Gekko Hayate's "Terminal Illness"!

Central Tower of the Forest of Death, ground-floor hall.

As the time limit for the second exam expired, the once-empty hall gradually filled with survivors. The air was thick with a murky stench of sweat, blood, and sewer mold.

Among this group of Genin who had just endured life-and-death battles, their nerves stretched to the limit, Team 7 and Team 11 stood out conspicuously.

For no other reason than that the boy named Ye Tian was currently slumped without any dignity against a stone pillar, holding an old cadre-style thermos cup. Pale-faced, he yawned at the Third Hokage as he spoke...

Ugh... this old man is even more long-winded than the elder who taught cultivation techniques in my old sect.

Ye Tian complained silently to himself.

At that moment, the elderly man standing before everyone, wearing a conical hat and a Divine Guard Robe—the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi—was delivering that classic speech about the "true meaning of the Chunin Ninja Exams."

"The Chunin selection exams are not merely a test of strength, but a miniature war between allied nations... a display of national power..."

The Third Hokage's aged yet forceful voice echoed through the empty hall. Naruto looked utterly confused, Sakura and Sasuke wore grave expressions, while the ninja from other villages each harbored their own schemes.

Ye Tian paid no attention to those grand political platitudes.

As a Cultivator, he had no interest whatsoever in these mundane struggles for power. Beneath his half-lidded eyes, his gaze was openly sizing up the "fat sheep" present.

First were the three Sand ninja standing not far away.

"Tsk, tsk, Gaara's gourd... it looks even more top-tier up close."

Ye Tian's Divine Sense silently extended outward, lightly sweeping across the cracked surface of the gourd. "The sand inside has been tempered day and night by Shukaku's Chakra. After being steeped in blood for so long, it has even developed a vicious aura similar to an Artifact Spirit's. If I could snatch it, then even without refining it into a magic artifact, I could directly use it to set up the Quicksand Soul-Severing Formation. Anyone below the Golden Core stage who entered would lose a layer of skin."

Next, his gaze shifted to Neji Hyuga.

The Byakugan boy stood there with a cold, arrogant expression, radiating an aura that warned strangers to stay away.

"The Byakugan... it can see through the human body's meridians and Chakra points." Ye Tian stroked his chin. "It has something in common with the cultivation world's low-level Heavenly Eye. But the Byakugan focuses more on X-ray vision and long-distance sight, lacking insight into fortune and karma. If I get the chance, I could catch him and slice him up for study... Ah, no, exchange some insights on eye techniques."

Finally, Ye Tian's gaze landed on the thick-browed youth in a green jumpsuit, who was warming up by punching the air.

"Rock Lee..."

Looking at Rock Lee's vigorous blood and vitality, which seemed ready to overflow, the admiration in Ye Tian's eyes deepened. "Once this kid opens the Eight Gates, it's basically the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique, burning his life away. Its power is incredible, but the price is too great. If I could teach him the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Technique or the Indestructible Diamond Body to strengthen his foundation and nourish his vitality, this kid could absolutely achieve sainthood through the flesh. One-punching a Tailed Beast wouldn't be a dream."

Just as Ye Tian, like an old farmer inspecting his crops, was figuring out how to harvest these geniuses...

"Cough... cough, cough, cough..."

A heart-rending coughing fit, as though someone were about to cough out his lungs, abruptly interrupted the Third Hokage's speech—and Ye Tian's thoughts.

The coughing was so violent and miserable that it sounded even more real than Ye Tian's usual act!

The entire hall fell silent.

Everyone turned to look behind the Hokage.

A ninja kneeling there slowly rose to his feet. He had messy brown short hair, dark circles beneath his eyes even deeper than Gaara's, and a face as pale as a floating corpse that had soaked in water for three days and nights.

It was the chief examiner for these preliminaries, the Special Jonin—Gekko Hayate.

"Sorry... sorry, Lord Hokage... cough, cough..."

Gekko Hayate covered his mouth and coughed violently as he spoke weakly. "The upcoming... cough... preliminary matches... leave them to me."

Seeing this examiner, who looked as though he might suddenly drop dead at any moment, the Genin present all wore complicated expressions.

"Hey, hey, is that guy okay?" Naruto muttered quietly. "He looks even weaker than Brother Ye Tian!"

Yet at that moment, Ye Tian's eyes suddenly lit up.

