Before leaving for the exam briefing, Terumi Mei tested Ye Liangnai's chakra nature to pinpoint which ninjutsu would suit him best.
The result?
Primary Affinity: Water Style
Secondary Affinity: Lightning Style (latent, untapped).
"Hm. Water Style's your strongest suit," Mei said, her tone calm but edged with authority. "I'll teach you Hidden Mist Jutsu and Water Clone Jutsu. They'll mesh well with your swordsmanship."
She handed him a blue scroll, its edges worn from use. "My personal notes are in there. Follow them exactly, and you'll pick it up fast. I've got to attend the exam briefing, so you're on your own for now. Questions? Save 'em for when I'm back."
With that, she was gone, her auburn hair vanishing through the courtyard gate.
Ye Liangnai knew she was headed to a high-level meeting about the graduation exam. Every Jonin in Kirigakure was required to attend, no exceptions.
Clutching the scroll, his crimson eyes gleamed with excitement. "Hidden Mist Jutsu and Water Clone Jutsu, huh? Not bad at all."
He wasted no time, unfurling the scroll and diving into its contents. Thanks to his high-grade talent boost—on par with prodigies like Uchiha Sasuke—learning was almost effortless. The techniques clicked in his mind like pieces of a puzzle.
Ten minutes later, he'd grasped the fundamentals.
Half an hour later, he could perform both jutsu flawlessly.
A system prompt flickered in his vision, cold and mechanical.
Ding! Detecting newly acquired jutsu: Hidden Mist Jutsu & Water Clone Jutsu! First-time enhancement requires 1000 points each!
Ye Liangnai glanced at the requirement. "2000 points? That's nothing."
One sword swing equaled one enhancement point. A little over an hour of training would cover it.
Without hesitation, he gripped his Hundred-Refined Katana and began swinging, each stroke precise and unrelenting. The blade hummed through the air, a rhythm of steel and will.
One hour later, the system chimed again.
Ding! Enhancement successful.
Hidden Mist Jutsu (C-Rank) → Upgraded to B-Rank!
Effect: Severely reduces enemy perception, completely blocks vision, and subtly distorts sound transmission.
Remaining Enhancement Attempts: 3
Water Clone Jutsu (C-Rank) → Upgraded to B-Rank!
Effect: Less chakra consumption, faster activation, clones mimic host with near-perfect realism.
Remaining Enhancement Attempts: 2
Ye Liangnai clenched his fist, feeling the jutsu settle into his core like a second heartbeat. The control was sharper, the execution smoother. But without a sparring partner, he couldn't gauge their true power.
No matter. Mei would be back soon. He'd test them against her.
While Ye Liangnai trained, Terumi Mei faced a different kind of battle. The exam briefing had just ended, and as she stepped into the corridor, a grating voice slithered after her.
"Terumi Mei, I hear your little brother's in this year's exam." The speaker smirked, his tone dripping with sleaze. "Want me to… give him a hand? Just say the word. One night with me, and I'll make sure he passes."
Mei froze, her emerald eyes icing over. She turned slowly to face the man—Chinda Takaya, son of a village elder, his arrogance as thick as his entitlement.
Her voice was a blade, cold and cutting. "Chinda Takaya, you really think you're worth my time?"
Without waiting for a reply, she walked away, her steps deliberate, her aura a warning.
Takaya's face darkened, his fists clenching. "Ungrateful bitch," he muttered, eyes glinting with malice. "Let's see how long you stay so high and mighty."
The exchange didn't go unnoticed. Kirigakure's shinobi whispered among themselves, sensing the storm brewing. Takaya was a man who thrived on power plays. Mei was a force who bowed to no one. A clash was inevitable—and it wouldn't end quietly.
That night, Mei returned home, her expression a mix of exhaustion and resolve. Stepping into the courtyard, she spotted Ye Liangnai mid-swing, his katana flashing under the moonlight.
