He wouldn't be injured by an attack of this level.
However, being thrown out with one hand by his own student still left him feeling a little dejected.
Although this wasn't a real fight, Might Guy could clearly sense the strength of this kid—it was only becoming more and more terrifying.
"Guy sensei, you didn't just come to me so I could praise you, did you?" He sighed helplessly.
"Of course not!"
As the conversation turned serious, Might Guy's expression shifted accordingly.
"I came to tell you that this year's Chunin Exams are approaching. Kakashi, Asuma, and I are all serving as Jonin instructors, so Konoha is temporarily short on manpower.
Hokage-sama sent me to ask if you're available. If you don't have any missions currently, would you be willing to serve as the examiner for the second stage of the Chunin Exam?"
Kazuki narrowed his eyes.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had sent Guy, the person in the village closest to him, to deliver this message.
The meaning behind this was clear.
Even after everything that had happened, Hiruzen still wanted to mend his relationship with Kazuki.
Although Kazuki had previously submitted his resignation from Anbu, the Third Hokage had never given up on bringing him back under his command.
After all, in terms of both current strength and future potential, Kazuki was undeniably one of Konoha's most gifted shinobi.
Right now, the village was lacking strong fighters.
Ever since the Nine-Tails attack, Konoha's military strength had been severely weakened, and it still hadn't fully recovered.
A powerful shinobi like Kazuki was crucial to the village's safety.
As long as he remained within a controllable range, Hiruzen Sarutobi would not give up on recruiting him.
"The examiner for the second stage?
Shouldn't that be Mitarashi Anko?" Kazuki asked curiously.
"Huh? Kazuki, you're well-informed! You didn't even attend the Jonin meeting, yet you already know the exam arrangements like the back of your hand!"
Might Guy's eyes flashed with surprise before he nodded and explained truthfully.
"That's right. Originally, the examiner for the second stage of the Chunin Exam was supposed to be Mitarashi Anko.
However, a few days ago, several unidentified corpses were discovered near the Fire Country's borders.
Their most notable feature was that their entire faces had been removed, making their deaths truly horrifying.
This incident has caught Hokage-sama's attention.
He's worried that something may happen during this Chunin Exam.
That's why he wants you to be the lead examiner for the second stage, which takes place in the Forest of Death.
However, since this would be your first time serving as an examiner, he's assigned Anko as your assistant.
She'll help you oversee the second round of the Chunin Exam."
"Alright, I understand. I'll accept this task."
Kazuki nodded in agreement.
So, the Chunin Exams were already approaching?
Things were about to get interesting…
A faint smile appeared on Kazuki's face.
The reason he accepted this role was simple—
He was eager to meet them.
Sabaku no Gaara…
And… Orochimaru.
"Boss! Give me thirty skewers of dango!"
A young woman, clad in a beige trench coat over a mesh bodysuit, grinned as she placed her order at the dango shop.
Her personality was as bold as ever.
"Coming right up!"
Not many customers ordered this much at once, but when the shop owner looked up and saw who it was, he immediately smiled.
Mitarashi Anko—one of his most frequent customers.
With practiced ease, he wrapped up thirty skewers of three-colored dango and handed them over.
"Haha! Now I can eat to my heart's content!"
Mitarashi Anko looked at the large, three-color dango skewer in her hand with satisfaction, holding it in front of her chest like a prized bouquet.
She plucked a piece from the skewer and brought it to her mouth, ready to savor the sweet, chewy dumpling.
But just as she was about to bite down—
It was gone.
Her teeth closed on empty air.
"...?"
Anko blinked, bewildered. She sensed another presence. Looking up, she spotted a boy, slightly taller than her, standing beside her as if he had been there the whole time.
And in his hand—
He was holding her dango skewer!
A deep offense burned in Anko's chest.
The crime of stealing someone's dango was unforgivable!
"Oi…"
She was about to give him a piece of her mind when the boy, who didn't seem much older than thirteen or fourteen, casually remarked,
"The taste is just okay. I don't see what's so special about this. Why do you like eating these so much?"
Anko's brow twitched violently.
"You bastard! You stole my dango, and you dare insult my favorite food?! That's too much!"
Her sharp gaze swept over the boy—Kazuki, was it?
Irritated, she jabbed a finger at him, her voice carrying a dangerous edge.
"Hey, kid! You better pay me back double, or I'll make sure you regret it today!"
Kazuki sighed as if dealing with a troublesome child.
"What a temper… Mitarashi Anko, you're not going through early menopause, are you?"
Anko froze.
Then, flames of rage erupted in her eyes.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
Without thinking, she yanked a kunai from the pouch on her leg and hurled it straight at the little punk's face.
The instant the weapon left her fingers, however, a cold realization hit her.
Wait—was that too much?
Despite his height, this kid still looked like he was barely a teenager.
At best, he was a Genin. If he was talented, maybe he had just made Chūnin.
But she was a Tokubetsu Jōnin!
Even if it was a reflexive throw, there was no way a Genin or even an average Chūnin could handle an attack from her.
Damn it, I should've just punched him instead!
Just as she started regretting her impulsive action, she witnessed something that made her eyes widen.
Huh?
The boy didn't dodge.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't even move from his spot.
Instead, he simply raised a hand—
And caught the kunai between his index and middle fingers.
Effortlessly.
He studied the weapon for a second before glancing at her with mild amusement.
"Mitarashi Anko, are you trying to assassinate your superior?"
"…Superior?"
Anko's expression shifted.
She wasn't an idiot—her mind immediately pieced together the situation.
He was young, but the fact that he had easily caught her kunai spoke volumes about his skill.
And if he was claiming to be her superior…
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