Chapter 121: Participants of Chunin Exam...

[Mission Accepted!]

[Client: Nagato]

[Goal: Lead a team to take part in the Chunin Exams and gather intelligence on the various nations participating!]

[Reward: 100 million ryo]

[Rank: S]

[Bonus: 100,000 Employment Points!]

Senshi felt a little regretful for not being able to accept more missions this time, but getting this one was still a decent outcome.

Moreover, during these Chunin Exams, there were plenty of things he could do.

After accepting the commission, Senshi did not leave immediately, which made Nagato and Konan feel a twinge of unease.

They could certainly rest assured leaving the matter to him—after all, whenever Senshi took a job, he never failed.

Yet the troublesome thing about Senshi was that he was a bit tightfisted, always haggling daily and bundling services together for extra payment.

Tendo Pain cleared his throat and said to Senshi, "Senshi, there's only half a month left until the official start of the Chunin Exams. Hurry up and get ready."

He hoped that Senshi would not think up any tricky or expensive ideas. Although the Akatsuki had relatively ample funds, they couldn't afford to blow several hundred million ryo on these exams.

When Pain finished, Senshi grinned and said, "Since I'm the one leading Amegakure's team to Konoha, do I get to pick the participants for the exam?"

Pain nodded. "Amegakure will send two Anbu as logistical support to follow the team. As for which ninja will participate, you're free to choose."

That was exactly what Senshi wanted. In that instant, countless ideas flashed through his mind.

Once Nagato agreed, Senshi got up cheerfully. He turned to Tendo Pain and Konan, saying, "Boss Nagato, Sister Konan—don't worry about this. Leave everything about Amegakure's Chunin Exam to me. I guarantee there won't be any problems!"

He patted his chest confidently, full of assurance.

But seeing him like that only made Konan and Nagato (who was manipulating Tendo Pain from the shadows) feel a pang of dread.

They knew him too well. When Senshi made that kind of promise, it was always trouble-free on the surface, yet also certain to produce some unexpected twists!

Senshi felt rather wronged by their looks—he was, after all, a legendary black-market mercenary with a 100% mission-completion rate. When had he ever messed up? Never!

If, in the midst of a mission, he did some "extra" activities that didn't affect the main goal, that was purely his own business.

After leaving the leader's office, Senshi headed straight for Amegakure's Ninja Academy.

Compared to the academies in Konoha or Kirigakure, Amegakure's academy was quite different.

Konoha's academy, for instance, only taught basic techniques like the Three Basic Jutsu; learning advanced jutsu while still in school was practically impossible there.

But the Ninja Academy that Senshi had founded in Amegakure wasn't like that.

He had recruited numerous skilled ninjas as instructors to teach advanced techniques in various specialties.

Moreover, Senshi had stationed some of his own Wood-Clone bodies there, dedicated full-time to teaching.

Among the many classes in the academy, the "Lightning-Release Class" taught by Senshi's Wood Clone stood out as having the highest instructional level.

After all, with a "Six Paths–level" ninja like Senshi personally leaving Wood-Clone instructors, they could teach every known Lightning-Release jutsu that had ever appeared in the ninja world.

When the academy gradually removed age restrictions and opened classes for all ages, even someone like the Raikage—renowned for his mastery of Lightning Release—could come to Senshi's Lightning-Release Class to further his skills.

This time, Senshi came to the academy to arrange early graduation for a pair of talented siblings from that Lightning-Release Class.

His Wood Clone in charge of the class had many top-tier students, but these two shone the brightest:

They were Raimon Yukika and Raimon Hayate.

Both possessed extremely powerful Lightning-Release aptitudes, even rivaling Uzumaki Lanyu.

…

At the Academy – Lightning-Release Class

Inside the classroom, Senshi's Wood Clone was in the middle of a lesson when, suddenly, a dark-red, vortex-like portal appeared out of nowhere.

All the students froze briefly, then erupted in excitement. Because through that portal stepped Senshi and Karin.

"Wow! It's Principal Senshi—and Karin!"

