Kushina sat on the steps, blinking her beautiful eyes, and looked up at the sky above, but she couldn't see the end of it.
Such a scene evokes a sense of despair.
"If I remember correctly, it'll be another hour. After we rest once more, we can head straight for the summit," Jiraiya said confidently.
"..."
A moment of silence fell over the room.
That high?!
This height was beyond their expectations. No one had imagined that two mountains that looked alright from below would be so difficult to climb.
Araki re-examined the mountain. In some ways, it looked about the same height as Mount Fuji from the outside, with snow covering its body and towering into the clouds. However, judging from the mountain's shape, it was clear that the mountain wouldn't rise too high. It couldn't possibly deviate too much from the mountain's outline; the summit couldn't possibly be a tower-like spire.
This height wasn't a problem for Araki himself; he had activated his green Chakra and was constantly restoring his stamina, allowing him to hold on until now. However, this was definitely not a simple height.
"The plank road here is zigzag-shaped, extending quite a distance with a shallow angle. This means we need to climb many steps to go back and forth, but the distance we ascend..." Araki suddenly began to analyze. As he finished speaking, he looked up at the plank road above him—a long, sloping line in the opposite direction, a little over three meters from his older brother—and said, "About six or seven meters!"
" Araki makes a good point!" Minato nodded after hearing this, and added, "This mountain is at least several thousand meters high. We climbed it from both the left and right sides, and the distance we ascended was less than ten meters. So, it's practically impossible to ascend quickly under such conditions."
"Why..."
Kushina nodded helplessly. The facts were clear, and she could understand them. Ninjas had a deep understanding of some basic physics, which made it easier for them to improve in battle.
"I really don't know why the people who built these ladders couldn't have made them simpler. That way, we could save some energy while climbing. It's such a pain," Kushina complained bitterly.
However, complaining had no effect; they still had to climb. After a short rest, the group resumed their ascent.
The hour-long climb felt exceptionally long. After Jiraiya led the three to the summit, the view suddenly opened up, and a completely different feeling lingered in everyone's hearts.
This place is like a fairyland.
I'm standing on clouds.
This reminded Araki of the Heavenly Court he had seen in Journey to the West, except that the clouds there were made up by the production team, while the clouds beneath his feet were real.
Standing on the mountaintop, one can already see the Kumogakure on the opposite side, even though it is separated by a long cloud ladder.
The ladder was guarded by ninja from the Kumogakure.
These Kumogakure ninjas had darker skin, ranging from dark brown to almost black. Each of them had very clear muscle definition, and their bulging muscles seemed to be brimming with explosive power.
Araki casually glanced at the gatekeeper ninjas, confirming once again that those he had killed earlier, including Spark, were of the same race as these newcomers.
This information cannot serve as conclusive evidence, but Araki doesn't need to produce such solid evidence either. He wouldn't use that kind of evidence to accuse Kumogakure, and doing so would be completely ineffective.
As long as he is certain in his heart, that's enough.
What brings you to Kumogakure?
The guards looked at Araki and his group, their gazes finally settling on Jiraiya. A half-smile played on their faces, as if they were waiting for Jiraiya to say something next.
"We are the team representing Konoha in the Chunin Ninja Exams," Jiraiya said.
"Do you have an invitation?" The guarding ninja didn't let them in immediately.
"Yes." Jiraiya reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll. Only after he produced this did Araki and the others realize that they actually possessed invitations.
The guard ninja took the scroll from Jiraiya, opened it, and carefully read through all the text on it.
After confirming that everything was correct, he nodded silently.
"Yes, please come in."
As soon as the guard ninja spoke, the rest of the guard ninjas all made way to the sides, revealing the ladder directly in front of them.
Jiraiya doubts and stepped directly onto the cloud ladder.
Minato and his two companions followed closely behind.
Araki brought up the rear among the three, his gaze following the swaying, suspension bridge-like ladder downwards. He didn't feel the terror of an abyss, but rather as if he were walking on white cotton candy, like a dreamlike fairyland.
However, Araki was not in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery. Although the people from before had put on a very convincing act, he still had a very strong feeling that these people already knew their identities the moment they appeared in their sight.
It was a feeling, without any substantial basis, but he trusted his intuition. Whether it was a misperception or not, Araki was certain that, even if the Chunin Ninja Exams weren't specifically for Kushina, the people of Kumogakure were involved in the decision to bring Kushina here.
"So this is Kumogakure!"
Kushina remained incredibly enthusiastic, completely disregarding the dangers of Kumogakure. After all, she had come with Araki, and Araki's presence gave her a sense of security. She figured she might as well enjoy the scenery, since it was a rare opportunity to visit this place.
"Isn't that amazing!"
Jiraiya smiled, looking at the innocent-looking Kushina, a feeling of great satisfaction welling up inside him. He then said, "In the future, when you have the opportunity to carry out missions, go to all sorts of villages and experience different customs and cultures. Kumogakure is certainly wonderful, but there are still many more wonderful places out there."
"Really?!" Kushina's eyes lit up suddenly, and she felt as if life had become more meaningful.
"Of course it's true. The ninja world is vast and full of wonders. This kind of journey, where you can discover all sorts of amazing things, is also a form of training." Jiraiya nodded, recalling his past travels through the ninja world, filled with dangers but also with many rewards.
