Konoha: I Have a Gravity Training Room

Neither.

This world revolved around ninjutsu. With good enough talent, developing a powerful ninjutsu in a month was no big deal.

But if one took the taijutsu route, they could desperately temper themselves for ten or twenty years without seeing results. Might Guy was the most typical example: after honing his body for years and finally opening the Eight Gates, he had only managed to cripple Six Paths Madara with a kick. In the world of One Piece, he would have long since become one of the Four Emperors.

Fortunately, Xia Mu was not in a hurry. There were still many years until the final battle, and he could continue growing.

For now, he needed to solve the problem with Hatake Kenjutsu first.

He recalled his previous battle with Kakashi and pondered Kakashi's movements. He felt as though lightning were alive, capable of driving the body to accelerate.

So he gave it a try. Once he caught a faint feeling for it, he focused even more seriously on grasping it.

If one try did not work, then two. If two did not work, then ten or a hundred. He refused to believe he could not learn it!

Fortunately, Xia Mu really was quite talented. He simply had not thought of it before. After Kakashi's guidance, he quickly mastered Lightning Body Flicker.

At that moment, his entire body seemed to be made of lightning as he flashed wildly through the training room.

That was still under ten times gravity. If gravity returned to normal, he would only be faster.

"I've finally mastered Lightning Body Flicker completely. Next is combining it with swordsmanship. I have to reach the White Fang's speed—no, surpass it. Then even Shadow-level experts will be easy to slice up!"

Before he knew it, a month had passed.

Xia Mu's training had progressed smoothly, putting him in a much better mood.

Recently, Team 9 had barely taken on any missions. They were mainly training. Tatsuya Yamashiro was receiving extra training from his older clansman, Aoba Yamashiro. Megumi Kato had gone to help at the hospital, while Xia Mu trained by himself and occasionally joined Might Guy's Team.

Might Guy's Team naturally did not reject him. Aside from Xia Mu being Tenten's boyfriend, they were all friends with him as well.

Moreover, Neji seemed possessed by Rock Lee. Every time Xia Mu came over, Neji would challenge him. Even after losing, he never became discouraged.

Rock Lee was even more insane. After challenging Xia Mu, he would challenge Neji, then turn around and spar with Tenten. He was beaten terribly every time, yet he still maintained an optimistic and upward-looking attitude.

Even Neji could not help admiring that, and he learned a little from it as well.

As a result, the atmosphere in Might Guy's Team became exceptionally good.

One day, while Xia Mu was buying groceries, he noticed quite a few ninja from other villages in Konoha. He even spotted the Sound Ninja Trio—Zaku Abumi, Dosu Kinata, and Kin Tsuchi. It seemed the Chunin Exams were about to begin.

Yet even though Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly knew Otogakure was connected to Orochimaru, he still allowed Otogakure's ninja to participate in the Chunin Exams. Wasn't that too risky?

Fortunately, that was not Xia Mu's concern.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had his own considerations. In any case, he would be the one to die in the end. It would be good if he died and let Tsunade replace him. Only then could Xia Mu use his true strength more openly, and only then could he ask Tsunade for more good things, such as the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Mutual Multiplication Explosive Tag Technique.

Things he would not dare ask Hiruzen Sarutobi for could be requested from Tsunade instead. Wasn't that remarkable?

There were too many conspiracy theories involved. In any case, Xia Mu did not dare trust that old bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi!

He could only wait for the old bastard to die and for Tsunade to take office!

Sure enough, the next day, Aoba Yamashiro handed out the Chunin Exams registration forms.

Aoba Yamashiro said, "With your strength, you are more than capable of handling this exam. Work hard, and don't let your efforts go to waste!"

The three of them exchanged glances, then each pulled out a pair of green sunglasses and put them on. They shouted, "We are Aoba's Team! The mere Chunin Exams are nothing to us!"

Eyeing the Flying Thunder God

This had been Xia Mu's suggestion.

His reason was that since Team 9 was Aoba's Team, they naturally needed Aoba's Team's distinguishing trait, so they should all wear green sunglasses.

Besides, sunglasses looked pretty cool. They were far better than wearing green jumpsuits and turning into kappas.

But the real reason was so they could use the Solar Flare whenever they wanted.

Starting with the Chunin Exams, they would gradually encounter powerful enemies. Even Xia Mu was not necessarily confident that he could defeat them.

That was where the Solar Flare came in. Everyone would be wearing sunglasses, so if they encountered an enemy they could not defeat, one Solar Flare would blind the enemy, allowing them to counterattack or flee.

It was an excellent strategy, and the Solar Flare was also a great move for screwing people over.

Just think of Dragon Ball. Cell had escaped pursuit with the Solar Flare several times, eventually evolving into his Perfect Form and utterly crushing the main cast.

Solar Flare, YYDS!

So there were benefits to wearing sunglasses. Not only did they look cool, they could save lives at crucial moments!

Aoba Yamashiro froze when he saw them. He only felt as though sand had gotten into his eyes, and he forced a helpless smile. "You three really are strange, but sunglasses do have their benefits. At the very least, they prevent enemies from seeing the direction of your gaze, and they can even hide the killing intent in your eyes. In short, if you like wearing them, then wear them."

