Chapter 122: Ora Ora Ora!

"Damn it! Is my bond with Wood Release still not strong enough?"

Uzumaki Musen spoke up according to his personal creed: "If I'm not embarrassed, then others will be."

Raimon Yukika and her younger brother Raimon Hayate, having limited knowledge of Uzumaki Musen, were momentarily stunned by his showy performance, their scalps tingling.

As top students of the Ninja Academy, they had a very solid grounding in basic ninja knowledge. Other ninja of Amegakure might not know what level of jutsu True Several Thousand Hands is, but the Raimon siblings did.

Musen's actions weren't just random antics for a laugh. While the sister and brother were distracted, he formed seals at lightning speed and used one of his best Wood Release techniques.

"Wood Release: Silent Strangling Binding!"

Lengths of wooden stakes burst forth from the ground, extending rapidly toward the distant Raimon Hayate, intent on binding and crushing him.

As the saying goes, "It takes three years to learn virtue, and only a moment to learn vice."

Facing Musen's Wood Release, Raimon Hayate actually let out a roar, but in all seriousness, he shouted:

"Lightning Release: Lariat!"

He might have said "Lightning Release: Lariat" aloud, but in fact he was infusing himself with Lightning-Style chakra for high-speed movement, effectively using the Body Flicker Technique.

Watching this scene, Senshi rubbed his forehead in exasperation.

Uzumaki Musen was already a bit of a "chūnibyō" (overly dramatic teen). Raimon Hayate, meanwhile, was even more over-the-top, combining the wild, fierce nature of two legendary warriors from the Warring States period into one "mad and reckless" character.

When Terumi Mei) saw how Uzumaki Musen and the others were behaving, she couldn't help feeling a little dumbfounded. Although she had spent some time in Amegakure, she hadn't interacted with Musen and the others before. She had no idea the new generation of Amegakure ninja was this talented.

Of course, the strongest among them was still Karin. Mei was already well aware of Karin's abilities, so she simply observed briefly and was able to divide the six kids into three tiers without further effort. Karin was number one, the three from the Uzumaki Clan came next, and the Raimon siblings were comparatively weaker. But with their current skill in Lightning Release and their innate chakra talents, those two would be considered geniuses in any village.

At that moment, Mei stopped watching Karin and Musen's sparring and walked over to Senshi.

Senshi asked curiously, "Sister Mei, what brings you here?"

With a charming smile, Mei said, "I came to say goodbye to you and Karin. I'm heading back to Kirigakure to deal with some village matters."

After speaking, she glanced at Karin and the other five, who were still sparring, and asked, "Why aren't you out on missions? Instead, you're here practicing with these kids?"

Senshi waved her off, "Sister Mei, you've got it wrong. Right now, I am doing a mission! In half a month, I'll be leading Amegakure's ninja to the Chunin Exams being co-hosted by Konoha and Sunagakure."

Mei was, of course, aware of this; she simply hadn't planned on having Kirigakure participate. But now that she knew Senshi would be taking a team to the Chunin Exams in Konoha, and after seeing how outstanding Uzumaki Musen's group was, she changed her mind. Kirigakure would also take part in the upcoming Chunin Exams.

On one hand, Kirigakure's new generation could see the wider world. On the other hand, their most talented young ninja could showcase themselves and generate some good PR for the village. And lastly, by sending teams to the Exams, Kirigakure's ninja would have more opportunities to interact with Senshi's group and deepen their friendship.

With that in mind, Mei immediately declared, "Since you're bringing Karin and the others from Amegakure, I'll arrange for Kirigakure to send two squads of ninja as well."

Senshi was slightly taken aback and asked, "Sister Mei, does Kirigakure really have suitable young ninja for the Chunin Exams?"

Mei: (O_O)???

Outrageous!

Kirigakure was being looked down upon! Even though it's one of the Five Great Ninja Villages and has been developing rapidly, so picking out a few outstanding genin should be no problem at all!

