Chapter 294: Young Mei Terumi

"Strange, Minato-sensei is late today. Could he have overslept?" Obito said doubtfully as he arrived at the training ground at the last minute, only to see Rin Nohara and Kakashi.

"Do you think Minato-sensei is you?" Kakashi said speechlessly, looking at Obito who had barely made it on time, and was even complaining about the teacher being late when he himself had almost been late.

"As if you've never been late before, Kakashi." Obito clenched his fist and retorted defiantly.

"I have been late, but far less often than you." Kakashi replied calmly.

When he was in a bad state, he would suffer from insomnia and irregular sleep patterns, leading to lateness, but that was a rare occurrence once a year at most. For Obito, being late had reached the point where "it's normal for him."

"How dare you slander my reputation out of thin air!" Obito's eyes went wide, and he continued to argue, "What lateness? I was out helping people. How can helping people be called being late?"

"Isn't being late simply not arriving at the agreed time?" Kakashi killed the debate with a single sentence.

"Alright, alright." Rin let out a helpless smile and began to change the subject. "Minato-sensei must have been late because of something important. Besides, he's so fast, maybe he'll be here any moment."

Given how reliable Minato usually was, Rin naturally wouldn't think he had overslept.

Whoosh!

As if to confirm Rin's words, the next instant Minato appeared before the three of them.

"Sorry, I'm a bit late." There was some apology on Minato's face, but it quickly turned into a gentle smile.

"Do you three want to take the Chunin Exam? I've recommended you. If you want to participate, please fill out these application forms." As he spoke, Minato took out three sheets of paper.

Rin's guess was correct; he was late because he had just been at the Hokage Building handling the Chunin Exam qualifications.

"The Chunin Exam? That means we can get promoted to Chunin! Yes, yes, yes!" Obito's eyes lit up, repeating the important word three times.

Although Kakashi had been beaten by him before, the fact that Kakashi's ninja rank was higher than his annoyed Obito, since it put him a step below Kakashi when carrying out missions.

"It's just an eligibility. You must pass the exam to become a Chunin." Fearing that Obito might mistakenly think just participating would make him a Chunin, Minato quickly explained.

But after saying that, Minato felt it didn't really matter. As their teacher, he knew the strength of Obito and his teammates; they had no problem passing the Chunin Exam.

"Hehe, I'll definitely pass." Obito had full confidence in himself, having defeated several Chunin from enemy ninja villages during missions.

Kakashi looked at the three forms in Minato's hand with some confusion. Logically, only two should be needed, so he asked, "Sensei, am I participating too?"

"Kakashi, aren't you already a Chunin? You can still take the exam? Does passing the Chunin Exam three times in a row make you a Jonin or something?" Obito grabbed one of the forms with his photo on it and joked.

Kakashi:...

Even if he was asked that, he wouldn't know either.

"Kakashi, you do need to take the exam. But passing the Chunin Exam three times in a row won't make you a Jonin. Jonin are only promoted by the Hokage." Minato answered both of their questions seriously.

"The reason Kakashi can participate in this Chunin Exam is mainly because your team is special—special in every sense." Minato went on to explain.

The Chunin Exam officially starts on July 1st. Obito and Rin graduated in mid-March, meaning they are fresh Genin who have only been out for about 1.4 months.

Most Genin who take the Chunin Exam have been graduated for at least a year; three years is the average.

Some don't take it late because they don't want to, but because they can't. The Chunin Exam isn't unconditional; it has requirements for time as a ninja and the team's mission record.

The reason Obito and his team can participate in this Chunin Exam is inseparable from the high-level missions Obito completed during his internship, especially since an S-rank mission is quite significant. Also, they have the recommendation of Minato Namikaze, a Jonin instructor whose recommendation can overlook the issue of a short ninja career.

However, this Chunin Exam requires team participation. Considering Obito's team's short graduation time and other issues, Hiruzen Sarutobi ultimately allowed Kakashi, already a Chunin, to take the exam together with Obito and Rin.

After hearing Minato's explanation, Kakashi nodded to show he understood and took his own form.

