Haseo was someone fatefully connected to the Fire Daimyo. He had always gotten along well with the previous Daimyo, and even more so with the new one... Haseo had even helped set up [Defensive Barriers] for the Daimyo, and though he had been paid, wasn't that still a gesture of friendship?
Possibly due to political intentions and a desire to further establish his presence to solidify his position, the newly appointed Fire Daimyo, Jinbo Hisahito, had personally come to Konoha to observe this Jonin Exam.
As an acquaintance of the Daimyo, Haseo stepped forward to greet him and received a warm response from the Daimyo himself.
One could say Hisahito was indeed quite decent. Having lived through his share of life's struggles, he naturally came to understand a few things about people... At the very least, since becoming the Daimyo, he hadn't changed his attitude toward others—treating people just as he always had.
This alone was already quite rare.
After all, human emotions aren't easy to control. Most people tend to get big-headed when they go from rags to riches or suddenly rise to power.
However, the Daimyo hadn't swelled with pride, which might also have been because he knew that being overly arrogant might cause him to burst unexpectedly.
Once Haseo had greeted the Daimyo, he politely stepped aside. Nothing else could be done—such was life when you didn't hold high rank.
Although the Daimyo was merely here to observe, he was still the Daimyo. Therefore, the Third Hokage would certainly accompany him afterward.
After a month-long preliminary round, only eight Chunin teams made it to the final stage of the exam. According to Haseo's prior understanding, the final exam not only required ninja to demonstrate their abilities but also limited the number of qualified candidates... This time, at most, no more than four would pass.
Being promoted to Jonin was not only recognition of one's strength but also a symbol of status, representing the highest normal rank a ninja could achieve, so the quota was strictly controlled.
Worthless things are worthless anywhere—when something's everywhere, it's worth nothing at all.
As for the ninja who failed the final exam, those with good fortune could try again next time, while those less fortunate might be assessed for ability and directly promoted to Tokubetsu Jonin.
Becoming a Tokubetsu Jonin was naturally not a favorable outcome. At present, there was no official system for Tokubetsu Jonin to advance to regular Jonin. After all, in name, both ranks were equal, so without an established hierarchical relationship, how could it be called a "promotion"? Still, there remained substantial differences in actual power and standing between the two.
If you can become a full Jonin, why settle for a "special" one?
In other words, once becoming a Tokubetsu Jonin, one would practically never lose the title of "special." A ninja could technically decline such a promotion, but that was only surface-level—if examiners, or even the reviewing committee represented by the Hokage, deemed a ninja suitable only for Tokubetsu Jonin, it essentially implied their judgment that the individual lacked the talent necessary to become a proper Jonin.
For this kind of exam, passing straight off the bat was the best-case scenario. Getting rejected and forced to retake it later was second-best. Becoming a Tokubetsu Jonin ranked even lower, while being outright dismissed with no chance of reapplying was the absolute worst. For squads that had survived the brutal first round, though, that last outcome was practically impossible. So in reality, the worst possible result was being labeled a Tokubetsu Jonin.
In a semi-outdoor training field, all the teams who passed the first round gathered together.
The examinees stood below, while above them loomed the viewing platform. The Third Hokage and the Daimyo naturally occupied the central seats on the stand, while Haseo quietly positioned himself in an inconspicuous corner.
These exams were smaller but brutal, with none of the flashy showmanship of later Chunin Exams.
Among the qualified examinees, Haseo naturally spotted Sakumo Hatake's team of four. If Kagenami's squad couldn't even clear such a basic preliminary screening, then maybe Haseo should start thinking about retirement.
At this moment, everyone—including Sakumo—who had passed the first round wore expressions of exhaustion.
All exams ultimately came down to suffering and hardship, and selecting Jonin-level ninja meant pushing shinobi to their very limits. Even if Haseo himself took part in such a test, he wouldn't find it easy. After all, if you didn't sweat blood, how could you prove you deserved to be a Jonin?
Still, compared to the complicated preliminary stage, the upcoming examination was actually simpler and more straightforward. The preliminaries tested a ninja's overall ability and adaptability in unpredictable situations, while the final selection focused on just one essential quality—combat effectiveness.
Soon after, the proctor announced the content of the final exam: direct team-based combat. But instead of a fair bracket-style duel between two random teams, it would be an eight-squad free-for-all—the 'Grand Melee.'
Then the specific rules were also revealed:
"First, the time limit is thirty minutes.
