A/N : If there is any errors, please tell me so I can fix them. I also wrote this chapter in third person. I hope its okay.
[ JINICHI WATARU ]
The pungent, metallic scent of fresh sealing ink was nauseating.
Jinichi sat bare-chested in the center of a dimly lit, reinforced room directly beneath the Hokage's mansion. The cold stone floor sapped the warmth from his skin, but it did nothing to dull the burning sensation radiating from his sternum.
Standing over him was an ANBU operative wearing a porcelain deer mask, his gloved fingers glowing with highly condensed chakra. Shohei-sensei stood silently in the corner of the room, his arms crossed tightly over his flak jacket, his expression completely unreadable.
Across from them, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watched the procedure with sharp, calculating eyes.
"Hold still, young man," the ANBU murmured, his voice heavily distorted by the mask.
"This will sting a bit."
The operative pressed his glowing palm directly over the existing Five-Element purification Seal that Sensei had hastily applied a few days back.
Jinichi gasped, his teeth clenching violently as a searing heat ripped through his chest. The original jagged black lines of the seal shifted, morphing and expanding as a secondary, far more complex matrix of sealing formulas was layered directly over it.
The ink crawled across his skin like a swarm of burning insects, locking down his volatile chakra pathways with a heavy, oppressive weight.
"Gah!" Jinichi grunted, his fingernails digging into his knees as he fought the urge to pull away.
Within moments, the glowing light faded. The ANBU stepped back, offering a crisp nod to the Hokage before vanishing into a swirl of dust.
Jinichi slumped forward, his breathing ragged. He looked down at his chest. The seal was now massive, an intricate web of heavy, overlapping locks and chains painted into his very flesh. It felt like he was wearing a vest made of solid lead directly on his heart.
"I apologize for the discomfort, Jinichi," Hiruzen said, his deep voice echoing in the quiet stone chamber.
"But it is a necessity, to protect you and this village."
'Yeah, right,' Jinichi thought cynically, though he kept his face perfectly composed.
"I...I understand, Lord Third," Jinichi breathed out, wiping a bead of cold sweat from his forehead.
Hiruzen stepped forward, his expression softening just a fraction, though his eyes remained strictly professional.
"Shohei-kun's initial seal was adequate for a on field job, but given the sheer aggressive nature of the chakra you displayed during your mission, a standard suppression formula was not going to be enough."
Jinichi simply nodded, pulling his new, heavy black training shirt—the inner layer of his Gi—over his head to cover the ugly black ink.
"You must remember, Jinichi," Hiruzen continued softly, tapping his pipe against his palm.
"This is not a punishment. It is a safeguard. You possess an incredible potential, but potential without control is merely destruction. Rely on your standard shinobi arts. Prove to me, and to yourself, that your mind rules your power, not the other way around."
"I will, Lord Third. Thank you."
'Like I believe any of that bullshit.
We don't know where your power came from and we want to use it to our benefit; you old-men are all the same.
All cut from the same cloth.'
…..
.....
...…
Three days passed in a blur.
Deep within the secluded perimeter of Training Ground 13, Jinichi stood alone at the edge of a glassy lake, lost in the rippling distortion of his own reflection. Aoi and Kisuke had gone into the village to secure new tactical supplies, affording him a rare, quiet window of privacy.
He stared down at the water, taking in his current appearance. His brown hair had grown noticeably longer over the past few weeks, the unruly strands falling heavily over his forehead and brushing the nape of his neck. Beneath his fringe, his eyes—once a bright, striking blue—had taken on a muted, slightly duller cast.
He was clad in his newly acquired Gi. The sleek, ultra-dense black fabric hugged his frame perfectly. A golden, stylized earth dragon motif coiled dynamically across the material, its metallic thread catching the faint sunlight filtering through the trees.
Beneath the gi's outer collar, a standard shinobi mesh armour peeked out, providing a breathable, flexible layer of secondary defense against glancing blades.
Over the sleek gi, he wore a dark, sleeveless puffer jacket, adding practical padding and insulation to his core without restricting the mobility of his arms.
In his right hand, his fingers idly traced the fabric of his mask. He had completely abandoned the rigid, horned faceplate he previously wore, opting instead for a simple, heavy black cowl.
The long, scarf-like material was designed to wrap securely around his neck and conceal the lower half of his face and neck.
Fastened securely to the center of the dark fabric was the unmistakable, polished metal plate of a traditional Hidden Leaf headband.
He gripped the cloth tightly, letting the cool metal ground him in the present moment.
But his mind was anything but.
'So I've been banned by the Hokage himself from using my metal release.
When will the ban be removed? I don't know.
Has he hinted at it being removed any time soon? Nope.
Shit….'
A smile crept unto my face.