Kakashi looked at the somewhat familiar application form with a subtle expression. Taking the Chunin Exam as a Chunin was really weird.

Kakashi found that ever since he left his previous formal team, his experiences had become stranger and stranger. First, he formed a team with students from the Ninja Academy, then he encountered unexpected situations in consecutive missions, and now he had to take the Chunin Exam as a Chunin.

"Kakashi, don't you dare hold us back just because you're already a Chunin." Obito said after filling out his form.

It suddenly occurred to him that if Kakashi slacked off during the exam, he wouldn't lose anything since he was already a Chunin, while they would lose big and miss their promotion.

"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself. The first part of the Chunin Exam is a written test. Those who fail are eliminated on the spot." Kakashi looked up at Obito and said flatly, with undisguised contempt in his eyes.

That was the confidence his perfect scores in theory gave him. When it came to theory, he could easily crush Obito.

"Huh? The first part is a written test?" Obito looked as if he were facing a formidable enemy, already forgetting about Kakashi's gaze. He quickly asked, "So what counts as passing?"

He just wanted Kakashi, this veteran who had already taken the Chunin Exam, to spill some information.

"It depends on the specific requirements. The Chunin Exam requirements aren't the same every time." Kakashi shook his head and replied.

The Chunin Exams are held twice a year, and even exams in the same year aren't necessarily the same, let alone those from several years ago.

"But the minimum requirement, if we use a hundred-point system, is basically above sixty points," Kakashi added.

Obito's expression grew even grimmer; sixty points was a huge challenge for him.

"Just go back and review properly, you'll definitely be fine," Minato said with a smile of encouragement, confident in his students.

"That's because you haven't seen me in my prime," Obito could only complain silently in his heart.

He didn't have Minato's confidence—after all, during his time at the Ninja Academy, he had even scored single digits.

In the fourth grade, after getting tutoring from Muyue, his grades improved slightly, but later, when theoretical study decreased, they dropped again.

Of course, Obito still had one method—though he didn't trust his own theory, he believed in the all-powerful Sage Muyue: when in doubt, ask Sage Muyue.

……

Perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to make Muyue's resume look better; for this Chunin Exam, Muyue held many positions.

He was responsible for setting the theory exam papers and also served as the chief examiner for the second round, in addition to some nominal positions that required no actual work.

It seemed like many positions, but there wasn't much work, and some could be done with Shadow Clones; overall, it was within Muyue's acceptable range.

If it were too busy, Muyue would directly refuse; wouldn't it be better to spend that time researching Sealing Techniques and Medical Ninjutsu rather than working for Hiruzen Sarutobi?

"What a pain, at a time like this we still have to invite other ninja villages—couldn't we just handle it ourselves? And why do I have to greet them?" Jiraiya complained to Muyue as they walked toward the Konoha gate.

Muyue smiled without speaking; such a level of complaint was not appropriate to voice in public.

"Being able to hold a Chunin Exam of this level even during wartime demonstrates our Konoha's strength to the daimyo and clients—even among the Five Great Ninja Villages, we are the strongest," Homura Mitokado explained, pausing his steps.

The high-ranking officials had also held meetings to discuss the Chunin Exam; because the war was going very smoothly, they ultimately decided to invite other ninja villages to participate as before.

To let the participating ninja villages and the clients visiting the exam feel Konoha's strength.

First, the list of small ninja villages was decided; they invited all the surrounding small villages to make them stand more firmly on Konoha's side in the war.

As for the large ninja village, they chose Kirigakure; although Konoha's high-ranking officials were confident in their village's strength, they were not arrogant enough to call an enemy village to participate during wartime.

Although Sunagakure had not gone to war with Konoha, their own Kage had disappeared, and they were fiercely fighting Kumogakure, so Konoha did not disturb Suna and chose Kirigakure, the only one not currently involved in war.

After all, only inviting small villages would seem like bullying the weak; even if they performed well, it wouldn't prove strength.

"Having you come is because Hiruzen values you—don't disappoint his good intentions," Koharu Utatane said sternly, turning her head to Jiraiya.

