"Huh? Isn't there someone using genjutsu to set up a barrier here as a checkpoint?"
As they reached the second floor, Sakura muttered, puzzled. According to the original storyline, this was supposed to be where Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane, the two gatekeepers, served as the first test—using genjutsu to stop weak or uncertain genin from advancing further. But now, it was completely empty?
"From what my father told me, there were originally two shinobi meant to set up a genjutsu challenge here," Shikamaru casually explained. "But since this year's Chunin Exams attracted far more participants than usual—and nearly all of them are elites from various villages—they decided to remove this unnecessary step. The participants this time aren't ordinary shinobi—they wouldn't fall for such simple illusions anyway!"
Reportedly, The Third had sent invitations across the entire shinobi world, especially provoking the other four great ninja villages with accompanying letters filled with provocative words. This angered those villages so much that they directly dispatched their top elites to compete. With so many elite shinobi gathered together, the genjutsu techniques of Izumo and Kotetsu would have little effect. As a result, The Third simply removed this checkpoint altogether. Both guards were still at their post now, just watching over the main gate.
"Looks like this year's Chunin Exam will be a clash of titans!" Sakura couldn't help exclaiming as she observed one genin after another passing by her, each wearing a forehead protector representing different hidden villages. In the original storyline, around this time only Sunagakure and a few smaller villages participated in the exams held in Konoha. Even then, there weren't as many participants as there are now, nor were there so many different villages involved.
"The Third deliberately provoked the four great villages in his letters. So the genin they've sent must be almost entirely elites. I bet Konoha's examinees will face deliberate challenges from everyone this time."
Just thinking about those letters made Shikamaru feel a headache. Even he felt annoyed reading them, so how much worse must it have been for the Kage leaders of rival villages who already held grudges against Konoha? He guessed that most of these visiting participants must have been given specific orders beforehand: Konoha's candidates would definitely face deliberate challenges.
"Whatever. After all, there aren't even that many Konoha candidates this round. Being targeted won't scare us. With our skills, we can easily dominate the entire competition. No need to panic at all!"
Sakura said indifferently. On Konoha's side, there were actually very few examinees this time. Aside from their group, the rest were just regular genin, and she suspected only a small handful of them would make it to the finals anyway.
"I heard the Chunin Exams have three stages total. Why don't we eliminate them all by the second stage?" Hinata clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking loudly, a fierce gleam flashing in her eyes.
"No way. If we do that, the third stage won't be fun at all. Let fate decide how many of them survive. There will even be spectators during the final round. Without them, how else can we make our presence known in front of the audience?"
Sakura quickly stopped Hinata. If they actually went with Hinata's plan, by the end of the second exam, there might not be anyone left alive except their own team. That would definitely cause huge problems with the other four Great Ninja Villages.
Hearing this, Hinata frowned in displeasure but lowered her hand. In her opinion, every single one of these genin should just die in the Forest of Death. Then there wouldn't be so many troublesome issues to deal with later.
Just as they were talking, a puff of white smoke suddenly appeared before everyone. Upon hearing the familiar voice coming from the smoke, Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke immediately pulled down their forehead protectors to cover their eyes. Everyone else—including Tenten, Neji, and Lee—naturally closed their eyes or turned away, except for Lee.
Chapter 162: Kabuto Yakushi Gets Ignored
"Lee, you're late again, Sensei Guy! Have you already forgotten the true meaning of youth? Youth doesn't allow wasting time!"
The smoke cleared, revealing Guy standing on a turtle in a teapot-like pose while shedding tears. "Does this mean from now on I must chase youth all alone again?"
"Forgive me, Sensei! It was my mistake! I shouldn't have wasted such precious youthful time! As punishment, I'll run twenty laps around Konoha!" Tears flowed like thick seaweed down Lee's face. His green jumpsuit made him look just like Guy's real son.
"Lee, you idiot!" Guy punched Lee right in the face, sending him flying through the air. "I know perfectly well why you arrived late—to visit Iruka's wife at the hospital. How could that possibly be a waste of youthful time? Since things have already happened, let's strive twice as hard to make up for this lost time. From now on, you'll run fifty laps around Konoha!"
"Yes, Sensei! Let us charge forth toward our youth!"
Lee and Guy embraced each other dramatically, sobbing loudly while an imaginary sunset beach formed behind them, completely ignoring the bewildered and confused glances cast their way by passersby.
"That's enough, Guy! Lee! You shouldn't indulge your youth obsession at a time like this. The Chunin Exams are about to begin. Save your celebration until after Lee successfully becomes a chunin," interrupted Ningame, the ninja tortoise summoned by Guy.
"I won't listen! I won't listen! Turtle-man chanting nonsense!"
Sakura muttered sarcastically under her breath, instantly enraging Ningame nearly to the point of exploding.
"Who do you think you're calling a turtle?! I'm Ningame—a ninja tortoise! Understand? A tortoise—not a turtle!" Red-shelled Ningame's eyes blazed with fury. Having been mistaken for a regular turtle felt just as disrespectful as calling a Mount Myoboku toad a frog.
"They're basically the same thing—chill out already!" Sakura waved dismissively. After all, weren't turtles and tortoises basically close relatives—possibly even cousins?
"How can they possibly be the same?" Before Ningame could finish his sentence, he was sent back through the Summoning Technique, vanishing abruptly. Meanwhile, Guy looked confusedly at the crowd who had all either pulled down their forehead protectors or closed their eyes tightly.
"Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Tenten—you others too—what's going on? Did you all injure your eyes like Kakashi did?!" Sweat streamed from Guy's forehead, soon replaced by a sorrowful expression as he knelt on the floor, weeping to himself.
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