"Why..."
Jiraiya sighed helplessly. He had no other solution to this situation. Since it had already happened, all he could do was try his best to protect his disciples and ensure that Minato and the others could return to Konoha safely.
" Lord Torei, what should we do in this situation? Only one team passed the second round of the Chunin Ninja Exams, so what about the third round? Do we have any contingency plans?" Among the ninjas of Kumogakure, one of the female ninjas stood on Tereyin and asked in a low voice.
"You're asking me? Who should I ask?" Tereyin said irritably. He hadn't even considered that possibility. It still felt like a dream. All the material he had prepared for the third exam was completely useless and a waste of time. As for contingency plans, what contingency plan was there?
"So what do we do now?" the female ninja continued to ask.
"Shut up, let me think." Tereyin a deep breath; this situation was a true test of his ability to react on the spot.
"Um..." The female ninja couldn't help but speak up, "According to the rules of the Chunin Ninja Exams, if there are fewer than five people remaining after the second round of testing, then those five people can directly advance to become Chunin."
"Where did these rules come from?" A question mark popped into Tereyin's head.
"It's a tacit agreement that even if daimyo from various countries come here, they will still accept this rule. Besides, there's no fighting now, so daimyo from various countries probably won't come anyway," the female ninja explained.
"Why didn't you tell me this sooner? You asked me first and then told me? Are you crazy?!" Tereyin was speechless. This lack of basic knowledge left him feeling completely outmaneuvered. He said helplessly, "From any perspective, it's not suitable to continue the Chunin Ninja Exams now. We have to stop for now and then think of other solutions."
"What were the instructions given to Lord Raikage?" the female ninja continued to ask.
"How would I know!" Tereyin's tone suddenly rose, but after saying this, he looked suspiciously at the female ninja beside him and asked, "Do you have some answer?"
"No." The female ninja shook her head.
"Useless!" Tereyin muttered angrily.
After Araki stepped out of the door, he fully activated his sense of presence. At this moment, he could clearly sense that although nothing was apparent on the surface, Araki had actually made ample preparations to deal with all sorts of situations that might arise at any time.
What's next?
Araki didn't have a complete answer in his mind either. Before they even got their hands on all the special Kunai, he had already considered what might happen next.
They cannot enter the examination room for the third match, nor can they leave as losers; this is the most appropriate course of action at present.
In an instant.
Araki silently observed the expressions on everyone's faces, while also waiting to see what would happen next.
that's all.
Under the scrutinizing gazes of everyone present.
over time.
A few minutes later.
Tereyin stepped out from the Kumogakure's camp and appeared in the sight of everyone present.
"Cough cough..."
Tereyin cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. He stared intently at Minato, his peripheral vision still fixed on Kushina.
"Let me introduce myself. I am the chief examiner for this Chunin Ninja Exams. My name is Tereyin!"
Tereyin directly assumed the role of chief examiner, which was part of his plan. Regardless of whether such a situation occurred, he intended to take over the role of chief examiner.
The original examiner Nankain, has disappeared.
According to speculation within Kumogakure, they had likely encountered some misfortune, a fact confirmed when Minato and his companions safely emerged from the second exam arena.
Therefore, he must take over the mantle of the chief examiner and not let the various forces who have come here think that the Kumogakure no longer has a chief examiner, nor can he let them know that the chief examiner may have died on the Chunin Ninja Exams field.
Tereyin's initiative to introduce himself is also a form of attack. As long as he speaks first, he will have a relatively advantageous position in this matter, Shisui Minato and the other two from being the first to mention that they had been attacked by Nankain during the Chunin Ninja Exams.
This is tantamount to silencing them.
This was part of the initiative he had to take, as only in this way could he simplify the matter of Nankain. After seeing Minato take out nine special Kunai in a row, his biggest worry was whether he would bring up Nankain's matter.
If that's the case...
This puts them in a passive position regarding matters concerning the Chunin Ninja Exams Kumogakure.
Tereyin's appearance drew everyone's attention, especially after he announced himself as the examiner, their eyes filled with anticipation.
They were eager to know how this situation would ultimately be resolved!
" Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Araki, congratulations on passing the second round of the Chunin Ninja Exams!" Tereyin announced the results on the spot. After saying this, he didn't give the others time to think and continued, "Since only the three of you passed the second round of the Chunin Ninja Exams, we will re-discuss the method for the third round of the exam, and try our best to give you a fair and just testing environment."
"Excuse me!"
Suddenly, Minato grinned and interrupted Tereyin, saying, "I think our situation should be handled directly through the Chunin Ninja Exams, rather than having new rules created specifically for us. Or do you really think that would be fair?"
Chapter 2 Decision Making
Konoha: Nobody knew I could use Wood Release! Chapter 2: Decision Making
Upon hearing this,
Tereyin's face turned grim.
At this moment, he felt an intense resentment towards Minato. In his view, Minato was almost entirely responsible for the current situation.
After all, those special Kunai were all brought out by Minato.
This caused him to temporarily overlook Araki was standing next to Minato.
I agree with my disciple!