That look was as blazing as when he discovered thousand-year-old Spirit Grass in the forest!

It was... the feeling of finding his people!

"A fellow sufferer!"

Seeing Gekko Hayate's unsteady steps and ashen complexion, Ye Tian unexpectedly felt a sense of kinship.

In the cultivation world, such a complexion often meant "excessive indulgence" or "cultivation deviation." But in the world of Naruto, it was the standard sign of Bloodline Disease or the aftereffects of prolonged physical overexertion.

While Gekko Hayate stepped forward to announce the rules, Ye Tian leaned on his cane and pretended to be too weak to stand. Bit by bit, he shuffled to the front of the group until he was only a few steps away from Gekko Hayate.

"Cough, cough... um, Examiner."

Ye Tian cooperatively coughed twice, greeting him in a weak voice.

Gekko Hayate paused his explanation. His lifeless, dead-fish eyes turned toward Ye Tian, seemingly surprised that this examinee dared interrupt him. "You... cough... have a question?"

"Nothing in particular... cough, cough..."

Ye Tian took a pristine white handkerchief from his robe, wiped the nonexistent blood from the corner of his mouth, then looked sympathetically at Gekko Hayate and lowered his voice.

"I see darkness gathering between your brows, bluish shadows beneath your eyes, shortness of breath, and a metallic rasp in your breathing... If you do not mind, may I boldly ask whether, at midnight each night, you feel a chill down your back, break into cold sweats without end, and suffer from palpitations and insomnia?"

Gekko Hayate's originally clouded gaze instantly froze.

He stared at the equally sickly-looking boy before him as though he had seen a ghost.

Those symptoms... every single one was right!

This was an old ailment that had plagued him for years. Even the Medical Ninja at Konoha Hospital could only tell him to rest more. How did this Genin, whom he had never met before, know?

"You... cough, cough... how did you know?" Gekko Hayate's voice cracked.

"Long illness makes a doctor."

Ye Tian revealed a knowing smile, one filled with the mutual understanding of we're both weaklings here.

He did not explain that this was merely the most basic cultivation method of observation, listening, questioning, and diagnosis. Instead, he naturally took a small paper packet from his sleeve and, while the surrounding Jonin were not paying attention, slipped it into Gekko Hayate's hand.

"This is my family's inherited Golden Throat Heart-Protecting Treasure."

Ye Tian spoke utter nonsense with a straight face. "It is specially made for symptoms like yours... cough, cough, weak and floating lung energy, with an imbalance of yin and yang. Keep it in your mouth, and it will stop coughing, clear phlegm, strengthen your foundation, and nourish your vitality. Consider it... payment for the trouble of hosting the coming matches."

In truth, Ye Tian had casually rolled this low-grade medicinal pill using a stalk of Pure Spirit Herb gathered in the forest, along with honey and mint. It was of little use to a Cultivator, but for an ordinary person, it was absolutely miraculous medicine for clearing the lungs and soothing the throat.

Gekko Hayate pinched the small paper packet, hesitating for a moment.

As a ninja, he should not eat random things out of caution. But that coughing fit had been unbearable, and Ye Tian's sincere, fellow-patient gaze...

As though possessed, he opened the packet and placed the brown pill in his mouth.

Boom!

An incomparably cool sensation instantly burst inside his mouth, rushing down his throat and straight into his lungs!

The scorching, stabbing pain he had felt before miraculously subsided in that instant. At that moment, Gekko Hayate felt as though he were standing in a bamboo grove at dawn, every breath becoming incomparably smooth.

"Whew..."

Gekko Hayate let out a long breath. His previously hunched back straightened by several degrees, and some of the deathly air in his eyes dissipated.

Good stuff... Gekko Hayate was inwardly shocked, and the way he looked at Ye Tian instantly changed.

He was no longer looking at an ordinary Genin, but at a hidden master physician!

"Thank you..." Gekko Hayate gave an almost imperceptible nod. Though his face remained cold, his tone softened noticeably. "Since your health is poor, during the matches... cough... you do not need to push yourself too hard."

The surrounding examinees watched these two "sickly ghosts" whispering to each other, even privately exchanging things. They all looked at one another in bewilderment.

"Hey, what are they doing?" Kiba nudged Shino. "Exchanging medical conditions?"