As he spoke, he pushed up his own sunglasses.

The three understood. Teacher Aoba seemed quite pleased.

Tatsuya Yamashiro immediately said, "Don't worry, Brother Aoba. From now on, this will be Aoba's Team's symbol. Handsome, cool, and useful—who wouldn't give it a thumbs-up?"

"Alright, I understand. Fill out the registration forms, then submit them at the registration office on the day of the exam. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving first."

Just as Aoba Yamashiro finished speaking, someone called his name, and he hurried over.

Xia Mu looked toward that person and saw brown hair and a scar on the left side of his face. The man looked somewhat familiar.

He quickly remembered.

"Isn't that Namiashi Raidō? It seems Aoba Yamashiro, Namiashi Raidō, and Genma Shiranui are teammates. Namiashi Raidō, Genma Shiranui, and Iwashi Tatami also seem to know the Flying Thunder Array Technique, which can teleport people from one location to another. I just wonder whether they have something like a scroll for the Flying Thunder God Technique..."

Xia Mu immediately began making plans.

He was shameless anyway. If he had connections, he had to use them.

Since Namiashi Raidō and Genma Shiranui were Teacher Aoba's teammates, he would find time to ask them. Maybe he would be lucky enough to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique early.

Namiashi Raidō and Genma Shiranui had once served as the Fourth Hokage's guards, so they should have learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. Perhaps their talent had not been sufficient, and in the end, they could only join with Iwashi Tatami to use the Flying Thunder Array Technique. It was somewhat useless, but it still seemed to have some utility.

Since their talent was insufficient, they should not let it go to waste. They should share it so everyone could learn together!

Xia Mu was not certain whether he could learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, but he would get his hands on it first. Besides, Tenten also had talent for Space-Time Ninjutsu. Perhaps she could learn it too.

In any case, he absolutely could not miss such a good thing!

Soon, the three filled out their registration forms and handed them all to Xia Mu. They only needed to go to the registration office together on the day of the exam.

That night, Xia Mu's mind was filled with the Flying Thunder God Technique, and he was not sleepy at all. Hearing snores from the master bedroom, he quietly got up and went to Tenten's room.

"Xia Mu?" Tenten's quiet voice carried a hint of delight.

"It's me." Xia Mu answered softly as well, quickly closing the door.

To his surprise, Tenten turned on a flashlight, lifted the blanket, and beckoned him over. Xia Mu did not stand on ceremony and immediately slipped beneath the covers. A sweet fragrance rushed into his mind, and he could not help letting his thoughts wander.

Then Tenten burrowed into his arms, which was truly dangerous.

"Ahem! Tenten, don't we look like we're having an affair?" Xia Mu smiled helplessly.

"What else can we do? Dad's home. How about we live at your place in the future and let Dad stay here by himself?" Tenten complained.

"Wouldn't Dad cry himself to death? He'd definitely think his beloved daughter had abandoned him!"

"That won't happen. We'll still eat here with him during the day, but we don't need to spend the night here. We can't even see each other while sleeping anyway. Look at us now—we have to whisper because we're afraid of waking him up. Isn't that inconvenient?"

It was inconvenient, but your dad would probably rather we made more noise than have you move in with me!

Wouldn't that be like sending a sheep into a wolf's den?

Xia Mu did not respond. He simply held Tenten and breathed in her scent. His heart immediately felt much calmer, and his worries faded. Even his hands started becoming a little restless.

Tenten pressed down on someone's wandering hand. "Xia Mu, is something bothering you?"

Xia Mu did not hide it. "I just can't sleep. Do you know who I saw today?"

Tenten grew curious. "Who? Don't tell me it was a girl prettier than me?"

"What are you talking about? How could there be a girl prettier than you?"

After sweet-talking her and giving her a kiss, Xia Mu continued, "I saw Teacher Aoba's teammate, Namiashi Raidō. You might not know him, but he's no ordinary person!"

Tenten immediately perked up. She actually did not know much about Konoha's ninja. She had learned about many people and events from Xia Mu. Now that he was mentioning another unfamiliar ninja, she was naturally interested. She felt that if Xia Mu was too excited to sleep, he must have some extraordinary idea.

"Teacher Aoba's two teammates, Namiashi Raidō and Genma Shiranui, once served as the Fourth Hokage's guards. Do you know the Fourth Hokage's famous ninjutsu? The Flying Thunder God Technique! It's a Space-Time Ninjutsu. As long as you leave a Chakra mark somewhere, you can instantly move to that marked location at any time!

"You could say the Flying Thunder God Technique is powerful—or rather, incredibly fast!

"Before the Fourth Hokage became Hokage, he participated in the Shinobi World War. Back then, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to run all over the battlefield. One second, he could be eating at home, and the next, he would be in the enemy's headquarters. He terrified his enemies so badly that they fled at the very mention of his name, earning him the title of Konoha's Yellow Flash. At the time, the villages of the Shinobi World even had a rule: if you encountered the Yellow Flash, you were allowed to abandon your mission without punishment. The Fourth Hokage used that reputation and those achievements to successfully ascend to the position of Hokage!"

