2:40 p.m.
Izayoi and Hinata first went to the usual meeting place to meet up with Shino Aburame, then arrived outside Konoha Training Ground 44.
Konoha Training Ground 44, also known as the Death Forest, was one of Konoha's training grounds that was not opened except under special circumstances. It was also one of Konoha's forbidden areas.
The proctors had already set up canopies and tents outside, along with a sign marking the Assembly Point.
Although there were still twenty minutes until the exam began, the Eighth Squad was not the earliest group to arrive.
A large number of examinees were already gathered in the open space.
They stood in groups of three, with at least a dozen groups present.
Over the next ten minutes, more and more examinees arrived, and the open space grew crowded.
"Yo, Izayoi, you guys got here pretty early."
"Long time no see, Izayoi-kun, Hinata."
"Long time no see, Minako."
Since the Eighth Squad was standing on the outskirts, the newly arrived Seventh Squad and Tenth Squad spotted them at once.
Another squad also came over—it was the Sixth Squad, which Kiba Inuzuka belonged to.
"Did you hear? Out of the ten squads in our class, it seems only the twelve of us earned the Guidance Jonin's approval. Everyone else was eliminated," Minako said.
Hinata looked slightly surprised. "Did the other students return to the academy to repeat their training?"
"Two squads went back to repeat their training, while the others were specially recruited by other departments. A few students seemed to suffer some kind of blow and chose to drop out," Minako sighed. "Becoming an official ninja doesn't seem like such a good thing, either. Last month, we went on a C-Rank Mission and nearly got taken out by an enemy's poisonous smoke. Luckily,