Naruto: Who made him a ninja?

“Chunin Exams! Chunin Exams! Here I come!”

Time flies, and the Chunin Exams have finally arrived.

Naruto seemed particularly excited. Although he had just graduated from the academy and become a Genin, he already had a sense of ‘having endured a long, hard life’.

“Idiot, keep it down.”

Sasuke, watching Naruto's antics, couldn't help but retort. In truth, he was also very excited.

Ever since the mission to the Land of Waves, after witnessing what a ‘truly powerful ninja’s’ battle was like, he had been eager to undertake more challenging missions!

During this time, he had been trying to gather information about Hidezawa and Hikari, as the combat abilities they displayed were simply too exaggerated.

Especially Hikari, who he was even more eager to learn about, after all, he was a Uchiha.

Kakashi and Karin were truly getting a headache from his inquiries, but unfortunately, the information he ultimately obtained was not much.

After all, the identities of these two were too special. Karin wasn't one to blab; she would at most talk about trivial matters, and nothing else.

And Kakashi strictly adhered to the ninja code, never saying half a word that shouldn't be said.

This disappointed Sasuke, but Kakashi still gave him a piece of advice in the end.

“If you want to understand them, you must improve yourself. They are standing at the highest point of Konoha, while you are just a fledgling taking flight. The gap is too big.”

Kakashi's words were subtle, but Sasuke understood. He probably couldn't even catch their attention right now!

“So, I must pass this Chunin Exam. Only then can I…”

Sasuke clenched his fist, secretly encouraging himself. Karin was the same; she had long been fed up with being a Genin.

Her whole family were high achievers, and she was the only underperformer.

This was more than just humiliation. At least for Karin, this was definitely not something she was willing to accept. No matter what, she had to seize this opportunity!

“I absolutely have to pass, absolutely have to pass…”

She kept muttering along the way, this was her chance to turn things around!

“These little guys are working hard.”

As the Genin from various countries of the ninja world prepared for the exams, in a monitoring room inside the exam building,

Hidezawa and a group of Jonin were also watching the performance of these little guys through the monitors.

Although it was just a written test, the little guys might not be as diligent as imagined. Besides, Hidezawa also planned to see how many familiar faces were among them.

As the leader of Root and also the Hokage's assistant, he could obtain a lot of information.

But he still preferred to come and see for himself, that's called being dedicated and responsible!

“The quality of the ninjas sent by the other villages this time is not low.”

Kakashi, standing next to the screen, couldn't help but speak.

“Many powerful guys from various villages have come, especially Kirigakure. The people they sent are not simple.”

“A kid from the Hozuki clan, Kirigakure is really serious.”

Asuma, with a cigarette in his mouth, also kept watching the screen, but his gaze occasionally fell on Hidezawa.

Asuma could be said to be the representative of Konoha's ‘rebellion’. He could write a book titled 《My Hokage Father》, embarking on a ‘most difficult path’.

Not ‘fully relying on his father’, and even having a bad relationship with his father because his father became the Hokage again and took power.

Once suspecting whether the Hokage was the ‘King’, or the Daimyo was the master of the ‘King’, he even ran to the Daimyo to work in order to verify.

Of course, in the end, he still understood that the Daimyo probably couldn't beat the Hokage, so he came back…

He didn't have much contact with Hidezawa, after all, Hidezawa was either in Root or Anbu, while he was a mission ninja.

He had only heard of Hidezawa, knowing how powerful Hidezawa was, after all, he had 《My Hokage Father》, but even his father didn't tell him more details.

Since his old man didn't say it, let alone Kakashi and the others. The first time he saw this Hokage assistant, he was also frightened, because Hidezawa was much younger than he imagined!

“Don't worry, believe in them, that is the power of youth!”

Gai was also watching the screen next to him, and when he heard Asuma's words, he immediately raised his thumb!

Although he was also curious about this young Hokage assistant, after asking Kakashi privately and getting ‘can't say more’, he didn't ask any further.

“You guy, you really make it sound easy.”

Asuma couldn't help but roll his eyes when he heard Gai's words, but Hidezawa laughed.

“Actually, Jonin Gai is right, it's good to believe in the little guys. There's no need to worry about the rest. Besides, Kirigakure is considered our ally.

I have already greeted their leader. Even if they fight during the subsequent assessments, they won't go for the kill. Remember to remind your people too.”

“…”

The Jonin were speechless when they heard Hidezawa's words. Was this blatant behind-the-scenes manipulation?

Moreover, many of them had strange expressions. Kirigakure was their enemy back then, and many of them had even fought to the death with Kirigakure in the Land of Whirlpools.

Unexpectedly, now they have become allies?

“Lord, this is the information you requested.”

Just then, Morino Ibiki walked in. Although he was the proctor of the first exam, he was not in a hurry.

“Thank you.”

Hidezawa took the scroll and opened it directly to read it. Kakashi poked his head over from behind.