' Luckily for me, as far as the Hokage knows, I've only unlocked metal release. And to him that is my Kekkei genkai, so I wouldn't be breaking his order by using my other elements, right?'
He raised his hands, focusing his chakra.
During my recovery in the land of iron, I gave in to temptation and used my two Element tickets.
And was able to get some new elements. '
He closed his eyes, reaching inward to grasp the distinct, unfamiliar signature of the first new element. He could feel it thrumming just beneath the surface of his chakra coils—a strange, heavy potential waiting to be pulled into the physical world. He took a slow, stabilizing breath, raising his hand and preparing to draw the unknown energy outward.
"Your chakra control remains highly erratic when you isolate yourself."
Jinichi jumped, his focus shattering instantly. He spun around, instinctively drawing a kunai from his pouch.
Standing at the edge of the clearing was Kisuke. The Genin moved grace, completely silent despite the dry leaves coating the forest floor. Kisuke's blue eyes flicked toward Jinichi's raised hand, offering a small calm smile.
"Relax, Jinichi. I am not an enemy," Kisuke said smoothly, stepping out from the shadows of the tree line.
"Though, if I were, your delayed reaction time would have resulted in a rather nasty wound to you."
"Sorry....I was just lost in my thoughts, Kisuke," Jinichi said, sliding the kunai back into its holster while subtly willing his racing heart to slow down.
"Where is Aoi?"
"She is currently berating a merchant in the weapons district over the price of explosive tags," Kisuke replied, folding his arms loosely into his long, flowing sleeves.
"Shohei-sensei has requested our immediate presence at the academy gates. The exams begin tomorrow, and he wishes to speak with us."
'Right.. the Chunin exams.'
[ *DING* ]
…..
....
The trio stood in a tight line beneath the shade of a massive tree near the Ninja Academy. Aoi stood with her arms crossed, her vibrant green eyes completely ablaze with competitive fire. She tapped her foot impatiently, radiating a fierce, borderline arrogant confidence.
Kisuke stood perfectly still beside her, his face devoid of any readable emotion, casually observing the academy students passing by. Jinichi stood quietly.
Shohei looked at his three students. His eyes were shadowed with exhaustion, and the deep lines around his mouth made him look older than his years.
"Tomorrow morning, you will enter Room 301," Shohei began, his voice low and deadly serious.
"I need you all to understand exactly what you are walking into. The Chunin Exams are not a friendly sparring tournament. They are a war zone."
Aoi scoffed lightly, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"Please, Sensei. After the grotto? A bunch of village Genin playing ninja isn't going to scare us. We're ready to crush them."
"Do not be foolish, Aoi!" Shohei snapped, his sudden volume making her flinch backward. "Arrogance on the battlefield is the quickest way to end up in a body bag. You survived the grotto by the skin of your teeth, and it nearly cost me all three of you. Do you think I want to send you into an exam where killing is not only allowed but occasionally encouraged?"
Aoi bit her lower lip, her fierce expression faltering as she looked away, suitably chastised.
Shohei let out a long, heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I was heavily against nominating you three. I believed I had pushed you all too hard, too fast."
Jinichi looked at his sensei, seeing the genuine guilt in the man's eyes.
"Why didn't you, Sensei?"
Shohei looked back up, meeting each of their gazes.
"Because despite my fears, you three proved something to me on that mission. You completed your objectives, and even though the mission went of the rails, even when your lives were threatened, you stood your ground.
You protected each other. And you survived an overwhelming force. You are rough, you are flawed, and you have entirely too much baggage..." He offered a small, proud smirk. "...but you are exceptional shinobi. If any rookie team from Konoha has the sheer grit to survive this exam, it is Team 13. Just... watch each other's backs. Trust in yourselves and your ability."
"We always do, Sensei," Kisuke said smoothly, bowing his head respectfully.
"Good," Shohei said, handing them each a stamped application form. "Go home. Rest your bodies. Tomorrow, the real test begins."
[ The Next day ]
The following morning, the Ninja Academy was completely transformed. What was normally a place of loud learning had become a tense, suffocating gathering ground for killers from all across the elemental nations.
Team Shohei walked down the second-floor hallway, navigating through a dense crowd of heavily armed, aggressive-looking Genin.
Jinichi looked ahead, noticing a large mob of Genin gathered around a set of doors labelled '201'. Two older Genin were blocking the path, violently knocking down anyone who tried to enter.
' I thought everyone was meant to go to room 301? Why is everyone gathered here?'
" Genjutsu." Jinichi muttered.
"Indeed, it is," Kisuke analysed calmly, barely sparing the crowd a glance. "We are only on the second floor. They cast a jutsu to masked the room number to appear as the third to candidates that walked up to the second floor."
"Let's just ignore them and go up," Aoi said, wanting to avoid unnecessary drama before the exam even started.
