"You're really not in a hurry at all, showing up right on time like this?"
Just as Seiryū and the others arrived at the written exam venue, Tsunade walked over to them head-on.
She could not help but let out a light snort at Seiryū. "If you get eliminated this time, I won't go easy on you!"
"Didn't I make it before I was late?"
Seiryū shrugged.
"Tsunade-sama/Tsunade-sensei!"
After seeing Tsunade, the others all called out respectfully.
They were not Seiryū, and could not treat Tsunade with that sort of casual attitude...
Tsunade waved her hand and said flatly to the group, "You three go get ready first. As for the others, wait outside."
Kurenai, Obito, Guy, Rin, and the others did not continue following them.
Instead, they agreed to go wait for news at Seiryū's house.
It was not far from here.
After saying goodbye to their little friends, Seiryū raised a brow at Tsunade as he walked and said, "We ran into people from Kirigakure just now. Have all the others from the other villages arrived too?"
"Kirigakure? Who's leading them?"
"One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Fuguki Suikazan..."
"Oh, that guy."
Tsunade nodded.
Then she said, "The people from the other villages are all already in the exam hall too. This Chunin Exam won't be simple, so don't embarrass Konoha."
"Who's here? Did any of the Kage from the other villages come?"
"No, not for something like this. There's no need for them to show up personally. Even if they do have some intentions, sending a few Jōnin over is enough."
Seiryū gave a slight nod. "Anyone worth paying attention to?"
Tsunade thought for a moment, then said, "The grandson of Chiyo, one of Sunagakure's advisor elders, seems to be called Sasori? He's a few years older than you."
"That old woman isn't weak, so the grandson she raised should have some skill too."
Tsunade looked at Seiryū. "More importantly, because I have some history with that old woman, she might have her grandson target you!"
"Oh, right, she also has a grudge against Hatake Sakumo, so you and Kakashi should both be more careful."
The one leading Suna this time was one of Sunagakure's advisor elders, Chiyo.
Back during the war.
She and Tsunade had some history.
And Seiryū was her disciple, so Chiyo might keep an eye on him.
More importantly, Chiyo had a deep grudge against Sakumo.
Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law had both died at Sakumo's hands, so Kakashi would likely be treated as an enemy too.
Kakashi fell silent.
This even involved his father's affairs?
"Sasori of the Red Sand?"
Hearing that name, Seiryū paused for a moment.
That name was quite famous. In the original story, he assassinated the Third Kazekage, defected, and later joined Akatsuki.
It could even be said that he was one of the causes behind the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War.
He had not expected that person to appear in this Chunin Exam as well.
"That seems to be the name."
Tsunade also did not care why Seiryū knew this. Maybe this brat had gathered some related intelligence.
Only then did she add, "In any case, just be careful yourselves. Although everyone participating is Genin, there are differences even among Genin."
"Some haven't become Chunin for various reasons, but their strength has already surpassed the Chunin level. That's also within the rules."
That kind of situation did exist.
For example, Might Duy, and Maruboshi Kosuke.
They were indeed only Genin, but their strength far surpassed that rank.
The other villages definitely had shinobi of that type too.
They might even be participating in this Chunin Exam!
The Chunin Exam was a small-scale war. Even if the Kage of the major villages had not personally come, it was impossible for them not to be paying attention.
This year's Chunin Exam could be called the most dangerous one in history!
Duy scratched his head.
It seemed that other villages also had people like him.
Then he did not need to feel embarrassed anymore, after all, the rules were like this.
He was only following the rules!
"I understand."
Seiryū still did not take it too seriously.
He was not afraid of those close to his age, and for those older than him, there was still Might Duy.
Forget Genin, even if a Jōnin came, he'd kick their brains out.
There were quite a lot of participants in this Chunin Exam.
Nearly two hundred people.
The written exam was divided among several venues, and the three of them were assigned to Group A.
"Mm, a few of them look vaguely familiar, but I can't remember their names."
Inside the exam hall, Seiryū casually looked around at the others.
He found that some of them gave him a sense of familiarity, but he just could not remember who they were.
Which was normal.
Without some special physical trait, Seiryū could not name many people who had appeared in the original story.
Wasn't it the same when he first entered the Ninja Academy, when he could not recognize everyone?
But this guy joined the Chunin Exam too?
Seiryū's gaze landed on a young man dressed in black clothes with the Uchiha clan crest on them.
He looked fairly handsome, but his eyes were somewhat gloomy.
It was him.
The grown-up version of Uchiha Ryōta!
In other words, that Uchiha clan member whose leg he had crippled back then!
He was the biological grandson of the Uchiha great elder, Uchiha Setsuna, named Uchiha Ryosuke, right?
Mm, the key point was that he had a grudge against him...
As if sensing someone looking at him, Ryosuke turned his head to look over.
When he saw it was Seiryū, he was not surprised at all.
Only, his originally black pupils turned scarlet at this moment, and three tomoe slowly revolved within them.
Ryōsuke looked at Seiryū, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold smile.
He was smiling, but there was not the slightest warmth in it.
His lips moved, but no sound came out.
However, from the shape of his mouth, it was easy to tell what he was saying, "You're dead!"
Ryosuke had never forgotten the humiliation Seiryū had given him back then.
Instead, as time passed, it had only grown deeper.
It had sunk into his bones!
All he wanted was the day he could take revenge, wash away that shame, and kill him in the cruelest way possible!
Now he had finally found the chance!
After learning that Seiryū would be participating in the Chunin Exam, he had already been unable to hold himself back.
The anger and hatred he had suppressed for years finally had a chance to be released.
He had waited a very long time for this day!!
"Tch, he's coming at me, this round is a grudge match."
Looking at those eyes full of killing intent, and seeing the shape of his mouth.
Seiryū could not help but click his tongue inwardly. As expected, all Uchiha are lunatics. So many years have passed, and he's still hung up on that old matter?
It really was a grudge match.
There was the grudge between Tsunade and Chiyo, the hatred between Chiyo and Sakumo, and there was also bad blood between him and Ryosuke.
When would this cycle of grudges ever end?
It really gave him a headache.
Not only did he have to deal with shinobi from other villages, he also had to deal with people from his own village.
Ryosuke's eyes looked like he wanted to hack him into a thousand pieces on the spot.
Facing an Uchiha with the three-tomoe Sharingan, Seiryū did not dare ignore him either.
Who knew whether one bit of stimulation might directly make him awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan?
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)