A Ninety Percent Pass Rate

It wasn't just the teachers observing the exam who noticed something was wrong. The examinees taking part in the contest noticed it too.

Ever since entering the Forest of Death, they had run into teams from other villages at regular intervals, but never any teams from Konoha.

Unlike the observing teachers, however, they didn't have a bird's-eye view, so they couldn't figure out the reason right away.

Every team that encountered Ling Feng had been wiped out on the spot.

As for those who encountered Konoha's teams, they were mobbed, so they fared no better.

But as time passed and the defeated teams met others from their own villages, they gradually unraveled the mystery.

"So Ling Feng was behind it. That Konoha prodigy really does have some skills."

"Then that means Ling Feng should be the only one from Konoha acting alone, right?"

"That makes things easy. Let's gather a few teams Ling Feng defeated and move together. I refuse to believe a dozen or more of us can't beat him!"

Soon, the Genin Ling Feng had defeated gathered together to discuss launching a counterattack against him.

No one refused. None of them could accept having their entire team wiped out by Ling Feng alone.

So what if you're a prodigy?

Can you really take on a dozen or more of us by yourself?

And so, a group of defeated opponents banded together and began searching for Ling Feng.

They also wanted to target Konoha's other teams, but when they saw that all the Konoha teams were moving together, they had to abandon the idea.

Every ninja was proud and arrogant. The rules called for teams of three, and they would never gather several teams together to seize scrolls. That would be humiliating and give them no chance to show off their own strength.

But Konoha's teams didn't think that way. Ling Feng's special training had instilled an exceptionally strong sense of teamwork in them.

Outside the exam grounds, the Jonin from the various villages were analyzing the situation. They had noticed the method Konoha was using to pass this time, and at first, they had scoffed at it.

Only after seeing isolated teams from other villages instantly mobbed upon encountering Konoha's forces did they realize that this seemingly childish method was actually the most reliable.

The Sannin and Minato Namikaze were overseeing things on Konoha's side.

They too were watching the situation unfold, and naturally, they were delighted to see their village's participants steadily widen their advantage.

"I never expected Ling Feng to be this good at training people, too. He's terrifying."

Jiraiya sighed in admiration.

"It looks like we shouldn't have provoked him before. That brat is impossible to read. I feel like he's still hiding plenty of tricks he hasn't used yet," Orochimaru added from beside him.

"Exactly. There's probably no telling how far that brat will go," Tsunade agreed with a nod.

Only Minato Namikaze remained silent, because at that moment, all he felt was shock.

He knew the situation in the Shinobi World was already extremely tense. War would likely break out within the next few years.

Countless people would be swept into that war, yet Ling Feng seemed to have already foreseen it.

Only after witnessing it himself did Minato Namikaze understand. Wasn't Ling Feng's training method essentially building a disciplined army?

They moved as one and followed orders. Every action these eighty-one people took was dictated by Ling Feng.

Against a Konoha force like this, backed by the formidable Ling Feng...

How the hell could the other villages even compete?

They might as well wait to lose!

This Chunin Ninja Exams alone would be enough to show the other villages how terrifying Konoha was.

While the Jonin from the various villages were deep in heated discussion, the defeated opponents finally found Ling Feng.

Ling Feng had just finished dealing with another team and was about to leave.

"Ling Feng! Don't think you can just take our scrolls and walk away!"

"That's right! We're all here now, and we're taking back everything you stole!"

"Don't think you can really fight a dozen or more of us! Hmph, hand over all your scrolls, and we might let you off!"

Facing his defeated opponents from several villages, Ling Feng grinned.

"You're just a bunch of Genin, yet you dare come back for revenge. Let's see what this rabble can do when you band together."

I already beat you up once. Couldn't you just behave yourselves and stay put?

You just had to come back and stir up trouble. Aren't you handing me free points?

Even after Ling Feng had wiped out an entire team alone, they still hadn't realized how serious the problem was. They thought he was only slightly stronger than them, so they had returned with a crowd.

Hmph. The higher your hopes, the harder you'll fall-and the more points you'll give me.

Ling Feng sneered and stepped forward to meet them. Want to play?

I'll play with you!

"Earth Release: Fish Reflected in Earth!"

Whoosh!

The firm ground instantly softened, as though it had turned into a swamp.

The teams that had encountered Ling Feng before had been defeated almost as soon as they met him. They had no idea how strong he truly was.

Now, seeing Ling Feng open with a B-Rank Earth Release technique, they suddenly came to their senses.

If Ling Feng hadn't been overwhelmingly powerful, how could he have defeated them in an instant?

But by then, their realization had come too late.

"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"

Rumble!

The powerful stream of water sliced through the ground like a blade, cutting it into countless fragments.

Unable to keep their footing, everyone staggered and fell.

The next moment, Ling Feng used Fish Reflected in Earth to dart back and forth, appearing before each of them and delivering a heavy punch.

His massive fists smashed into their faces, leaving them scarred for life.

After all, this was a ninja exam, not a battlefield. Ling Feng couldn't kill at will, or he would cause trouble for Konoha.

So Ling Feng could only use this method to make them remember his strength.

Ding! Gained 120 points!

With his points secured, Ling Feng cheerfully departed.

The remaining teams that Ling Feng hadn't robbed finally learned that he had been hunting down isolated teams and stealing their scrolls all along.

They had no choice but to set aside their pride and gather together, forming a temporary force.

This would let them contend with Konoha's teams while also preventing Ling Feng from catching them vulnerable and wiping them out alone.

Yet when Ling Feng encountered this army of over a hundred Genin, he smiled happily.

"Hahaha! Perfect! You've all gathered in one place. Saves me the trouble of looking for you!"

"Once I wipe you all out, Konoha's teams can head straight for the finish without a worry."

"Target pass rate of ninety percent, achieved ahead of schedule!"

Laughing loudly, Ling Feng walked right up to the crowd, utterly brazen and making no attempt to conceal himself.