Team Otokaze had only been formed recently.
They hadn’t even completed many missions yet.
If not for the fact that its three hastily assembled members were all veteran Genin rather than fresh graduates—and because Jonin Otokaze had strongly recommended them—they probably wouldn’t even have qualified as one of the six reserve teams.
Team Saya shared the same fate.
Unlike Team Otokaze, which genuinely wasn’t held in high regard, Team Saya actually had a chance to receive direct qualification.
However, Saya wanted to test Shira’s strength, and she also didn’t want to exhaust too many personal connections, so she had voluntarily ended up as a reserve team.
It wasn’t until three days later, after all the already-qualified Genin teams returned from their missions, that everyone finally gathered.
Following another two days of rest…
…the preliminary qualification test officially began.
During those few days, Team Otokaze had made all the necessary preparations.
Originally, Daimaru had planned to ask Saya for a complete roster of every Genin participating in the Chunin Exams.
Unfortunately…
…she mercilessly refused.
Moody young ladies are really troublesome.
Their previous business dealings had gone quite smoothly.
Daimaru had even thought the two of them were on fairly good terms.
Who would’ve thought she’d immediately pretend not to know him afterward?
Kankuro, on the other hand, was much more straightforward.
Doing business with him was always pleasant.
He paid promptly and never delayed payment.
Only at noon on the day of the test were the preliminary rules finally announced.
The matches would begin immediately after the lunch break.
Just a few short hours would determine who ultimately earned a place in the Chunin Exams.
Holding the notice and participant list in his hands…
Daimaru let out a long breath.
“A king-of-the-hill format that balances individual strength with overall team performance…
interesting.”
The rules were simple.
After selecting the team they wished to challenge, the two sides would compete in one-on-one battles.
The winner remained on the field.
The defeated side would send out its next member.
The process would continue until all three members of one team had been defeated and lost their qualification.
If the challengers won…
…they immediately secured a ticket to Konohagakure’s Joint Chunin Exams.
If they lost…
…they were eliminated on the spot.
Any team that lost its original qualification would become a reserve team instead, receiving one opportunity to challenge another qualified team.
If they succeeded…
…they would reclaim a qualification slot.
“Chi, you’ll go first.
Yome, you’re second.
I’ll finish things off.”
“Fine.”
Chi nodded.
“But which team are we challenging?”
“As long as it isn’t Temari’s team, it doesn’t matter.”
Yome asked worriedly,
“Can we really be that casual about it?
We barely know anything about the other teams.”
There was a huge gap between ordinary Genin who drifted from one weak squad to another…
…and the elite Genin aiming for the Chunin Exams.
Only Daimaru recognized a few names among them…
…and even then, he wasn’t particularly familiar with them.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Daimaru answered matter-of-factly.
“You two just give it your best.”
“I’ll cover everything as the team’s final trump card.”
Judging from the rules…
However…
…if one member was overwhelmingly stronger than everyone else…
…they could simply defeat all three opponents by themselves.
It emphasized teamwork…
…while also rewarding overwhelming individual strength.
The practical philosophy of Sunagakure was on full display.
The remaining rules existed to prevent one team from being repeatedly targeted by challenge after challenge.
They also prevented certain squads from sitting back and benefiting from loopholes without taking risks.
In theory…
…every one of the ten qualified teams could be challenged.
Some might even have to defend their place multiple times.
If a team lacked the strength to justify its direct qualification…
…receiving that qualification might actually be a disadvantage.
Their situation could end up even worse than that of the reserve teams.
…
The sun gradually descended.
The hottest part of the day had passed.
Forty-eight Genin candidates assembled together.
More than a dozen senior shinobi responsible for overseeing the tests stood nearby.
“I won’t waste time with unnecessary speeches.”
“Challengers and defenders, follow your assigned examiners to your respective training grounds.”
“The time limit is one hour.”
“If the defending team fails to defeat the challengers within that time…”
“…the defenders will be declared the losers.”
The last-minute rule added by Maki made all the candidates tense up.
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
“Silence!”
“If those I’ve judged to be stronger can’t defeat weaker opponents quickly and decisively…”
“…I’ll begin questioning whether you deserved my confidence in the first place.”
“Everything here is decided by me.”
“Now…”
“…begin!”
Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari stood at the front.
Sitting opposite them with the challengers…
Daimaru repeatedly flashed exaggerated expressions toward Temari in an attempt to catch her attention.
Unfortunately…
…all he received was an icy glare.
None of the three children of the Kazekage had been challenged.
Partly because they were clearly among the strongest.
More importantly…
…no one wanted to fight Gaara.
It was only a Chunin Exam qualification match.
Getting casually killed by Gaara would be far too unjust.
Once the pairings were finalized…
…each of the six reserve teams challenged a different opponent.
It wasn’t because everyone unanimously agreed certain teams were the weakest.
The real reason was much simpler.
Nobody knew the other teams particularly well.
Everyone chose opponents they had at least some confidence against…
…rather than gambling on complete unknowns.
Team Otokaze’s opponents consisted of three utterly ordinary-looking Genin.
They wore the same attire as almost every other Sand shinobi.
If you swapped out their faces…
…nothing would seem out of place.
“Know them?”
“They look awfully arrogant.”
“Doesn’t seem like they think much of us.”
“Who knows?”
Chi shrugged.
“Maybe they really do think we’re beneath them.”
The two girls certainly looked easy to bully.
Especially Yome.
She hardly appeared threatening.
By extension…
…they naturally assumed Daimaru couldn’t be very strong either.
Sunagakure had never followed any principle of balancing team strength.
With the village’s limited number of shinobi…
…its elite-focused training policy was carried out thoroughly.
Strong shinobi were grouped with other strong shinobi.
Weak shinobi naturally ended up with weaker teammates.
The official overseeing Team Otokaze’s challenge match was a gaunt shinobi wrapped from head to toe in a white bodysuit.
His face was covered by black cloth.
Protective goggles concealed his eyes.
Not a single feature of his face could be seen.
Chi’s first opponent had messy hair and a slightly hunched back.
A strange breathing valve covered his mouth.
Attached to both wrists were iron claws whose tips shimmered with a faint blue light.
They were obviously coated with poison.
“So…”
“The first one coming to die is this scrawny little chick?”
“If you’re scared, surrender now.”
“Lord Ukichiri might just spare your life.”
Chi’s expression remained calm.
She solemnly raised her folding fan, covering half her face as she carefully watched her opponent.
“Ukichiri?”
Daimaru snorted.
“What a ridiculous name.”
(T/N: Ukichiri= Floating dust)
People in Sunagakure really were casual when it came to naming themselves.
Most names revolved around sand, wind, deserts, common beasts…
…or even children’s toys, ghost stories, and monsters.
Among everyone Daimaru had met so far…
…hardly anyone was an exception.
Not only were the names unsophisticated…
…very few people even had surnames.
There simply weren’t many prominent clans left.
Without family legacies worth inheriting…
…there wasn’t much point in advertising one’s bloodline through a surname.
Most people instead formed interest groups like Saya’s family, supporting one another for mutual benefit.
Of course…
…there were still families with surnames in Sunagakure.
Not long ago…
…Daimaru had seen a graduating Ninja Academy student named Aoi Sorata on the class roster.
(T/N: Aoi Sorata here= Empty field.
His parents might have been a lil bit hungry.)
As for the loudmouth calling himself Ukichiri…
…his arrogance certainly lived up to his name.
His strength, however…
“That’s honestly painful to watch.”
(End of Chapter)
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