Chapter 252: The Reason
Although the conversation between the two was not loud, Ishiro was also paying attention to this area and naturally heard their words clearly.
"So this Akio Wada has been brooding over the fact that I didn't take him as a disciple two years ago!" Ishiro thought to himself.
As a high-level official of the village, Ishiro had naturally paid attention to the younger generation who had the potential to grow into Elite Jonin. This Akio Wada was on the watch list of the higher-ups. This kind of attention was just like how Ōnoki, Saka, and the others had been optimistic about Ishiro and Ikura back in the day.
It was just that at that time, the impression the two gave the higher-ups was that they had the potential to become Kage-level. Although the possibility was not high, it was enough to attract the serious attention of the higher-ups.
And Akio Wada, like Ishiro back then, was listed as a key observation target by the higher-ups. The difference was that Ishiro, who was once watched, had now become the high-level official watching others.
Ishiro had originally thought Akio Wada would participate in the Chunin Exams last year but hadn't expected him to wait until this year. And looking at this posture, the reason he waited until this year was because of him?
A problem in one's thinking must be corrected; this was a responsibility of a high-level official. Speaking of which, since becoming a high-level official, he had only used the Will of Stone to brainwash the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han. He hadn't tried it on anyone else yet.
The two in area number 5 naturally couldn't sense Ishiro's thoughts. The two classmates, whose strengths were vastly different during their Ninja Academy days, had already begun their formal contest.
The two had a tacit understanding and didn't start with all sorts of strange moves. Instead, they began sparring with the simplest taijutsu.
From taijutsu to projectile throwing, and then to ninjutsu, the two used all the common combat methods of ninjas in turn.
Akio Wada was indeed formidable. Takuhiro Uchiyama, who was outstanding among Squad Three and Squad Four, was completely suppressed by him from beginning to end.
It was clear that Takuhiro was already using his full strength, but Akio still had strength to spare. Whether it was taijutsu, projectiles, or ninjutsu, Takuhiro was no match. Every time he felt he couldn't hold on, he began to change tactics.
And Akio was changing his combat style along with Takuhiro's rhythm. You use taijutsu, I'll use taijutsu; you use projectiles, I'll use projectiles; you use ninjutsu, I'll use ninjutsu. He wanted to defeat Takuhiro in every aspect, to let Ishiro see clearly the gap between him and Takuhiro.
As the match progressed, sweat began to appear on Takuhiro's forehead. He was too strong; Akio had crushed him in almost every way. He had only experienced this feeling from his teacher, Ishiro. Apart from that, none of the enemy Chunin or even Jonin he had encountered on missions at the front line had given him so much pressure.
Because Ishiro hadn't given Takuhiro much directional guidance in the previous two years, focusing on his foundation, Takuhiro was a rare all-around ninja among Ishiro's disciples.
For this reason, when Takuhiro fought, he could often find his opponent's flaws and attack them. But today, Takuhiro had met a "well-rounded warrior" just like him, and this warrior's strength in all aspects was above his.
Suddenly, Takuhiro felt that the fighting style of defeating the strong as the weak that he used to rely on could no longer be replicated. All he could do was passively hold on.
In fact, Takuhiro felt that he had to thank Ishiro for his guidance over the past month or so for being able to hold on until now. Because in this past month, not only had he learned the A-rank ninjutsu Light/Heavy Rock Jutsu, but his biggest gain was actually his comprehension of gravity.
It was precisely because of his application of gravity that he could barely hold on in the exchanges of taijutsu, projectiles, and ninjutsu, giving himself a moment's respite to change tactics and struggle to hold on.
But in the end, forced into a corner, Takuhiro still used the Light/Heavy Rock Jutsu and flew into mid-air.
Looking at Takuhiro panting in mid-air, Akio Wada frowned. He could beat Takuhiro to a pulp on the ground, but he had no good way to deal with an aerial target. If Takuhiro was determined not to come down, the two could only be considered to have a draw, which was not something Akio could accept.
So Akio began to cast a large-area B-rank ninjutsu. However, Takuhiro, who was prepared, had long since flown to a higher altitude before the ninjutsu attack could reach him.
Thus, the match had to end.
However, Takuhiro, after landing on the ground, said, "I lost. If you hadn't given me the chance to use other techniques at the beginning, I would have been defeated long ago."
This was the truth. In the taijutsu exchange phase, his use of gravity had allowed Takuhiro to dodge Akio's attacks several times. But in the exchange of ninjutsu, Akio had gone easy on him, waiting for Takuhiro's trump card. It was just that Akio hadn't expected the trump card to be a flight ninjutsu.
Taking a deep breath, Akio accepted the reality and said, "A draw is a draw. I don't need charity." After speaking, he glanced unwillingly at Ishiro on the high platform in the distance, then turned and walked towards the spectator area.
Takuhiro didn't know what to say and could only follow behind him silently. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of keeping the Light/Heavy Rock Jutsu as a trump card, but that would just be an insult to Akio. As classmates, Takuhiro understood Akio's pride.
But before the two had walked back to the stands, Chiko Tomoe appeared in front of them.
She first smiled at Takuhiro, then said to Akio, "You're Akio Wada, right? Teacher Ishiro heard your conversation with Takuhiro just now. He has a few words for you. If you want to hear them, come with me now." After speaking, Chiko turned and headed towards the proctor's stand.
Akio was stunned for a moment, then immediately nodded and followed Chiko. The curious Takuhiro behind him also quickly followed. Not only was Akio curious about Ishiro's method of selecting disciples, but Takuhiro was also equally puzzled and very much wanted to know the answer.
