Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

"Conan's dad" and Yekura arrived first, while Umekawa Nai-i, who was in a wheelchair, was a little later. As soon as "Conan's dad" arrived, he immediately pounced on his leg and started crying and sniffling like he had lost his own father.

564. Do Chunin still have to take exams?

"Crack!"

"What's wrong? Did the girl dump you? Let go! I'm not dead yet! (⊙_⊙)"

Masato stared blankly at "Conan's dad," who was clinging to his leg and crying uncontrollably, and asked curiously.

"Waaaaah...! The Chunin Exams are in two days, and I need a recommendation from my instructor. I can't participate without one! Teacher, it's been two years! Even the worst of my classmates from back then are Chunin now, and I'm still a Genin... (?^?)"

It's all too painful to talk about, but I have to say, if I miss it this year, I'll have to wait another year. Every time I see my classmates at a reunion, all of them are already wearing Chunin vests, and he's still a Genin. The feeling is truly awful, like I've eaten shit...

"So that's right! Chunin exams are required! I thought it was easy. But... what's so great about being a Chunin? Look at those Chunin vests, they're all yellowish-brown and ugly. I really don't know what kind of taste your Kazekage has."

Upon hearing "Conan's dad's" explanation, Masato suddenly realized and began to criticize Sunagawa's taste. He strongly suspected that Sunagawa had chosen the same manufacturer as Iwagakure for kickbacks; the colors and styles were exactly the same—a filthy yellow, utterly ugly thing. He'd given the shirt Sunagawa sent him to Mada immediately; he absolutely couldn't wear that stuff...

.......

Their ninja squad is rather special. The original purpose of its formation was to have him act as a caretaker for Yekura, the only person in Sunagakure to use the Scorch Release technique. Over the past two years, Yekura has also mastered the Scorch Release technique quite well. Although its power is slightly greater than that of ordinary Fire Release, it's still not that great. Sometimes, it's hard to tell the difference between Fire Release and Scorch Release. However, things are valued for their rarity, so sending a Double-Flower Red Stick to protect her isn't excessive. These kinds of people only appear once every few decades.

However, it was later ruined by the clan leaders like Yusaka, and it turned into a regular ninja squad. But this ninja squad was outside the rules because their focus was different. The focus of other ninja squads was for the team leader to lead the students to complete missions, accumulate achievements, and advance in rank. But the focus of this ninja squad was just to ensure that the little girl, Yekura, could grow up safely. So there were basically no restrictions on missions. Sunagawa and Ebizo knew that he was a lazy bum, so they turned a blind eye to it.

However, there is a problem. Sunagawa and Ebizo can be very casual at times, but they are very disciplined and principled in formal occasions. For example, in formal large-scale events like the Chunin Exams, they absolutely cannot use back channels, which makes things difficult for these three kids.

To participate in the Chunin Exams, two conditions must be met: first, you must complete enough missions to accumulate a certain number of achievements; second, you need a recommendation from your team leader.

Normally, if a ninja class student completes their missions properly after graduation, they can meet the performance requirements within six months. If they want to participate in the Chunin Exams, they just need to fill out an application form and have the instructor submit it to the Kazekage.

Last year, Conan's dad and Yekura planned to take the exam. Umekawa Nai-i didn't care about being a genin or chunin; in his house, even jonin had to call him young master. But since his two friends were so enthusiastic, he naturally went along to join in. In this era, the Chunin Exams in Sunagakure were simple and straightforward, without the messy stuff that Konoha had later on. It was just a three-on-three competition where judges assessed the combat power and determined whether someone reached the chunin level. Winning or losing didn't matter; even if you lost, you could still become a chunin. With the strength of the three of them, as long as they registered, becoming a chunin was a sure thing.

However, last year, because they completed too few tasks and did not even reach the standard, Sunagawa and Ebizo refused to give Shinto any face.

Now, after another year of hard work, Shinto has basically been left to his own devices. Umekawa Nai-i stays at home all day researching ninjutsu, while Kudo Yusaku and Hakura are quite proactive. They train hard and occasionally act as sparring partners for the handsome Sasori, while also squeezing out time to complete missions. After a year of hard work, they finally reached the standard line and filled out the registration form, only to find that their teacher was missing!

Thinking about the hardships of the past year, it's no wonder that Kudo Yusaku would burst into tears. The Chunin Exams are starting the day after tomorrow, and without the teacher's recommendation, they still can't participate in the Chunin Exams. After this time, they will have to endure another year.

"That's your opinion; I think it's quite handsome..."

Seeing the teacher's disdainful look, Kudo Yusaku muttered to himself.

The girl next door, Yekura, nodded disdainfully. You only say that if you're a Jonin. We're still Genin, okay?