But Karin's group of six really was too strong, and there wouldn't be anyone on quite their level among Kirigakure's genin. Mei was even tempted to send some of Kirigakure's talented youth to Amegakure's Academy for further training.

After gathering more info from Senshi about the Amegakure Ninja Academy, Mei left Amegakure and set out on her return journey. Meanwhile, Uzumaki Musen's group called an end to their sparring session.

During the break, with Karin leading the way, Musen's side was still no match for Karin's side in a practice match, but even so, Musen's trio showed strength well above average for their age. As the six rested, Senshi beckoned them over.

"Karin, Musen, the rest of you—come here, I have something to discuss with you."

Hearing Senshi's call, the six kids immediately came running. Karin was brimming with confidence. She hadn't yet come across any children stronger than her. The Raimon siblings, however, looked depressed; losing to Karin was one thing, but losing to Musen's group as well was quite the blow.

Once they gathered, Musen looked at Senshi curiously. "Lord Senshi, is there something you want us to do?"

Senshi shook his head, then said, "Next, I want to talk to you about what to watch out for in the Chunin Exams at Konoha."

At that, all six focused their attention. Once he had their full concentration, Senshi explained, "The first stage of the Chunin Exams is a written test, generally proctored by a ninja from Konoha's Interrogation Division, Morino Ibiki.

"The written part usually has nine extremely difficult questions. You can cheat, but you must never get caught. Getting caught five times means elimination. This phase assesses your ability to gather intelligence. Because in the exam room, there will be two ninjas who actually know the correct answers and will write them down on their papers.

"If you can't solve them on your own, try to copy them. If there's an extra question at the end, lucky you—simply not giving up and handing in a blank sheet at the final step will mean you pass."

…

Meanwhile, Hoshigaki Kisame and Itachi, who had departed earlier for Kirigakure, arrived there ahead of Mei. Today's Kirigakure was bustling, developing at a remarkable pace. Kids in red-cloud cloaks (Akatsuki brand) could be seen running about the village, and you'd spot the busy figures of Senshi's Wood Clone working at the mission center and the black market. Kisame and Itachi could hardly believe their eyes, thinking they had somehow returned to Amegakure by mistake.

Since there was no tight deadline for establishing the Akatsuki branch here, they decided to take things slow. Kisame took Itachi to the black market to pick up some missions. Whenever they weren't busy, he planned to spend spare time on the branch's construction. There was no rush, as long as the end results looked good.

After completing several black-market missions, Mei returned to Kirigakure—but she neither sought out Kisame nor paid much attention to the construction progress for the Akatsuki branch. If Senshi were the one in charge, she would keep a closer watch, but it was Kisame and Itachi's show, so she let them be. Her current priority was handling the upcoming Chunin Exams.

In the Mizukage's Office, Mei called Ao and Gonbee, among others, to a meeting. When everyone arrived, she announced a major decision:

"In less than half a month, Konoha and Sunagakure will be co-hosting a Chunin Exam in Konoha. They've invited Amegakure, Kusagakure, Takigakure, and several other small and mid-sized ninja villages to attend. I've decided Kirigakure will also send two elite squads to take part in these Chunin Exams."

She finished speaking, and Ao and Gonbee looked thoughtful. After a moment, Gonbee said, "From the Hoshigaki Clan and the Hozuki Clan, there are a few decent young ones. We can gather up some other promising genin from elsewhere and form two three-person squads for the exam. That shouldn't be a problem."

Mei gave a small nod at Gonbee's suggestion and said to him and Ao, "You two will be in charge of selecting the six genin who will represent Kirigakure in the exams. Make sure to choose our best. Also, inform Konoha that we'll be participating."

They both nodded and left to take care of the arrangements. Before long, word reached Konoha that Kirigakure was also sending teams. The news surprised Hiruzen Sarutobi. When small and mid-size villages wanted to join, that was one thing—but Kirigakure, as one of the Five Great Nations, was another matter entirely. It warranted a proper discussion.