Soon, Akio Wada and Takuhiro Uchiyama followed Chiko to the high platform where Ishiro was. However, Chiko did not go up, only signaling for Akio to walk up to the platform alone.
Akio swallowed. He had originally thought Ishiro would come down or send a clone to explain to him. But Ishiro had directly asked him to go to the high platform for the conversation. He had to know that Ishiro's current position was the most conspicuous in the entire venue. This was the best position for the chief examiner to control the field and naturally also the focus of the entire venue.
But Akio did not shrink back. With a few leaps, he got onto the high platform and came behind Ishiro.
Just as Akio, who had walked up behind Ishiro, was about to speak, he was cut off by Ishiro's words.
"Come over, stand by my side. Let's watch the other examinees' matches together first."
Although he didn't understand the reason for Ishiro's action, Akio still did as he was told. The two stood side by side on the high platform, overlooking the matches of the examinees below.
Ishiro didn't directly tell Akio the reason but instead pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of the examinees one by one for him.
Akio's strength far surpassed that of the examinees currently competing below. Although he couldn't see as thoroughly as Ishiro, he could still make general judgments. So after the initial shock, he also got into Ishiro's rhythm and began to listen carefully.
Akio walking onto the high platform naturally attracted the attention of others. Soon, the examinees and spectators alike all cast their gazes over here.
Everyone began to whisper about Ishiro and Akio, not understanding what the two were doing.
During this process, Ishiro's disciple, Katsumata, also had a round of competition.
Katsumata's performance was not good. Although he won, it was a very narrow victory. He was desperately dodging the opponent's attacks throughout the match, and the method he used to win in the end was not very honorable.
Katsumata seized an opportunity to interfere with his opponent's judgment using genjutsu, and then a kunai passed through the opponent's block and successfully hit him.
Of course, that final kunai was diverted by a move of Ishiro's Bansho Ten'in, so it didn't injure the opponent.
After the two went down, Ishiro said to Akio, "I just learned that you've always wanted to understand my standards for accepting disciples."
Ishiro finally brought up the main topic. Akio immediately perked up and began to listen attentively.
"My disciple just now is named Katsumata. He's your contemporary. You should know what his talent is like. Now his strength is naturally still far inferior to yours, but for him, the progress has been great."
"What I want to say is not how amazing I am at teaching disciples. I just want to tell you that the path he is walking is special."
"Katsumata is a ninja who specializes in training genjutsu. But there are too few genjutsu to be learned in Iwagakure. There is nothing for him to learn from in his efforts. If he were left to develop on his own, his future would only be that of a Genin—of course, that's assuming he could have graduated smoothly from the Ninja Academy two years ago."
"But from his performance just now, you saw that his opponent was not weak among this year's examinees, but still fell for Katsumata's genjutsu. Do you know, this genjutsu was developed by himself. He is walking a path that no one in the village has walked before."
"This path, he cannot walk far alone. He needs someone to help him. But if he succeeds, then in the end, the one who benefits will be the entire village."
"I am that person helping him. But I am not only helping Katsumata; I am helping the future ninjas of the village."
At this point, Ishiro paused to let Akio digest the content, then continued to explain.
"You are a genius. Even without my guidance, you can become an outstanding ninja. But Katsumata cannot." Ishiro turned and pointed to Chiko, who was watching them from below. "She couldn't either."
"Besides them, many of my disciples are the same. Without me, most of them would only be Chunin in the future, and some would even just be Genin. What I choose is not to make a Jonin more outstanding, but to give a Genin the chance to become a Jonin."
Hearing this, Akio somewhat understood Ishiro's standard for choosing disciples. But he was still a little unconvinced. He believed that if he could also receive guidance from an outstanding teacher like Ishiro, his achievements now would only be higher.
Ishiro did not look at him and continued, "Today, we are watching these people's matches together. What do you feel when you stand in your own shoes? If you change your perspective and look at it from the village's standpoint, what do you feel then? Watch these matches carefully and think hard."
Akio was lost in thought, staring blankly at the matches below.
Just then, another of Ishiro's disciples, Kazumasa Yoshimura, entered the field. Kazumasa's performance was much more eye-catching than Katsumata's just now. For no other reason than that one-handed seal and various fancy hand seals, which directly confused his opponent the moment he entered the field.
"Are you cheating?" Ishiro guessed that was probably what Kazumasa's opponent was thinking right now.
Although Kazumasa's chakra amount was not large, with the huge advantage brought by rapid seals and one-handed seals, he still won with ease.
This kind of competition was limited by the venue, and it was already not easy for ninjas to dodge ninjutsu attacks. Kazumasa's short-term ninjutsu burst capability was too terrifying. Among the Genin participating in the competition this year, there were really not many who could withstand it.
"Hmm?"
"Eh?"
Ishiro and Chiko Tomoe exclaimed in surprise almost at the same time.
Ishiro looked at Akio Wada beside him, while Chiko looked at Takuhiro Uchiyama, who was listening to Ishiro's explanation with her.
The two classmates, almost at the same time, had completed their transformation towards becoming a Jonin.
Ishiro was somewhat surprised, surprised by Akio, but even more surprised by Takuhiro. He thought to himself, "I'm imparting the Will of Stone to someone else, what are you getting involved for?"
Chiko was even more speechless. As Ishiro's earliest student, she knew him best. She naturally knew what kind of person Ishiro was. What left her speechless was that Takuhiro, also being Ishiro's disciple, would actually take Ishiro's posturing words to heart.
Ishiro and Chiko exchanged a look and, with great tacit understanding, began to guard the people beside them.
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