"Not Karin! She's Dean Karin now!"

"I can't believe I'm finally seeing the principal in person! This is the best day ever!"

All at once, the Lightning-Release students cheered in a frenzy.

Seeing how excited they were, Senshi clapped his hands to calm them. "Everyone, quiet. I have an announcement."

The classroom went silent immediately.

Senshi addressed them: "In half a month, Konoha and Sunagakure will be jointly hosting a Chunin Exam. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire and Land of Wind, as well as top figures from many industries, will be in attendance.

"Amegakure, Kusagakure, Takigakure, and other mid-sized villages have all been invited to participate in this exam.

"I plan to select two of you from the Lightning-Release Class and form a three-person team with Karin, to represent Amegakure in the Chunin Exams."

The moment he said that, the entire classroom erupted in cheers.

"Principal Senshi, pick me! I want to fight for the honor of Amegakure!"

"Let me in! I'm sure I can pass the exam!"

"Principal, look over here! Please let me go—I've trained so hard!"

In a heartbeat, everyone was scrambling to volunteer, determined to represent Amegakure in the upcoming exams.

However, it was all but certain that only one pair of students would be chosen: the "ace" siblings of the Lightning-Release Class.

Soon, Senshi's voice echoed through the room again:

"Raimon Yukika, Raimon Hayate—come on up."

Upon hearing that, many of the students wore an "as expected" expression.

The two Raimon siblings were the class's trump cards. Their innate Lightning prowess was already monstrous, and under the Wood Clone principal's guidance, they'd become even more exceptional at Lightning Release.

At Senshi's call, the siblings—who moments earlier had been anxiously volunteering—stepped forward in delight. At last, they could stop worrying about whether they would be picked.

Raimon Yukika, like Konan, had striking blue hair. Though still a young girl, she had a personality somewhat akin to Mei Terumi: a wise, leader-type ninja. In class, she was the "big sister" figure.

Her younger brother, Raimon Hayate, also had blue hair. His temperament resembled that of a reckless Kumo ninja. Fortunately, he had his big sister to keep him in line, so he couldn't be too wild.

At this moment, both siblings were thrilled—just like Karin, who was excited that she'd be teaming up with two new companions for the Chunin Exams.

Once they came up to the front, Senshi nodded at them. "All right, let's go get your early-graduation paperwork done. In the meantime, get acquainted with Karin."

Respectfully, they answered, "Yes, Principal!"

Senshi wasted no time. He took the three of them to the academy office to handle formalities.

Meanwhile, outside in the courtyard, Karin and the two Raimon siblings determined who would be the "leader" in their squad.

Yukika was eleven, slightly older than Karin. Hayate was close to Karin's age.

Standing in a practice area, Hayate spoke first: "The one with the strongest strength should be the captain; the other two listen to that captain's orders. Agreed?"

Hearing that, Karin gave a cheeky smile. "No problem. You two ready?"

Yukika nodded calmly. Hayate, more brashly, said, "Karin, I hope you're ready. Even if you're Principal Senshi's assistant, I won't hold back!

"After all, I'm clearly the strongest of us three, so I should be the captain!"

With that, Lightning-nature chakra surged around him, forming a rudimentary Lightning Cloak on his body. Yukika likewise began a series of quick hand signs for a Lightning jutsu.

However, she stopped halfway.

"Susanoo!"

Not bothering with politeness, Karin directly summoned a pink "Susanoo mecha" in front of them.

Yukika: (O_O)???

Hayate: (O_O)???

Seeing Karin standing on the shoulder of a third-stage Susanoo giant, the siblings were left in utter shock. If they were someone like Danzo, maybe they'd try to rush up and stab it with a kunai—but that certainly wasn't happening here.

And realistically, facing a stage-three Susano'o, what could they even do?

From the Susanoo's forehead, Karin gazed down and said, "Any disagreement about who the captain is now?"

Both siblings, looking rather innocent, shook their heads obediently.

After all, the eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was too monstrous. They wouldn't stand a chance, even going all out.