Soon enough, the "Konoha F3" (Hiruzen Sarutobi, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane) gathered in the Hokage's Office. Sarutobi spoke plainly:

"Kirigakure also intends to dispatch squads for the upcoming Chunin Exams."

Both of the others were surprised. After thinking it over, Mitokado Homura asked, "Hiruzen, how do you see it?"

Sarutobi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Kirigakure has been developing rapidly and may bring a few uncertainties. But we mustn't get rattled. All we can do is prepare thoroughly and ensure our own ninja shine during the exam."

After careful consideration, the other two agreed. Koharu Utatane said, "We'll rely on Nara Shikaku and Kakashi to make sure no other village's ninja steal the show from ours."

Following this meeting, Sarutobi considered summoning Kakashi to inquire about Naruto and Sasuke's progress, but, given the importance of it all, he decided to go see them in person. After all, three of the Five Great Villages were already confirmed to be participating. In some ways, it was almost as serious as a ninja war. Plus, by going there personally, he could get a more comprehensive picture of their abilities without disrupting Kakashi's training regimen.

At the same time, two individuals who, strictly speaking, shouldn't have known about these events—Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto—somehow got wind of the upcoming exam.

In Orochimaru's laboratory, Kabuto approached respectfully. "Orochimaru-sama, I've heard Konoha and Sunagakure are co-hosting a Chunin Exam soon."

"It's said that Kirigakure is also participating. And the daimyo of the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind—plus many high-ranking officials—will all attend."

Hearing this, Orochimaru burst into wild laughter. "Hahaha… Now this is a gift that keeps on giving! Time to upgrade the Eternal Chakra Elixir."

Previously, he had sold a watered-down version of that elixir to Homura Mitokado. Now he could tweak the formula slightly and release the "T3: Eternal Chakra Elixir," making a massive profit off those old fools' wallets. Lords, high officials, and social elites—none of them were lacking in money. Once he demonstrated the effects of his "T3 Elixir," they wouldn't be able to resist. They would see its "potential" and cause his fortune to skyrocket before it ever occurred to them to look into its secrets.

Kabuto thought for a moment, then added, "Orochimaru-sama, not only will the daimyos of major nations attend, but powerful figures from smaller villages like Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Takigakure will come too."

Orochimaru gave a pleased nod. "All the better. The more people, the merrier. Now that our ordinary research materials have lost value, we need higher-end subjects for our experiments. Naturally, those aren't easy to come by through normal channels. But if we have enough money, we can commission tasks from Senshi—have him gather what we need.

"So, while our products haven't drawn too much suspicion yet, we have to reap a tidy sum!"

At those words, a gleam shone on Kabuto's glasses. Yes, they had to make big money, right now! Under Orochimaru's guidance, Kabuto's earnings had soared, and soon he, too, would be able to buy higher-level supplies from Senshi—allowing him to follow Orochimaru-sama's lead that much better.

As Kabuto mentally reviewed all this, Orochimaru gave him detailed instructions. Orochimaru intended to drag Iwagakure and Kumogakure into the mix as well. He knew all too well the underlying rivalries among the major villages. Konoha, Sunagakure, and Kirigakure had all jumped in; there was no way he was letting the remaining two off the hook. Orochimaru told Kabuto:

"Kabuto, hurry and spread the news of the Chunin Exams to Iwagakure and Kumogakure. Three of the Five Great Villages are taking part. Once Iwa and Kumo learn this, they won't be content to be left out. When dealing with Kumogakure, you can stir them up by mentioning what's happening in Kirigakure—exaggerate about the Akatsuki opening a branch there."

Having served under Orochimaru for a long time, Kabuto immediately grasped his intent: do whatever it takes to lure more people to Konoha. The real spectacle wasn't the co-hosted Chunin Exams but rather Orochimaru's "Biotech Product Launch." Kabuto set out without delay to visit Iwagakure and Kumogakure.

