Waiting
After the first round of the Chūnin Exams, Shirō and his teammates exited the exam hall together. None of them looked particularly anxious or disappointed—it was clear they had all performed well.
This wasn't surprising. Everyone selected to participate had been carefully hand-picked. Konoha wouldn't send anyone to the exams just to embarrass themselves.
Therefore, most were expected to pass the first round.
Well—except for Kosuke. His elimination had always seemed inevitable.
Afterward, Shirō and his team returned to their lodgings to rest and wait for the results.
The written exams still needed grading, and the organizers also had to decide on the matchups for the second round. Unlike Naruto's era, where more advanced systems helped streamline the process, things were still done manually at this point in history. Careful planning was required to avoid strong teams clashing too early.
As such, the wait dragged on.
During this lull, Shirō and his teammates refrained from intensive training, not knowing when the second phase would be announced. However, while strenuous activity was paused, mental cultivation was still on the table.
So, Shirō pulled out one of his treasured scrolls on Magecraft and began studying again. Recently, he had made significant progress in his understanding of a specific magecraft: a system that could detect and channel power from underground Spirit Veins—a core component in Type-Moon's magical infrastructure.
Mastering this would be a game-changer. If he succeeded, Shirō could begin constructing his first Magic Workshop.
The general concept was as follows: first, he would locate a Spirit Vein and secure the area with a warning barrier. Then, he would use the specialized magecraft to draw magical energy from the leyline into his workshop. With that, he could stabilize and even power Projection-based constructs like Rho Aias or Ruler Breaker, extending their duration or reducing the energy toll.
Of course, it was still a hypothesis.
Whether his Magecraft system would accept magical energy channeled from external sources like Spirit Veins was unproven. If it didn't work, he would have to go back to the drawing board.
Still, it was worth pursuing. Learning was never wasted—and for Shirō, each new mystery in Magecraft brought genuine excitement.
He devoted every spare moment to studying.
Fortunately, effort bore fruit. He was already close to mastering the Spirit Vein channeling spell, and he pushed himself further, determined to gain a deeper understanding before the next round.
Of course, his teammates weren't idle either. Every participant here was an elite—either by birth, skill, or grit. They weren't just talented; they had the self-discipline to match it.
Well... maybe not Shikamaru.
Minato was currently refining his grasp of the Flying Thunder God Technique. Although he had activated it once during a mission, he was still far from mastering its complex spatial formulas and instant application.
Tai Yi, meanwhile, was studying the intricacies of the Sharingan's Genjutsu capabilities, sharpening his illusions for precision and mental resilience.
Shikamaru sat with his eyes closed, giving off the appearance of someone dozing off—but knowing him, he was likely meditating or cultivating his mental energy.
In Shirō's past life, Shikamaru would've been that annoyingly gifted guy who joked around during class and still scored top marks in every test.
He probably had a 200 IQ and still studied in secret. It was unfair, but geniuses like him put in just as much effort—you just didn't always see it.
---
Around 3 p.m., the results finally arrived.
As expected, everyone from Konoha passed—except Kosuke.
Even though Shirō had predicted it, Kosuke's failure still came as a surprise. He had assumed Konoha wouldn't send anyone who'd underperform. But thinking about it more, Shirō realized they probably saw Kosuke as expendable. A morale placeholder, not a competitor.
Looking over at Minato, Shirō could sense that the higher-ups were betting everything on Flying Thunder God to make a statement.
Still, it wasn't his concern. He wasn't competing against Minato—at least not yet.
---
Along with the results came the battle schedule for the second round.
Eighteen teams had advanced. The round was structured as one-on-one team battles, with nine winners proceeding to the third and final phase.
Shirō's team was matched against a squad from the Hidden Rain Village—thankfully not the one led by Hanzō's protégés. That particular team had been drawn against Sunagakure's ace team, and their odds didn't look good.
That Suna team was backed by considerable financial and logistical support, and their skills were known to be brutal.
Minato's team was lucky. Their opponents were just wandering ninja—not affiliated with any major village—so the outcome was all but decided.
The other two Konoha teams weren't so fortunate. One was drawn against Sunagakure, and the other against Takigakure (Hidden Waterfall). Both matchups were risky.
In particular, the team facing Sunagakure was doomed from the start. Their enemy included none other than Sasori of the Red Sand.
Even as a child, Sasori was a prodigy—exceptionally gifted in puppet mastery. Under Chiyo's guidance, his deadly efficiency had already begun to surface.
The Takigakure match would also be tough. Despite being a smaller nation, they were known for unpredictable tactics and dangerous Jutsu. For a team of freshly graduated Genin, the odds weren't favorable.
As Shirō skimmed the remaining matchups, one amusing case caught his eye: the Hidden Hot Water Village.
Two of their teams had been matched against each other. This meant that at least one team from a minor village would be guaranteed advancement to the third round—a stroke of good fortune for them.
If they'd faced anyone else, they'd likely have been swept aside.
Overall, the matchups were interesting, but Shirō and his team only paid attention to the battles involving Sunagakure and Iwagakure—the major threats. Everyone else was background noise.
They all memorized the times of those key matches and then set the schedule aside.
---
Afterward, Shirō returned to his room and began preparing for the upcoming battle.
But instead of practicing Ninjutsu, he focused on Projection—specifically, forging kunai and chakra-based weapons.
This time, however, it wasn't about recording Ninjutsu. He already had those memorized.
No—what he sought now was combat experience.
He had discovered something remarkable while practicing the Meditation Method: when in a meditative state, the feedback and absorption of projected combat experience were significantly more effective.
So now, Shirō immersed himself in Projection—not just to materialize weapons, but to relive countless battles etched into them. It was a cheat code, really—compressing years of experience into moments of reflection.
Previously, digesting so much combat data would've taken months. But with his current skill and meditation synergy, he estimated he could absorb 20% of that accumulated experience before the second round began.
That might not sound like much—but it was equivalent to the combat insight of ten trained ninja.
In terms of raw stats, that leap would push Shirō from mid-level Chūnin to the threshold of Elite Chūnin.
And with his magecraft added in, he could already stand shoulder to shoulder with an average Jōnin.
Not defeat one—not yet. His chakra reserves, stamina, and physical durability still fell short. But in terms of technique, reaction, and versatility?
He was getting close.
And he was only just beginning.