"Yay!" Kushina smiled brightly and said to Jiraiya, " Jiraiya-sensei, please get us more missions where we can explore wondrous places in the future!"
"I'll try my best." Jiraiya nodded. He found that he and Kushina shared this hobby. As for the other hobby, it wasn't convenient to discuss it with Kushina.
Minato listened to the conversation between Kushina and Jiraiya-sensei, a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips. He had gradually accepted the situation and knew that there was no possibility between him and Kushina, but that didn't stop him from hoping to see Kushina do better and better. It was a kind of unrequited love that was hard to bear.
As they spoke, they had already passed the cloud ladder.
The view below was obscured by clouds from the cloud ladder, which to some extent lessened their fear of it and made the journey faster.
"You're here to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams, aren't you?"
Just as Jiraiya and his group of four descended the ladder, a ninja from Kumogakure approached them with a smile, gesturing for them to follow, and said, "This way, follow me."
"This is troublesome."
Jiraiya nodded and followed, inquiring about the situation, asking, "How many teams have arrived for the Chunin Ninja Exams?"
"Um... this... I can't say!" The Kumogakure ninja stammered, shaking his head. "I'll take you to a place to rest first."
Thank you for your help.
Jiraiya stopped there, not pressing the issue further, knowing that continuing like this would be pointless.
but...
The feeling is different on Araki's side.
Just as the ninja from the Kumogakure was receiving them, he immediately felt many eyes moving back and forth over them.
Based on a rough assessment, there are more than thirty.
Moreover, these gazes were not directed at him; they were still Kushina beside him.
This made Araki realize immediately that they might have to endure another bloody battle before the Chunin Ninja Exams even began.
This is it.
The Kumogakure ninja led them to the door of a house in the village. When they arrived, they had already noticed that although Kumogakure appeared to be on a mountain, the terrain was actually very flat, large enough to accommodate a village.
"You'll be staying here during the Chunin Ninja Exams. I advise you to stay put and not wander around aimlessly; it won't do you any good." The Kumogakure ninja coldly uttered these words before turning and leaving, looking icy and without the slightest hint of reluctance.
"A strange person."
Jiraiya silently complained, then pointed to the house in front of him, indicating that his three disciples should move in with him.
"Thump thump thump!"
Just as the group had finished tidying up the house and were not yet fully settled, there was a knock at the door.
"Coming, please wait a moment."
Minato's gentle voice rang out, and he strode towards the door. He passed through the entrance hall, opened the door, and stood before a dark-skinned boy who looked a little older than him, but not by much.
" Konoha Ninja?" The boy squinted slightly as he sized up Minato.
"Yes." Minato nodded, his azure eyes fixed on the Kumogakure Forehead Protector on the boy's forehead, and still politely asked, " Kumogakure?"
I challenge you!
The boy clenched his fist and swung it towards Minato's face, but he didn't intend to hit him. His fist stopped just in front of Minato's cheek, subtly displaying a defiant stance.
Chapter 55 You mean I'm destined to lose?
Konoha: Nobody knew I could use Wood Release! Chapter 55 You mean I was destined to lose?
The voice of the newcomer easily entered the room, immediately attracting the attention of everyone, including Jiraiya. Almost everyone's gaze turned towards the doorway at that moment.
The same goes for Araki.
Standing at the door was a rather tall boy.
The most obvious impression is that he is at least two heads taller than Minato. He is wearing a rough, dark blue training uniform with rips on the shoulders, revealing dark brown skin and muscular arms. The bulging muscles look like they were cast from steel, and there are green Shuriken tattoos on his shoulders, making him look like a warrior.
His lower body consisted of ordinary blue ninja trousers, which made his overall figure appear quite slender and powerful.
Her light yellow hair was styled in the same dreadlocks Araki had seen in his previous life, and paired with the Forehead Protector that served as a headband for Kumogakure ninja, the overall look was quite avant-garde.
Apart from a long, light yellow beard on his chin, his lips were neatly trimmed, giving him a youthful and energetic appearance.
"Who are you?"
Minato stared at the boy in front of him with a puzzled look. He could tell that they were about the same age, with the other person being a little older than him, but definitely not by such an exaggerated degree. At most, the boy was about the same age as Fugaku.
With this big question mark in his eyes, Minato's eyes were full of confusion. They had only just arrived here, and it had only been a dozen minutes since they settled in. There was no way they could have any enemies. Moreover, even if someone had come to challenge them, they should have waited until after they officially appeared. How could they suddenly appear now, as if they knew they were here beforehand?
Araki stared silently at the man standing not far in front of him. The moment he saw the man, he had a feeling that he looked familiar.
I feel like I've seen it somewhere before, but I can't quite place it.
This feeling is not particularly common for Araki; he usually only experiences it when encountering characters he's seen in anime.
He didn't know any of the ninjas in Kumogakure.
I've never been here before.
Therefore, the number of Kumogakure ninjas who could give him a sense of familiarity was even smaller, considering this person's age and the aura he exuded.
If I'm not mistaken...
He should be A, the future Fourth Raikage A of Kumogakure.
What's he doing here?
A big question mark popped into Araki's mind. Judging by his age, this future Raikage, who had not yet grown up, let's call him Little A, was at least Chunin.