"No... according to my insects' feedback, they are conducting some kind of... unfathomably profound transaction." Shino pushed up his sunglasses, his tone grave.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and the Third Hokage, standing on the second-floor balcony, saw the entire scene.

"That child..." The Third Hokage took a deep drag of his pipe, looking thoughtful. "It seems he not only has talent in theory, but is also quite accomplished in pharmacology. He can actually ease Hayate's chronic condition?"

"Yeah, he really is a kid full of surprises." Kakashi narrowed his lone eye, recalling that miraculous bowl of porridge in the Land of Waves.

After that interlude, Gekko Hayate was clearly in much better spirits, though his dark circles remained.

"Cough... Since the third exam will be observed by Daimyo from various nations, and to keep the matches from becoming too long and tedious, we need to hold preliminary matches here and eliminate half of you."

Gekko Hayate announced, "If anyone is unwell or wishes to withdraw, raise your hand now."

The moment he finished speaking.

A hand went up.

"I withdraw."

Kabuto Yakushi, the silver-haired young man with glasses, smiled apologetically. "Sorry, everyone. My body has reached its limit, and I cannot hear out of my left ear. I cannot fight in this condition."

"Senior Kabuto?!" Naruto looked utterly incredulous. "What are you talking about? We worked so hard to get here!"

"Sorry, Naruto." Kabuto continued acting.

Yet Ye Tian, standing in the corner, watched Kabuto's flawless performance and curled his lips into a cold smile.

Withdrawing now is to preserve his strength while sending intelligence to Orochimaru, right?

Ye Tian's Divine Sense locked onto Kabuto like a disease clinging to the bone. When they had brushed past each other earlier, he had already confirmed that the Tracking Seal he left on Kabuto's hand was still active.

Go on, go on. You're just a high-level ward now anyway. Ye Tian waved him off inwardly.

After Kabuto left, the atmosphere grew tense once more.

Suddenly, Sasuke let out a pained grunt and clutched the Curse Mark on his neck tightly.

"Urgh..."

As Orochimaru approached, though he was disguised as the teacher leading the Sound Ninja, the Curse Mark inside Sasuke began to stir.

"Sasuke!" Sakura anxiously supported him. "Your Curse Mark is acting up again! Please, let's withdraw too!"

"Shut up..." Sasuke gritted his teeth, cold sweat streaming down his face. "I have to... fight!"

"But..."

"Let him fight."

Ye Tian walked over and gently patted Sasuke's shoulder.

This time, he did not use Spiritual Power to suppress the Curse Mark. Instead, in a voice only the two of them could hear, he whispered into Sasuke's ear.

"Young master of the Uchiha, this is a hurdle you must cross. If you want revenge, if you want strength, then learn to control pain instead of letting pain control you."

"But..."

Ye Tian's gaze suddenly became incomparably sharp, carrying an edge like a drawn sword that instantly stung Sasuke's nerves.

"If you truly lose control and become a monster... I will personally knock you out. Believe me, that method... cough, cough... hurts even more than the Curse Mark."

Sasuke's entire body trembled. Looking into Ye Tian's faintly smiling eyes, he inexplicably shuddered. He remembered how easily Ye Tian had broken the Sound Ninja's arm in the Forest of Death, as well as that mysterious warm current.

"Hmph... mind your own business." Sasuke stubbornly turned away, but the violent emotions stirred by the Curse Mark somehow calmed considerably.

"All right! The first match!"

Gekko Hayate did not give them much time to reminisce. The electronic display behind him began rapidly cycling through names.

Everyone held their breath.

Beep.

The screen stopped.

[Uchiha Sasuke VS Akato]

"So I'm first..." Sasuke took a deep breath, his eyes becoming resolute once again.

Go, Pikachu... no, Sasuke. Ye Tian silently cheered him on.

As the other examinees made their way to the second-floor balcony, the empty arena was left to the two about to face off.

Ye Tian found a spot by the railing with the best view, took out his thermos again, and somehow even produced a handful of sunflower seeds.

"The show is starting."

His gaze did not remain on Sasuke. Instead, it crossed the arena and settled on Orochimaru, who stood in the shadows of the opposite balcony disguised as a Sound Ninja Jonin.

"Uncle, did you get your teeth fixed?"

The corners of Ye Tian's mouth lifted slightly as his fingers tapped rhythmically against the railing.

"This preliminary round... is a 'magic technique showcase' prepared especially for you."