*Stepping stones to test Uchiha Sasuke's power? Lord Orochimaru, have you abandoned us?*
Having vented some of his fury by breaking Zaku's arms, Sasuke's mind began to calm. He released the crippled Zaku, walked over to the unconscious Haruno Sakura, and brushed the dust from her face.
"Idiot... I'm... not worth..." Sasuke's lips moved, but the words were too faint even for him to hear. Suddenly, the Cursed Seal on his neck flared with intense pain, and the red and black cloud-like patterns on his skin rapidly receded.
With Sasuke in a weakened state, the wavering Dosu seized the opportunity to escape with Kin and Zaku.
Hyuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten had already departed quietly. Yakushi Kabuto, however, watched the pain-wracked Uchiha Sasuke with an enigmatic smile.
***
Only now did Daigan truly appreciate how much hatred he'd earned by messing with so many people during the first test.
Thanks to Yome's superior vision, no one could even get close to Team Otokaze while they were on the outskirts. The biggest waste of time had been figuring out how to bypass other genin teams, skirting the edges of their sensory ranges to slowly approach the Central Tower. Only at the very last moment, when it was impossible to avoid a confrontation, did they pick a team that looked weak and force their way through.
Of course, in the end, they were "forced" to give up one "Scroll of Heaven" and one "Scroll of Earth" to satisfy the appetites of those seemingly powerful "masters."
Yome and Chi looked back with pity at the chaotic battlefield where teams were fighting to the death over two fake scrolls, attracting even more candidates, before following Daigan into the Central Tower.
"It doesn't look like anything special," Chi remarked. The tower didn't seem large from the outside, but the space within was quite expansive.
"Without Heaven, one seeks knowledge to prepare for opportunity. Without Earth, one pursues the field to seek advantage. When the Books of Heaven and Earth are opened, the perilous path returns to the righteous way. This is the ultimate secret of 'Man'... This is the mark of a leader. —The Third. I suppose this is the so-called heart of the Chunin selection, displayed so openly here."
Daigan knowingly took out the Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth, opened them, and tossed them to the floor. Chakra smoke billowed from the scrolls as a pre-prepared sealing formula activated, and a figure was summoned.
"Oh? A proctor I haven't seen before. Looks like a Konoha chunin," Daigan said, waving his hand to signal the wary Yome and Chi to relax. No matter what, a proctor responsible for maintaining order wouldn't interfere with the exam's progress. Even if the rules were to change, only the head examiner could make that call.
"More Sand Ninja..." The chakra smoke dissipated, revealing the proctor, Umino Iruka, with a scar across the bridge of his nose. "Why does someone always pass the Forest of Death on my watch? And why is it always Sand Ninja..."
Several chunin proctors were taking turns monitoring the exam grounds for any unusual activity. The security level had been significantly heightened, especially after signs of Orochimaru's presence were discovered in the forest.
"In any case, congratulations on passing the second test!"
"Thank you, Proctor-sensei!" They needed his official acknowledgment to have formally passed the test. Now, even if his fake scroll scheme in the forest was exposed, their qualification for the next stage wouldn't be affected.
"Don't mention it. You're the third team to pass, which is quite impressive. Also, it's my duty to explain the chunin principles written on the wall to the candidates who pass..."
"We're all ears."
Umino Iruka cleared his throat and announced, "Heaven refers to the mind, and Earth refers to the body. Only when both are combined can one walk the righteous path and gain the leadership qualities needed to complete missions. These words were written by the Third Hokage himself... Having passed the first written exam, your minds are sharp. Especially you—Daigan, the Sand puppet master. Your reputation precedes you!"
"You flatter me."
"Haha, don't worry about it. Isn't that what the Chunin Exam is all about? Since you've passed the survival trial in the Forest of Death, your bodies have also met the basic requirements for advancement. You have officially passed this stage of the test! I look forward to your performance in the next stage..."
With that, Umino Iruka formed a hand seal and vanished.
"Finally, that's one less thing to worry about. Yome, Chi, we'll be waiting here for the next three days. You two should get some rest. Oh, and..." Daigan divided the last of their food and water. "Prepare yourselves. The team competition ends here. From now on, you'll need to think seriously about your own futures. Thanks for putting up with me these past few days..."
Daigan offered a rare, sincere smile, which made his two companions a bit uncomfortable.
"There's no need to be so formal. The Chunin Exam has been a great experience for us too. It's not about who helped whom..." Chi said with an embarrassed smile.
Yome plopped down lazily on a bench by the wall. "Daigan, if it weren't for your insistence, we never would have had this chance to see so many powerful ninja and compete alongside them. Even if we don't make chunin this time, we've gained a lot..."
"Is that so? Well, as long as you're satisfied."
For once, Daigan wasn't spouting any outrageous nonsense. His tone had shifted from his usual frivolous and cynical self, which was both a relief and a bit strange for his teammates.
"The Chunin Exam isn't over yet. Why does it sound like you're trying to get rid of us? We might not need to work together in the individual matches, but we're still teammates, right?" Chi asked, looking at Daigan's smiling face. "Are you hiding something from us?"
"Not at all!" Daigan replied without batting an eye. He glanced toward an inner room as the two teams that had passed earlier, hearing the commotion, came out to investigate. "It'll be dark soon. Let's say hello to the other teams that passed and find a place to rest."
Though Team Otokaze had faced minor setbacks, their journey had been mostly smooth. But that was about to change. Even the preliminary round of the third test would be far bloodier than any of the D-rank or C-rank missions they were used to.
Walking toward them was Konoha's Team 8: the shy Hyuga Hinata; the quiet and unassuming Aburame Shino; and Inuzuka Kiba, holding a shivering Akamaru, who had been terrified by Gaara's cruelty.
"Tch. This guy passed too? What are all those supposedly amazing seniors doing?" Inuzuka Kiba muttered with a discontented click of his tongue.
"Kiba, that's rude!"
As Daigan passed by, he gave a friendly nod to the three genin of Team 10. Only Hyuga Hinata hurriedly bowed in return; Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba acted as if they hadn't seen him.
Chi covered her mouth and whispered, "Are relations between Sand and Konoha ninja this bad?"
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