His squad proved special. Umino Iruka knew this. Gekkō Hayate and Uzuki Yūgao did not conceal carrying mission matters. They could not hide it either.
After all, both Hayate and Yūgao were excellent shinobi who successfully promoted to chūnin the year after graduating from ninja academy. As a shinobi graduating in the same batch, Iruka naturally knew this, especially comparing himself having been genin for several years already—he remembered even more clearly.
Both already chūnin yet still appearing among participating genin squads indicated the village had other arrangements. Iruka's strength was not outstanding. However, his qualities as a shinobi were beyond question.
The village had arrangements. He just needed obeying orders. Matters involving two shinobi villages warranted caution naturally.
Cloud Village's written test segment came quickly, beginning the third day after Konoha squads arrived.
The written test itself brought Iruka little pressure. Cloud Village's question difficulty was not too high. Even toward certain not-so-concealed cheating behaviors within exam halls, proctoring Cloud shinobi displayed tolerance obviously higher than Konoha's past standards.
This obviously relaxed-standard written test naturally posed no obstacles for Konoha's meticulously selected nine squads. Results also proved as expected—all Konoha members easily passed.
Not only Konoha. Similarly participating Shimogakure and Yugakure squads also all passed this simple threshold.
Those truly screened out in this round were instead some Cloud Village's own genin.
After this easy written test round, perhaps some secretly relaxed. However, the two ANBU members bearing special missions would not relax whatsoever.
Gekkō Hayate said quietly, "We're tools displaying their strength, also competition performers. Therefore we cannot be eliminated during written test rounds."
Uzuki Yūgao lightly nodded, expression grave. "Hayate, Cloud Village relaxed first segments to this degree. This only proves subsequent stages will prove extremely difficult."
Hearing both chūnin's conversation, true genin Iruka now felt heavy pressure.
After written tests, receiving finals participant rosters, Shuji likewise understood this. Because he saw Darui's name.
Shuji mentally knew Xi would participate. However, Darui... Cloud Village truly wanted winning.
Darui, this man who, during Third Raikage's era, was specially permitted tattooing the character "lightning" on his arm for mastering Cloud Village's secretly transmitted Black Lightning.
With his strength and qualifications, if Cloud Village wanted making him less conspicuous, his shinobi rank should at minimum be chūnin. If promoted as a genius by special exception, he should even qualify for jōnin.
Now participating in Chūnin Exams as genin, especially with the main venue in Cloud Village...
This was the same nature as having fourteen-year-old Hatake Kakashi participate in joint Chūnin Exams within his own village.
At least change your name?
Since confirming Darui would appear, then relying solely on Gekkō Hayate and Uzuki Yūgao whom Tsunade arranged beforehand probably proved insufficient responding to current circumstances.
Whether directly facing Darui's squad in team competitions or encountering him immediately in individual competitions, neither proved good news for Konoha.
Konoha needed dignity. Cloud Village wanted victory and face. Then, time for some communications not quite presentable yet mutually understood by both sides.
Time for some dirty deals.
Holding such thoughts, Shuji again found the liaison Cloud jōnin Samui.
"Shuji-san, any questions?"
"No. Regarding this exam itself, some circumstances warrant communication with your side." Shuji said in peaceful tones. "I just reviewed official rosters passing written tests, discovering some names seemingly mixed in that... by common sense, should not appear on this level exam venues."
Samui's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Who are you referring to?"
Shuji did not immediately name names, merely calmly meeting her gaze.
After a moment, he slowly said, "Konoha can understand your village's innovations and reforms regarding competition systems for hosting this grand event, naturally also understanding effects these reforms hope achieving."
"Last year, Xi met Itachi during finals stages."
"Under circumstances where both sides can profit, such activities can continue afterward."
"Your village constructed magnificently scaled dedicated venues for this exam. Such investment presumably does not plan using only once, right?"
Samui listened silently, facial lines taut. She looked deeply at Shuji as if wanting finding more information from his excessively calm face.
"Please wait." Finally, she withdrew her gaze. After leaving this statement, she turned and quickly departed.
Not keeping Shuji waiting long, he was again invited to the Raikage's office.
Fourth Raikage A sat on the large chair, strong arms folded across his chest, face carrying undisguised anger plus some doubt.
"Konoha's intelligence capabilities already reached this level?"
Though Shuji did not name names, Cloud Village knew what people they additionally arranged. Xi already went to Konoha last year. Konoha had no objections to this.
However, this year adding one Darui meant Konoha's squad leader immediately came knocking.
This only indicated Darui's intelligence, including his identity and approximate strength, had already been grasped by Konoha.
However, Darui was not active in the shinobi world with few external duty missions, rarely leaving Lightning Country. Konoha logically had no reason possessing such clear understanding of him.
Shuji did not answer this question but said, "Raikage-sama, joint Chūnin Exams were never merely simple assessments targeting genin. This point is consensus among shinobi world villages."
"Every village has rights deciding final participating candidates according to their own standards and circumstances. After all, standards judging shinobi ranks between different villages are not completely consistent."
"However, to ensure this grand event gathering multiple parties' attention can proceed smoothly, ultimately achieving results that, for all participating sides and even observing distinguished guests, count as satisfactory and spectacular..."
Shuji slightly raised his eyelids, gaze calmly meeting the Raikage's scrutinizing look.
"Can you consider, regarding official schedule arrangements, conducting some... appropriate, beneficial-for-achieving win-win situations micro-adjustments?"
Combining content Samui previously relayed, A understood Shuji's meaning. Konoha probably also had one decent-strength squad. However, in this squad leader's judgment, that squad proved insufficient confronting Darui.
Therefore, what Konoha hoped was not canceling Darui's qualifications—that would be slapping Cloud Village's face. Rather, hoping to manipulate lottery draws or schedule arrangements, letting their seed squads avoid Darui, at least not colliding during early stages.
Moreover, the opponent seemingly held considerable confidence in their own hidden chess pieces, convinced that as long as not encountering Darui prematurely, they could advance further, securing sufficient face for Konoha.
"Hmph, you also arranged people."
Shuji slightly nodded, neither confirming nor denying, merely saying, "Konoha has no intention overshadowing hosts. Just hoping this grand event led by your village can have processes and results more符合 all parties' expectations."
Finally, the Raikage said flatly, "Specific matchup rosters will undergo lottery draws and formal announcements before competition begins."
"However, after competitions start, all results can only depend on participants' own performances and strength. During competition processes, we absolutely will not intervene."
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild