BANG!
The heavy exam room doors burst open with a loud crash, a gust of fresh air rushing in, startling the overheated candidates inside. Everyone instinctively turned to look at the source of the commotion.
The bright light from outside made it hard to see the people at the entrance. All that was visible were three silhouettes. As everyone's eyes adjusted, the figures gradually came into focus.
Standing in the center was a striking girl wearing a pink-and-white kimono embroidered with forget-me-not flowers. A wide blue sash cinched her waist, tied into a large bow at the back, accentuating her slender figure. Her long blond hair flowed freely, giving off an effortlessly bold and carefree vibe.
To her left stood a boy around the same age, his long, jet-black hair so glossy it would make most girls jealous. His handsome face had an aloof expression, his pale skin and distant attitude giving off an unapproachable air.
And on her right—trailing behind by a step—was a white-haired boy with a bruised nose and a swollen eye. His miserable appearance made it hard to recognize him. Head drooped in defeat, his dejected look was almost comically pitiful, like a bullied housewife. Even the tail on his behind had stopped wagging.
Jiraiya was full of despair.
So what if he… did it with a dog?
Sure, he was a little desperate from celibacy and may have lowered his standards… but did he really deserve such a brutal beating?
Yes, this ragtag trio was none other than Tsunade and her group, who had rushed to the exam and were the last to arrive.
At that moment, the proctor had already arrived and was checking the examinees' identities. Tsunade's flashy entrance caused him to pause, his gaze toward them far from welcoming.
The rest of the candidates immediately broke into hushed murmurs.
"Hey, look! That girl is so cute. Is she someone's family member?"
Tsunade's appearance, with no forehead protector and a distinctly non-standard outfit, made it easy for out-of-village genin unfamiliar with her to assume she was a civilian.
"She's probably that Konoha guy's girlfriend, right?"
Unlike the nonconforming Tsunade, Orochimaru was dressed extremely formally today, with his Konoha forehead protector properly in place. It was clear at a glance that he was a genin from Konoha. Obviously, Orochimaru's composure was far more professional than Tsunade's casual demeanor.
"Don't jump to conclusions. Those two are the top prodigies of this Konoha generation. The guy's name is Orochimaru. He comes from an ordinary ninja family, but after entering the academy, he displayed incredible talent. He graduated at the age of six and was taken in as a student by the Third Hokage. He's one of the most formidable contenders in this Chūnin Exam."
"What about the girl? She's not wearing a forehead protector, right?"
"She's even scarier. Also a student of the Third Hokage—and the granddaughter of the First Hokage. Did you notice her eyes?"
"Yeah, they're really pretty. Why?"
"Rumor has it that when she gets mad, her left eye turns into a Sharingan, her right eye into a Byakugan, and she can spit out Wood Release from her mouth. Oh, and apparently, she uses her forehead protector as underwear, which is why you never see her wear it."
"Ugh!!! Is she some kind of monster?!"
A female genin from the Land of Water shivered in fear. Konoha was terrifying.
"Senjus and Uchihas are all monsters!"
"What about the one with the swollen face?"
"Uh… no clue. Probably just some rando they pulled in last minute to round out the team?"
Naturally, Tsunade and company had no idea what kind of wild speculation was brewing around them. Even if she did, Tsunade—fresh off venting her frustration on Jiraiya—wouldn't care in the slightest.
"Sorry, we got lost on the road of life," Tsunade explained nonchalantly.
"Come in. The exam hasn't officially started yet."
The proctor's tone was stern but fair. He didn't deliberately make things difficult for them, but he certainly wasn't offering a warm welcome either.
Still, the lack of trouble was a relief. Without saying much, each of the three quietly took their seats.
Soon, the proctor walked over to Tsunade, checking the roster in his hand, then glancing at her. His face was painted with red markings that resembled fangs, giving him a fierce appearance. But Tsunade, true to form, met his gaze head-on, completely unfazed.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"You're Senju Tsunade, right?"
"Yes."
"My kid's been under your care lately."
He said this with a chilly tone and promptly moved away, stopping behind the boy seated behind Tsunade—Kato Dan.
"Uncle Taka," Dan greeted.
"Mm. Focus on the exam. Try to move up to Chūnin this time."
Apparently, the proctor was an acquaintance of Dan's and offered him a quiet word of encouragement.
Tsunade suddenly felt a chill shoot up her spine. On instinct, she squeezed her thighs together—only to find that the ninja tool scroll strapped to her inner thigh made it impossible. Worse, the cold metal of her Konoha forehead protector brushed against a sensitive spot on her skin, making her shudder.
An ominous premonition crept over her.
Meanwhile, another proctor approached Jiraiya.
"You are?" the proctor asked, confused.
"Jiraiya," the mutt replied flatly.
"You don't look like one."
"…!"
Damn it, that punch really did a number on his face!
After the usual formalities, the first phase of the Chūnin Exams officially began.
The proctor distributed the test papers to each genin, then returned to the front of the room and announced:
"This is the first part of the Chūnin Exam—a written test that evaluates your foundational knowledge as a ninja. You must score at least sixty points to pass. Furthermore, if even one member of your three-man squad fails, the entire team will be disqualified. Take this seriously!"
As expected, murmurs erupted throughout the room. Most were confident in their own abilities, but trusting their teammates was a different matter entirely. This reflected the modern ninja combat style, which—even during the First Great Ninja War—was more focused on individual combat than team coordination.
The proctor seemed to enjoy the nervous atmosphere. After a pause, he continued:
"Also, cheating in any form is strictly forbidden. Anyone caught will be immediately disqualified!"
Tsunade smirked as she listened. She remembered this part of the story—albeit vaguely. There were ten questions, and as long as you didn't give up on the last one, you'd pass!
Confident, she flipped open her test booklet—and her world turned gray.
What the hell were these questions about "The Actor's Self-Cultivation" and "Trap Creation and Detection"?
Psychology, anatomy, botany, biology, reconnaissance, counter-recon, interrogation, counter-interrogation… were these even taught at the ninja academy?
Okay, maybe they were. But Tsunade was sure she never studied any of it.
Because hey, wasn't the whole point of Naruto that the biggest fists win?
And as for language, math, and history… Tsunade couldn't even remember who Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's man was!
She looked around in despair—everyone else seemed to be taking the test seriously, confidently scribbling answers. She glanced at Orochimaru. The class genius appeared calm and collected, exuding confidence.
Meanwhile, Tsunade—who had spent her school days eating, sleeping, and beating up Jiraiya—was starting to panic.
She looked over at Jiraiya. Sure enough, he was already face down on the desk, drooling dangerously close to his answer sheet.
This was a crisis like no other.
Realizing there was no way to pass without cheating, Tsunade decided to abandon all pretense and go all out.
It was time to show some real skill.
Expressionless, she picked up her pen, lowered her head, and assumed the pose of a studious examinee.
Then, a strange, viscous liquid began to trickle down her leg, forming a puddle on the floor, slipping just outside the proctor's line of sight, and began to flow toward Orochimaru.
The "Slime Girl Jutsu" —a custom combo of Water Release: Hydrification Technique and Shadow Clone Technique.
Even without her Water chakra nature, it was still more than enough to handle a simple exam.
(End of Chapter)
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