CHAPTER 52

Hyorinmaru

"It's so annoying. We're actually placed in the same bracket as Kakashi and the others."

Yuyan scowled as she read the newly posted match roster. She was clearly displeased with the groupings for the next round of the Chūnin Exams.

A total of 32 teams had passed the written test. For the second phase, the teams were divided into four groups. The top two from each group would advance directly to the third phase.

The remaining teams would be given a second chance in a repechage round the following day. They'd be split into three new brackets, with the top two from each advancing as well. That would bring the total to 14 teams in the third round.

Unlike the later, more ceremonial Chūnin Exams of Naruto's era, this assessment was held internally—more akin to the preliminary rounds following the Forest of Death. There was no public audience and no manipulation of match outcomes for spectacle or politics.

The matchups were clearly designed to avoid having strong teams eliminate each other too early. This explained why high-performing teams like Kakashi's were scattered intentionally. Even in the losers' bracket, the examiners would ensure the top talent wasn't unfairly knocked out too soon.

Despite the seemingly large number of participants, only a few had truly passed. Among them, Kakashi was the most prominent. The standards remained harsh.

Bai Ye wasn't sure how many of the older graduates had also passed—after all, the original manga didn't elaborate much on earlier cohorts.

Unlike the future exams co-hosted by multiple hidden villages, all the candidates in this era were Konoha Genin. The upcoming battles would be a test of internal talent and growth.

Bai Ye's team had been placed in Group A. The only familiar name among their opponents was Mitarashi Anko.

Of course, Bai Ye only knew Anko from future knowledge. Her two teammates—Kōnya and Genbu—were just names to him.

Although Bai Ye had tried to be sociable during this time, his interactions were largely limited to characters mentioned in the original manga. As for unremarkable passersby, he'd rather spend the time doing a thousand push-ups.

Like Zhiyi and others who ended up forming bonds more naturally, Bai Ye didn't resist friendship—but he didn't go out of his way for it either.

"Tch. Just my luck to end up against a bunch of monsters like you."

Anko, standing nearby with arms crossed, looked exhausted. Her team was fifth, and Bai Ye's was eighth, meaning they'd clash in the second match.

"Don't worry. You still get another shot tomorrow."

Yue tried to comfort Anko. They were on good terms and knew their respective strengths. There was no way Yue's team would go easy on them—not if they wanted to reach the finals.

Bai Ye also noted with interest that Anko hadn't yet become Orochimaru's disciple. That made him curious about what would eventually catch Orochimaru's eye.

"Easy for you to say. You're guaranteed to win."

Anko poked Yue in the ribs, frustrated but resigned. A team with three prodigies wasn't about to be taken out in round two.

Meanwhile, Anko's teammates—Kōnya and Genbu—stood back awkwardly, not engaging with Bai Ye's team. Ordinary Genin with no famous clan background or exceptional talent, they likely felt out of place.

Since neither side pushed for deeper interaction, Bai Ye only remembered their names in passing.

"Alright, stop dawdling. Group A's matches are about to start."

Bai Ye glanced at the time and casually grabbed the collars of Yue and Yuyan, dragging them toward the arena.

"Let's go too."

Anko wiped the corner of her mouth and addressed her teammates with a queenly air.

---

Battle Commences

"Sit upon the frozen heavens—Hyorinmaru."

It was time for Bai Ye's team to fight. As he spoke the incantation, the temperature on the field abruptly dropped.

The Zanpakutō gripped in his hand transformed at once upon release. With a gleam of light, a chain sprouted from the base of the blade, ending in a crescent-shaped sickle—like the tail of an ice dragon.

Bai Ye raised the weapon and gave it a calm, fluid sweep.

From the tip of the blade, pale-blue ice crystals formed instantly and surged outward, fanning across the field.

In mere moments, a ten-meter radius of ground before them was frozen solid. Under the sun, the ice glistened like a field of glass. At the perimeter, jagged ice spires jutted outward—delicate, beautiful, and deadly.

Each of the three opponents stood motionless, their faces tight with tension. Razor-thin icicles hovered inches from their skin—one dangerously close to piercing an eyeball.

Even the slightest twitch from Bai Ye could have turned this showcase into a massacre.

The proctor visibly swallowed, sweat beading at his temple.

"Team Hizashi… wins."

He sounded more nervous than the losing team.

"Was that a jutsu? Or… what the hell was that?"

"Is he even a Genin?"

"I swear, if I face that guy in the third round, I'm forfeiting."

"Wait, does Konoha have an ice bloodline now?!"

Though the arenas were spaced out, the sudden cold could be felt across the training grounds. It wasn't dramatic, but every shinobi present noticed the unnatural drop in temperature.

Some instinctively turned to see what had happened—only to find a sparkling wall of ice and a lone Genin standing amidst it.

---

Aftermath

"You've developed something new again, haven't you?"

Yue, wide-eyed, reached out to touch one of the nearby frozen spires. The chill on his fingertips dispelled any lingering traces of the summer heat.

"Why are you always the first to strike!" Yuyan snapped, clearly irritated.

She had been ready to attack when the ice wall rose out of nowhere. If she hadn't dodged in time, she would have slammed into it.

"I was just trying to end the match quickly," Bai Ye replied, sounding drained.

His face was pale, and his breathing slightly labored. Clearly, this technique consumed a large portion of his chakra.

With his current reserves, he could only perform such a large-scale ice release maybe four times before exhaustion set in. Precision was essential.

In standard combat, of course, there was no need for this level of output. By scaling down the ice generation and focusing attacks in a narrower range, his stamina would last significantly longer.

Moreover, in a wide-area release like the one just executed, much of the chakra was wasted on sheer volume. The more efficient use case would be in close-quarters, where the new chain feature on Hyorinmaru's hilt could entangle enemies, freezing them on contact.