"We're finally in Konoha! I was getting so bored." Fu shouted, sprinting ahead.
Karin watched Fu's retreating back before turning to Zwei. "It must be tough, coming back here after so long," she said gently.
Zwei waved a hand dismissively. "This isn't my home. It's just the den of the people who slaughtered my clan."
Karin nodded sadly. "You'd better not let that hatred show. We're outsiders here for the Chunin Exams. The slightest suspicion could put us in a bad spot."
Zwei understood, but shook his head softly. "I know. I'm not that stupid. I'm just not strong enough to get my revenge yet."
Karin smiled faintly at his words. "Come on, we can't get left behind," she said, starting to jog after Fu. "We need to really stand out in this exam, especially if we're going to complete our main mission."
Despite his composed exterior, a fierce hatred boiled inside Zwei as he looked at the Konoha gates. He gritted his teeth and ran to catch up with Karin. Shibuki sighed and followed after them.
At Konoha's main gates, a temporary checkpoint had been set up to inspect the visiting ninja. A shinobi in a gray vest sat behind a table, reviewing their documents.
"Hmm, let's see here... three genin from Takigakure, plus one instructor," he murmured, looking at his clipboard before glancing up. "We thought Takigakure would send more people for the exam this year."
Shibuki let out a nervous laugh. "Well, we just don't have the resources to train many ninja for these exams." This was a clear lie, but he had no other option.
The Konoha shinobi seemed completely uninterested in Shibuki's excuses. "Right. Okay." He stamped their papers and handed four permits to Shibuki. "These are your Konoha ID cards. Don't lose them. Remember, you have to go to the Academy to register for the exam. They'll give you additional information there. Enjoy your stay in Konoha."
"Understood, thank you." Shibuki took the papers and distributed them to Fu, Karin, and Zwei.
The Konoha ninja gave the three genin a sidelong glance and said softly, "Those Takigakure ninja seem quite special."
The ninja next to him replied, "They all look so young. They don't usually send them to the exams at this age unless they're extremely confident in their abilities. Should we report them?"
He thought for a moment. "Nah... leave them be. What danger could ninja from a small country pose? At best, they'll make the exam a little more interesting."
After entering the village and making a quick stop at their lodgings, Shibuki turned to the three genin. "Feel free to move around freely, but be careful not to cause any trouble. This is another village, after all. It's best to stick with your teammates."
They all nodded, and Shibuki left, reassured. It was a perfectly normal thing for a new ninja to do; Konoha was one of the most famous and prosperous hidden villages, and it was natural to want to explore and have some fun.
Karin, Fu, and Zwei went directly to the Academy. There was a short line of ninja from different villages, and they soon received their Chunin Exam permits. The time and place of the exam were printed on them: Time: July 1st. Location: Classroom 301 on the third floor of the Ninja Academy.
The Chunin Exams weren't open to just anyone. There were requirements for the amount of time spent as a genin and a team's mission history, but this was up to each village to enforce properly. The reason Karin and her team could participate was their close relationship with Kaori, who trusted them and had falsified numerous D and C rank missions for their team, clearing the way for them.
After registering, they started walking around the Konoha area. With their hands casually in their pockets, they strolled through the central streets, observing famous buildings like the Hokage Residence.
Fu stared intently at the size of the buildings, which seemed much larger and more advanced than the houses in Takigakure. Konoha was far more prosperous than the Hidden Waterfall Village. It was as if Takigakure was a small hamlet and Konoha was a large city.
When his eyes landed on the Hokage Rock and the faces carved into it, Fu said impulsively, "This is so cool! I wish we had one of these in Takigakure!"
Zwei frowned, shot him a look, and walked ahead, trying to leave the other two behind.
"Look at all these shops! There are shops everywhere! What a delicious smell, that dessert!" Fu paid no attention to Zwei and suddenly found himself in front of a dessert shop.
As Fu looked at the desserts on the sign and smelled the sweet aroma, he instinctively wanted to go in. But Zwei's angry voice snapped him back to reality and stopped him in his tracks.
"Fu! You're here to gather information! Did you forget the mission Karin gave you?!"
Fu remembered that immediately after they settled in and Shibuki left, Karin had asked him and Zwei to come to her room. In the room, she pulled a scroll from her pocket and said, "This is a top-secret mission that the village leader has entrusted to us."
"I'll give you the details quietly, but first: Zwei, you must make it to the final round of the Chunin Exam at all costs."
"Heh, obviously! I'll definitely pass," Zwei said with complete confidence.
Karin continued, "Fu, we need to take this opportunity to survey all the streets we're allowed on. You need to use your chakra sensory abilities to find the number of surveillance ninja and note them down for me. You especially need to thoroughly check the target location in the coming days."
Fu asked, surprised, "Where's the target location?"
"A forest cabin on the outskirts of the village... We probably can't go there right away... but we need to slowly and completely search the entire surrounding area."
"That's it? What are we supposed to do?"
"Just that for now. Our contact in Konoha will give us the next instructions."
Fu looked around with a frown. "When is this contact supposed to show up?"
"...Who knows?" Karin replied as she walked into the pastry shop. She bought three cream cakes and handed one to each of them. "Maybe right now, or maybe during the exam."
Their seemingly aimless steps eventually led them to a large gate that had been closed for a long time. A large, red and white fan-shaped crest was painted on the door.
Zwei looked at the gate with a mix of anger and sorrow.
Karin gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Zwei angrily shrugged her hand off, turned his back to the gate, and walked away. "I'm fine. Stop asking!"
Zwei and Karin's behavior bewildered Fu. "What's wrong with you guys? Tell me!" He ran to catch up so he wouldn't be left behind. Suddenly, he felt something, a shiver running down his spine. It was like a faint, hidden wave of chakra passed over his skin. He looked up, a frown forming on his face, and said softly, "We're being watched."
Zwei replied without looking up, "That's normal. How many?"
"Two... I can't determine their power level."
Karin smiled and said softly, "They're definitely at the Chunin level. If they were Jonin, you wouldn't have sensed them at all!"
Suddenly, a piece of the cake in her hand fell to the ground. She quickly bent down to pick it up, but it was all an act so she could place her hand on the ground for a moment. She sent a short wave of chakra into the ground and felt it. Two people were definitely watching them. She memorized their chakra signatures.
Zwei said without looking at Karin or Fu, "That's enough for today... We should go back. We still have four days."