In the Forest of Death, Team Seven's trio moved swiftly through the trees.
The scenery blurred past them as they leaped from branch to branch. No other ninja was in sight.
"So, how are we supposed to find the number on this slip?" Kushina grumbled, clutching the paper in her hand. The forest was vast, and with so many participants, locating the matching number seemed impossible. Worse, no one would willingly show their number to her, let alone make themselves an easy target.
Kin shot her a look of utter disdain, as if her stupidity was expected.
"What's that face for?!" Kushina snapped, swinging a fist at him. Kin dodged with a Shunpo, and her punch struck a tree instead.
BOOM!
The tree shattered, its upper half sent flying and crashing through several others. Kin landed lightly on a branch behind her, moving backward with effortless precision as if he had eyes on the back of his head—thanks to his Observation Haki.
"Did you really think the Jonin Exam started when Orochimaru said 'begin'?" he asked mockingly.
"Well, yeah!" Kushina retorted, as if it were obvious.
Minato couldn't stay silent any longer. "Actually, the exam began the moment we received the letter," he explained. "It was delivered at midnight, but the start time was morning. That was a test to see if we were always prepared to act, as a ninja should be."
Missing the exam due to oversleeping or negligence would result in an instant failure.
"The letter's contents were another test," Kin added. This one evaluated their ability to analyze intelligence. While minor, failing here would disqualify anyone from becoming a Jonin.
Then Kin gave Kushina a suspicious look. "So how did you figure it out?"
Kushina wasn't exactly known for her attention to detail.
She turned away, refusing to answer, while Minato rubbed his neck awkwardly.
He had been the one to fetch her. Otherwise, she would've missed the exam entirely.
Kin rolled his eyes. Of course. Minato, the perfect student in both theory and practice, would've noticed immediately.
"What about the number slips?" Kushina pressed, still confused.
Minato continued, "Getting the slip wasn't just about taking one. We also had to observe who took the numbers we needed. Many were already using ninjutsu to spy on others."
Kin had used Dark Release to hide in shadows and confirm the numbers. Minato's method remained a mystery, but one thing was clear: every aspiring Jonin was cunning, their techniques subtle and undetectable to the untrained eye.
Kushina, meanwhile, had been completely oblivious.
"Wait… so you two already know the numbers you need?" Her face fell.
Both her teammates were steps ahead, leaving her feeling utterly defeated.
"Don't worry," Minato reassured her. "I noted yours, too. Your target is a bald ninja in blue."
Kushina suddenly skidded to a halt. "Hold on. So you both know my number and my target's?"
Minato nodded. Kin's smirk confirmed it.
"Does that mean we're enemies now?" she asked warily.
This exam wasn't a team effort—it was every ninja for themselves. Former allies could become opponents in an instant.
"You're safe," Kin said flatly, then glanced at Minato. "But we might be."
Neither had revealed their own slips. And Minato, despite his honest appearance, could lie without blinking.
Trust was in short supply.
The two boys locked eyes, tension thickening between them.
"Guess we'll have to settle this," Minato said, smiling.
"Long time since we sparred," Kin agreed.
In an instant, both vanished.
Kushina sighed. "Boys and their egos."
Why not just show their slips?
Her eyes darted rapidly, tracking their movements as they clashed mid-air. Fists and feet collided with dull thuds, neither gaining the upper hand.
A tree stood in their path—only to explode into splinters as they flashed past. By the time they landed, the trunk had been reduced to sawdust.
"Pathetic punches," Kushina muttered. Her Monster Strength Technique would've ended this in one hit.
Kin launched a high kick at Minato's chin. Minato's head snapped back, but his legs coiled around Kin's, using the momentum to hurl him downward.
Both crashed into the forest floor.
Two tigers, mid-battle over territory, froze at the sudden intrusion.
Food from the sky?
Before they could pounce, a fist and a foot sent them flying into the trees. They scrambled up and bolted, tails between their legs.
Not food—demons!
Kin and Minato rose, dusting themselves off.
Another draw.
"Ready to test my ninjutsu?" Kin grinned, malice dripping from his words.
...
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(End of Chapter)