Chapter 299: Scroll Battle

"This seems really easy. If it's like this, all we need to do is defeat one team to pass the exam." After hearing the rules, Obito thought this exam was far easier than the last one.

"If we're lucky, yes." Kakashi nodded.

A distance of ten kilometers isn't much for a ninja; the core of this exam is to snatch scrolls.

"Then at least half of the participants will be eliminated after this exam." Rin analyzed the rules.

In the last theoretical exam, only three teams combined had cheated or scored too low, and most teams passed the first exam.

"Not just half; after this exam, at most a third of the people will remain." Kakashi shook his head slightly.

To pass, all teams would actively attack other teams, but the problem was they might not get the matching scroll. If they didn't, they'd keep attacking.

Kakashi felt even a third was conservative; some troublemakers might not stop even after gathering the correct scroll, further increasing the eliminations.

"If it's all down to luck, that's bad. There's no way we'll smoothly run into the matching scroll. With Kakashi around, something unexpected is bound to happen." Obito was already prepared to win five fights in a row and end up with nothing.

Kakashi: "..."

"Maybe it's you who's unlucky, since we've always been on the same team." Kakashi retorted.

"How could I be unlucky? I've been looking forward to enemies appearing! If they really show up, that should prove my luck is good." Obito thought Kakashi was making a forced argument.

"Each team, send one representative to pick up your scroll." The chunin in charge of distributing scrolls called out.

Kakashi looked over; the scroll pickup point was a wooden hut with only front and back doors, no windows.

"Rin, you go get the scroll. Once you have it, put it away immediately and don't let it be seen." Kakashi decided on the spot.

He realized the second part of the chunin exam had already begun, starting from the scroll pickup.

If you knew in advance whether a team had the Heaven scroll or the Earth scroll, you could plan your fight accordingly.

"Obito, you and I will stay here and watch the people coming out. If anyone doesn't hide their scroll, remember his face and what kind of scroll it is. You haven't forgotten how to tell them apart, have you?"

"Teacher Muyue just explained it; how could I forget? The white ones are Heaven scrolls, the dark ones are Earth scrolls." Obito felt severely underestimated; even an idiot wouldn't forget right after being told.

But Obito also knew what was important and didn't keep arguing with Kakashi about it. Instead, he watched the hut exit from a different direction than Kakashi.

"Heaven scroll, Earth scroll, Earth scroll..." After watching five teams, Kakashi realized the scroll distribution had no pattern; it was purely random.

Other ninjas also noticed Kakashi and his teammates' actions, but they didn't make a fuss. They quietly reminded their teammates and kept an eye out from a distance.

Ninjas with special abilities used their powers to gather information. The Hyuga clan ninja activated their Byakugan to see everyone's scrolls, and the Aburame clan ninja sent a small insect into the hut.

"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!" When it was Terumi Mei's turn to get the scroll, she directly used the Hidden Mist Technique, shrouding the hut in thick fog.

"Our scroll is the Earth scroll. If you've got the guts, come and take it." After Kurozawa got his scroll, he raised it and showed it to everyone around.

Kurozawa's arrogance sparked discussion among the students.

But no one explicitly said they would go after Kurozawa's scroll, since that would directly reveal their own team's scroll type.

Hoshigaki Kisame remained unmoved. Kurozawa's action wasn't reckless; their mission was to stir up trouble in this Chunin Exam in Konoha.

Nine-year-old Zabuza was a ruthless killer who eliminated all his peers at graduation. Thirteen-year-old Kurozawa became a chunin three years ago, an experienced young chunin. Eleven-year-old Hoshigaki Kisame had abnormal chakra and strength. With such a lineup, the Mist high command naturally wouldn't let them take the exam normally.

After Rin got her scroll, she immediately put it in her ninja tool pouch and regrouped with Obito and Kakashi.

Kakashi led the two to an isolated area and began talking quietly.

"We have the Heaven scroll." Rin whispered.

"Then we need an Earth scroll." Kakashi began recalling the teams that had Earth scrolls. Besides Kurozawa, who had openly revealed his, he knew of five other teams with Earth scrolls.

Kakashi looked over at those teams with Earth scrolls, memorizing all their members.

While Kakashi was observing other teams, he noticed several teams were also targeting them.

Most of them were ninjas from other villages, especially from the Hidden Mist.

Kakashi wasn't surprised by this, because their team really did look easy to bully—all children under ten.

"Tch, if only they were near the entrance. They're probably genin who just graduated." A certain Mist ninja thought.

Ninjas generally didn't care about one-on-one fights or not picking on the weak. Compared to tough nuts, most people liked to squeeze soft persimmons.

It wasn't just Kakashi's team; Might Guy's team and Asuma's team were treated the same way.

Even more people were targeting them, because not a few ninjas from the same village were also setting their sights on them.

Kakashi had a bit of a reputation in Konoha; among the ninjas participating in this Chunin Exam, some were seniors from Kakashi's time at the Ninja Academy, and some were genin who had taken the Chunin Exam with him before.

Although they didn't know why Kakashi came to take the Chunin Exam, those who knew his strength definitely wouldn't regard his team as their primary target.

"Not good." Feeling the hostile gazes coming from all around, Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses with his middle finger, a few cold sweat beads appearing on his forehead.

Although he hadn't spotted and acted as quickly as Kakashi, he had still kept up in time and properly protected the scroll intelligence.

But from the look of things, Ebisu saw that those teams were going to steal their scrolls regardless, treating them as pushovers.

Facing those seniors who had graduated three or even five years ago, Ebisu had to admit he was starting to sweat profusely.

Shiranui Genma could no longer keep up that easygoing smile; the pressure was intense.

"It's fine, believe in your youth!" Might Guy placed his hands on both their shoulders, encouraging them.

Looking at Might Guy's bright smile, Ebisu felt much more at ease — having a super powerhouse on their side gave them hope for advancing.

Fifteen minutes after the scrolls were distributed, Muyue began the next arrangements, leading the examinees to their respective entrances.