Thus, once Karin had shown off her pink Susano'o, her captaincy in the trio was firmly established.

At about that moment—after she dispersed the Susanoo—Senshi walked out of the office. He said to the three of them, "Let's go. Now we're off to find Kakuzu. There's another team of three you'll be traveling with."

Yes, for the joint Konoha–Suna Chunin Exams, Senshi planned to bring two teams from Amegakure. One was Karin's trio; the other consisted of the "three little punks" from the Uzumaki Clan, Musen, Lanyu, and Lanwu.

Recently, those three had earned him plenty of Employment Points. Their potential was huge. This was a perfect opportunity to let them see the wider world—or, possibly, the wider world would be seeing them.

Before long, Senshi led Karin and her group to the black market, where they found Kakuzu. Normally, Kakuzu would only have Deidara and four other youngsters around, but this time there was a whole crowd of familiar faces: the leader of Takigakure, Hisen and others.

When Senshi arrived, he overheard Hisen telling Kakuzu, "Lord Kakuzu, this time Takigakure plans to dispatch five ninja, plus Fū, to form a team for the Chunin Exams. We'd like you to lead two squads from Takigakure to Konoha. Would you be willing?"

Of course, Kakuzu wasn't eager. Going to the Chunin Exams would just eat into his precious mission time.

Yet before Kakuzu could decline, Fū spoke excitedly: "So we can take the Chunin Exams now—and be led by Lord Kakuzu? That's awesome!"

Kakuzu: ?

He hadn't agreed to it yet—so what was "awesome" about it?

At that moment, the three young Uzumaki brats suddenly lit up:

"Lord Senshi, Karin! You're here!"

They were thrilled. Lately, they've been leading very fulfilling lives, going on many missions daily and gaining a ton of real combat experience.

Senshi gave them a slight nod, then said, "Musen, Lanyu, Lanwu—starting now, you'll be taking a break from missions. I plan to bring you to the joint Chunin Exams in Konoha and Sunagakure."

Having overheard Hisen's talk earlier, the three Uzumaki kids were already intrigued. They wanted to see how they stacked up against other talented genin out there. They just hadn't expected that they'd really get to go.

As soon as Senshi said it, they each blurted out:

"Lord Senshi, we'll do our best. We won't let you down!"

Their young faces were solemn. Senshi only smiled. "No need to tense up. With your skills, passing the Chunin Exams won't be a problem."

By his side, Kakuzu changed his mind. Knowing Senshi wouldn't waste precious money-making time on something meaningless, there must be profit to be gained. So he told Hisen, "All right, then. Issue me the commission. I'll lead your squads."

Hearing that, Hisen and Fū were delighted, and the three Uzumaki brats were also beaming as they turned expectantly to Senshi. Uzumaki Musen asked, "Lord Senshi, does that mean we can stay by your side for a while?"

Senshi nodded. "Yes. For the next few days, you don't need to do missions—just spar with Karin's team."

No sooner did he say that than the Uzumaki trio and Karin's trio turned their gazes on one another…

…

Over in the Land of Wind – Sunagakure

At that same time, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was busy making arrangements for the joint Chunin Exams. In Sunagakure, the main organizer was Baki.

In the Kazekage's office, Rasa spoke in a grim tone: "Baki, these joint Chunin Exams with Konoha are Sunagakure's biggest priority right now!"

"Our funding has been cut more and more every year by the Daimyō. This time, the Daimyō and high officials of the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, as well as major businessmen from all across the ninja world, will all be coming to watch."

"We must show them the power and skill of Sunagakure's ninja, no matter the cost, so they'll see our worth."

"You carry a great burden on your shoulders, as do those who will take the exam. But for the sake of our village, you must give it everything you have!"

Hearing this, Baki straightened. "Understood, Lord Kazekage. We won't betray your or the village's expectations!"

Baki understood Sunagakure's predicament. In the Third Great Ninja War, its performance had displeased the Wind Daimyō and other officials, leading them to reduce the village's budget annually. The Fourth Kazekage even had to use his Magnet Release Gold Dust techniques to mine gold in the desert just to keep the village afloat. That situation had to change, and this Chunin Exam was the perfect opportunity. Over the upcoming weeks, Baki intended to train Suna's six chosen participants with all he had—if they didn't collapse, keep pushing them.

