"Teacher… you're back?"
Shisui rushed past the store's doorway, then abruptly turned when he caught sight of Jingyi inside, calmly sitting and reading.
Jingyi looked up and nodded slightly.
"Yes. I came back earlier, but I saw you were training hard, so I didn't disturb you."
"I see…" Shisui stepped in, still catching his breath.
He paused, glancing around awkwardly. Jingyi raised an eyebrow.
"If you have something to say, just say it. You're five, not a moody teenager like Asuma. Don't pick up his bad habits."
"Right…" Shisui hesitated for only a moment longer. "I wanted to ask pIs the Chūnin Exams starting soon?"
Jingyi lowered his book, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise.
"Hm? What made you think that?"
"I saw several Genin teams returning from missions early. It feels like something's coming."
"Sharp as always," Jingyi said with a nod. "You're right. The exams are coming. I was planning to gather everyone soon."
Shisui clenched his fists in anticipation, visibly excited.
Not long after, Asuma and Kurenai arrived, drawn by word or instinct. With all three present, Jingyi addressed them.
"The Chūnin Exams are about to begin," he said, pulling out a stack of forms. "These are registration slips. Fill them out if you're interested. If you choose not to take it, that's fine too. This time, the exam is… different."
He didn't elaborate further.
But Asuma, Kurenai, and Shisui glanced at one another each understanding that if their teacher had a hand in the design, it would be no ordinary test.
"Teacher…" Kurenai murmured.
"It'll be tough. You'll need to be strong in more ways than one."
"I won't spoil the details," Jingyi said, rising to his feet. "But starting today, we'll begin targeted special training."
"Yes!" the three answered in unison, spirits high.
Even if they failed, the experience would show them what other teams and villages were capable of.
Asuma flopped onto a nearby stool and shamelessly reached for a snack on the table. She'd long since dropped the proud, aloof attitude typical of the Sarutobi heir under Jingyi's constant training and exposure to reality.
Shisui, too, had changed. He wore no Uchiha crest, never mentioned the clan, and took on every task from hauling water to chopping firewood without complaint.
If missions hadn't started compensating him for the manual labor, Jingyi suspected Shisui would have kept helping out for free.
Obito was much the same except simpler in both thought and purpose.
Not that Jingyi looked down on him. Obito's single-mindedness made him harder to teach than Shisui, but there was still something admirable in his earnestness.
As Jingyi glanced at Kurenai, another thought crossed his mind Sakura Haruno.
The two girls shared a similar mold: high chakra control, natural talent for genjutsu, and analytical minds. The biggest difference was that Sakura would one day be the only one of her kind.
Kurenai's foundation was strong.
So Jingyi made a mental note
Once she mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, he would begin teaching her the Chakra Enhanced Strength technique for self-defense.
He didn't have Tsunade's exact technique yet, but with study and adaptation, he could recreate something close.
Her Crimson Body Art progress was coming along too. It would pair well with the strange strength training.
Her main focus would still be genjutsu and medical ninjutsu, but with this foundation, she could defend herself in close quarters if needed.
With the plan clear in his mind, Jingyi began issuing instructions.
"Asuma, continue as you have. Your next milestone is mastering Fire Release techniques independently."
"Got it!" Asuma replied with a grin.
"Shisui, keep refining your swordsmanship. I want you to focus on Vacuum Blade and Vacuum Wave next."
"Yes, teacher."
"Kurenai, your goal is to fully master the Mystical Palm Technique before the exams. We won't take on any missions until then. Come to me if you have any questions."
Jingyi didn't tell them anything about the exam content, but each knew their assignments had a purpose.
All the jōnin had attended the planning meeting. Everyone was adjusting their training to prepare their Genin.
Jingyi believed it was essential.
On the battlefield, you couldn't rely on always having your tools.
Like Kakashi when his chakra blade broke and Chidori proved unfit for team combat, his strength was halved.
Losing a weapon shouldn't mean losing a fight.
Kurenai nodded firmly, fully aware that if she mastered healing and genjutsu before the exam, she would be a reliable pillar for her team.
Asuma and Shisui didn't quite grasp the details but they trusted Jingyi.
---
The next day.
Minato Namikaze arrived, scroll in hand.
It was the finalized Chūnin Exam proposal Jingyi's full draft, copied and formatted by Minato himself.
It outlined everything: test locations, phase objectives, psychological markers, team-based evaluations, and battlefield adaptability. It was detailed, practical and creative.
Hiruzen Sarutobi read through the scroll in silence.
Minutes passed.
Finally, the Third Hokage let out a heavy sigh.
"Lord Third?" Minato asked, puzzled. "Is something wrong?"
"No… it's a good plan. A brilliant one," Hiruzen said quietly. "It just makes me realize… innovation truly belongs to your generation now. I've grown too old to change."
He smiled faintly, masking the flicker of self-doubt. For years, he had led the village using inherited methods, rarely implementing anything truly his own aside from promoting early graduation.
Compared to a child like Jingyi…
But a Hokage couldn't afford to show weakness for long.
Regaining his composure, he said, "Proceed with this plan. As for team distribution, Minato, that's your responsibility."
"Yes, sir!" Minato nodded, then hesitated. "What about jingyi's reward?"
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
"The village is low on funds. When the exams conclude, ask him if he'll accept compensation in another form."
"Understood." Minato didn't press further. He knew the war's aftermath had drained many resources.
He admired Jingyi.
Others had dreamed of reforming the Chūnin Exams but none had proposed something both feasible and reflective of real battle conditions.
Traditional exams either mimicked the battlefield too harshly or softened it too much.
Jingyi's plan was different.
It tested strength, leadership, adaptability, and intelligence. It could truly determine who was fit to lead a team.
Now, the only question was
How to form the teams?
No more pressing than that
Obito and Rin needed extra training. Without Kakashi, their chances were slim. Rin might scrape through, but Obito…
Minato sighed.
He hadn't created problems for Jingyi he'd created them for himself.