A whole month had slipped by since I started training with Sakumo Hatake.
I've been able to test out all the battle strategies and items that I could potentially use in the exams. The best example of this is the ration pills and the wired kunai.
"Hah~" I yawn out, feeling the cool wind touch my skin.
On the opposite side of me was Sakumo, looking at me with a wide smirk. Seeing this, I made the first move.
Ram → Snake → Tiger
[Clone Technique]
[Shadow Technique]
*Poof!*
Eight clones appeared, with one of them being a shadow clone. We immediately charged forward at the same time, wanting to overwhelm him with numbers.
Sakumo didn't even flinch.
His white hair seemed still as he moved backwards to avoid a few clones. Being at the back of the pack, I watched two more clones go in for a "strike" while my shadow clone flickered behind him.
In an instant, his blade slid free of its sheath and slashed at my shadow clone. Taking the chance, I flicker to his opposite side.
Snake
[Lightning Release: Body Flicker]
*Swoosh!*
The sound of a kunai hit my ears as my shadow clone disappeared. Thankfully, I was able to make it in time and held my kunai right up to his neck. With some lightning residue still left on my body.
"Is that a forfeit?" I question.
A calm voice came from above me. "Are you sure about that?"
Slowly, I looked up.
'Oh, naw.'
To my annoyance, Sakumo was standing on a branch high above, resting his blade against his shoulder. Looking down at me with that relaxed little smile of his.
Perhaps he wasn't forfeiting...
"Oh, you didn't slash my shadow clone. The kunai did." I murmur.
The question I had was answered immediately as the memory of the kunai hitting the ground was in my field of view. I hate bastards who abuse clones...
I wish I had sage mode or were a natural-born sensor to sense the different chakra signatures, ignoring such troubling tasks like being tricked by a simple clone.
It's a bit difficult to see the difference between a clone, especially when you're in the heat of battle.
"Honestly, this type of full assault would do better in the third test of the Chunin exams. There isn't anywhere to hide, really, and it's just an open field. I'd give it a 7/10!" He says with a happy expression, holding up seven fingers.
"Eh, that's not too bad." His words were true, though, as there weren't many options in an open field.
He jumped down lightly, landing in front of me without a sound.
"It's already been half an hour, you should get going," Sakumo said with a small smile, sheathing his blade, "From what I've seen you'll do amazing! Don't worry too much about the results. Before you go though... do you think it's alright if I take that move from you?"
His cheeky words catching me a bit off guard, I chuckle realizing what he said.
"Go for it, the stronger you are, the better."
Thankfully, he wasn't going to be my opponent in the Chunin exams, so there isn't much to gatekeep anyway. On the topic, teaching him [Chidori] might not be a bad move, considering he uses Lightning Release a lot.
Pair it with his sabre, which seems to be a samurai technique with chidori stream. It's practically a match made in heaven. As lightning only gets sharper the more chakra you add to it.
'A thought for when I learn the ninjutsu myself. Explaining a non-made technique is awkward.'
Before I leave, I take one last look at my panel.
-----
[ViewingPanel]
Name: Jiraiya (Genin)
Age: 7
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Teacher: Hiruzen Sarutobi
Team: Tsunade Senju, Orochimaru
---
[Attributes]
Ninjutsu: Low Chunin > Chunin
Taijutsu: Chunin
Genjutsu: High Chunin
Shurikenjutsu: Genin > High Genin
---
[Body][1]
Strength: High Genin
Speed/Agility: High Genin
Stamina: High Genin
Chakra Reserves: High Genin
Chakra Control: High Chunin
---
[Techniques]
__
Ninjutsu <>
E-rank: [Body Replacement Technique], [Transformation Technique], [Leaf Burning Exercise]
D-rank: [Cancel], [Body Flicker Technique], [Lightning Release: Body Enhancement (New)]
C-rank: [Transparent Escape Technique], [Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique], [Summoning Technique] [Lightning Body Flicker (New)],[2]
B-rank: [Shadow Clone Jutsu]
A-rank: [Shuriken Shadow Clone], [Kunai Shadow Clone]
__
Taijutsu: Leaf Academy Taijutsu (D-rank), Muay Thai (C-rank)
Genjutsu: Clone Technique (E-rank), Cancel (D-rank)
-----
With the help of Sakumo, I've been able to learn the [Lightning Body Flicker] & [Lightning Release: Body Enhancement] by basically channeling lightning chakra around my body using the [Body Enhancement Technique].
Although it's kind of weak since I'm still a beginner in lightning ninjutsu. So it's not too effective at this current moment, and I can't keep it on for more than thirty seconds.
Still, it's a start.
Because I could already use the other techniques without hand signs, the lightning techniques only need the snake hand seal to activate, which is neat.
Flickering away, I soon made my way to the training ground where my team was meant to meet up beforehand.
It didn't take too long before I spotted Orochimaru, sitting on a rock with a scroll half-unrolled on his lap. His expression looked completely focused.
Hiruzen-sensei stood nearby, arms crossed, watching me approach.
"Good timing, Jiraiya," he said. "I assume your morning training went well?"
I rubbed the back of my neck. "It went well, sensei, say, where is Tsunade?"
"You guys are meeting Tsunade at the academy," Hiruzen continued with a helpless look. "She told me some friends from the academy met her and wanted to chat for a while. So you'll have to deal with that."
I nodded. "Got it. Guess it's time."
As we started walking away, Orochimaru tucked his scroll away. "Do you have any idea what the first test will be, Jiraiya?"
