When the mist in the classroom finally dispersed and their vision cleared, all the students were sitting quietly in their seats, looking as if they had been diligently answering questions the whole time.
But the three examiners' faces were dark as iron. This time, they had lost face in a big way.
The Chūnin Exams had never forbidden cheating—so long as you didn't get caught, it was fine. But to be toyed with in such a blatant, high-profile manner was nothing short of a humiliating disgrace.
Still, there was no point in throwing harsh words now. They had no idea who had pulled off that trick.
The three examiners huddled together. The middle-aged chief examiner said with a gloomy face,
"Go, fetch me the files on these students. I want to see which one has such a skill."
"Yes."
One of the assistant examiners nodded.
After another sweeping glance over the classroom, the chief examiner finally sat back down, sulking.
This time he had been outplayed by the examinees. Once the exam ended, he would definitely be laughed at by his colleagues.
As for the weaker students, they were overflowing with gratitude toward whoever created the mist. Without that timely cover, they would have been breaking their heads trying to cheat.
Tamako, on the other hand, was completely confused from beginning to end. She had no idea what had happened. But when the mist cleared, she lowered her head and saw that a paper ball had appeared on her desk. Opening it, she found it filled with answers.
Her eyes went wide—she nearly let out a cheer. She was overjoyed.
Her mind turned quickly, and she stole a glance at Mo Yu. He winked at her.
Tamako instantly understood—this must have been Mo Yu's doing.
Thinking about how Mo Yu had taken such a risk to help her cheat, her heart warmed.
"Fine then, I'll forget about him taking advantage of me last time."
She thought happily.
Mo Yu, of course, had no idea what Tamako was thinking. For him, it was simple: if he could help, he would. Whether it was risky or not wasn't something he cared about.
Even if, worst case, he got caught and lost his qualification to take the exam, it didn't matter. His strength came from the system, not from Konoha. The title of Chūnin was just a hollow label to him.
From then on, Mo Yu closed his eyes, quietly simulating taijutsu training in his mind.
After repeatedly using the Water-Thunder Body-Refinement Technique these past days, Mo Yu had gained some insight into developing taijutsu. He wanted to see if he could work things out on his own without relying on the system. That would be very useful for creating future sword techniques.
Time flew by. In a blink, the whistle blew—the exam was over. The students passed their papers forward row by row.
On the podium, the chief examiner announced in a deep voice,
"For the next half-hour, you are free to move around while we grade your tests. But you must stay within the teaching building. If you leave, you will be considered to have forfeited."
With that, he tucked the stack of papers under his arm and left.
The classroom immediately erupted in chatter.
"Who do you think made that mist just now? I've got to thank him properly!"
"Exactly! Without him, I would have definitely failed this exam."
"Did you see the examiners' faces? They were as black as a pot bottom, hahaha, I nearly died laughing."
"That guy's a real badass. He even played the examiners! Becoming a Chūnin is basically guaranteed for him. Too bad I don't know who he is, or I'd be the first to cling to his thigh."
"Cut it out. If anyone's clinging to his thigh, you'll be at the back of the line."
…
Before the person even arrived, a faint fragrance wafted by.
Mo Yu already knew who it was.
"Mo Yu, thank you~"
Tamako sat beside him, her eyes curved like crescent moons as she smiled.
"Just a 'thank you'? That's too perfunctory."
Mo Yu smirked inwardly, wanting to tease her.
"Then what do you want?"
Tamako asked.
"Well, that depends on how sincere you are."
Mo Yu replied.
Tamako thought hard, then finally said,
"Alright, I'll treat you to a big meal, an absolute feast. That should do, right?"
Mo Yu shook his head.
"A big meal or a small one—it all just fills the stomach. What's the difference? Boring."
Tamako tried again,
"Then I'll buy you a new outfit. Super stylish, I guarantee you'll love it."
Mo Yu still shook his head.
"New clothes or old, they just cover you from the cold. Still boring."
Tamako huffed,
"Then what do you actually want?"
Mo Yu said,
"Take a good look—what do you think I'm missing right now?"
Tamako stared at him for a while, then shook her head. She didn't know.
Mo Yu gave her a hint,
"Picture this: a man who's been single for twelve years straight. Every day, he sees couples everywhere, and all he can do is envy them. At night, when it's quiet, he feels lonely, cold, and sad. Tell me, what does he need the most?"
Tamako asked timidly,
"A… girlfriend?"
Mo Yu clapped,
"Correct! Do you know, in some places, boys are already married with kids at twelve—their children can already run errands. I may be an orphan, but I still want to revive my clan and see my descendants thrive. And yet, here I am without even a girlfriend. So, can't you, maybe—"
"No way!"
Tamako's face flushed crimson. Flustered, she stammered,
"I can't be your girlfriend. Sorry, Mo Yu, the two of us… We're not suited."
Mo Yu said,
"Hey, what are you imagining? I've always treated you like a younger sister. How could I ever have that kind of thought about you?"
Tamako frowned in confusion,
"But just now you said…"
Mo Yu cut her off,
"You didn't let me finish. What I meant was—could you introduce me to another girl, help me escape this life of singlehood?"
Hearing that, Tamako felt both relieved and oddly disappointed, though she couldn't explain why.
"So that's what you meant… Alright then."
She nodded.
"But, um… I don't really know any other girls either."
"…"
Mo Yu suddenly remembered. Tamako, just like him, was a socially awkward loner. Besides each other, neither of them really had any friends in the village.
"Sigh, looks like you can't even help me with that."
Mo Yu pretended to be disappointed.
Tamako gazed at him earnestly and said,
"Then ask for something else. If it's within my power, I'll definitely do it."
Mo Yu thought for a moment, then said,
"Alright… then kiss me."
He pointed to his cheek.
Tamako's face went red again. She was about to refuse, but Mo Yu quickly added,
"You just said it yourself—you'd do anything within your ability. You're not going to back out now, are you? Besides, we're like brother and sister. Don't overthink it—it's just a kiss to show affection between siblings."
"…Fine. O-okay."
Tamako stammered.
She told herself, It's not a big deal. After all, last time we even… did that kind of thing. Compared to that, a kiss is nothing.
Summoning her courage, she leaned in, lips aiming for Mo Yu's cheek.
But just as she was about to touch him, Mo Yu suddenly turned his head.
Their faces aligned perfectly—mouth to mouth.
In that instant, time seemed to stop.
"Mm!"
Tamako's eyes went wide. She quickly pulled away, covered her burning face with her hands, and bolted out of the room.
After she left, Mo Yu couldn't hold back his laughter.
"What a silly girl."
He even licked his lips afterwards, savoring the soft, sweet sensation.