"Alright, alright, when Mei Chuan arrives, have him fill out an application form, and then I'll hand it in for you. It's just a Chunin Exam, why make such a fuss? I think your Kazekage and Ebizo are just bored out of their minds."

Masato started to complain, speechless.

"What? Teacher, didn't you have exams in your time?"

Kudo Yusaku asked with a hint of envy.

Although there are many articles praising the teacher in the school's textbooks, those are all from after the teacher's debut. As for how the teacher was promoted to Chunin and Jonin, he really didn't know.

"My era was rather unique. To put it bluntly, the village was incredibly poor back then. Many children didn't even have enough to eat, their bodies weren't getting enough nutrition, and their physical development stunted. Meanwhile, the sons of wealthy families weren't ambitious; instead of focusing on improving their combat skills, they took pride in bullying ordinary people. This resulted in only one talented person in my generation, you, my teacher. And then, war broke out, so I became a Chunin right from the start. Besides, there were no Chunin Exams during wartime; if you survived a full battle, you were basically a Chunin. But thinking about it... watching you all grow up, I feel like my success was way too damn easy, huh? ヾ(^?^)?"

As Masato stroked his chin, he recalled that Sunagakure was still in its early stages of development at that time. Shamon's professional skills were only average. However, apart from Senju, all the second-generation Kage were the same. They were good at killing people, but when it came to the development and construction of the village, they were all idiots. They were proud to copy Senju. So, when Shamon was compared to them, he was not so ordinary.

Back then, there really wasn't a Chunin Exam. The original intention of the village in copying Konoha to establish the Ninja Academy was just to train cannon fodder. After graduating, the clan members would continue to train in their clans, while the commoners who graduated would die within two days, and the lucky ones might remain Genin for life. They never thought about the Chunin Exam. Even the school's graduation exam was just a formality. He remembered that he had never even seen the exam paper at home back then, but he still easily got No. 1 the next day!

However, with the development of the times, the ninja school has evolved from a base for training cannon fodder into a talent cultivation center.

Both the education and procedures are much more formal than in his time.

565. Danzo is definitely a good boss.

"I wish I had lived in that era..."

Yusaku Kudo was extremely envious and resentful!

Surviving the war was all that mattered; it was much easier than taking exams. Exams weren't difficult for him, after all, he was now someone who could easily defeat his classmates. A mere Chunin Exam was nothing; he could easily dominate the entire field by opening five gates. What was difficult was that he had to squeeze out time to do missions while training for the past year, working from dawn till dusk every day, exhausted like a dog. Heaven knows how he survived that year.

"You're living in bliss but you don't know it. Back then, so many top scholars couldn't survive and died on the battlefield. With your small frame, you would have been sold to an old black slave long ago. Don't let Sunagawa and Ebizo know that you have such thoughts, or they'll definitely arrest you and make you suffer... How's your foundation doing lately? How many gates can you open? If you can't open the seventh gate, you'll always be a nobody."

Shinto was too lazy to waste words with him. After speaking, he carefully looked him up and down with his data-driven eyes. The saying that poor people's children can endure hardship is absolutely true. In just over half a year, his muscles have grown noticeably. Although they are not as exaggerated as those of the Raikage and his son, they are well-defined and you can feel the explosive power contained within them.

The Eight Gates Formation is similar to, yet different from, the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Although both belong to the Steel Fist Style, the Eight Gates Formation is an explosion from the inside out in terms of power generation. Therefore, it is not the case that the more exaggerated the muscles, the better. The Eight Gates Formation mainly trains core strength. Only when the core strength is stronger can the body support the body to withstand the power that is multiple times greater than itself after opening the gate.

Lightning Release Chakra is not so complicated. The more exaggerated the muscles, the greater the power of Lightning Release Chakra Mode can be unleashed when combined with it. After all, Lightning Release Chakra Mode is their own, while the power unleashed by the Eight Gates is more like borrowed power.

While Kudo Yusaku's physical attributes weren't quite as impressive as Green-skinned Guy's, they were still top-tier, at least comparable to that bootleg Leonardo DiCaprio. He remembered that during the Fourth Shinobi World War, bootleg Leonardo DiCaprio could open up to the sixth gate, though he was only a minor character in actual combat. However, according to bootleg Leonardo DiCaprio's biography, he was exposed to the Eight Forms of Release at the age of twelve after graduating from the Ninja Academy, and it took him a year to open the fifth gate. Given Green-skinned Guy's professional and systematic instruction, it wasn't surprising that he could barely open the fifth gate in a year. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, there were two years between the Konoha Chunin Exams and the war, meaning that bootleg Leonardo DiCaprio took two years to go from the fifth to the sixth gate.

