After a brief rest, Uchiha Fuhai stood up.
"Now, I will explain the details of the second phase of the exam. Everyone, listen carefully."
The candidates immediately perked up their ears, listening quietly.
"In the forest before you, there are over a hundred criminals, bandits, and rogues from various countries. Your task for the second test is to find them and kill them!"
"After killing them, you must cut off their left ear to count your kills."
"The top ten candidates in number will directly advance to the Chūnin rank; the candidates ranked from tenth to twentieth will enter the third round of the resit; anyone ranked twenty-first and below will be eliminated!"
"Before the test begins, everyone must sign a waiver with me. Once you enter the forest, your life is in your own hands!"
"Of course, to ensure your safety as much as possible, every participant will be given a scroll. If you encounter life-threatening danger, you can open the scroll, which will activate a barrier that can block A-rank and below ninjutsu for a short while. A proctor will also come to your rescue."
"However, remember, once you open the scroll, you forfeit the competition and lose your chance to advance."
"Additionally, even with the scroll, your life is not 100% guaranteed to be safe, so if you're relying on luck, you should drop out now. This is your last chance."
After hearing Uchiha Fuhai's words, many candidates' faces turned grim.
They hadn't expected the Chūnin exams to be so brutal, with hundreds of lives required to qualify for advancement.
Some of these candidates had never left the village after graduation, only doing minor tasks, let alone killing someone.
However, they had all come prepared for the Chūnin exam, so none of them retreated after hearing those words.
At this point, a candidate raised their hand.
Uchiha Fuhai asked, "Do you have a question?"
The candidate said, "Excuse me, proctor, the bandits we're killing are just ordinary people. We also have the scrolls with us. What kind of life-threatening danger could there be?"
Uchiha Fuhai raised one finger.
"First of all, you are all just Genin. One-on-one with a bandit may be no problem, but what if you face three, five, or even more? And these bandits are ruthless; they'll use any scheme they can think of. You, with your lack of experience, could easily be caught off guard. Until you become a Chūnin, or even a Jōnin, never underestimate any ordinary person."
Many candidates nodded in agreement.
They were ninjas, not gods. They still needed to eat, sleep, and take care of themselves. If their head was cut off, they'd die just like an ordinary person.
Uchiha Fuhai raised a second finger.
"Second, and this is the most important rule of this exam, is that during the test, you are allowed to fight, steal from, or even kill your own teammates!"
Hiss!
As soon as Uchiha Fuhai finished speaking, a wave of gasps filled the air.
"Doesn't that just mean we're supposed to kill each other?" someone muttered.
"Exactly, it's about making you turn on each other!" Uchiha Fuhai declared. "What do you think you are? You're not ordinary students; you're ninjas! Since the beginning of this profession, it's been defined by the meaning of killing! If the mission requires it, you cannot hesitate to strike, even if it's against your own comrades!!"
Everyone felt a chill run through them.
Although these ideas were covered in their textbooks, hearing them said so bluntly still made them uncomfortable.
Except for Mo Yu, who nodded in agreement.
Being a ninja isn't a game; it's a profession where you gamble with your life.
In the original story, Konoha became too immersed in peace, losing the necessary vigilance expected from a ninja. Otherwise, Orochimaru wouldn't have been able to wreak havoc in Konoha, and even the Hokage would not have died at his hands.
Uchiha Fuhai softened his tone.
"Of course, Konoha does not advocate for the extreme jungle law. Our methods of training are gentler. That's why, before you enter the forest, each of you will receive a barrier scroll. You'll have one last chance to choose. But remember, once you leave this village for missions in the future, you won't have such opportunities when your life is at stake."
"Alright, now you have five minutes to decide. If you want to continue the exam, come to me to sign and take your scroll. If you want to give up, stay where you are."
After he finished speaking, Mo Yu noticed many candidates showing signs of hesitation.
The rules of the exam were harsh. Once they entered the forest, their companions could very well turn on them.
Yet, none of them wanted to give up.
Maybe they could try again next year, but how could they know if next year's exam would be any easier? And if they fell behind even a bit, it could affect the rest of their lives.
Mo Yu glanced at Yuko, who was deep in thought, but said nothing.
This was a decision she needed to make herself. If Mo Yu said too much, it might only influence her judgment.
Besides… she had another identity, and Mo Yu suspected that Yuko had already made up her mind.
Five minutes later, all the candidates stood up and walked toward Uchiha Fuhai.
Not a single one backed down!
Some of them were confident in their abilities.
Others hoped they could use the barrier scroll to survive any danger, so they might as well take the risk.
Some were just following the crowd, seeing everyone else not giving up, so they didn't want to be the only one to quit without much thought.
Soon, everyone had signed the waiver.
After receiving their scrolls, they carefully stored them.
The scrolls were essential for saving their lives. If they lost them, there would be no place to complain.
Uchiha Fuhai nodded.
"Good. Once you enter the forest, you can choose to act alone or team up with others. However, I must remind you not to blindly trust your companions, because they might turn their backs on you at any moment."
Mo Yu rolled her eyes, unimpressed by this childish attempt at sowing discord.
"Lastly, do not attempt to leave the forest. The scrolls have sensing abilities, and if you leave, the barrier will automatically deactivate, and you will be considered to have given up the exam."
Uchiha Fuhai continued, "Now, you may enter! The exam will only end once the last bandit is killed!"
As soon as Uchiha Fuhai finished speaking, several candidates eagerly rushed into the forest, clearly intending to hide and wait.
Then, the slower ones followed in, one by one.
Although Uchiha Fuhai had warned them that companions couldn't be trusted in the forest, Mo Yu still noticed several small groups of two or three candidates, seemingly trusting their "friendship" with one another.
"Mo Yu, should we…?"
Yuko spoke softly.