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*****
So, the Chunin Exams are about to begin… For Ximen Zhen, the Chunin Exams were just a formality.
The one-on-one elimination matches later on might be slightly more interesting. He was curious to see whether his presence would alter any of the original matchups.
The rest of it would just be about shining during the Konoha Crush Plan, and then figuring out how to deal with Tsunade afterward.
That problem, in fact, was quite simple—Ximen Zhen already had a plan in mind.
[The Chunin Exams have begun. You didn't reveal the questions to your teammates beforehand, as you believed this would be a valuable life experience for them. You quietly answered the written test to assess your understanding of basic ninja knowledge, and it turns out your score was pretty good.]
[Encouraged by Naruto's declaration—"Even if I'm a Genin for life, I'll still become Hokage"—many participants stayed and answered Ibiki Morino's final question: a wrong answer would mean permanent disqualification from ever taking the Chunin Exams again.]
[The second phase started soon after. You led your team into Training Ground 44—the Forest of Death. Although Team 8 wasn't particularly strong, each member had scouting abilities, and you were no exception.]
[You easily defeated weaker opponents to seize their scrolls and avoided battles with stronger enemies. Within just an hour, your team collected both the Heaven and Earth Scrolls.]
[At your suggestion, instead of rushing to the tower at the forest's center, your team used your combined scouting abilities to gather intelligence on other teams. As a result, you witnessed Orochimaru planting the Cursed Seal on Sasuke, and Gaara's murderous rampage.]
[Additionally, you discovered Karin during the process and confirmed that she had entered this year's Chunin Exams. However, due to her lackluster skills and being separated from her teammates, she failed to qualify for the next round.]
Seeing this, Ximen Zhen's lips curled into a faint smile.
That could be considered another major gain from this simulation.
Ximen Zhen hadn't forgotten about Karin—her Uzumaki lineage was something he deeply coveted. Especially since Karin herself was very easy to win over.
The only remaining issue would be how to handle her identity after saving her during the Chunin Exams.
But that wasn't something Ximen Zhen needed to worry about right now. By the time the real Chunin Exams rolled around, he might already have the status and authority to handle it.
[Your team was the last to pass the second phase. To your surprise, Kabuto Yakushi didn't withdraw from the exam. The matchups were drawn quickly, and most of them aligned with your memories. Your opponent? None other than Kabuto, who chose not to forfeit.]
Ximen Zhen frowned slightly at this.
Kabuto's true purpose for entering the Chunin Exams was to gather intelligence on other villages' ninjas—especially Sasuke.
He could've easily watched the elimination matches as a spectator and had no need to fight personally. That's why he had originally withdrawn, using an injury as an excuse.
So why didn't he forfeit this time? Was he targeting me?
Ximen Zhen thought it was quite possible. Perhaps his identity as Tsunade's successor had provoked Kabuto, who was also a medical ninja confident in his own skills?
[The match proceeded as expected, and the results didn't differ much from your memory. However, during Rock Lee's match, you advised Guy to prioritize Lee's health over victory. Taking your advice, Guy intervened before Lee suffered serious injuries.]
[You treated Lee's injuries on the spot, and your medical techniques attracted significant attention—rivaling the excitement of the matches themselves. Kabuto stood silently watching from the sidelines, but you could tell he had developed murderous intent toward you.]
Ximen Zhen stroked his chin… Was this guy jealous of me?
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
Kabuto considered himself the inheritor of Orochimaru's will—and by extension, his disciple.
Neither of them could return to Konoha in broad daylight, nor could they enjoy the recognition that the Sannin and their students deserved. Yet here was Ximen Zhen, receiving all of it…
Ximen Zhen scratched his head. Was he about to get himself a personal nemesis?
[Soon, it was your turn to fight Kabuto. Your match drew significant attention. Kabuto used his Chakra Scalpel for close combat, but you didn't hesitate to unleash your monstrous strength, shaking the entire arena and forcing him back.]
[Kabuto didn't admit defeat, instead choosing to test you by periodically casting Wind Release techniques while maneuvering around you. You suppressed him throughout the battle, but it was clear that Kabuto was only displaying Chunin-level strength.]
[In the end, Kabuto risked injury to cast the genjutsu Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death, a technique created by Hashirama Senju and widely passed down in Konoha. The moment you were caught in the illusion, your Yin Seal automatically activated, and the sudden appearance of densely-packed seal marks caused an uproar. You instantly broke free from the illusion.]
[Witnessing this, Kabuto immediately surrendered. You sealed your Yin Seal again and accepted your victory. However, you realized that your automatic genjutsu countermeasure needed improvement—currently, you could only break free by forcibly unlocking your Yin Seal.]
So next up is the Konoha Crush Plan… Ximen Zhen began pondering whether there was anything he could do during that event.
This simulation was going pretty well so far. Maybe he could use it to gather more intelligence.
For example, what were Danzo and Root doing during the Chunin Exams when they were completely absent from view? That kind of information could later serve as solid evidence to confront Danzo.
But he soon realized that, as a participant, he would likely have to face the Konoha Crush head-on and wouldn't have the time for that kind of investigation.
[Kurenai Yuhi was very pleased with your performance and decided to teach you a genjutsu that suits you well—Demonic Illusion: Wilted Blossom Technique. This genjutsu causes the target to perceive your speed as drastically increased, when in reality, it simply lowers their reaction time. It works perfectly in combination with your monstrous strength.]
Huh?
Ximen Zhen was surprised. Why had he never heard of this technique?
Then it dawned on him—many ninjas received little screen time in the original story, so their full capabilities were never fully shown.
Take Kurenai, for example. As the top genjutsu user against the Sharingan, could she really have only known a couple of techniques?
This felt like striking gold!
Ximen Zhen decided to respect this genjutsu master properly in real life too—after all, her Genjutsu stat was a perfect ten!
[After rigorous training, you mastered the genjutsu taught by Kurenai. The final day of the Chunin Exams had finally arrived.]
(End of Chapter)