Just then, Jiraiya stepped forward. The initial shock had gradually subsided, and now it was time to advocate for his disciples. He continued, "According to tradition, the third round of the Chunin Ninja Exams is a duel between opponents, but that requires a certain number of participants. Currently, only three people have passed, and they all belong to the same team. Making them duel against each other is meaningless, especially since we're changing the rules. I believe the daimyo of each country wouldn't want to see the Chunin Ninja Exams like this."
Do the daimyo of various countries really want to see the Chunin Ninja Exams they are now?
Tereyin cursed inwardly.
Your three disciples ruined the Chunin Ninja Exams like this, and they still have the nerve to talk about such principles!
"I'll discuss this with Lord Raikage!" Left with no other option, Tereyin invoked the name of the Third Raikage, hoping to use the Raikage's authority to make Jiraiya back down.
"In that case..."
Jiraiya smiled. After all, things had come to this point, and he understood that this was not simply a matter for him or his team, but rather something that concerned the entire ninja village.
He didn't approve of what Minato and the other two were doing; it would grab attention and easily make them enemies. But since they had already done it, he didn't mind turning it into an honor for the village.
"Then I'll have to talk to the Lord Hokage too!"
Jiraiya's leisurely voice drew out the Hokage of Konoha. Although the Third Hokage no longer possessed the glory of his former Hokage, he was still Konoha, and his reputation still carried considerable influence.
"Hiss..."
Upon hearing this conversation, the onlookers gasped in shock. What was happening here was directly related to their own interests, but since their disciples had no chance of clearing the level, they had become outsiders, watching the scene unfold as spectators.
Tereyin's face darkened further.
This confrontation made him feel very insecure.
It's not a matter of ability.
The current situation is different. This Konoha Ninja team has demonstrated tremendous influence and can definitely speak to the Hokage. On the other hand, his plan has failed, and he himself is unsure whether he can gain the Raikage's support.
In an instant.
The atmosphere became awkward.
The conversation between Jiraiya and Tereyin had created a tense standoff, with each bringing up their own village's shadow, giving the audience a sense of impending doom.
"Alright, regardless of whether the rules for the third match are changed, it will be in two weeks. In the meantime, you should go back and rest. We will notify you as soon as there are any developments!"
After a moment's thought, Tereyin realized that continuing the stalemate was not a solution, and a thought suddenly came up with this delaying tactic.
Regardless of the circumstances, the first priority is to calm people down.
The capture of Kushina is of paramount importance to the entire Kumogakure; it is a matter of utmost importance, and no loss can be tolerated.
"Can!"
Just then, before Jiraiya say anything, Minato nodded in agreement and said, "Now let's go back to our lodgings, but I have one condition: don't disturb our rest until you've finalized your decision."
"No problem."
Tereyin's face lit up with joy, and he immediately agreed; for him, this was the best possible outcome.
Upon hearing these words, everyone present felt a pang of envy. The current situation filled them with a sense of envy, as they all hoped that their disciples could pass the second round of the Chunin Ninja Exams, and even force the Hidden Kumogakure to refrain from changing the rules of the third round under the spotlight.
" Jiraiya-sensei, let's go back. We've been in the exam hall for seven days, and we're exhausted." Minato immediately stepped forward and grabbed Jiraiya's arm. This action made Jiraiya feel a little puzzled, as if something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He passively followed Minato and the other two towards their residence.
Jiraiya originally wanted to argue with Tereyin again, but Minato pulled him away, so he simply let it go.
"Call..."
Seeing that he had finally calmed down the few Konoha Ninja, Tereyin felt a sense of relief. He then quickly headed back towards the Raikage's Office, his mind already preoccupied with reporting what had happened to the Third Lord Raikage.
With the departure of the Konoha Ninja and Tereyin, the people present suddenly felt a sense of boredom. With the permission of the Kumogakure ninja, they entered the arena one after another to search for their disciples who had not yet emerged.
Kumogakure, temporary residence.
" Minato, what exactly happened? Why did you take everyone else's Kunai?" Jiraiya asked impatiently as soon as he entered the room. He'd been thinking about this the whole way, and his doubts were hard to contain. He replied, "It's too conspicuous. Actually, taking one or two more Kunai wouldn't have been a problem. You can't act without leaving a way out for others!"
" Jiraiya-sensei, there's no time to explain, grab our hands!"
Minato frowned. They had already discussed their next move while they were in the Chunin Ninja Exams arena, so once they came out, they could simply follow the plan.
"?"
A huge question mark appeared in Jiraiya's mind. He was still waiting for Minato to give him an explanation, but he didn't expect that things would change so drastically that he couldn't keep up with the thought process.
Despite his doubts, he still reached out and took Minato's hand.
At this point in time, Minato was holding Jiraiya's hand with his left hand and Kushina's hand with his right hand, while Araki stood behind Minato, patting his back with both hands.
" Araki, are you sure there won't be any problems, right?"
Chapter 3: You can convert and use 100% of my Chakra!
Konoha: Nobody knew I could use Wood Release! Chapter 3: You can convert and use 100% of my Chakra!
Even now, Jiraiya was still completely bewildered and didn't understand what Minato and the others were planning to do. However, he could tell that the three of them had formed a tacit understanding, and it was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather something that had been planned.
"No problem."
Araki answered very affirmatively that they had already begun planning what would happen after they left the Chunin Ninja Exams Chunin Ninja Exams arena in the last few days of the competition.