Namikaze Minato's words suddenly drew the attention of all the ninjas. The Chunin Exam is meant for the selection of Chunin—something everyone knows. However, Minato's words hinted at something deeper—this time, there were other significant reasons behind the exam.
Minato noticed that all eyes were on him. He paused briefly before continuing:
"The fundamental purpose of this exam is to elevate the level of ninjas and promote friendly coexistence among allied nations."
"But if you misunderstand the true purpose of this Chunin Exam, you will find yourselves in serious trouble!"
Minato spoke firmly. Some younger ninjas, unfamiliar with such implications, looked confused, their doubts evident on their faces. Meanwhile, some of the older, more experienced ninjas sneered in disbelief.
"This exam is essentially a microcosm of the wars between allied nations," Minato continued, lowering his head slightly as he spoke.
"War?"
"What does that mean?"
Minato's words caused an immediate stir among the Genin. This was just a Chunin Exam—how could it be linked to war? No one had considered this before.
"Historically, the nations that are now allies were once rivals, constantly at war with one another."
"To prevent mutual destruction, these countries devised a controlled battlefield—a simulation of war."
"And this is the true origin of the Joint Chunin Exam."
As he spoke, Minato glanced at Maki, the leader of the Sand Ninja, from the corner of his eye.
"Why go to such lengths? Isn't the Chunin Exam simply meant to select Chunin?" Sakura Haruno asked loudly from within the ranks of the Chunin candidates, her hands clenched. The tension and fear in her voice were unmistakable.
"Indeed, selecting Chunin is one purpose of this exam."
"But on a deeper level, it is also a battlefield where ninjas fight to uphold their village's prestige."
"In the final stage of this Chunin Exam, many princes and influential figures from across the ninja world—who entrust us with missions—will be present as spectators."
"These feudal lords and village leaders will evaluate your battles. If there is a significant power gap between nations, the stronger one will naturally receive more mission requests, while the weaker one will see a decline in commissions."
"At the same time, this exam serves as a platform for nations to demonstrate their military strength. In other words, your battles directly influence your country's foreign policies."
After Minato finished, he stopped speaking, allowing the ninjas time to process the gravity of the situation.
"Why? Why must we, as ninjas, fight to the death?" Sakura Haruno questioned loudly. She struggled to comprehend why things had to be this way, and her fear only grew.
"The strength of a nation is determined by the strength of its village, and the strength of a village is determined by the strength of its ninjas."
"And a ninja's true strength can only be revealed in a battle where one's life is at stake."
"This exam is a stage for others to witness the strength of a nation's ninja forces!"
"Because it is a battle fought with one's life on the line, it holds true significance!"
"It is for this reason that your predecessors entered the Chunin Exams with dreams in their hearts."
Minato glanced at Sakura Haruno. The fear in her heart was clear to him, but even he couldn't ease the anxieties of young Genin at this moment. All he could do was find ways to motivate them.
"If that's the case, then why do you still emphasize friendship between villages? What's the point?" Karin questioned, clearly confused by the contradiction.
"As I mentioned at the start, I don't want anyone to misunderstand this Chunin Exam."
"Thinking that peace is maintained through killing is not true friendship. This is a battle fought for dreams and honor."
"You may not understand now, but one day, you will. And when that day comes, you will have truly matured as a ninja."
Minato did not continue his lecture. Instead, he turned to Uchiha Itachi and said, "Itachi, I'll leave the rest to you."
As Minato stepped back, Uchiha Itachi walked forward from the Jonin ranks and spoke loudly:
"I am the proctor for this stage of the exam, and I will now explain the rules."
"But before the final test, there is something you must complete first."
"A preselection round that determines whether you can participate in the final assessment."
Itachi's cold expression and stern tone sent a chill through the air. As he spoke, his gaze swept over the Genin, carefully assessing their physical conditions.
"Preselection?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"My teacher, why is this necessary?"
"Why can't those of us who made it this far just move on to the final assessment?"