She crossed her arms, frowning. "The exam's tomorrow, Ye Liangnai. I just taught you those Water Style jutsu for survival, and you're still obsessing over your sword?"
Her tone carried a sharp edge, irritation masking her worry. She'd been on edge all day, haunted by the thought of him facing Kirigakure's brutal test. Was he taking this seriously at all?
Ye Liangnai stopped, wiping sweat from his brow. A sly grin spread across his face. "Big sis, why don't you test me instead?"
Mei's brows lifted. "…What?"
His grin widened, brash and confident. "You think I'm slacking, right? Let's have a match. If I prove I've mastered the jutsu, you teach me more techniques. Deal?"
Mei's eyes narrowed, her instincts prickling. Something was different about him—his confidence wasn't just bravado. "…Fine," she said after a beat, her voice low. "Show me you're not all talk."
Her fingers flashed through seals. "Water Style: Water Colliding Wave!"
A roaring torrent surged forward, a wall of water that could pulverize stone. It tore toward Ye Liangnai, ripping up the ground in its wake.
He stood his ground, unflinching.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
A thick veil of mist erupted, swallowing the courtyard in an instant. Darkness descended, heavy and oppressive.
Mei's eyes sharpened. This mist…! Her vision was obliterated, and worse—her hearing warped. Her own breaths sounded distant, while faint noises seemed to come from all directions.
Before she could react, a sharp gust brushed past her. Ye Liangnai's blade sliced through her attack, parting the water like silk.
Then—
"Behind you."
Her instincts screamed. She spun, kunai raised—but no one was there.
A cold edge pressed lightly against her shoulder.
"Checkmate, sis."
The mist faded. Mei stood frozen, staring at her brother in disbelief. "You… mastered this in one day? And at this level?"
Ye Liangnai grinned, all swagger. "Want to see my Water Clone Jutsu next?"
She nodded, still grappling with what she'd witnessed.
He formed a seal. "Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!"
Three identical clones materialized in a heartbeat, their movements fluid, lifelike. Mei's jaw tightened. Faster than my own casting speed?
She studied the clones, her shock deepening. They weren't just fast—they moved with a naturalness that made them nearly indistinguishable from the real Ye Liangnai. This wasn't standard Water Clone Jutsu. It was refined, honed to a terrifying degree.
Did he… enhance it somehow?
Mei looked at him, her gaze piercing. This wasn't the fumbling boy from two weeks ago. She barely recognized him.
Ye Liangnai dismissed the clones and flashed a cheeky grin. "So, sis, how about some genjutsu? Mix it with my swordsmanship, and I'll be unstoppable."
Mei's lips twitched, a mix of amusement and disbelief. A month ago, she'd have laughed at the idea. Now? She nodded without hesitation. "…Alright. If it makes you stronger, I'm in."
Across the village, in a dimly lit room, Chinda Takaya spoke in a low, venomous tone. "Don't worry. That loser Ye Liangnai? 'Teaching him a lesson' will be child's play."
A scar-faced boy smirked and nodded. "Consider it done, Lord Takaya."
Meanwhile, in Kirigakure's shadows, three figures prepared for the exam.
"Graduation exam, huh?" A silver-haired boy with shark-like teeth cracked his knuckles, a feral grin spreading. "Time for some real carnage." Hozuki Suigetsu, the second coming of the Demon at just nine years old.
A nervous boy with goggles clenched his fists, his voice trembling. "This exam… it's terrifying." Chojuro, future wielder of Hiramekarei and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
A red-haired girl sneered, her eyes glinting with malice. "Don't be weak, losers." Ringo Ameyuri, future master of the Thunder Swords, Kiba.
The next day, Ye Liangnai arrived at the exam site: Kirigakure's infamous Mist Forest. The rules were simple, brutal, absolute.
Survive.
No restrictions. No boundaries. Fighting, ambushing, killing—all fair game. Walk out alive, and you pass. Fail, and there's no second chance.
Ye Liangnai exhaled, his grip tightening on his katana. Let's do this.
The deadly graduation exam had begun.