Rasa also noticed Minato Namikaze glaring at him and immediately felt a bit awkward.
"Hey, Hokage, that's not what I meant, haha."
"I just meant that I'm ready to fight them to the very end!"
Kazuyama Gekkō looked at Rasa in front of him. How had he never realized this guy was such a clown? Seeing his own Hokage red-faced and fuming only made it funnier.
"Alright, Minato. Worst case, the two of us can team up and shift the battlefield to Sunagakure."
"It's a desert anyway—perfect for a brawl."
"How about it, Rasa?"
When it came to being devious, no one in the entire ninja world could rival Kazuyama Gekkō. Problems? In front of Kazuyama Gekkō, every problem had a perfectly reasonable solution. Since Rasa wanted to fight, then just move the battlefield. Simple.
And look at that—Rasa's expression changed instantly.
"You bastard! Kazuyama Gekkō, you bastard!"
"With the Flying Thunder God Technique, couldn't you send them to some open plain instead?"
"Why is it always your village or mine? Are you a demolition maniac???"
"My Gold Dust! I'll kill you!"
Rasa nearly exploded on the spot. His arms spread open—clearly preparing to summon Gold Dust with Magnet Release. Kazuyama Gekkō didn't rush, simply watching him, waiting. Minato Namikaze watched with equal curiosity. Magnet Release was a powerful technique—he was genuinely interested in how Rasa would use it without any Gold Dust present.
"Hey! You two idiots! What are you staring at me for?!"
"You want to see me use Magnet Release? I'm not doing it!"
"Hmph! No way I'm giving you the satisfaction!"
They were both Kage, sharp-minded. Rasa knew exactly what these two jerks were trying to do. He immediately pulled his hands back, crossed his arms, and struck such a smug pose that Kazuyama Gekkō almost burst out laughing.
"Alright, let's focus and prepare properly."
"Rasa, keep an eye on your son and the others. Once the fighting starts, Gaara's safety is the top priority."
"And you, Minato—protect Kushina. If necessary, send her to Mount Myōboku for a while."
Kazuyama Gekkō knew well that if the enemy truly attacked, the battlefield would definitely hit the village. Chaos in the village was Konoha's problem—and to the enemy's advantage.
...
While the three were discussing strategy, the Chūnin Exams were in full swing. Several matchups had already taken place.
"Next match: Senko Gekkō versus Tenten."
Hayate Gekkō glanced at the big screen, then calmly announced the pairing.
Senko Gekkō didn't react at all, simply stepping onto the field with her usual composure. The other side, however, had a far louder response.
"Ah! Tenten! Your luck is awful!"
"Why did you have to draw Senko Gekkō?! Ahhh! Youth is suffering!"
Before Tenten even spoke, her instructor Might Guy was already holding his head and crying. No wonder—everyone present knew how terrifying the two members of the Gekkō family were. Even the younger Senko Gekkō was a monster.
"Guy-sensei… if you'd just stay quiet, no one would mistake you for mute."
Of course Tenten knew how terrifying Senko Gekkō was. She was already miserable enough. No choice—she had to grit her teeth and head out.
"Whoa, one less strong opponent later. Right, Sakura?"
Naturally, some were relieved—like Naruto Uzumaki. He was confident, but when it came to Michihito Gekkō and Senko Gekkō, he was anything but calm.
Sakura shot Naruto a glare, though deep down she felt a bit relieved too. Those who had advanced so far were Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, and others. Most of the eliminated ones she didn't know. Even with Senko Gekkō competing now, there were still plenty of strong opponents.
"Tenten-san, long time no see~"
"Let me experience the might of the master of ninja tools~"
Neji Hyūga was Kazuyama Gekkō's student, so Michihito Gekkō and Senko Gekkō were familiar with his team. Especially the former—Neji and Lee had both set Michihito Gekkō as their benchmark.
"Senko, don't tease me."
"I know your strength very well."
"But even so, I'm not forfeiting!"
"Take this! Twin Scroll Dragons!"
Facing Senko Gekkō, Tenten didn't have any room for hesitation—her opening move had to be her strongest. Two scrolls shot into the air as she leapt up, unleashing a storm of ninja tools.
"Heh, great technique."
"Too bad your opponent is me, Tenten-san."
"Crystal Release: Sweetheart Wall!"
Senko Gekkō grinned and thrust out a hand. Pink crystal instantly spread before her, forming a heart-shaped shield that blocked every ninja tool.
Clang!
The tools clattered against the crystal.
"Knew it!"
"But I'm not done yet!"
"Take this!"
Tenten knew the gap between them, but she had no intention of giving up. Thin threads appeared between her fingers. Under her control, the scattered ninja tools snapped back into formation, ready for a second strike.
But the next moment, she realized something was wrong. No matter how she pulled the threads, her tools wouldn't move at all.
"What?"
"When did this happen?"
Only then did she see that every tool was covered in a layer of crystal. With the crystal interference, her threads were completely useless.
"You win, Senko."
Helpless without her tools, Tenten couldn't continue. She had to concede.
Senko Gekkō chuckled, waved her hand, and dispelled all the crystal, then returned to the stands.
Hayate Gekkō announced Senko Gekkō's victory and moved on to the next match.
"Bro, who do you think your opponent will be?"
"No idea. Doesn't matter."
Michihito Gekkō watched Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka re-enter the arena without a hint of concern. To him, a fight was a fight. Whoever it was—he wouldn't lose.
"Boring."
The trials continued, and the following matches went smoothly. They were all Genin—there was a limit to how intense the battles could get.
But then, the big screen lit up again.
Michihito Gekkō vs. Rock Lee!
"My goodness! My beloved students! Why must your lives be so hard?!"
"Lee!"
Might Guy wailed once again. Even Neji's lips twitched. Out of their three-man squad, two had ended up facing members of the Gekkō family. That was… quite something.