The second exam ended!

The second stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams came to a close.

Inside the Hokage Building, Namiashi Raidō gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a report, recounting everything he had seen in the Forest of Death down to the smallest detail.

This time, Namiashi Raidō's report focused on Mu Feng and Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Lord Hokage, that about sums up the exam. In my opinion, Mu Feng Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki from Kirigakure both possess strength beyond that of a chunin! Mu Feng in particular-to be honest, even I couldn't gauge his true ability!"

As he reached the end of his report, Namiashi Raidō frowned.

Seated in his office chair, Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe.

"Oh, really? It seems Fugaku has nurtured quite a talented youngster this time! You needn't worry about Mu Feng. Your job is to ensure that these Chunin Ninja Exams proceed smoothly. The ninja from Kirigakure are certainly a headache, but with Mu Feng here, we needn't be too wary of them!"

After hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Namiashi Raidō felt reassured.

The next stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams would consist of matches under the supervision of Konoha ninja. As far as he was concerned, the hardest hurdle was already behind him.

As for the final results of the Chunin Ninja Exams, those were beyond Namiashi Raidō's control.

"All right, you may go!"

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"

Namiashi Raidō left the Hokage Building, but Hiruzen Sarutobi began to ponder.

The third exam of the Chunin Ninja Exams might seem easier to manage than the second, but that wasn't actually the case, especially when it came to the final matches.

When that time came, the spectators wouldn't just be people from Konoha. Senior officials from other shinobi villages would also attend.

In a sense, the Chunin Ninja Exams weren't merely about selecting ninja. They were more like a contest between the major shinobi villages-a display of military might!

It was no exaggeration to say that, in the world of Naruto, the Chunin Ninja Exams could be seen as military exercises between modern nations.

Moreover, the Chunin Ninja Exams showcased not only military strength, but also each village's ability to train ninja.

As the foremost of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, if Konoha suffered a serious gap between generations, it would undoubtedly be excellent news for the other villages. It would signal the decline of Konoha's hegemonic position.

Viewed from that perspective, the third exam Namiashi Raidō envisioned was entirely different from the one Hiruzen Sarutobi saw.

The best news Hiruzen Sarutobi had received from Namiashi Raidō wasn't Mu Feng's outstanding performance, but Kumogakure's outright elimination.

After all, Kumogakure must have made preparations before sending its ninja to Konoha for the Chunin Ninja Exams. Those it had sent were certainly no ordinary genin; they could be considered an elite group.

Yet even so, they hadn't managed to pass the second exam.

When the spectators discovered during the third exam that there were no ninja from Kumogakure, it would be like delivering a vicious slap to the village's face, then spitting on it and saying, "You're not good enough."

As for Mu Feng and Kisame Hoshigaki, everyone from the five great villages understood that such monstrous prodigies weren't representative of their villages. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi still hadn't figured out how Mu Feng had risen to prominence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also had a rough understanding of Kisame Hoshigaki's circumstances. What people like him truly assessed was a village's overall standard. Ninja of Mu Feng and Kisame Hoshigaki's caliber could only be treated as trump cards, their deterrent value greater than their practical use.

Of course, if an individual could reach the level of Six Paths Madara or Six Paths Obito in the later stages of Naruto, that would be a different matter.

But given the current situation, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't see that far ahead.

Kage-level strength had already been the ceiling during the Third Shinobi World War. Jonin were the backbone of the entire battlefield, an undeniable symbol of strength.

Now that the Cloud Ninja had been eliminated, Konoha had secured its baseline. Next, Hiruzen Sarutobi had to consider how to arrange things so that Konoha could make a name for itself in the third exam.

The most basic requirement for achieving that was arranging the matchups.

"Thirteen people. One of them will have to receive a bye in the first round!"

"Still, that's just as well. It's been a long time since the Uchiha Clan's reputation was given a boost."

Murmuring to himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi resumed smoking.

"Well? Is the exam over?"

"I heard the second exam takes place in the Forest of Death. Every year, the casualty rate for the second exam is over thirty percent!"

"Huh? Does that mean Mu Feng could be in danger?"

"The Chunin Ninja Exams are dangerous, anyway! I heard from genin who took them before that you could lose your life if things go wrong. Some ninja don't dare take them a second time after their first attempt!"

"They're that dangerous?"

As the exam neared its end, Obito, Kurenai Yuhi, and the others waited for news, just like many people in Konoha.

Strangely enough, when Kakashi had taken the exam the previous year, Obito and the others hadn't been this worried.

Now that it was Mu Feng's turn, everyone in his class was nervous. They clenched their little fists, looking even more anxious than if they were taking the Chunin Ninja Exams themselves.

Those closest to Mu Feng, including Kurenai Yuhi, Guy, and Obito, had even come to wait outside the Forest of Death, hoping to confirm his safety as soon as possible.

Soon, the ninja who had passed the exam emerged together, led by a Konoha jonin.

Mu Feng spotted Obito and the others waving to him from a distance. He glanced back at the Konoha jonin leading them. When the jonin gave no indication of objecting, Mu Feng left the group and ran toward his friends.

"Mu Feng..."

"Mu Feng, how was it? Were the Chunin Ninja Exams really scary?"

"Haha, I told you already! How could a mere chunin exam stump Mu Feng? He's one of us Uchiha, and more importantly, he's a rival acknowledged by me, Obito!"

When Mu Feng reached them, their reactions varied, but every one of them looked at him expectantly, eager to hear exactly what the exam had been like.

Looking at his friends, who had yet to grow up, Mu Feng found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

Was he supposed to tell Kurenai Yuhi, Guy, and the others that he had killed several genin in the Forest of Death?

"It was all right! But it really was dangerous in there. A few people died, and several others were badly injured!" Mu Feng gave them a brief account, but didn't mention that he had personally killed and crippled some of them.

"Ah! People really died?" Kurenai Yuhi covered her mouth in shock.

"It isn't that bad. If you're careful, you can get through it! Besides, you still have at least a year before your exam, so you can spend that time training hard! When you take the next Chunin Ninja Exams, you'll understand!"

Mu Feng continued, then briefly answered the others' questions.

Chatting among themselves, they headed toward Ichiraku together.

This time, Asuma Sarutobi had suggested celebrating Mu Feng's successful completion of the second exam.

Kurenai Yuhi had agreed to join them as well, granting Asuma his wish.

But he hadn't expected that the first time he treated Kurenai Yuhi to ramen, so many third wheels would tag along. Worse still, he wasn't even the center of attention.

Inside the ramen shop, Asuma watched everyone laughing and chatting around Mu Feng, then buried his head in his food and silently vowed to himself.

Mu Feng Uchiha, one day I'll surpass you!