While "Conan's dad" didn't have such a professional and systematic training, he was incredibly hardworking and dedicated. The time it took him to open five gates was roughly the same as the future "bootleg" Leonardo DiCaprio. Under these conditions, Masato estimates that opening six gates shouldn't be a problem for him, and he might even open seven during his peak. As for eight gates...

As for the Eight Gates, forget it. This thing doesn't allow people without plot-driven deaths to kick out the ending with one kick unless they have a built-in system. I doubt he has the physical condition to do that.

"Don't worry, teacher! I will definitely not let you down!"

Upon hearing this, Kudo Yusaku immediately perked up and became full of fighting spirit. Although learning the Eight Gates was very difficult, the ever-increasing strength he felt each time made him feel that his efforts and gains were proportional. Therefore, he was full of confidence in his future self. Although being a real man for only a few seconds could not last, not everyone could withstand those few seconds of burst of power.

I wonder if I could defeat the teacher if I could unlock all eight gates. If I could...

The thought of unleashing all eight gates and utterly defeating my teacher makes me incredibly excited! ヾ(^?^)?

........

"Mei Chuan-kun, you're still young. You'll be looking for a girl to marry and have children in the future. I did this so that those girls who still have fantasies about me would forget this dream. You mean... you've seen through the illusions of the world?"

Not long after, Umekawa Nai-i finally arrived in his wheelchair. He looked less and less like a ninja, with disheveled long hair, glasses perched on his nose, and large eye bags even more prominent than Ebizo's. Shinto was somewhat surprised; how long had this kid been without sleep?

"Sorry, I was in a rush to leave and didn't tidy up."

Mei Chuan Nei Yi didn't seem to care, and awkwardly scratched her messy hair.

"How long has it been since you slept? Your eye bags are heavier than Ebizo's. You may be young, but you need to take care of your health, or you'll regret it when you're old! Are you really planning to switch careers and become a researcher? Does that stubborn old man, Meichuan Baidi, agree?"

As a teacher, Masato felt it was necessary to advise his student that finding a purpose in life was a good thing, but he shouldn't squander his health!

"Yes, my grandfather and father are very supportive of my ideas, and I've recently had some new ideas about developing A-rank ninjutsu, so I haven't paid attention to these details..."

Mei Chuan Neiyi nodded very seriously. He had already felt the joy of researchers. The surprised looks on others' faces after developing a ninjutsu gave him a huge sense of accomplishment, something he had never experienced before. This made him even more motivated!

"Sukuni-ichi! Senior Meikawa is amazing! He's about to develop an A-rank ninjutsu!! Σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

See... give them face.

No sooner had Mei Chuan finished speaking than "Conan's dad" couldn't wait to show off his surprise!

Even the girl next door, Yecang, looked shocked.

That's precisely why he can't stop pursuing scientific research...

"...Whatever makes you happy. Actually, being a researcher isn't bad. Talented people like you are extremely rare in the entire ninja world, so you won't have to worry about finding a job in the future. If all else fails, I'll introduce you to Danzo. That idiot...no! Don't let his idiocy fool you, he's definitely a good boss...-_-||"

Seeing the look in "Conan's dad's" eyes and that of Yekura filled Mei Chuan with strength again. Masato looked up at the sky speechlessly. These C-rank ninjutsu were all developed in a mess, not a single one was serious. It was hard to imagine what kind of nonsense he could develop into these so-called A-rank ninjutsu.

However, this child had finally managed to re-establish a life goal since breaking his leg, and he couldn't bear to discourage him. Besides, developing ninjutsu wasn't dangerous, and it was safer than dragging a wheelchair into battle. So he let him be...

It was surprising to Masato that the stubborn old man, Bai Di Meichuan, actually supported his decision to switch to an office job. Could it be that he's running out of time and has come to terms with it? (⊙_⊙)?

566. What? White Teeth is dead?

"boom!"

"You two are both here? Perfect timing. These are the Chunin Exam registration forms for my three students. You know about Umekawa Nai's situation; she probably won't have time to take the exam. To ensure fair competition, Kudo Yusaku and Hakura will be the only ones to participate, so it won't be said that my students are bullying the younger ones... What happened to you two? Did you get dumped by girls too? (⊙_⊙)?"

At the Kazekage Building, the door to Sunakawa's office was kicked open again. Masato threw the three people's application forms on Sunakawa's desk and said with considerable confidence.

It's not that he's bragging, but the three of them, including "Conan's dad," are participating in the Chunin Exams in a way that's like playing dumb to fool others, a classic case of underestimating the strength of the enemy. The quality of the graduates in recent years is really lacking. Forget about geniuses, there isn't even a single one who can fight. Maybe the feng shui of Sunagakure is really bad. Resource shortages are one thing, but at least they've found a way to make money. However, the scarcity of talent is a problem that human effort can't solve. In the original story, starting with Sasori, Sunagakure hasn't had any true geniuses for decades.

