"The problem you need to consider now is finding a suitable teammate."
Sakumo put down his chopsticks and bowl, then took a sip of miso soup.
"The Chunin Exams must be taken in teams, but in recent years, most Genin are assigned to teams as soon as they graduate. It's rare for people like you to graduate early and not have fixed teammates."
Naraku turned and exchanged glances with Kakashi, reading a certain name in his eyes.
"Master, I think we have someone we can invite to team up with."
"Hmm, it seems you've met quite a few people during your missions these past few months. You already have an idea so quickly."
Sakumo finished his soup in a few gulps, stacked the bowls and chopsticks from in front of the two children, and carried them into the kitchen. He turned back and instructed:
"Whether a teammate is suitable is up to you, so I won't interfere, but he must have enough strength for the exam."
...
"Me?"
Might Duy pointed to himself, looking at the two children he had previously teamed up with, and repeated their question from earlier.
"You're inviting me to team up for the Chunin Exams?"
"Yes, Duy-senpai, please team up with us."
Naraku bowed slightly in request. After a long moment of silence, he felt it was strange. Suddenly, a pair of large hands landed on his shoulders, squeezing his bones until they ached.
He looked up to see Might Duy incredibly moved, with two streams of tears like noodles running down his face.
"This is truly... truly too youthful!!"
"To sweat freely on the examination grounds with teammates and defeat strong enemies!"
"Just imagining this scene makes my blood boil!"
Might Duy raised his hands high, then did a somersault into a handstand, running wildly around the training ground on his hands.
Naraku could hear him shouting some vague words like "limit," "youth," and "training," the rest drowned out by the billowing dust kicked up by his running.
"He agreed, right?"
Naraku pointed at the excitedly "running" Might Duy, confirming with Kakashi with a hint of uncertainty.
"Probably."
Kakashi nodded with slight hesitation... From the day the registration forms were submitted, Naraku rarely took on any more missions, dedicating most of his time to focused training. Kakashi was the same; they were often seen performing various special trainings on the practice grounds.
Might Duy would sometimes come over if he wasn't on a mission, to further familiarize themselves with each other's strengths and weaknesses, to avoid being overwhelmed during team combat.
Although they hadn't known each other for long, the three of them had a decent rapport and could cooperate on various tactics.
Three months passed in a flash, and soon it was the day of the Chunin Exams...
Clang, clang, clang—
Kakashi used the back of his sword to continuously deflect the shuriken Naraku threw, his eyes signaling Might Duy not far away. The latter grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth, then he and Kakashi flanked Naraku from front and back.
The next instant, Naraku faced Kakashi's lightning-glowing blade, and behind him was Might Duy's whip-kick that cut through the air.
Naraku had anticipated this, his hands already forming a hand seal. He gave Kakashi a sly smile, then disappeared from his spot.
Without Naraku to block them, Kakashi and Might Duy could only face each other, but they didn't stop their movements, instead continuing to attack forward.
Blade and shin guard collided, and the two used the force to spring backward, landing and continuing their attack, maintaining the rhythm of their training.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Kakashi's hand seal speed was so fast it left only afterimages. In the blink of an eye, the Ninjutsu activated. As Naraku's foot touched the ground, he felt it soften. Before he was completely pulled down, he quickly formed a hand seal to resist.
"Lightning Release: Running Current!"
With the counter-effect of Lightning Chakra, the Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu dissipated immediately before achieving its effect, losing its ability to restrain the opponent.
Naraku broke free from the binding mud and saw Might Duy spinning and rapidly descending from mid-air.
If he took that whip-kick squarely, he'd probably be out for a while.
Naraku didn't have time for Ninjutsu. Reflexively, he crossed his arms over his chest, and the remaining Chakra surged into his forearms as if it were free, to prevent fractures from the heavy blow.
Bang!
The moment their bodies collided, Naraku felt a tremendous force from his arms. His entire body felt like it had been hit head-on by a heavy truck, and he instantly flew backward.
Naraku, sent flying, arced through the air, then landed and rolled several times, finally managing to dissipate the terrifying force.
After getting up, he squeezed his fists hard, relieved in his heart.
Good, good, no broken bones.
"Naraku, are you alright?"
Might Duy felt he might have been too excited just now and used too much force, worried if he had injured his teammate too severely.
After all, no matter how talented Naraku and Kakashi were, they were still children whose bodies hadn't fully developed. Relying solely on physical resistance, they certainly couldn't endure training as much as adults.
"I'm fine." Naraku raised his arms, then said a bit awkwardly, "It's just that I'm out of Chakra."
On the other side, Kakashi also spread his hands helplessly, indicating to them both that he didn't have much left either.
"You're still growing, you know, it's perfectly normal. You need to eat more to become adults faster, okay?"
Might Duy, whose Chakra was still relatively abundant, put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily. He wasn't displeased by this; instead, he felt his responsibility was even greater.
To live up to the trust and enthusiasm of the two children, no matter how difficult it was, he would absolutely give his all to this Chunin Exams, so that the entire team could be promoted to Chunin...