I shrugged. "No clue. Maybe something to test teamwork or strategy. Or maybe they'll just throw a surprise fight at us."
"Unlikely," Orochimaru said, hands in his pockets. "They'll want to evaluate our judgment first. Battle comes later. I'm sure we will pass."
"Of course."
Putting my hands over his shoulders which put a smile on his face. We went through the streets of Konoha with one place in mind.
The Shinobi Academy.
Today, the academy is on break due to the Chunin exams, and this is where the first test is being held.
By the time we reached the academy gates, I could see Tsunade talking to a few of her old classmates under a shaded walkway. They noticed us before she did, and I caught the way they looked at me.
Curious, a little skeptical.
When Tsunade turned and saw us, her grin lit up the courtyard. "About time you two showed up."
"We didn't take too long now, let's head inside," I said.
One of her classmates leaned closer and whispered something to her. She laughed lightly and said, "Yeah, Hiruzen-sensei's been working him hard. You wouldn't even recognise him now."
That made the others look again, less judgmental this time. I just smiled, not caring too much about their words.
"He does look much cooler..."
"That armor is big."
'I wonder if my old classmates are going to watch me in the third stage, presuming I make it that far. Now that would be entertaining.' I muse.
Thankfully, before anything too awkward occurred, Hiruzen caught up to us."All right, everyone," he said. "The first phase of the exams will be held inside. I'm heading to my assigned area, so take this paper."
The two girls who were talking to Tsunade were both in awe. Even as Sensei flickered away, they were staring at the place before he left.
"Tsunade, Jiraiya. Let's go now." Orochimaru insists and drags us away from the two girls. Seeing his disgusted face, I laughed at his predicament.
The fangirls in the academy might of brought bad memories.
...
The halls of the academy were quiet, the kind of quiet that made every step sound louder than it should.
It felt strange being back here, like walking through a memory that didn't belong to me. The walls still smelled faintly of chalk and wood polish, sort of like the schools back on earth. windows painted long bars across the floor.
Orochimaru walked beside me, side-eyeing everything that came into sight. While Tsunade just casually trailed behind, not worried in the slightest.
According to the paper slip we have, it was supposed to be Room 305 on the second floor.
Easy enough.
Except when we turned the corner, we saw a small crowd across the hallway. Taking a peek at the room closest to us, it had the number 300.
Which meant five classes down there was 305.
"Wasn't room 305 meant to be on the third floor?" Tsunade questions, stretching her arms over her head.
'A genjutsu?' I thought, remembering the anime.
Orochimaru frowned slightly. "Maybe they get it wrong, I'll just double check in case it's a genjutsu."
All three of us used [Cancel] as the number on the first room closest to us changed. Instead of 300, it was now 100, which meant the Genin in the corridor over there were in a Genjutsu.
"Upstairs we go," My words caused the other two to nod.
Tsunade glanced at me. "Think that was the first test?"
"Probably just the warm-up," I answered as we made our way upstairs.
It took a few minutes before we were looking at the new room numbers. As expected, they were also the exact same as downstairs before we removed the Genjutsu.
This time the crowd outside the classroom was thicker than down stairs and a little above my expectations.
'Seems like most didn't fall for that simple trick.'
At least a dozen three-man cells stood gathered in the narrow hallway, each waiting for their turn to be let in by a thin, sharp-eyed man standing by the door.
He wore a flak vest and an armband marked with the word [exam] displaying his proctor role.
The gruffy-looking man was speaking to the group ahead of us, checking their forms and giving them quiet instructions before waving them through the door. The moment they disappeared inside, the proctor's attention drifted toward the next team in line, his voice low and clipped.
I turned my attention back to the hallway, scanning the other Genin teams.
There weren't any faces I could recognize. But some clan symbols did interest me a bit. Maybe the rest were from other districts or civilian families. Their gear looked standard: light armor and basic pouches.
If anything, my red armor got the attention of the room... That's if my group's ages didn't already as some stares to come our way.
A trio near the front carried themselves like seasoned veterans. The one in the middle wore the Uchiha crest with black hair and black eyes. His teammates, both kunoichi, kept formation naturally, hands near their weapons.
Potentially a future opponent.
Another group caught my eye. A round-faced boy with the Akimichi symbol on his back, flanked by a Nara and a Yamanaka.
The Ino–Shika–Cho formation.
Though I doubt they are clan heirs.
"There's an Uchiha and a Hyuga," Orochimaru murmured, interested, following my gaze. "They have the potential to be troublesome..."
"It's fine," Tsunade said, cracking her knuckles. "Kekkei Genkai or not, a good punch will work."
Whoa, hold up, Pedomaru.
Kids with potential...
We waited in line for ten minutes before we got to the front of the line. With a few more teams behind us, who came after.
In front now was the gruff man with a tired look.
"Papers." His words caused Orochimaru to hand him our team list. "Lord Third's team, huh. Alright, take this and give this to the other proctors inside for further instructions."
The three of us nodding at his words went forward.
Crossing the threshold into the classroom, something felt off. The lighting dimmed slightly as, in an instant, we were in front of the Academy once again.
'Genjutsu again?'
[Cancel]
My vision immediately started to break as if a layer of glass was shattered. But to my surprise, I was still back at the entrance of the academy as if nothing ever happened.
[1] He mostly focused on ninjusu and some shurikenjutsu over these months as you can see
[2] forgot to add summoning technique... My fault