A short but very telling silence hung over the balcony where the spectators were watching the fight. Jiraiya, who had been loudly teasing Orochimaru just a minute ago, now stood silently with his arms crossed over his chest. His usual wide, slightly boyish grin had disappeared. In its place was an unfamiliar expression—a mixture of surprise, evaluation, and faint disbelief.
"Ha," he finally exhaled, shaking his head. "What kind of kids are these? The Uchiha girl is quite strong. Awakening two-tomoe at that age is no small feat. Her talent in genjutsu is undeniable."
Orochimaru did not respond, but the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
"Nawaki was impressive too," Jiraiya continued. "His chakra control has grown a lot, and in that last punch I almost saw Tsunade's shadow. If he keeps this up, he'll become a nightmare for anyone in close combat."
He fell silent, casting another glance downward, where Kuro stood calmly chatting with his team as if he hadn't just defeated his opponent in a matter of seconds.
"But him…" Jiraiya's voice grew quieter. "He's nothing like a typical Nara."
Orochimaru finally turned his head toward him and asked with a predatory smile,
"Does something concern you?"
"Hmph, as if," Jiraiya snorted. "He was just too fast. Not a hint of fuss, not a trace of tension. The kid isn't just strong—he's already on a different level, even compared to his own teammates. And did you see that technique? Using water-style ninjutsu of that scale without any nearby water source—that requires impressive chakra reserves."
The future Sannin absentmindedly scratched his chin. Orochimaru remained silent beside him, his snake-like eyes following his team with undisguised amusement. He knew very well that the children hadn't even used a third of their strength.
"You know, this exam might actually become interesting," Jiraiya said slowly, though entirely different thoughts were running through his mind.
I was always sure Minato would pass this exam with ease. He's fast, talented, incredibly intelligent, with inhuman reaction speed. A true genius. But will he be able to defeat him…
The man smirked, but there was no longer any lightness in his smile. For a moment, silence hung between the future Sannin. Below, Team Nine was leaving the arena amid the rumble of voices.
The exam continued, and more teams stepped onto the arena. Although some genin were well prepared, there were no truly gripping battles anymore. In some matches, brute strength decided the outcome; in others, superior chakra reserves or a well-chosen technique made the difference. But most fights ended quickly and predictably.
Kuro watched absentmindedly, habitually noting the strengths and weaknesses of potential opponents.
"They're acting too straightforwardly," Mikoto said quietly after another fight.
"Yes," Kuro agreed. "They won't last long."
The next announcement made him perk up slightly.
"Team Ten, please step onto the arena!"
Three genin stepped forward. The massive Akimichi Choza was hurriedly trying to finish the chips left in his bag. Beside him walked Yamanaka Inoichi, a slightly lean blond with a sharp, focused gaze. Bringing up the rear was Shikaku Nara, calm and somewhat lazy-looking, hands in his pockets and eyes half-closed.
"Oh, it's ours," Nawaki drawled.
Kuro nodded, his gaze sliding toward their mentor. At the edge of the arena stood a middle-aged man with short dark hair and a stern, composed expression. He did not look flashy or try to draw attention, but there was strength and experience in his posture.
"That's Senju Arai," Nawaki said quietly. "I've seen him a couple of times in the clan. My sister even spoke positively about him more than once."
"If Tsunade praises him," Kuro said slowly, "then he's definitely worth something."
The fight began without a sudden clash or large-scale techniques. Team Ten did not rush forward. Instead, they began probing their opponents, sending a flurry of kunai at them. They barely reacted to counterattacks, almost allowing the enemy to impose their own pace.
Choza took the first attack from the opponents—it was a fireball. He quickly used the Human Bullet Tank technique, breaking through the enemy's defense and skillfully restraining their advance, gradually forcing them to split apart. Inoichi stayed slightly behind, carefully observing the opponents' movements, patiently waiting for his moment. As soon as one of the genin became too distracted by Choza, the Yamanaka used the Mind Body Switch Technique, turning the situation into a three-versus-two.
Shikaku constantly manipulated his shadows, giving the opponents no time to counterattack. Soon, thanks to his teammates' pressure, he caught an enemy in the Shadow Imitation Technique. In the end, the team calmly secured their victory.
"Not bad," Mikoto said quietly.
"But not enough," Kuro added, watching Shikaku intently.
Nawaki observed with genuine interest, as if ready to jump down into the arena for another fight himself. The announcement of the last, final pair also caused noticeable excitement.
Namikaze Minato stepped onto the arena with his trademark calm smile. Beside him was Uzumaki Kushina, her red hair vivid even from a distance, and Hyuga Hizashi, as always composed and focused.
Their opponents, surprisingly, also looked impressive. A fit black-haired young man already held a katana in his hands, his stance revealing an experienced kenjutsu user. There was also a girl with bright blue eyes and dark blue hair, confidently stepping forward while staring at her opponents. And finally, an Inuzuka who was clearly eager for battle, his dog quietly growling beside him, ready to support its master.
"They look strong," Nawaki muttered.
"Perhaps. But they were clearly unlucky with their opponents," Kuro replied calmly.
Soon the examiner gave the signal to begin.
The girl formed hand seals first, and soon water began to gather beneath her feet. The arena trembled as a torrent surged forward, transforming into a dragon that immediately targeted Namikaze. Almost simultaneously, the Inuzuka and his dog charged in sync, turning into a whirlwind of fangs and claws, preparing to strike from the flank.
But their opponents were not standing still either. In an instant, Minato vanished from his spot, leaving behind only swirling leaves. The water technique missed him entirely, crashing into the arena wall and sending up a spray.
"So fast…" Mikoto breathed quietly.
The Inuzuka did not even have time to change trajectory before Namikaze appeared beside him. He delivered a swift and precise strike directly to the solar plexus. The air burst from the opponent's lungs, and the dog yelped, rushing to aid its master.
At the same moment, Kushina began to act as well.
She formed a seal, summoning ten shadow clones at once, and decided to test herself in close combat against the swordsman. In the blink of an eye, her clones attacked him from all sides. Barely managing to dodge several punches, he suddenly found the original Kushina behind him, who sent him flying across half the arena with a single blow.
"How many clones can she create?" someone in the stands exclaimed in surprise.
Hizashi immediately activated his Byakugan, allowing him to see the opponents' chakra flow. When the kunoichi tried to retreat after her failed water technique and form new seals, the Hyuga appeared beside her.
The first strike to the shoulder. The second to the chest. The third to the chakra tenketsu near her collarbone. The girl gasped and immediately went limp, falling to her knees.
"No chance," Kuro muttered.
The Inuzuka, meanwhile, tried to seize the initiative by combining attacks with his dog. Two silhouettes repeatedly lunged at Minato, but three copies of the blond suddenly appeared in their path. Combining the Shadow Clone Technique with substitution and shunshin, Minato became almost untouchable for the speed of ordinary genin. Frankly speaking, even chunin would struggle to find a way to counter him.
Meanwhile, Kushina caught up with the swordsman who had crashed into the wall. He tried to get up, but a kick to the chest drove him back into the arena floor. The girl stopped, exhaled heavily, and tossed her hair.
"Boring," she said dissatisfied.
Minato appeared beside her, dispelling the last clone.
"Good work," he said calmly.
The examiner did not delay the result.
"Victory for Team Six!"
"They didn't even break a sweat," Nawaki said quietly.
Kuro watched Minato with interest.
"Yes… it seems they've gotten a little better," he finally said.