The sound was crisp and clear.
Having completed the final step of their protocol, the two boys silently returned to Yuto Souta's side.
[Defeated Mist Genin, Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique Proficiency +19, Main Mission Reward: 27 Bloodline Limit Research Points Issued]
Yuto Souta raised an eyebrow.
The test results for the main mission's rewards were decent...
This Mist ninja's strength definitely wasn't just genin-level, or the proficiency gain wouldn't be this high.
And the key was this instant reward...
Yuto Souta scanned the surroundings, roughly estimating the number of people.
If he could beat them all down like this... forget the 10,000 points needed to upgrade Sharingan to LV4 for now—getting Wood Release to LV3 with 3,000 points shouldn't be a problem, right?
A flicker of anticipation stirred in Yuto Souta's heart, but the odd looks from the crowd of examinees made him pause...
"Did we... go too far?"
Yuto Souta muttered under his breath.
Because they'd just applied their full anti-Hyuga protocol to this Mist ninja.
At this moment, no one in the field dared to underestimate these three absurdly young kids anymore.
Their seamless coordination, decisive strikes, and ruthlessness were enough to silence everyone.
All the examinees' gazes shifted to the proctor.
Just a second ago, he'd been saying no private fights were allowed, and now this incident involved Konoha's own...
Everyone awaited the proctor's response.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
At that moment, several figures appeared.
They carried tantos on their backs, wore various animal masks, and exuded a faint, chilling killing intent that made people avoid their gaze!
Konoha's Anbu.
"What happened here?"
One of the Anbu asked the proctor coldly.
With the Anbu's arrival, a weight lifted from the proctor's chest, though he hesitated for a moment.
"A conflict broke out between examinees, and... it turned into this."
Short and to the point, the proctor finished with a wry smile.
He'd only hesitated for a split second.
And then... it became this.
"Understood."
The Anbu nodded, then crouched to check the unconscious Mist ninja's breathing.
After a moment, he stood and turned to two Mist ninjas who'd arrived late—likely the downed examinee's teammates.
"There's no life-threatening danger, but treatment to regain consciousness will take at least half an hour."
"You can wait or forfeit his exam eligibility."
The Anbu delivered the options in his usual icy tone.
Yet he didn't mention a word about Team Minato's attack...
It was assertive but not overly so.
At least Konoha was still handling the Mist ninja's treatment, right?
"Forfeit exam eligibility over this trash?"
"Just treat him as absent."
One of the Mist ninjas sneered sarcastically.
"He provoked them first without the strength to back it up. If he dies, he deserves it."
The other Mist ninja spoke casually, his tone dripping with cruelty toward their fallen comrade.
To them, it seemed the unconscious teammate was merely a tool for the Chunin Exam...
Gasps of disbelief rippled through the crowd.
After answering the Anbu, that Mist ninja's gaze landed on Team Minato.
"We'll settle this score once the exam starts..."
With that, his figure vanished from the spot.
The Anbu and proctor exchanged a glance, then hoisted the unconscious Mist ninja and disappeared as well.
And so,
This sudden brawl, witnessed by all the examinees, came to an abrupt end.
Konoha's handling was blatantly assertive, with no effort to hide their favoritism toward their own ninja.
Yet, strangely, the remaining examinees stayed silent...
"Kosuke... sorry, I'll have to trouble you this time."
On a small hill not far from the exam site,
Hiruzen Sarutobi, clad in his Hokage robes and hat, lowered his pipe and spoke softly to his old friend beside him.
"No need to be so formal, Third." Kosuke Maruboshi shook his head. "This is the only use... a sinner like me has left."
Unlike a certain thick-browed enthusiast,
Kosuke Maruboshi had no interest in this so-called Chunin Exam or the chunin rank.
His old friend Hiruzen Sarutobi had offered to promote him to jonin multiple times, but he'd refused every time.
He'd made mistakes.
He only wanted to remain a genin for life.
But this wartime Chunin Exam was too sensitive, and with Hiruzen's repeated requests, he'd agreed.
As he'd said,
This was the only thing a sinner like him could do...
"Keep an eye on the Iwa ninjas especially," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, taking a puff of his pipe.
"White Fang's putting a lot of pressure on Iwa at the frontlines. Their main target this time will likely be Kakashi Hatake."
As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew exactly what this Chunin Exam entailed.
Every enemy examinee present carried some degree of espionage intent, more or less.
Their strength and experience far surpassed those of past exams.
The war might have paused, but these guys wouldn't miss any chance to take a bite out of Konoha...
You could tell just from this early rule-breaking brawl...
The Anbu were clearly biased.
Yet the examinees had collectively chosen silence...
Why?
Because they were on Konoha's turf and didn't dare act out?
Hardly...
How could they let Team Minato—Konoha's young genius generation—drop out of the exam?
The arena was a no-holds-barred deathmatch!
"Iwa, huh... Got it." Kosuke Maruboshi nodded.
"Then, Lord Third, I'll head over?"
"Go ahead."
Carrying his heavy black pot on his back,
Kosuke Maruboshi trudged toward the exam site step by step.
The eyes of this old man, who'd bound himself with the title of "sinner" for most of his life, were clouded with weariness.
This mission was tough...
It wasn't just Iwa he had to watch, was it?
How much less could the Sand Village hate White Fang?
Not to mention the two Uchiha kids in the same team as White Fang's son, Kakashi.
Awakening the Sharingan at such a young age—how could their enemies possibly underestimate them?
For Team Minato,
Ensuring safety—absolute safety—offered no easy solutions... Delay.
No matter how many ninjas like him were assigned, it wouldn't help!
The only real option was to abandon this Chunin Exam.
But if even he, an eternal genin who'd stayed far from high-level politics for years, could see that, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Third Hokage at the pinnacle of Konoha's power—not know?
It was just tough on these three kids...
Kosuke Maruboshi sighed.
His aged steps felt heavier than ever at that moment.
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