Gaara is nothing but a fraud. If it weren't for that fat cat in his belly, he wouldn't even be as good as his father, Rasa. Rasa's Magnet Release at least controls gold sand, and its destructive power is simply overwhelming. He is someone who can completely rival the world's richest person, the blue-haired girl who will become the biggest arms dealer in the ninja world in the future. Gaara is just blessed by his mother on her deathbed and protected by a fat cat.

If it weren't for his trickery into getting the Eight Gates from the Green Skin, a commoner genius like Yusaku Kudo would just be a decent outlying Sand Village henchman with average overall strength. Being good at everything is the same as being bad at nothing. Naruto Uzumaki, the future second-in-command, reached the finale just by making Rasengan, while few of those who are good at everything can survive to the end.

Among the graduates of the past few years, they were all extras; not a single one was familiar to him. Kudo Yusaku, who had risen from a background henchman to a supporting actor with some screen time, could electrify the entire audience with just a few openings...

However, after he finished speaking, he noticed that the two people's expressions were somewhat... strange!

Yes, it's eerie.

They didn't seem sad, but they didn't seem happy either. Their facial expressions were extremely complex, and he couldn't find a single word in his vocabulary to describe their expressions.

"...Let's put that aside for now. News has come from Konoha that your close friend, Konoha's White Fang, is in trouble..."

Sunagawa looked at Masato with a strange expression and said.

Their feelings towards White Fang were also complicated. It was certain that they hated White Fang. Back then, White Fang had become famous for instantly killing their Dark Division Chief, Roman. Roman was also Ebizo and Chiyo's cousin. How could they not hate him?

Secondly, White Fang was Konoha's sharpest weapon against their Sand Village line. Without White Fang, during World War II, no one in Konoha could have withstood the real fight. Their line could have easily swept through the enemy lines all the way to Konoha's core. Without White Fang, no one in Konoha could have done anything.

However, at the same time, they also respected this Konoha hero who, like Shinto, had been risking his life for the village since he was nine years old and was far more reliable than Shinto. If that bastard Shinto were even half as reliable as White Fang, they would be grateful.

White Fang has devoted himself to Konoha for many years, and even his enemies admire his spirit of dedication to his village.

So when they received the news that White Fang was in trouble, their feelings were complicated, a little excited and a little sad.

"What? White Fang is dead? I'm going to Konoha, Konoha, Konoha...Σ(⊙▽⊙a)"

Hearing Sunagawa's words, Masato was shocked. The next second, his voice echoed in the office, but the figure had already disappeared.

Above Sunagakure, a fiery meteor streaked across the sky in broad daylight, heading towards Konoha.

He had completely forgotten about that. He only remembered that in the original story, White Fang abandoned the mission for his comrades, causing losses to Konoha. Coupled with the unbearable gossip in the village, and even more unacceptable to him, even the comrades he had rescued began to blame him, leading to his suicide. White Fang was a bit too sensitive...

However, there is no official explanation for the specific reason. Anyway, White Fang committed suicide. So when Sunagawa heard that something happened to White Fang, his first reaction was that White Fang was dead. Considering that Kakashi, that little white-haired kid, seems to be about five years old this year, and from memory, Kakashi, that little white-haired kid, applied to graduate early after White Fang died, becoming a genin at the age of five and breaking the record for the youngest ninja since the ninja village era, then White Fang did indeed commit suicide during this period.

White Fang and his friend White Fang have been fighting since they were kids. Even though they're on opposing sides, their friendship forged through shared experiences. If it weren't for war, they'd still be good brothers, and White Fang wouldn't have exposed his lie about the Orcs...

They'd been friends for years, and the thought of White Tooth just passing away left him with a deep, empty feeling...

To honor their years of friendship, and to prevent his best friend's son from going astray... he decided to immediately travel to Konoha and bring his only son, Little White Hair, back to the village to raise him himself...

"(⊙_⊙)?.....He just said White Fang is dead? Did I say that?"

A flock of crows flew overhead over the Kazekage Tower. Sunakawa looked at Ebizo with a bewildered expression. If he hadn't misheard, Masato seemed to have misunderstood him and said that Sakuya was dead. But he had only said that something had happened to Sakuya, not that Sakuya was dead.

"...He definitely didn't say that. He's probably just nervous about White Fang, after all, they've been fighting since they were kids...-_-||"

Ebizo shook his head, looking exasperated, but he was quite unhappy.

That bastard! I've watched him grow up, and I've never seen him so nervous about me. Now he's so nervous about an outsider!

Damn it! (▼へ▼メ)