Itachi's words were like a stone thrown into a still lake, stirring uncertainty among the examinees.
"Well… it seems the first two phases of this exam were too easy, leaving too many candidates still in the running."
"According to the Chunin Exam regulations, a preselection must be conducted to reduce the number of participants in the final round."
"The Hokage just mentioned that many esteemed guests will be attending this stage."
"To prevent unnecessary delays, and to ensure that only truly capable candidates proceed, those who have merely scraped by on luck will be eliminated."
"Additionally, individuals in poor health cannot become Chunin."
After finishing, Itachi paused briefly. Noting the concerned expressions among the Genin, he asked:
"Now, does anyone wish to withdraw? If so, do so now, because the preselection round is about to begin!"
His words sparked another wave of murmurs.
"Already? We barely finished the second stage, and now we're being thrown straight into another test?"
"There's not even time to rest?"
Among the murmuring crowd, Naruto Uzumaki and Karin both turned toward Uchiha Sasuke. They had noticed something off about him for a while now, and a sudden preliminary round wasn't ideal for him.
"The next battles will be one-on-one. You must decide for yourselves whether to withdraw," Itachi stated.
Just then, Sasuke wavered slightly, his body unsteady. Naruto, quick to react, immediately supported him.
"Hey, Sasuke, are you alright?" Naruto asked in a low voice.
Karin rushed over as well, concern etched across her face. "Sasuke, you don't look well. You should withdraw."
"There will be more chances to become a Chunin, but your health is more important."
Sasuke, however, didn't even seem to hear her. He slowly lifted his gaze to Uchiha Itachi, determination burning in his eyes.
"Give up the Chunin Exam because of this? Impossible!" he thought.
"If I quit here, the gap between me and my brother will only grow wider. If I can't endure this, how can I ever surpass him?"
Itachi noticed the firm resolve in Sasuke's eyes. Though he felt a pang of concern, he was also satisfied with his brother's determination.
After waiting a moment to see if anyone else wished to withdraw, Itachi proceeded with the announcement.
"The preselection matches will be one-on-one battles. There are no rules—the fight ends when one opponent is defeated, rendered unable to fight, or surrenders."
"If you don't want to die, surrender quickly. I will intervene to prevent unnecessary casualties."
"There are 27 participants, and your opponents will be automatically selected by drawing lots."
"Of course, the second stage of the assessment was not meaningless. The top performer in the second stage will receive a bye and automatically advance to the final assessment."
"The one who earned the bye is Gaara of the Sand!"
Uchiha Itachi pointed toward Gaara as he announced the assessment rules. Gaara, who had been prepared to fight and kill in this stage, was caught off guard by the unexpected bye. He stood there in astonishment, while his older siblings, Kankuro and Temari, displayed surprised expressions instead.
"That guy with no eyebrows got so lucky—he actually gets a free pass!"
"Hey, didn't they just say that those who rely on luck shouldn't make it to the finals? Isn't this the same thing?"
Gaara's automatic advancement caused dissatisfaction among some candidates, and murmurs of discontent spread. Gaara, hearing the mockery, instinctively felt the urge to lash out. However, just as his anger surged, his eyes caught the gaze of Uzumaki Raiden. Immediately, he suppressed his reaction, knowing this was neither the time nor place for recklessness.
Raiden's presence was overwhelming—like an endless ocean, vast and unfathomable.
Meanwhile, as Itachi spoke, the digital screen at the edge of the field began rapidly scrolling. Soon, a list of matchups appeared. Itachi glanced at the screen, showing a brief flicker of surprise before quickly masking his expression.
"The first match: Sakura Haruno versus Karin Senju!"
"The rest of you, move to the viewing platform. Only the two competitors will remain."
Itachi stepped back toward the edge of the field, and as soon as his voice fell, the Jonin disappeared in an instant, vanishing like afterimages. Each team's instructor rejoined their respective squads, while Uzumaki Raiden and Namikaze Minato moved to the main stand.
