First Round, Begin!

Although the exams had yet to begin, the atmosphere between the two sides had already grown tense.

"Enough."

Tenten stepped forward and interrupted the two of them.

"Registration is almost over. Whatever it is, discuss it after you enter the exam hall."

Shikamaru also looked up at the time.

"If we don't leave now, everyone will be late."

Naruto finally realized what was happening.

"Crap!"

"Teacher You said he wouldn't teach me the Rasengan if I was late!"

He took off running toward the Ninja Academy.

"What are you standing around for?"

"Hurry up!"

Sasuke and Sakura quickly followed.

Kiba, Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame, and the others did not linger either.

The Konoha Twelve, recommended by their respective Jonin instructors, all took part in this Joint Chunin Exams.

Team 7.

Team 8.

Team 10.

And Team 3, which had graduated a year early.

The group headed toward the Ninja Academy in a grand procession.

Along the way, examinees from the other villages cast them curious looks.

"Are these Konoha's Genin this year?"

"There sure are a lot of them."

"They don't look like anything special."

An examinee from Hidden Rain gave a disdainful smile.

"I heard Konoha has always called itself the number-one ninja village in the world."

"If this is all its younger generation amounts to, then there's nothing worth fearing."

The Kusagakure ninja beside him said nothing.

His gaze swept over Sasuke, Neji, and Shino Aburame, carrying unmistakable wariness.

Anyone recommended by a Jonin instructor to take part in the Chunin Ninja Exams could not truly be as simple as they appeared.

Besides, this was Konoha.

Ninja Academy.

The teams taking the exams continued filing into the school building.

Just as Naruto and the others reached the second floor, they saw a large group of examinees gathered