She led the way, bypassing the crowd and walking straight toward the staircase leading to the actual third floor. Instantly, the two Genin shifted, stepping squarely into their path to block the stairs. The taller one crossed his arms, sneering down at them.
"Where do you think you're going, runts? If you can't even get past us to enter the room, you might as well quit now."
Aoi's eyes narrowed, her hand twitching toward her weapon pouch.
"Move. We aren't falling for a pathetic second-floor genjutsu."
The older Genin scowled, his posture tightening for a strike.
"Listen here, you little—"
"She's right," a calm, slightly arrogant voice echoed through the hallway, interrupting the confrontation.
"Now, why don't you undo the genjutsu and let us pass? We're going to the real third floor."
Jinichi froze. He slowly turned his head.
Pushing his way to the front of the crowd, with his hands tucked casually into his pockets, was Sasuke Uchiha. Beside him was Sakura Haruno, who was projecting a surprisingly confident smirk, and Naruto Uzumaki, who was glaring intensely at the older Genin.
"Oh? So you noticed the illusion?" The older Genin scoffed. Without warning, he swung a heavy, blindingly fast kick aimed right at Sasuke's head. Sasuke reacted instantly, his eyes hardening as he raised his own leg to counter the strike.
But before their kicks could collide, a blur of green motion intercepted them.
Jinichi blinked in surprise as a boy in a green spandex jumpsuit, suddenly materialized between the two combatants, catching both of their powerful kicks with his bare hands. The sheer physical strength required to stop that momentum dead in its tracks sent a subtle shockwave through the hallway.
' Rock Lee, huh.'
Jinichi stepped back, watching the exchange with intrigue. He stood quietly with his team as the tension shifted.
"We are wasting time," Kisuke murmured, adjusting his wide sleeves.
"The illusion has been broken. We should proceed."
Jinichi nodded, tearing his gaze away from the escalating standoff.
"Right. Let's go."
They slipped past the lingering crowd, leaving the posturing Genin behind as they began their ascent up the stairwell to the actual third floor. But just as they reached the upper landing, a loud, passionate voice echoed up the stone corridor.
"I challenge you to a fight! Right here, right now!"
Jinichi paused mid-step. He recognized the cadence immediately. Lee was challenging Sasuke.
'Ah yes.. the famous no diff. the humbling moment of team 7.'
He walked over to the railing, peering down into the open atrium area where the confrontation was taking place. Aoi stopped beside him, leaning over the banister with a raised eyebrow, her curiosity instantly piqued.
Kisuke let out a soft sigh, before he positioned himself beside them, silently observing the altercation down below.
Down below, Lee struck a combat stance, declaring his intent to test his techniques against the legendary Uchiha bloodline.
Aoi scoffed, a confident smirk playing on her lips as she took in Lee's bright green spandex and bowl-cut hair.
"Look at him. He's completely unarmed and his enthusiasm will be the end of him. I give it a minute before the Uchiha breaks his jaw. Fifty ryo says Sasuke drops him without breaking a sweat."
Jinichi looked at her, fighting the urge to laugh.
' HAHA! If only she knew! You know what..this could be a good opportunity.'
He kept his expression neutral, offering a small shrug.
"I will take that bet," Jinichi said smoothly.
"Fifty ryo on the bowl-cut."
Aoi stared at him as if he had lost his mind, then grinned wickedly.
"Easy money, Jinichi."
Down below, the spar commenced. Sasuke charged forward, confident and focused, only to be instantly outmanoeuvred.
Jinichi watched closely as Lee's taijutsu completely overwhelmed the Uchiha.
Even when Sasuke desperately activated his Sharingan, tracking the movements with his newly awakened eyes, his physical body simply lacked the speed to react.
A heavy kick sent Sasuke flying, and Lee seamlessly pursued him into the air, preparing to execute the primary Lotus.
Aoi's confident smirk entirely vanished, replaced by wide-eyed disbelief.
"What... how is he moving that fast? The Uchiha can't even touch him."
"High levels of physical training and body conditioning," Kisuke noted dryly, though even his eyes tracked Lee with genuine interest.
Before Lee could finish his devastating technique, a pinwheel of weaponry embedded itself into the wall, followed by the abrupt, theatrical arrival of a giant tortoise, and shortly after, Might Guy himself.
The sudden appearance of the Jonin, loudly reprimanding his student with absurd, tear-filled drama, left the hallway in stunned silence.
Jinichi let out a quiet breath.
Down in the corridor, as Sasuke recovered from his brutal beating, he glanced upward. Naruto followed his teammate's gaze. For a brief second, their eyes locked onto Team Shohei watching from the upper landing. Sasuke's expression was a mixture of humiliation and intense frustration, while Naruto simply looked confused by the audience.