The assessment from this point forward was under Uchiha Itachi's control. The rest of the Jonin had little to do at this stage. However, Raiden was interested in this year's candidates, so he stayed to observe. Minato, on the other hand, remained because his son was among the participants, and as a father, he couldn't help but worry.
"I didn't expect to be in the first match, and my opponent is Sakura—what luck!"
Karin Senju smiled slightly as she looked at Sakura, standing a short distance away. Those who had passed the Forest of Death were undoubtedly strong, but among this year's candidates, Sakura's team was, by far, the weakest. Not a single person in her group stood out. As for individual strength, Karin—born into the Senju clan—was far superior to Sakura.
Uchiha Itachi, expressionless as always, called out loudly:
"If you're ready, begin!"
At first, Sakura Haruno appeared slightly nervous. However, upon hearing Itachi's words, she quickly steadied herself. The timid look in her eyes disappeared, replaced by firm determination as she faced Karin.
"Oh? This is getting interesting."
"Who trained Sakura Haruno? They did a good job!"
Raiden, observing from the high platform, was intrigued. He knew Sakura Haruno's personality well—timid, hesitant, and easily discouraged. At this stage, she lacked any significant strengths. If one were to point out any redeeming quality, even kindness was a stretch.
Moreover, she had not been assigned to the same team as Naruto and Sasuke. Because of this, Raiden hadn't expected her to remain so composed when facing an opponent far stronger than her.
"Huh? You don't know? Her Jonin instructor is Itachi," Minato remarked, looking at Raiden with surprise.
As Itachi's master, Raiden should have known this. However, from his reaction, it was clear that he had no idea.
"..."
"Itachi?"
Raiden muttered in surprise before looking at Sakura Haruno with a slightly more serious expression.
"If her mentor is Itachi, then it's no coincidence that she passed the Forest of Death's assessment."
"This girl has potential. With the right guidance, she could develop into something impressive."
While Raiden contemplated this, the battle on the field had already begun. Rather than attacking with full force, Karin first drew a kunai from her pouch and rushed at Sakura, planning to conserve chakra and finish the fight with taijutsu.
Originally, Karin expected Sakura to engage in close combat. However, to her surprise, Sakura immediately began forming hand seals.
"Ninjutsu?!"
"Tree Binding Death!"
Sakura's hand seals were precise, and just as Karin closed in, she completed them.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Karin split open, and a massive tree erupted from below. Thick branches shot out, quickly coiling around her, restraining her completely.
"What the—?! She can use Wood Release?!"
Karin, completely immobilized, looked at Sakura in shock.
"No… that's impossible!"
"If this were really Wood Release, there's no way I wouldn't have heard about it!"
"The number of hand seals she used—it's genjutsu!"
Karin quickly pieced things together. Though her body was restrained, she realized the truth in an instant. Without hesitation, she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, using the sharp pain to break free from the illusion.
As she reopened her eyes, the massive tree had vanished, and Sakura was now lunging at her with a kunai.
"Wood Release: Tree Burial!"
At the critical moment, Karin clasped her hands together, and four thick vines burst from the ground. One vine wrapped around Sakura's wrist, stopping her attack, while the others ensnared her body. The tide of the battle had completely shifted in Karin's favor.
"Sakura Haruno..."
"Itachi has trained her well!"
From the high platform, Raiden watched the scene unfold.
At that moment, Karin had not fully escaped Sakura's genjutsu. She had only believed she had broken free. In reality, Sakura had anticipated Karin's strategy and intentionally released her hold just enough to let her think she had escaped. Even now, Karin was still trapped within the illusion.
"Yes, her genjutsu is impressive," Minato remarked.
"Against an ordinary opponent, she would have already won. But against Karin, she's still too inexperienced."
"The immense chakra reserves of the Senju clan are not so easily disrupted."
Minato sighed softly, as though lamenting the struggles faced by civilian-born ninjas.
(End of Chapter)