Tenten sat upright at once. Even in the darkness, Xia Mu could sense her overwhelming delight.

Fortunately, she remembered not to speak loudly. She lay back down and leaned close to Xia Mu's ear. "The Flying Thunder God Technique really is Space-Time Ninjutsu?"

She could not help being excited, because her talent lay primarily in Space-Time Ninjutsu. Only by following that path could she truly become stronger; everything else would be a waste.

Since the Fourth Hokage had become a legend through the Flying Thunder God Technique, could she not become a legendary female ninja through it as well?

"Yes, that much is absolutely certain."

Xia Mu pinched Tenten's little nose. "Don't get excited yet. Listen while I explain."

Tenten murmured agreement and pressed even closer.

Entering the Exam Hall

Xia Mu's gaze darkened. He felt a little uncomfortable and somewhat unable to control his hands.

He hurriedly continued the subject to distract himself. "Seeing Namiashi Raidō today reminded me that he and Genma Shiranui once served as the Fourth Hokage's guards and learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. But perhaps their talent was insufficient, so they never mastered it. Instead, they formed a three-man team with another guard, Iwashi Tatami, and could use the Flying Thunder Array Technique to teleport people or objects elsewhere."

Tenten immediately frowned. "Such a powerful Space-Time Ninjutsu, and that's all they managed to learn? Isn't that pretty useless?"

"It is rather useless, but that's alright. We can find a way to ask them to teach me!"

Xia Mu smiled. "Since they're Teacher Aoba's companions, I have to make use of that connection. Call me shameless if you want, but I'll get my hands on the training scroll for the Flying Thunder God Technique first!"

Tenten kissed Xia Mu on the cheek and nodded solemnly. "Mm, my boyfriend really does have thick skin—but I love it!"

Tenten now understood why Xia Mu could not sleep.

He had thought of something incredibly wonderful, which was why he was completely awake. And it was not just Xia Mu—she herself was now too excited to feel sleepy. Tomorrow, she would probably go out with dark circles under her eyes.

She just did not know when they would get their hands on the Flying Thunder God Technique.

For a while, the two fell silent. They breathed each other's breath and felt each other's heartbeats as their faces drew closer and closer.

Mm, it still tasted like mint toothpaste. Not bad.

Fortunately, they were ninja now and had fairly strong self-control, so they would not lose control. Still, continuing like this would be dangerous. They were too young for that.

So they began talking about other things to change the subject.

"Teacher Aoba gave us registration forms today. He said we were entering the Chunin Exams. Might Guy's Team plans to register too, right?" Xia Mu took the initiative to bring it up.

"Mm. Last year, Teacher Guy thought Rock Lee wasn't strong enough, so we didn't register. But this year, we're definitely participating. With my strength, becoming a Chunin shouldn't be difficult, right?" Tenten looked utterly confident.

Even without using her trump cards, she could currently fight Neji to a draw for a short time. If that still was not enough to pass the Chunin Exams, then ninety-nine percent of the examinees probably would not pass either.

In Tenten's eyes, Xia Mu, Neji, Shino, and herself would definitely rank among the strongest examinees.

So there was nothing to worry about.

Xia Mu was not really worried about the exam either. He was mainly worried that Orochimaru would cause trouble. As long as Orochimaru did not harm his family and friends, it did not matter how he killed Hiruzen Sarutobi. But if Orochimaru threatened Tenten or his friends' safety, Xia Mu would not hold back. His Hatake Kenjutsu was no longer weak, and joining forces with the others to deal with Orochimaru would not be a problem.

Still, just in case, Xia Mu decided to remind Tenten again.

"Tenten, you can't let your guard down during this exam. Do you remember Otogakure, the village I told you about last time? This time, Otogakure's ninja are also participating in the exam, so you must be careful..."

Tenten listened attentively and casually put away the flashlight, but why did she feel like there was another flashlight under the covers?

Two days later, Xia Mu and Tenten headed to the registration office together.

Tatsuya Yamashiro, Megumi Kato, Neji, and Rock Lee were already waiting downstairs. The six of them entered the building together.

As soon as they reached the second floor, they saw a noisy crowd in front of a large classroom. Some examinees seemed to want to enter, but Konoha's Two Gate Gods were blocking the way and refusing to let them in, their attitudes exceptionally unpleasant.

Then they looked up and saw that above the door to the large classroom was a sign marked for the third floor.

It was merely a simple genjutsu test. Anyone who could not see through it had no need to take the exam and should obediently go home and lie down.

At that moment, a voice came from behind them. "Hey! Xia Mu, Tenten, you registered too! Well, that makes sense. You're both so strong, of course you would register! By the way, why is everyone in Team 9 wearing sunglasses?"

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura approached, looking quite spirited.

But before Xia Mu or Tenten could speak, Rock Lee suddenly flashed forward and blocked Team 7's path.

Then Rock Lee bowed to Sakura and extended his hand. "Are you Miss Sakura Haruno? My name is Rock Lee. I like you. Please go out with me! I will protect you with my life!"