Jinichi didn't offer them a reaction. He simply turned to Aoi and extended his open palm.
Aoi glared at him, her eye twitching in mild irritation before she reached into her pouch and slapped a fifty-ryo coin into his hand.
"You got lucky," she grumbled, crossing her arms defensively.
"Observation is a core shinobi skill," Jinichi replied haughtily, pocketing the money with a faint, satisfied smirk.
"Come on. Let's get to Room 301."
When they finally pushed open the doors to the actual Room 301, the sheer wave of bloodlust and hostility that washed over them was physically staggering.
The massive classroom was packed with over a hundred Genin. Sound, Sand, Rain, Grass, and Leaf ninja all glared at each other with barely concealed murderous intent.
"Well," Aoi smirked, cracking her knuckles. Her nervousness vanished completely, replaced by a terrifying, predatory grin.
"This looks like a fun room."
They quickly found three empty seats near the middle of the room. As they settled in, Jinichi took stock of the major players. Across the room, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio were loudly arguing with Naruto's team.
But before he could observe the rest of the competition, a sharp, suffocating wave of killing intent spiked through the heavy air—and it was focused entirely on him.
The hair on the back of Jinichi's neck stood on end. It wasn't the ambient, general bloodlust that filled the classroom; this was a heavy, predatory weight bearing down directly on his shoulders. He slowly turned his head, tracing the suffocating pressure to a shadowed corner of the room.
Standing quietly by the wall, his arms crossed over a massive corked gourd, was Gaara. The red-haired boy's pale, ringed eyes were locked dead onto Jinichi, radiating an aura of pure, unadulterated hate.
Beside him, Kankuro and Temari were also staring directly at Jinichi, their expressions far more calculating, tracking his movements with interest.
Jinichi swallowed hard, forcing himself to casually break eye contact and turn forward again. His heart hammered a frantic rhythm against the heavy metal plate of his scarf.
'What the hell was that?' Jinichi thought, his mind racing.
'I've never even met them. Why is the Sand's psychotic weapon looking at me like I'm his primary target?'
[ *POOF* ]
Before he could dwell on the terrifying attention of the Sand siblings, a massive plume of white smoke erupted at the very front of the classroom, accompanied by a deafening bang.
The room instantly fell completely silent.
Standing at the front of the room, flanked by a dozen heavily scarred, terrifyingly stern Chunin, was Ibiki Morino. His massive frame, severely scarred face, and imposing black trench coat made him look less like an examiner and more like an executioner.
"Listen up, you maggots!" Ibiki roared, his deep voice rattling the windows. "My name is Ibiki Morino. I am the proctor for the first phase of the Chunin Selection Exams. From this moment forward, you will sit down, shut your mouths, and listen to my rules. Anyone who disobeys, argues, or steps out of line will fail immediately, and your entire team will be thrown out with you!"
The suffocating tension in the room doubled. Even Aoi stopped smirking, her posture stiffening under the sheer weight of Ibiki's killing intent.
"Hand over your paperwork at the front," Ibiki commanded, pointing to his Chunin assistants. "You will be given a number, which will dictate where you sit. Once everyone is seated, the written test will begin."
Jinichi took a slow, stabilizing breath. He knew exactly what this test was. It wasn't a test of academic knowledge; it was an intelligence-gathering exercise.
As they handed in their forms and were separated—Aoi forced to sit near the front, Kisuke near the back, and Jinichi wedged in the middle surrounded by Rain genin—he could still feel the phantom prickle of Gaara's gaze lingering in the back of his mind.
A thick, heavily stapled test paper was slapped facedown onto the desk in front of him.
Ibiki paced across the front of the room, his heavy boots clicking ominously against the wooden floorboards.
"There are several critical rules for this exam," Ibiki began, his voice dripping with sadistic glee. "Rule number one: You start with ten points. There are ten questions on the test. Each question you get wrong costs you one point. Rule number two: This is a team test. If the combined total of your team drops to zero, you all fail."
A collective gasp of outrage rippled through the room, but a sharp, terrifying glare from Ibiki instantly silenced it.
"Rule number three," Ibiki continued, leaning forward with a dark, predatory smile. "The guards lining the walls will be watching your every move. If you are caught cheating, you will be penalized two points for every infraction. If you lose all your points, you are out."
Jinichi looked down at the test paper, forcing his focus away from the Sand Genin and back onto the task at hand.
'He's outright telling us to cheat without getting caught,' Jinichi thought, a small, smirk touching his lips.
'Aoi is smart enough to answer most of the questions correctly, and Kisuke is probably already devising five different ways to steal the answers. I just need to play my part.'
"You have one hour," Ibiki declared, pulling a pocket watch from his coat and snapping it open.
"Begin!"