Second, when time runs out, only one team may remain standing on the battlefield. Otherwise, all will fail.
Third, those who qualify as Jonin will be decided by the examiner committee, and they don't necessarily have to come from the winning team.
Fourth, any deaths or permanent injuries sustained during combat are considered acceptable within reasonable bounds, and no legal responsibility will be imposed.
Fifth, fleeing the battlefield, cowardice, or voluntary surrender is strictly forbidden. Minor violations will result in permanent removal from the ninja ranks, while severe cases will face heavy punitive measures."
On the surface, the exam seemed somewhat inhumane. But this was a test designed for selecting elite ninja—it couldn't afford to be soft-hearted. Much of what appeared warm and comforting in the ninja village was merely illusion. Tear it away, and beneath lay nothing but cold, unfeeling truth.
Hard as iron, and dark as congealed blood.
Even if they failed to become Jonin, every examinee present was a carefully cultivated elite ninja, raised through years of intense training and sacrifice. Yet now, the village allowed some to kill others—a classic practice of ruthless culling, where individuals were pitted against each other to determine the strongest.
Under these rules, if Haseo himself were taking the test, he'd probably start off with his ultimate move right away… Killing or injuring others might seem morally wrong, but if the rules allow it, then it becomes justified.
However, if the opponents were from the same village, including Hatake, Kagenami ninja wouldn't go all out.
Although killing was allowed, it didn't mean they had to kill others. Despite the generally cold relationships among ninja, being overly bloodthirsty wouldn't leave a good impression on the Hokage.
Regardless of the rules, Haseo had great confidence in the Kagenami squad. Although the participants included those with Sharingan and Byakugan, when it came to dealing with sword techniques, jutsu, and sealing arts, these dojutsu couldn't offer much specific advantage.
It all depended on how the ninja performed.
When the examiner announced the start of the exam, something surprising happened—every single squad immediately went after the Kagenami squad together as if on cue...
Was this a biased referee decision? Was there a hidden conspiracy?
Konoha's two most powerful dojutsu users actually teamed up against a few young ninja. Did they have any shame at all?
Haseo was just about to file a complaint with the organizing committee when he quickly realized that during the preliminary rounds, the Kagenami squad must have done something revealing their strength, making other teams view them as top threats and prioritize eliminating them.
But regardless, fighting against seven teams was still quite difficult. Fortunately, Hatake recently had experience fed to him through Hanzo's training and should have improved further, while his current opponents were still chunin.
Haseo focused entirely on the battle in the arena, unaware that one ninja silently approached the Third Hokage and whispered something into his ear.
Then one team charged toward where Hatake was stationed. The Kagenami squad could only retreat while counterattacking. But once they cleared their position and their enemies passed through that area, it was as if suddenly hitting the brakes—the ninja were instantly immobilized.
Black strip-like patterns appeared on their bodies, clearly indicating the [Binding Curse Technique]... This clearly showed that Sakumo Hatake was nothing but a joke. When it comes to ninjutsu, only the Uzumaki can be mentioned.
At this moment, the Third Hokage said something to the daimyo before leaving the scene, which finally caught Haseo's attention.
Yet just after a short while, the Third Hokage returned, as if he'd just stepped out for a quick bathroom run.
Haseo became thoughtful. From what he remembered, whenever exams began in Konoha, some unfortunate incidents always occurred.
He saw the Third Hokage secretly giving him a hand signal. Understanding immediately, Haseo nodded slightly and exited the examination grounds.
Upon reaching outside the training field, he noticed the Third Hokage already standing beside the entrance along with another Anbu ninja reporting updates... The Hokage sure knew how to pull a fast one—leaving a shadow clone behind to keep the daimyo distracted.
"Hokage-sama, what's happening?"
The Third Hokage nodded and asked Haseo, "Earlier, when you passed through the Land of Rice Fields on your way to a mission in the Land of Lightning, did you notice anything off about their ninja village?"
"No, I merely passed through... They gave me no attention, so I returned the favor and paid them no mind either," Haseo replied. Ninja typically went straight through without even greeting the local hosts while executing missions.
"Actually, the village in the Land of Rice Fields may have already vanished."
The Hokage delivered the latest report while Haseo watched closely.
"Disappeared? What do you even mean by that?" Haseo followed up.
"It means it exploded."
"Exploded?!"
"Yeah, blown to pieces."
What the hell? Just spit it out already!
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