Watching him go, Orochimaru smirked. His Eternal Chakra Elixir was already capable of causing certain surprising, visible changes—for instance, making white hair turn black. Although that was just a superficial effect, it was enough to stun an audience and make great advertisements. With such a "wondrous" product, how could he not expand his market among influential buyers from all over the ninja world?

…

Back in Amegakure, on an open training field, Senshi had been putting the "little six (little liars)" (Karin's group) through an intensive program ever since getting the mission to lead them to Konoha. Thanks to his Wood Clones scattered across the continent, he had an all-encompassing grasp of the Chunin Exams. Obviously, Konoha was setting the stage for something big this time. When the Exams began, nearly every major faction from across the ninja world would converge on Konoha.

Since Konoha was building a grand arena, Senshi certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity. Over a few days of special training, Karin's six-person squad improved dramatically. However, their progress left the Raimon siblings in a bittersweet spot. In the Academy, they'd been praised as genius Lightning-Style users, but now they found themselves at the bottom of the six-person ladder, with little hope of turning the tide any time soon.

Seeing this, Karin tried to cheer them up: "Don't get discouraged! Right now, you're behind because you've just graduated and haven't had a chance to do many missions. Take a look at Senshi: he's always got Wood Clones out doing missions, so he's become incredibly powerful. As for me, constantly following him and taking on loads of tasks is how I got where I am."

She didn't need to finish for them to understand the rest: Uzumaki Musen and the other two had likewise done tons of missions under Kakuzu's tutelage. That realization dawned on Raimon Yukika and Raimon Hayate all at once—so that's why they're lagging behind: they simply haven't started "farming missions" yet!

Senshi, overhearing Karin's "pep talk," only smiled. He had no objection to the siblings throwing themselves into mission work—it certainly wouldn't hurt. Once they were more seasoned, they could potentially join his mercenary group.

…

As Senshi's special training continued, in Konoha, Naruto and Sasuke were also training relentlessly. In the time since the appearance of Senshi's Wood Clone, both had made tremendous strides. Naruto shouted across to Sasuke, laughing:

"Sasugay! This time you'll see just how awesome my hard work's been! Get ready to lose!"

Sasuke sniffed dismissively. "Narudo, you've only improved a tiny bit. That's hardly what I'd call 'awesome progress.'"

Naruto shot back, "Sasugay, don't underestimate how hard I've been training, day in and day out. I'm putting everything into these missions so I can hone myself!"

Sasuke sneered, "Narudo, so what? Did you think I wasn't training just as hard? I'm not only more diligent than you, I'm more talented. If you imagine you can beat me, you're dreaming."

"No way, Sasugay! Just watch, I'll show you how I'm gonna beat you!"

"Tch. Enough big talk, Narudo."

"Sasugay!"

"Narudo!"

The two of them roared, lightning-like chakra surging around Sasuke and swirling power around Naruto, as they charged each other. All the while, Kakashi stood by observing, baffled by how fast these kids were growing—and at their habit of shouting ridiculously long lead-ups before every clash.

He couldn't figure out how or why they'd suddenly become so strong in such a short span. But he didn't have time to dwell on it, because Naruto and Sasuke were once again displaying techniques not on any official Konoha roster:

"Thunder Punch!"

"Aura Sphere!"

Their attacks were now even stronger than before. Naruto, with a cry, fired a small black orb from his palm—like a dark pill—pouring his chakra into it. Sasuke channeled Lightning-Style chakra throughout his body, pushing his "Thunder Punch" to the limit. He also recalled some advice from "Teacher Senshi": there was a special way of yelling while using Thunder Punch that would raise its power even more, even if it was… embarrassing. Determined not to tie again, he did it:

"ORA ORA ORA!" he shouted as he lunged.

~~~

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