Dust!
To be honest, Kyohiko had just casually thrown out the name to fit his "Hokage" persona, hoping to lay some groundwork for his future and maybe snag a few rewards along the way.
But.
Unexpectedly, he didn't get what he was hoping for. Instead, he received a reward from an unexpected source.
Kyohiko's mood was complicated.
Had he just created an extension of the Will of Fire's ideology before even becoming Hokage?
Well…
That wasn't a bad thing.
With a shared ideology, there would be unity.
"White Fang Swordsmanship."
Kyohiko looked at his status panel.
[White Fang Swordsmanship (Proficient)]
This thing was incredibly hard to improve!
It wasn't just about swordsmanship; it was a combination of assassination techniques, ambush tactics, and precise timing—essentially, a killing art. Simply practicing swordsmanship wouldn't lead to significant progress.
So.
Over the past period, even though Kyohiko had been honing his swordsmanship, he hadn't gained much insight into the art of killing. He felt stuck and had temporarily set it aside.
The reward he received confirmed his thoughts.
His mind was flooded with techniques and memories related to killing—how to conserve stamina and chakra, and how to kill more efficiently.
What was different was that the Proficient level included a new technique—
Iaido.
This was a technique often used in duels during the samurai era, and Mifune was particularly skilled in it. It was also incorporated into the White Fang Swordsmanship.
However, unlike Mifune, Hatake Sakumo hadn't focused on perfecting this technique. Instead, he integrated it into his tactical system, using it to make his ambushes and assassinations even more unpredictable.
For example, carrying a short sword specifically for quick-draw assassinations.
This required both hands to be equally skilled.
Kyohiko ran while flexing his left and right hands, but he didn't feel a significant improvement in dexterity.
Maybe he needed weapons…
"Let's rest for a bit. The exam won't end immediately, so we should recover our mental state."
They were doing fine.
With Kyohiko around, Gai and Kurenai hadn't expended too much energy.
But.
Yamashiro and the others were different.
During the break, Kyohiko tried using two kunai and quickly realized—
Indeed!
With two kunai in hand, he immediately felt the difference.
Previously, even though he had trained his left hand's dexterity, it was still far behind his dominant right hand.
Now, while it wasn't on par, it was much more flexible than before.
His left hand's physical strength hadn't increased, but its flexibility and muscle control had improved, allowing him to exert more force.
Roughly estimated.
His left hand was now about 90% as capable as his right.
After resting for a while, they set off again, heading toward the summit.
The sounds of battle were constant.
With six people moving together, it was hard to stay hidden. As they approached the summit, they heard a cacophony of noise—countless battles raging inside.
After collecting the intelligence scrolls, they were about to enter when—
Dozens of kunai and shuriken came flying at them.
In an instant, Kyohiko formed hand seals and spat out water, creating a Water Wall.
This place…
Was a complete mess.
Two or three groups had formed alliances, each guarding different entrances to the volcano, ambushing teams as they arrived.
The group that attacked them was one of these.
"Watch out! There are traps below! Lots of explosive tags!"
Yamashiro shouted.
"Scatter! Kill them all."
Kyohiko ordered.
Then.
Whoosh!
With a sound, Kyohiko and Gai disappeared.
In the next moment, countless ninjutsu attacks came flying at them from the forest, but Kyohiko split into two, then four, and finally eight figures charging forward.
Under his cover, Gai became less noticeable.
"Some of them are clones! Everyone, focus on identifying the real one! Attack together!"
Someone in the forest shouted.
Then, the others quickly moved into action.
There was a commander.
Kyohiko followed the voice—
Thirty steps to the left.
Kill!
Shunshin, draw the blade.
In the blink of an eye, the blade flashed across the man's neck.
Forehead protector—Kirigakure.
Kyohiko didn't stop. Like lightning, he moved between his clones, killing several people in an instant.
Alliances…
Meaningless alliances only made them weaker!
Under the assault, chaos erupted.
But.
This time, it was Kyohiko and Gai who didn't let anyone escape.
After the slaughter, only a few people fled in panic from the entrance.
Kyohiko was covered in blood, his expression cold.
Gai was panting heavily.
"Kyohiko, we… we…"
"Go join the others. I'll handle these Kirigakure ninjas alone."
Kyohiko's gaze was icy.
The ones leading the charge were the Kirigakure ninjas.
These bastards deserved to be wiped out.
...
When Yugito entered the platform at the summit, her face lit up with excitement.
Inside, one person was chasing down and slaughtering a group of people.
But.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't mindless killing—he had a clear target.
His target—
Kirigakure ninjas.
"Run, run!"
One of them was running toward her.
Looking at the forehead protector, it seemed to be a Kirigakure ninja.
Yugito smirked, then shunshined forward, leaving a claw mark on the man's neck.
"Yugito?"
"I don't like Kirigakure either. Let's team up and wipe them out!"
Yugito grinned.
Over the years, Kumogakure and Kirigakure had clashed frequently at sea. But with the war just over, both sides had maintained an unspoken truce, suppressing their desire for battle.
However.
In the exam, there was no need to hold back.
The rules were clear—escort the intelligence and fight!
It was perfectly justified!
She killed one and quickly moved to the next target.
Motoi and Yotsuki Ren had no choice but to follow.
"Need help?!"
Mangetsu hid in the shadows, scanning the area.
Kisame remained silent.
This guy was strong!
Who would've thought…
Besides his speed, his swordsmanship was also terrifying, reminiscent of the White Fang's prowess.
Although they had fought Kyohiko and the others, both sides were exhausted. On their side, Mangetsu was completely out of chakra and, despite some recovery, wasn't in fighting shape.
And Kyohiko?
On one side, the Konoha ninjas were gathered, with the lightning-fast Kyohiko assassinating targets.
On the other side, the Kumogakure ninjas were also fierce, especially targeting them…
"Let's find another scroll and head down to complete the mission."
Mei whispered.
She wasn't retreating out of fear but because she genuinely felt that stepping out now might make them a target—
From the looks of it, the ones who started the massacre weren't the Konoha ninjas but the Kirigakure ninjas. Many small village ninjas had died at their hands.
Moreover, the remnants of the Hidden Mist Technique lingered on the volcano, evidence of their failed ambush.
"Let's wait a bit longer."
But.
After the chaos subsided, the volcano was mostly cleared.
Only…
One, two, three—three teams remained.
Two Konoha teams and one Kumogakure team. The rest had either been killed or quietly taken their scrolls and fled, not daring to stay any longer.
Of course.
The latter made up the majority.
The three of them hid in a corner, their eyes gradually lighting up with hope—they thought they had a chance—
Konoha and Kumogakure were about to fight!
Maybe they could take advantage!
...
Meanwhile, at the base of the mountain.
"Bad news! Bad news!"
"What's wrong?"
"The Kirigakure ninjas are hunting down the other examinees. Many small village ninjas have been killed."
"What!"
A moment later.
"Bad news!"
"What now?"
"The Kirigakure ninjas… they're almost all dead!"