…

Meanwhile, in Konoha

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was also stepping up his game, issuing instructions to Nara Shikaku and Kakashi. His expression was solemn as he said:

"Shikaku, Kakashi, Konoha must do everything in its power to take first place in these Chunin Exams. Even if unforeseen events arise, our participating ninja must still display the finest performance possible.

"Naruto and Sasuke absolutely have to participate. The two of you will choose four additional genin, split into two three-man teams, and send them to the exams."

Having heard the Hokage's words, Shikaku and Kakashi both nodded earnestly.

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Shikaku answered. "Kakashi and I will be meticulous in every detail to ensure we're fully prepared for these exams."

"Every possible detail," echoed Kakashi, wondering if that might be too extreme.

But Hiruzen only emphasized further: "It's absolutely necessary. The Fire Daimyō and the Wind Daimyō, along with numerous influential figures from across the lands, will be gathering. We must show them Konoha's best face, so that everyone recognizes the strength of our village. This can open many new doors for us."

Seeing how serious the Hokage was, Shikaku and Kakashi resolved to give it their all.

Similar scenes were playing out in various other mid- and smaller-sized villages: though they had no illusions of claiming the top spot, they still hoped to have at least a decent showing. With so many VIPs converging on Konoha, if their own people happened to catch some powerful figure's attention, it could mean major opportunities for their villages.

…

Back to Amegakure

Where other villages were working overtime to prepare, things in Amegakure were rather laid-back. Nagato and Konan, having commissioned Senshi, left him alone and didn't interfere further. They'd already paid once—if they asked for more help, he'd charge an additional fee.

Besides, they didn't need a specific high ranking; as long as Senshi brought a team there and scouted intel on all the major and mid-tier countries, that would suffice.

In other words, they had left the whole matter to Senshi, letting him handle it however he liked.

Because Nagato and Konan hadn't demanded a high placement in the exams, Senshi didn't care much about the final outcome. Even so, Karin, the three Uzumaki brats, and the Raimon siblings were all exceptionally strong. Even if Senshi paid no attention to their ranking, those six would certainly excel in the competition.

Among them, four were already part of his mercenary group—Karin and three from the Uzumaki Clan. The Raimon siblings hadn't joined yet, but Senshi had promised to observe them further. If they met the criteria, they could join too.

After picking up the Uzumaki trio, Senshi brought all six of them to Amegakure's training ground for sparring.

At that time, Mei Terumi—who had been staying in Amegakure—came to say goodbye before heading back to Kirigakure. She was surprised to find Senshi instead of him being off on a mission, as she'd expected. Even more surprising was the group of children around him.

However, she soon found herself stunned:

Each of these six was no ordinary kid.

The Raimon siblings attacked first, shouting:

"Lightning Release Chakra Mode!"

Both were instantly cloaked in sizzling Lightning-nature chakra. Watching eleven-year-olds using the Lightning Cloak left Mei dumbfounded.

Next came the Uzumaki trio.

First, Uzumaki Lanyu formed a flurry of hand signs, crying, "Storm Release: Thundercloud Inner Wave!" A jutsu that manipulates lightning, somewhat like channeling Chidori in one's hand.

Then Uzumaki Lanwu also formed signs: "Ice Release: Myriad Blooming Ice!" She conjured a barrage of ice shuriken, popping into existence one after another around her.

But any impact she made was immediately overshadowed by Musen.

Clapping his hands together, Musen shouted, "Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands!"

Instantly, everyone stared at him. One second passed, two seconds passed…total silence.

Senshi: (O_O)?

Mei: (O_O)?

Everyone else: (O_O)?

Senshi was momentarily at a loss. Was it really okay to have given this little rascal Wood Release? The boy obviously had no idea how to perform the actual "True Several Thousand Hands." He was just clapping loudly and shouting the name…

~~~

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