Chapter 103: Resurrection Coin
[Incorrect Answer]
"Wrong?"
Onoki's expression turned grim. It wasn't about the points or losing the silver material—after all, Iwagakure didn't even have a clan token.
But as the oldest Kage present, being stumped by a question like this was still a bit embarrassing.
[Correct Answer]
Suddenly, the correct answer appeared in the arena.
[Question: How did examinee Uzumaki Naruto pass the exam?]
Answer: He did nothing.
All the players looked stunned, breaking into loud outcries as they began criticizing Konoha.
"I saw it clearly—Uzumaki Naruto wore a Konoha forehead protector, and yet he passed the exam doing absolutely nothing. Disgusting! That village gives its own people special treatment!"
"What's the point of a Chūnin Exam like this?"
"The great nations oppress the small ones, and now even the Chūnin Exams are rigged! The big villages steal from the small ones!"
The other Kage said nothing, silently enjoying the show.
Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly stepped forward to explain, "Everyone, Konoha has always cherished peace and fairness. We would never resort to favoritism or cheating. This must be a misunderstanding."
As he finished, he stole a nervous glance at Ibiki Morino.
As the proctor in the video, he hoped Ibiki wouldn't make Konoha lose face.
"Did I… cheat?"
Feeling the weight of countless malicious glares, Ibiki broke into a cold sweat, beginning to doubt himself.
[Please Watch the Answer]
The video resumed, and the previously cut scene was revealed.
After Ibiki explained the rules for the bonus question, many examinees couldn't take the pressure and raised their hands to give up.
On his desk, Naruto's paper was still completely blank.
He slowly raised his hand to forfeit, but suddenly slammed it onto the desk.
"Even if I stay a Genin forever, I'm not giving up… I have to stick to what I said. That's my ninja way!"
The truth was revealed.
Ibiki let out a sigh of relief and murmured, "I didn't expect him to withstand my mental pressure. What strong resolve."
The rest of the players stopped complaining.
If they were in his shoes, facing such a psychological test with a blank paper, very few among them would have had the guts to say something like that.
"Who answered it correctly?"
Everyone began scanning the area until their eyes landed on a short-haired girl with the Byakugan.
Hinata Hyuga.
Feeling the weight of everyone's stares, Hinata blushed and instinctively explained, "I just felt that… even if Naruto-kun couldn't do the written test, he would never give up…"
Hiashi Hyuga furrowed his brow slightly and asked in a low voice, "Hinata… do you have feelings for the Nine-Tails jinchūriki?"
Normally,
He would have stopped his daughter from getting close to Uzumaki Naruto. As a member of the Hyuga clan—even if the Byakugan couldn't control the Nine-Tails—getting too close to its jinchūriki was not wise.
But now, he said nothing.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's prestige had plummeted. One more misstep, and even a respected war hero like him wouldn't be able to control everything. The Hyuga clan needed a backup plan.
Asuma's dark face flushed with excitement. He clenched his fists tightly.
He couldn't wait for the exam to end. He rushed to the Hyuga clan's spectator area, eager to speak with Hiashi Hyuga.
In the dueling arena,
The players began to move forward. With so many already eliminated, there were still enough spots on the second level of tiles despite their reduced number.
"Looks like as we go forward, the players will eventually be forced into conflict."
One player caught onto the key.
The farther ahead they moved, the fewer tiles there would be. Eventually, they would have to face each other.
They continued rolling the dice.
Uzumaki Naruto once again emitted a dazzling golden glow.
"…"
Twice in a row?
The remaining players, busy fending off increasingly stronger monsters, gave Naruto odd looks.
Fang Yi felt a surge of primal energy attach itself to Naruto as he rolled the dice.
It boosted his luck, and once the roll ended, that energy was absorbed by Fang Yi himself.
[Golden Critical Hit]
Reward: Resurrection Coin ×1
Requirement: Watch the video and answer the related question correctly.
There was no time to question Naruto's relationship with the Game Merchant. Everyone held their breath, afraid to miss a second of the video.
[Video Playback Started]
The first scene: rain.
Steel-forged buildings gave the country a cold, lifeless atmosphere, like a forest of metal rejecting the warmth of human flesh. Lives could vanish at any moment on these streets.
Barren resources. Endless rain.
Three frail figures huddled together, struggling to survive in this war-torn land.
"The Land of Rain!"
A ninja shouted.
Most of the shinobi present were seasoned veterans who had carried out missions across many regions—including the Land of Rain.
The scenery in the video was unmistakable. Nowhere else in the ninja world experienced constant rainfall like that country.
"I want to change this world. I want to bring peace to the ninja world!"
Like the blond kid in the last video, the one speaking now was another bright-haired boy, full of energy and dreams.
Beside him, a red-haired child looked at him in admiration and whispered, "Isn't that like being a god?"
"Exactly—a god. If civilians can't save the people, then I'll become a ninja. And if even a ninja can't do it, then I'll become the god of a new world—bringing peace to the ninja world so no one has to cry because of war."
After saying that,
The kids put on ragged cloaks they found on the roadside and set off in search of a teacher among the ninja.
"They're dreaming of becoming gods? What arrogance."
"They don't know their place. Just some orphaned brats. They don't understand the power of true shinobi. Even someone like Hashirama Senju couldn't bring lasting peace. What hope do they have?"
Watching the confident words of the blond boy in the video, most of the ninja couldn't help but feel irritated.
They were orphans who couldn't even fill their stomachs—kids who could die in the streets tomorrow.
Yet they had the nerve to dream bigger than any of them ever dared. Wasn't that just stupidity?
"They… look familiar."
Disguised as a Kusagakure ninja, Orochimaru flicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes.
He didn't recognize the red-haired kid, but the other two bore an uncanny resemblance to the leader and White Tiger of the terrifying organization he had left behind—Akatsuki.
So this video must be from the Second Great Ninja War?
How interesting.
"Yahiko, Nagato, and… Konan?"
In a corner of the viewing stands, Jiraiya's eyes grew complicated.
He never expected to see the three students he had long lost touch with.
What would come next
Was probably the moment they met him, and he began teaching them ninjutsu.
Sure enough, the video continued.
The kids encountered the Sannin—on their way back to the village after the war. Jiraiya took them in and began teaching them.
"So it was you, Jiraiya!"
Back in his prison cell, now awake in Konoha's hospital, Danzo still kept his lines of communication with the outside world open.
When he saw the contents of the video sent back through a special summoning beast, his fury exploded.
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