As I escorted the apprentices to their assigned room, I wondered for a moment whether to tell them about the selections or not. The shadow clone had given me all their memories and they had done just fine, making no serious mistakes during their time in the Forest of Death, acting as a team and not trying to be heroes, but experience and skill would come with time.
- Rest and recuperate," I nodded to the Genins, who had gotten rid of the excessive equipment in the room, "the remaining two days of the second stage are your well-deserved reward for your quick passage.
- Will there be anything else after it's over? - Asani jumped up, catching the gist of it.
- That's right, there are fifty-seven genin in the Forest of Death, and even if only two-fifths of the total number of genin complete it, that's more than twenty people," the kunoichi nodded affirmatively, explaining, "That's too many participants for the third stage. The first round of the finals is planned to have no more than six or seven fights, so as not to make the important guests sit in the stadium all day, so a qualifying stage is possible.
- Sensei, how did you know that? - Hoshi asked.
- I know Jiraiya, the Hokage's apprentice, well enough to know from him," he told the girls.
Well, some of his reservations, but the main information was given to me by the clan informants who knew the whole plan of events in advance.
- Is it the one who is a horny sannin and likes to peep in the onsen? - The kunoichi, familiar with this Konoha character, wrinkled their noses.
- He is the toad summoner," I grinned, "as well as the one and only writer of the Icha-Icha series.
- What, he wrote Icha-Icha? - Hoshi exclaimed in surprise, turning slightly pink.
The rest of the girls were not lagging behind her, showing that the action-porn in the amount of two volumes so far had been in their curious hands. In the shinobi community, it's quite a popular literary and entertainment work.
Against the background of what is available on the market on the topic of shinobi, Jiraiya certainly leads in popularity. Even I couldn't resist and bought the first book, deciding to read the edited and finalized version without being disappointed.
- Yes, yes, that's him, but you shouldn't ask for an autograph," I warned the students, "nor should you reveal the author's real name.
- Okay, Sensei," Hoshi nodded, "but how do you know about it?
- I had a chance to look at the drafts," I shrugged, "and I pushed Jiraiya to publish it.
- Wow!
- You can talk about the books later, but now you can rest," I said, wrapping up the conversation, "Good night.
- Good night, Ryo-sensei," the students replied almost in unison.
- Yes, if there will be a qualifying stage," I stopped at the door, 'try to use your own strength and use only ordinary seals, so that you don't reveal your abilities before the finals,' I nodded and left the room.
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