“This is… the list of Jonin leading the teams from each village. What are you looking at this for?”

“Don’t you know that the situation this time is unusual?”

Shūzé smiled casually, while his eyes constantly searched for the target on the scroll.

"It's better to be prepared. It's more interesting to see what kind of guys will appear. Maybe we can catch some of them for research."

"..."

Kakashi rubbed his temples, feeling that Shūzé being the Hokage's assistant wasn't a good thing. This guy hadn't forgotten his old profession at all.

Asuma and Guy couldn't help but exchange glances. This Hokage's assistant seemed to have an unexpectedly unconventional style?

"Oh, Deidara and Darui?"

Shūzé looked at the scroll and couldn't help but smile.

"One is Ōnoki's disciple, and the other is the Fourth Raikage's confidant. Capturing these two might get us some interesting information."

"..."

The Jonin looked at each other, only Kakashi looked at Shūzé speechlessly for a long time, then suddenly seemed to realize something and said.

"I'll keep a close eye on them."

Kakashi naturally knew Shūzé's intelligence network. There was no way this guy wouldn't know about these people coming. There must be a purpose for him to come here and say this.

It could only be said that, as expected of a former teammate, Kakashi knew Shūzé too well.

"That's good."

Shūzé nodded in satisfaction, then continued.

"This situation is very special, don't let go of any details.

The Hokage is busy with Tsunade-sama's affairs, so some details may not be properly explained.

And you have probably heard some rumors, so please be more serious."

"Yes!"

Hearing this, everyone instantly understood.

It turned out that this Hokage's assistant was actually worried about this exam, but didn't want everyone to worry too much, so he spoke in such a joking tone...

Right?

Before their thoughts could finish, Shūzé had already turned to look at Ibiki Morino.

"By the way, what is the written test about this time?"

"It mainly assesses their ability to gather information."

Ibiki Morino said respectfully. He was originally in the Anbu, but because he didn't have many opportunities to meet Shūzé in the Torture and Interrogation Unit, but Shūzé was a legend in the Anbu!

"If they don't collect enough answers within the stipulated time, then they probably won't be able to pass the exam, and they will be eliminated in a team format."

"The written test is always super difficult."

Guy seemed to recall his own exam back then, and he couldn't help but shudder.

"I remember, you and that idiot Obito Uchiha were always problem students."

Asuma, with a cigarette in his mouth, suddenly looked at Guy with a mischievous smile, until Hong, who hadn't said much, nudged him with her elbow, and he realized something and looked at Kakashi apologetically.

"That, I... I'm sorry!"

"It's okay, it's nothing."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. His ability to withstand things had been greatly improved in his dealings with Shūzé, so he didn't take it to heart.

Only Shūzé stroked his chin, feeling that something was wrong, and after pondering for a moment, he asked.

"I remember that in one of your previous exams, you also tested the genin's resolve, why isn't it there this time?"

"Huh?"

Ibiki Morino was stunned for a moment. That was not a good memory, because his younger brother was forced away by him like that...

He could set most of the rules for this exam, after all, the Hokage and the future Fifth Hokage were both busy.

This gave him a lot of freedom, so he didn't plan to do a psychological test, but Shūzé brought up the past.

"Actually, I don't think you were wrong, after all, it's a very important thing."

Shūzé looked at Ibiki, who was a little silent, and he stroked his chin and continued.

"In addition to examining these students' ability to investigate information, it's also necessary to test their team cohesion and test their resolve.

Chunin are also very important. Sometimes belief is more important than ability, isn't it?"

"Is that so?"

Shūzé's words caused everyone present to ponder, especially Guy, whose eyes widened.

Wasn't his father like that!

Belief is more important than strength. Back then, his father had a firm belief, so he dared to charge towards the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, showing the power of youth.

Otherwise, they would have died in the Land of Whirlpools back then...

"Belief?"

Ibiki Morino was still silent, but he couldn't help but think of his runaway younger brother. Wasn't it because his belief was not firm enough that it led to the bad result?

Thinking of this, Ibiki Morino seemed to have made a decision, but he seemed to have been silent for too long, and Shūzé was a little impatient.

"Moreover, we also have to leave a way out for our own people..."

"?"

Ibiki Morino looked at Shūzé in astonishment, as did the other Jonin.

"Not to mention anything else, the people participating in this exam are not simple this time."

Shūzé slowly raised his head, while extending his fingers as if he was counting.

"Hyuga, Inuzuka, Ino-Shika-Cho, descendants of the Uchiha, descendants of the Uzumaki, Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki..."

"..."

"We don't need to care about other villages, but the people in our own village are still being tested on our territory, we can't lose face."

"..."

"Although the ninja world is full of fighting and killing, the village is full of human relationships. I don't need to explain some things too clearly, right?"

"..."

"Especially Kakashi's team, that kid Naruto, I know him, he's not too smart."

"..."