The time I spent talking with my colleagues, interrupted only by the jonins' reports about the departure of one team or another, passed unnoticed and usefully - I not only showed all the jonins present that I was on good terms with the head of Clan Hatake and some of the strongest shinobi of the village, but also learned from the experience of my older comrades, who told me stories about certain missions that were not classified as "secret".
And even though he occasionally inserted comments using his own experience gained in the war, his interlocutors listened attentively, because the opinion of a master fuin and an excellent iryonin carries weight. In general, we talked very fruitfully and to mutual pleasure.
I also got acquainted with some of our jonins who came up to have a word with their neighbors - you never know when another acquaintance will come in handy.
When the time of passing the first stage came to an end, less than half of the original number of Komand mentors were left in the rest room, surprising me a lot - usually, they leave en masse at the second stage, but not at the very beginning.
This set of genin appeared to be more suggestible or simply weaker. Or the shinobi responsible for the first stage was more resourceful in screening the participants.
Suddenly, the door swung open and not a chunin, but a shinobi in a jonin uniform, already a little gray, with a neat mustache and beard, appeared on the doorstep. He looked a little familiar - I thought I'd seen him somewhere before.
- Your teams have passed the second stage of the exam, congratulations," he announced as the eyes of those present crossed on him, "the next stage will take place in the Forest of Death and you will be waiting for it elsewhere, please follow me.
Nodding to everyone, the shinobi in charge of the first stage turned and walked out, followed by the jonins.
- Fuyu, now I see why the teams were leaving so fast," Jiraiya whistled in surprise, recognizing the man.
- That's Gin Marioto, the head of the torture and interrogation department," Sakumo explained in response to my questioning eyebrow, "with his skills in intimidating, confusing, and deceiving genin, it's not hard to intimidate, confuse, and deceive genin, and he's good at genjutsu.
Yeah, who else should I put at this stage?
- Okay, let's move too," he nodded to his companions, pointing to the gradually emptying room.
- Sakumo agreed and headed not for the door, but for the nearest window.
Shrugging at his professional deformity - for shinobi any opening is an entrance and exit, the main thing is to squeeze through it - I followed him and grabbing the visor, easily threw myself up.
Jumping over the high fence, I followed Hatake across the roof and down the front side of the shinobi academy, ahead of all the shinobi who were taking their time descending the stairs.
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