skirmishes were nowhere near enough to establish himself in the ninja world.

In the upcoming one-on-one match, Xuanhui faced a sunglasses-wearing man from the Aburame clan. His expression was cold and unreadable.

"Go, Xuanhui!"

Nara Yamanaka was waving and shouting from the stands. Beside her stood Xuanhui's grandmother, grandfather, and grandmother.

His grandfather, Uchiha Chikurin, had not come.

His exact words had been, "My grandson will definitely take first place. What's there to watch?"

Beside the adults, Minato Namikaze and Fugaku Uchiha were watching as well.

Minato believed this was a rare opportunity to observe actual combat, one that would definitely help him.

Fugaku had been dragged here by Minato's relentless pestering. He was yawning, as though his mind was nowhere near the arena.

"Fugaku, aren't you watching? This is Big Brother Xuanhui's match."

"Tch, what's there to watch? He'd better lose quickly, then willingly put on women's clothes two years from now."

Though he said that, his eyes still drifted toward the arena from time to time.

Minato scratched his head and smiled awkwardly before turning back to watch the match.

"The competitors for this match are Xuanhui versus Shibi Aburame!"

"Please form the Seal of Confrontation!"

The two formed their seals, their gazes clashing in the air for a moment.

Shibi Aburame released the black insects he raised around himself and assumed a defensive stance, his eyes fixed firmly on Xuanhui.

As for Xuanhui, he took two steps back, then turned around and completely exposed his back.

Everyone was puzzled, unable to understand what Xuanhui intended.

Shibi Aburame did not dare act rashly either. In his eyes, this was undoubtedly a clumsy attempt to expose a weakness!

Fire Release: Head Mincing!

A massive blaze burst from his mouth, the scorching flames nearly swallowing half the arena.

Nearly every spectator cried out in alarm. Even his friends and family stood there with their mouths hanging open in fright.

As for Shibi Aburame, the heat wave rushing at him left his mind reeling, while his insects trembled violently.

Xuanhui did not sustain the technique for long. He merely gave a brief display of its power.

He turned back to Shibi Aburame and said,

"Raising insects isn't easy for you. I'm rather good at Fire Release. Do you really want to continue?"

With that calm, unconcerned expression, Xuanhui even looked like he still had plenty to spare!

Shibi Aburame took only two seconds before raising his hand.

"I'm sorry! I concede!"

Was this a joke? You wanted a guy who used insects to take on such an enormous Fire Release head-on?

He could even fire off several more of those!

What kind of insane matchmaking was this? The Chunin Exams should just end already!

"Winner of this match—Xuanhui!"

The cheers everyone had imagined never came. They were all dumbfounded.

Only Minato and Nara Yamanaka gave a few tentative claps before scattered applause finally broke out.

"Girl, is our Xuanhui really this strong?"

The speaker was Yamanaka Fumei, Xuanhui's grandmother.

"I think so. Xuanhui has always worked very hard."

On the stands across from them,

Hiruzen Sarutobi scratched his head stiffly, unable to decide whether he felt proud or speechless.

"This way of winning was a little too hasty..."

"I thought we would see an exciting match."

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane were the ones speaking.

"A remarkable child has emerged among Kagami's clansmen!"

Danzo Shimura, standing beside them, said nothing. Instead, he stared at Xuanhui for a long time.

No... the darkness within him isn't enough...

He is still Sarutobi's disciple... He isn't suited for Root...

Having reached his conclusion, Danzo Shimura shifted his thoughts elsewhere and no longer concerned himself with Xuanhui.

Back in the spectator seats, the moment Xuanhui walked over, everyone's attention was drawn to him.

"You were amazing, son! Just what I'd expect from my child!"

Nara Yamanaka pulled Xuanhui into her arms, her right hand constantly ruffling his hair.

"Mom! You're hugging too tight!"

Xuanhui tried to break free, only for his mother to press him back down in one motion.

The other three elders gathered around them and showered Xuanhui with praise.

When Xuanhui finally managed to escape them, he saw Minato and Fugaku looking thoroughly entertained by his misfortune.

"You two brats! Has it been so long since I last beat you?"

Fugaku hurriedly waved his hands, signaling that he had no such thoughts. Yet when he turned around, Minato had already vanished.

He quickly looked around, only to catch sight of a streak of yellow—a fleeing figure escaping in panic.

"So fast! You traitor!!!"

Though Fugaku shouted, his feet did not stop moving.

The instant he took a step, he felt a force on his shoulder pulling against his attempt to move forward.

"Where do you think you're going, Fugaku?"

"To chase Minato."

"Oh? Is that so? He's not in any hurry. How about the two of us deepen our bond first?"

"Big Brother..."

"Why the sudden change in how you address me?"

"Go easy..."

"Unreasonable request denied."

The four Konoha higher-ups sat in the stands and looked over in the direction of the screams.

"These two children are at it again..."

"Young people really are full of energy!"

"Sarutobi's disciple... he's suited to become Hokage!"

"To think he can suppress a child of the Uchiha clan so thoroughly. He's a good prospect!"

"Orochimaru-sensei, I finished the Chunin Exams today."

Orochimaru was bare-chested, with bandages around his forearm and a fresh wound across his back.

The dark red scab stood out especially harshly beneath the lamplight.

"How did it go?"

"More or less. I should receive the notice in two or three days."

"Hmph. If you can't even pass the Chunin Exams, then don't call yourself my disciple."

Orochimaru did not turn around. He kept his head lowered over his book, though some emotion seemed to have seeped into those cold words.

Xuanhui understood that very well, because Orochimaru was a tsundere.

"It won't be long before I can head to the front lines. When that time comes, just give me all the missions no one else wants to do."

"You brat..."

Orochimaru turned around and looked at Xuanhui's serious expression.

"Do you really want to go somewhere dangerous that badly?"