Kazehaya Hayate returned to the mouth of the hollowed-out tree, brushing aside a few hanging vines as he stepped in. Kiba looked up the moment he appeared.
There was a small streak of blood on Hayate's cheek, but Kiba didn't comment on it. Instead, he frowned and asked, "A few Sand ninja just passed through here. You wanna go after them?"
Hayate shook his head. "No need. I already got a Heaven Scroll. I'd rather save my energy."
Still, as he spoke, an image flashed in his mind—a red-haired boy with a massive gourd on his back.
Sand ninja passing by... that must've been Gaara and his team.I wonder... could my Giant Rasengan break Gaara's ultimate defense at this point?
"Oh? If that's the case, that's great!" Kiba said, visibly relieved. A grin spread across his face as he clapped Hayate on the shoulder. "Man, I really underestimated you before! I've decided—when I become Hokage, I'm definitely making you one of my top guys!"
"Uh…" Hayate sighed, wiping a bead of sweat from his temple. "Yeah, about that… you might want to hold off on those dreams for a bit. I don't think that day's ever coming."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Don't tell me—you wanna be Hokage too?" Kiba smirked, puffing out his chest. "Heh, well if that's the case, guess I've got some serious competition!"
He sounded genuinely upbeat now that they had both scrolls.
Hayate only shrugged and turned to Akamaru. "Akamaru should be able to keep watch, right? Let him handle the guard duty. We'll sleep. Tomorrow morning, we head straight for the tower."
"Wrooof…!" Akamaru whined softly, tail drooping as he let out a pitiful cry. His ears flattened, and with a guilty look, he crawled to the entrance of the hole, lying down reluctantly.
The next morning came quietly, with sunlight filtering through the canopy.
After hours of travel, the trio finally reached the central tower. The moment they stepped inside, they noticed an inscription carved into the wall ahead:
If there is no Heaven, one must use wisdom to seize opportunity.If there is no Earth, one must rely on strength to seek gain.But when both Heaven and Earth unite, even peril becomes the right path—this is the essence of leadership.
Kiba tilted his head, squinting at the writing. "What the heck does that mean?"
"It might have something to do with the scrolls," Hinata murmured softly, her fingers pressing nervously against her chest.
"Yeah," Hayate agreed, stepping closer. "It's probably a hint to open the Heaven and Earth scrolls together."
He frowned slightly, trying to recall what came next from his memories of the original Chūnin Exams, but the details were fuzzy. "We'll just have to find out."
Hayate handed the Heaven Scroll to Kiba. "No matter what happens, open it. Let's see."
Kiba wasn't one to hesitate. He nodded and unrolled the scroll in sync with Hayate.
"…People?"
Hayate blinked, eyebrows furrowing. Large kanji characters appeared across the Scroll of Earth. He glanced at Kiba's Heaven Scroll—it had the same symbol.
Before they could react, white smoke erupted from both scrolls at once.
"Throw them away!" Hayate shouted, eyes widening. "It's a summoning technique!"
Kiba, startled, immediately flung his scroll aside. The two scrolls landed next to each other—overlapping perfectly.
A poof! rang through the air. Thick fog flooded the corridor, obscuring everything in sight.
"What is this…?" Hinata whispered, eyes wide.
As the mist began to clear, a shadowy silhouette took shape. Slowly, the figure stepped forward, the white haze peeling away around him.
"Is that—?"
When the mist fully dispersed, all three of them gasped in unison.
"Iruka-sensei?!"
Standing before them was none other than their old academy instructor—Iruka Umino himself.
Arms crossed, he looked at them with a mix of authority and warmth. "Long time no see, all of you."
"This… what's going on?" Kiba asked, completely thrown off.
Iruka chuckled lightly. "Judging by how you look, it seems you didn't suffer too much. You passed through the second exam pretty easily, huh?"
Their clothes were dusty but not torn, their expressions steady. It was clear they hadn't been pushed to their limits.
"Of course! I'm the man who's gonna be Hokage one day!" Kiba boasted proudly.
Hinata tilted her head, still confused. "But… Iruka-sensei, why are you here?"
Iruka smiled. "Because I was assigned as one of the exam messengers. Our job as Chūnin is to greet the candidates who pass the second exam and deliver an important message."
"Messenger work?" Ryoji Takeda echoed, looking puzzled. "Does that mean you're here to tell us about the next exam?"
Iruka nodded. "First of all—congratulations on passing the second stage!"
Kiba grinned widely. "Heh, piece of cake."
Iruka continued, "I also have another duty—to pass on a bit of Chūnin wisdom." He gestured to the inscription on the wall behind him. "Have you noticed anything about that text?"
"Ah—yeah, now that you mention it…" Hayate scratched his cheek awkwardly. "It seems like something's missing?"
"Exactly," Iruka said with a knowing smile. "That's because this inscription was written by the Hokage himself. The 'Heaven' symbolizes the head—your intellect, your strategy. The 'Earth' represents the body—your strength and endurance."
He paced slowly as he explained.
"If you lack Heaven, then you must make up for it with wisdom and preparation. For example, if your weakness lies in intellect, you must study and train your mind to compensate."
"If you lack Earth, then you must strengthen your body through relentless training and discipline."
"But when Heaven and Earth exist together—when mind and body are in harmony—then even the most dangerous path can become the right one. That balance… is the essence of leadership."
Hinata raised her hand hesitantly. "Then… what about the last part, Iruka-sensei?"
Iruka smiled kindly. "That's the true meaning of becoming a Chūnin. By adding the missing element—the 'human' character between Heaven and Earth—you complete the word Chūnin. This entire exam was designed to test whether you possess those basic qualities: intellect, strength, and the ability to lead."
He straightened his posture and added, his tone more formal now, "A Chūnin isn't just a strong fighter. They're a leader—someone capable of guiding a team and carrying responsibility. Never forget that balance of knowledge and strength. That is the true lesson behind this exam."
"Yes, sir!" Kiba replied enthusiastically, his voice brimming with confidence. Even though his role during the second exam hadn't been huge, his pride was unshaken.
He turned toward Hinata, who looked nervous and uncertain. Grinning, he reached out and squeezed her small hand in reassurance. "Don't worry. Believe in yourself."
Hinata's cheeks flushed bright red, glowing like a ripe apple. But she nodded firmly, her pale eyes shimmering with quiet determination.
Believe in yourself...