As was common among members of the Akimichi clan, Touwo had a chubby figure, with a simple and honest smile.
Gen took a quick glance at him and smiled: "This test only requires two badges. Having too many is useless. I only did it because I was forced to."
As he spoke, his eyes landed on the five badges lined up on Touwo's chest. There was no doubt—he had passed the test without any trouble.
"You're too modest. This is proof of your strength. It may not be useful for the exam, but when you return to the village, it will have its value," Touwo sighed and then added in a meaningful tone.
Hearing this, Gen gave a slight smile.
He knew exactly what he meant.
Capturing more badges during this test had no direct purpose in the exam, but the meaning behind them was clear: they represented the number of enemies eliminated.
Passing or failing the Chūnin exam was only a secondary objective. What truly mattered was reducing the number of new ninjas from the other villages.
Gen had accumulated so many badges that his contribution to the secret elimination mission was undeniable. Upon returning to the village, he would receive rewards in accordance with his performance.
As they waited, he and Touwo talked calmly.
Time passed slowly. Every so often, someone else arrived, but the number remained low.
After a quarter of an hour, only about a dozen people had gathered at the entrance of the forest.
Moreover, they were all from the Five Great Villages.
The few ninjas from smaller villages who had managed to enter the second exam… were not among those who returned.
"Reiko, have you seen Kuu?"
Gen observed the area in silence, but as the minutes passed, he frowned slightly and turned to look at Reiko, who was standing beside him.
She had also managed to return.
Although she hadn't obtained enough badges, at least she had come back safe and sound. But Kuu, the strongest in their group, had yet to appear.
"No, I haven't seen him at any moment." Reiko shook her head with a worried expression.
The forest was vast. Unless someone intentionally searched for another person, it was difficult to meet up.
If you hadn't formed a team with someone, even if you knew them well, there was no reason to go out of your way to look for them.
Gen nodded slightly but said nothing more.
All he could do was wait, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the forest.
Kuu had the strength of an Elite Chūnin, enough to compete with the geniuses of his generation. However, this exam was full of unpredictable variables. If luck wasn't on his side, he could still end up in a life-or-death situation.
Hanyue was proof of that. His level was close to that of a Jōnin, but even that hadn't been enough for him to survive. Gen had killed him without giving him a chance.
Some time passed before more figures began emerging from the forest, one after another.
!
Suddenly, Gen noticed something that made him frown.
It wasn't the person himself that caught his attention, but the badge he carried on his chest.
The number engraved on it was 113.
And that number was the badge number that Kuu had.
"Captain, Kuu's badge… that guy has it."
He wasn't the only one who noticed. Reiko, standing beside him, also saw it and quickly whispered to him.
"I saw it..." Gen's face darkened.
He coldly stared at the person who had Kuu's badge, and the worst part was… he knew him.
"?! "
Kisame had just arrived at the entrance when he felt that icy gaze on him.
He turned his eyes and saw Gen watching him with a chilling coldness.
"Gen Uchiha... is it because of this badge...?"
Of course, Kisame knew who he was. Kirigakure had gathered information on the strongest candidates from other villages, and Gen Uchiha was Konoha's prodigy, the one who held the top rank.
But that gaze… it wasn't just about the badge.
A chill ran down his spine. Instinctively, he lowered his gaze and brought a hand to his chest, touching the badge marked with the number 113.
The same one he had taken from another Uchiha.
And in the process… he had also killed him.
…
An hour after the signal flare was fired, Neil, the test supervisor, arrived at the forest entrance.
"Time's up! I officially announce that the second exam is over!" he immediately declared upon his arrival.
The return time had ended. It didn't matter if some still had badges but hadn't managed to come back—they couldn't wait any longer.
"He still hasn't returned...?" Gen's eyes darkened.
Among the candidates who had made it back, many had lost their badges but managed to survive, yet up until that moment, there had been no sign of Kuu.
The possibility that he had simply failed to return existed, but it was slim.
He hadn't known him for long, but that didn't matter. As his captain and clanmate, he couldn't ignore the possibility that Kuu had been killed.
A cold, murderous instinct began to surface in his chest.
"Now, all those who have gathered the badges, step forward for the count!" After the announcement, Neil shouted again.
Gen closed his eyes for a moment, suppressing his bloodlust, and stepped forward along with the other candidates who had managed to collect the required badges.
Of the nearly thirty people who had emerged from the forest, only nine had the necessary badges.
Among them, Konoha and Kirigakure had two representatives each.
Sunagakure and Iwagakure had only one each.
Kumogakure had the highest number, with a total of three.
Shortly after, the Cloud personnel began counting the badges.
Gen unfastened his cloak and took his badges from his chest, handing them over to the examiner. As he did, his gaze swept over the representatives from the other villages.
At his side, needless to say, was Touwo Akimichi.
From Kirigakure, besides Hoshigaki Kisame, the other qualifier was a delicate-looking girl.
From Sunagakure, a woman with a headscarf.
From Iwagakure, a man with spiky hair.
And from Kumogakure…
Besides Killer B, the other two were a man and a woman.
The man had a sturdy build, dark skin, and rough features.
The woman, in contrast, had fair skin and refined beauty, with a long sword strapped across her back.
________
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! 💖