As an old classmate of Hiruzen Sarutobi, she could naturally infer from his series of actions who he most wanted to cultivate as Hokage.

"The wind today is quite noisy," Jiraiya began to say something unrelated to the topic.

He could see Hiruzen's intentions, but he truly had no desire to become Hokage; he just wanted the war to end soon so he could continue traveling the ninja world.

Both advisors looked at Jiraiya with expressions of frustration over his lack of ambition.

Just as they were about to reach the gate, the two advisors adjusted their expressions and smiled at the approaching Kirigakure ninja team.

Of course, they couldn't greet every ninja village; only Kirigakure, as a fellow Five Great Ninja Village, received this treatment—small villages had to present their credentials and enter on their own.

Muyue calmly observed the Kirigakure team from within the group, casting an Appraisal Jutsu on each of them.

【Name: Yuan Shi】

【Chakra: 】

【Skills: Water Nature Transformation, Hidden Mist Jutsu, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique...】

This was an old man holding a snake-shaped wooden staff, appearing between sixty-five and seventy; his stats looked quite good, and Muyue estimated he was at the level of a Kirigakure elder.

Although his stats were good, Muyue felt that in actual combat, this Yuan Shi probably couldn't beat the current Danzo; a ninja's strength is quite affected at this age.

Muyue also spotted some familiar faces from the storyline in the crowd, though none of them had grown up yet.

【Name: Mei Terumi】

【Chakra: 4000】

【Potential: S】

【Skills: Water Nature Transformation, Lava Release, Boil Release...】

The future well-proportioned Fifth Mizukage is now a flat-chested red-haired kid, looking about the same age as Kakashi and the others, but Terumi Mei, who can use Water Release to block Madara's Fire Release, indeed has good talent and impressive stats all around.

【Name: Momochi Zabuza】

【Chakra: 3600】

【Skills: Water Nature Transformation, Hidden Mist Technique...】

Because he appeared early, Zabuza's battle record is extremely impressive. He once single-handedly pushed the Sixth Hokage and the reincarnations of Indra's and Asura's chakra into a corner.

Now Zabuza also looks about the same age as Kakashi. Although he is a child version, his expression is very similar to the Jiraiya in Muyue's memory, with bandages wrapped around the lower half of his face, and an extremely cold look in his eyes, as if he is displeased with everyone.

【Name: Hoshigaki Kisame】

【Chakra: 7000】

【Skills: Water Nature Transformation, Water Release: Water Prison Technique, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique...】

Kisame doesn't seem to be the same age as Kakashi. Muyue conservatively estimates that he is at least two or three years older, because Kisame's appearance is quite distinctive; even then he is being generous with the estimate.

"But this status panel doesn't look like a genin at all." Muyue thought as he looked at Kisame's panel.

This chakra level is already comparable to some ordinary jonin, and though his skill proficiency is a bit lacking, it's not far off.

"Is Kirigakure trying to stir up trouble? Is there such a plot in the original story?" Muyue kept thinking.

There is very little plot related to the Third Shinobi World War. He only knows that later Kirigakure and Konoha fought, but he is not sure whether Kirigakure's participation in this Chūnin Exam is from the original story or the result of his butterfly effect.

He couldn't figure out the plot, but Muyue guessed their goal based on the overall strength of the Kirigakure team. They probably wanted to outshine Konoha in the Chūnin Exam.

With the overall strength of this Kirigakure team, they are not qualified to cause trouble inside Konohagakure. Even without Sarutobi Hiruzen acting personally, Jiraiya alone could wipe out this team.

Muyue could only say it was a coincidence. In another Chūnin Exam session, Kirigakure might have been able to suppress Konoha with Terumi Mei and others, who are indeed not very old, but in this Chūnin Exam, his disciples also happened to participate. He was present when the jonin recommended their students.

Actually, Terumi Mei is not old. She was only thirty-one during the Fourth Shinobi World War, the same age as Kakashi.

There will be another combined large chapter later, but it will be released later.