Jinchūriki

Not only did they talk about the situation in Kumogakure, but also about training. Mainly, Gen asked questions, and Orochimaru answered him.

After accepting him as his master, although Orochimaru did not take him along all the time, he continued to call him every few days to guide him in his training.

Thanks to this, Gen progressed smoothly in his training. Not only did he avoid many mistakes, but he also absorbed a great amount of knowledge about Orochimaru's training like a sponge.

In the following two days, he also went out to explore this strange village.

Not only did he take the opportunity to get to know the environment better, but he also met many people from other villages.

As the Chūnin Exam approached, the number of invited ninjas from other villages increased.

The last day before the Chūnin Exam, Naoki gathered them all once again.

"This list contains the names of the participants from the other three great villages who, except for Kumogakure, will come to take the Chūnin Exam. The names with a red line over them must receive special attention. They are the most outstanding new talents from their villages and will be the main rivals you must watch and eliminate during the exam."

With a serious expression, he shook the document in his hand before passing it around for the Genin to review and memorize.

Gen also fixed his gaze on the list as it passed from hand to hand. He was not surprised that his village had gathered information about the Genin from other villages and had even managed to infiltrate the Cloud Village.

After all, a great village does not only need military strength but also a well-developed intelligence network.

In fact, he supposed that something similar was happening in the other four main teams.

As for the absence of a list with the participants from Kumogakure, the reason was obvious: the Cloud Village was the organizer. Unlike Konoha and the other great villages, the exam participants gathered in the Cloud Village.

And if you check carefully, you will realize that in Kumogakure, before the exam begins, there is no way to know who will participate.

In a way, that was a natural advantage for the organizer.

One by one, the Genin reviewed the list until it finally reached Gen's hands.

Although he had full confidence in his strength, he was not foolish and read the list carefully.

While the information was not completely detailed, it did provide useful general data. Among the names, some seemed familiar to him.

Success in the early stages did not always define the future, but those who achieved great feats rarely went unnoticed in their youth.

This meant that the people he recognized were either future figures of great importance or secondary characters who had appeared in the original story.

"I don't know what the situation will be like in Kumogakure…"

After carefully reviewing the list, he passed the sheet to the next person while thinking silently.

...

The next day, the Chūnin Exam officially began.

At the bottom of a canyon-like cliff, the Genin from various villages, including Konoha, gathered after receiving the notification from Kumogakure.

"Is this the place for the first test? I wonder what kind of exam it will be…"

"So many people… So this is a Chūnin Exam where the Five Great Villages gather. There are so many participants, and they all look really strong. I don't know if I'll be able to pass…"

"So these are the Genin from the Cloud Village… According to the information our village has, this is the only group we have no data on. During the exam, we'll have to observe them very carefully."

Although the Genin from each village kept a certain distance from each other, the large number of people made the area beneath the cliff appear filled with dark figures.

In total, at least three to four hundred ninjas had gathered.

As they waited for the exam to begin, both the villages and individuals had different reactions: some cautiously observed the other groups, while others speculated about the content of the exam.

Among the Konoha group, Gen, shielded by Kuu and Reiko, coldly observed the other participants, focusing mainly on the other four great villages.

Although they had already received the list of participants beforehand, it was still necessary to confirm the information before the exam started.

After examining the ninjas from Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure, his gaze finally turned to the Cloud Village.

They were the only ones he had no information about, so they required a more thorough analysis.

As the event's organizer, the Cloud Village had the largest number of participants in the Chūnin Exam, with nearly a hundred ninjas, forming the largest group.

!

"…Shit."

Suddenly, as he observed the ninjas from Kumogakure, his gaze locked onto one of them, and his eyes narrowed.

It was a boy around thirteen or fourteen years old, with light blonde hair, dark skin, and a pair of crossed swords on his back. He also wore sunglasses.

If it had been anyone else, he probably wouldn't have paid much attention, but with just one glance, Gen recognized his identity.

'The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer B.'

Focusing his gaze on him, he felt a slight surprise.

Jinchūriki were synonymous with power.

A being similar to a monster.

But he hadn't expected to see Killer B, the Jinchūriki of the Hachibi, among the participants from Kumogakure.

'So this is the reason why Kumogakure dared to host this Chūnin Exam…'

Upon recognizing Killer B, several thoughts quickly passed through his mind, and his expression grew somewhat serious.

Although he didn't know exactly when Killer B had become a Jinchūriki, the fact that he was here meant he couldn't let his guard down.

Moreover, in the future, Killer B would be one of the few to fully control the power of a Bijū.

Even during the Third Great Ninja War, when Killer B fought alongside the Fourth Raikage against Minato. Based on his performance back then, it seemed he had already mastered the power of the Hachibi.

________

Time: If you're craving more (and I know you are!), I have just what you need. On my Patreon, you'll find exclusive chapters. Join our community and be the first to discover what happens next!

👉 [patreon.com/Athome790]

Your support fuels me. Thank you for the support! 💖