81-85

Chapter 81: Arriving at Konohagakure

The heart was pierced. Unless it was Kakuzu or Hidan, even the Six Paths Madara would fall.

So Rasa didn't even have time to utter any harsh words before he died.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Kimimaro released his bone swords and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

The crimson blood was extremely conspicuous on the golden sand.

This was not caused by Rasa's injury, but by the onset of his bloodline disease.

Staying in Manda's body for so long had also put a certain strain on his body.

After all, Manda would not execute the plan properly, it wished to digest Kimimaro.

"Kimimaro, thanks to you this time, we were able to kill the Kazekage so easily. However, your bloodline disease seems to be getting worse and worse."

Orochimaru rarely showed concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Orochimaru. My body is fine, I won't die for now."

Kimimaro wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and forced a smile.

"Hehe, you're really a stubborn guy. Well, since you've already thought of a solution, I won't ask any more questions. Sound Four, come and collect the body."

The Sound Four immediately untied the Four Violet Flames Formation and gathered around.

The four of them looked at Kimimaro with a bit more fear in their eyes.

They didn't expect that Kimimaro could even influence the battle between Kage-level, and even played a key role.

If Kimimaro had used that kind of sword technique on them before, they would probably be wiped out in less than one round.

Being beaten so badly was still the result of the other party's mercy, the Sound Four were depressed.

But at the same time, an indelible fear of Kimimaro arose in their hearts.

Kimimaro's status in their hearts was no less than Orochimaru's.

The Sound Four carried Rasa's body, and everyone immediately rushed back to Otogakure.

This operation can be said to be very smooth.

Except for Kimimaro's bloodline disease attack once, there was no damage.

And after returning to Otogakure, everyone will start preparing to go to the Chunin Exams.

First of all, it is to select suitable Genin to go to Konoha.

This selection was made from the existing Otogakure Genin.

After several days of fierce battles, three people finally stood out.

Kin, Otogakure kunoichi, good at using Senbon, and can also use bells to cast illusions.

Zaku, Otogakure male Genin, has a belligerent and arrogant personality, good at ninjutsu, and can blow out terrifying air pressure from the pipes transplanted in the palms.

In short, it is a super low-profile version of Shinra Tensei.

Dosu, Otogakure male Genin, has a rather stable personality, and his ultimate move is Sonic Boom, which is a sound wave attack that can damage human internal organs and make people hard to defend against.

The strength of these three people is a bit higher than that of ordinary Genin, and it is enough to be the facade of Otogakure.

As for the other team of Kimimaro, Jūgo and Suigetsu, it was completely bullying.

Orochimaru had no objection to this.

Anyway, after this Konoha Crush plan, Otogakure will turn into darkness, or even disappear directly.

After all, Orochimaru never planned to completely destroy Konoha from the beginning.

This action is more like a revenge, a vent, a grand funeral specially prepared for the Third Hokage.

"Hehe, Sarutobi-sensei, I wonder if you have already foreseen your own death?"

A few days later, Orochimaru took Kimimaro and the other six to Otogakure.

He disguised himself as the Jonin leader of Otogakure.

"Konoha, I heard it is the most prosperous village in the ninja world. I don't know what interesting things I can see this time. Maybe I will encounter very powerful ninjas.

By the way! I heard that Uchiha Sasuke, the orphan of the Uchiha clan, will also participate in the Chunin Exams this time. People from that clan must not be weak."

Suigetsu's words were full of anticipation.

Jūgo followed behind Kimimaro without saying a word.

"Boss, are you looking forward to fighting Uchiha Sasuke?"

Seeing that the two of them didn't respond to him, Suigetsu immediately started interacting.

In terms of fame, the Uchiha clan and the Kaguya clan are about the same.

The orphans of the two top bloodline limit families are fighting, just this gimmick can attract many people to watch the battle.

"I've seen Uchiha Sasuke once before, he has only opened the two tomoe Sharingan now, his strength is not worth mentioning. If he opens the three tomoe, maybe I will be a little interested."

"Boss, when did you meet Uchiha Sasuke?"

"A month ago."

"Is Uchiha Sasuke so weak? Then can't I defeat him?"

Suigetsu was a little excited.

Kimimaro looked Suigetsu up and down, and shook his head slightly.

"Hard to say."

"Boss, don't you have any confidence in me at all?"

Suigetsu drooped his head, quite dissatisfied.

"You haven't cultivated your lightning resistance yet, and you have such a big shortcoming. Whether you can beat Uchiha Sasuke is indeed a question."

"Could it be that he is still a lightning expert?"

"Yes."

Hearing this, Suigetsu immediately drooped his head and didn't want to talk.

The two were chatting happily, but Zaku showed a bit of displeasure.

"Why did we get the qualification to participate in the Chunin Exams after several bloody battles, but the three of them formed a team directly?"

"Zaku, don't be upset. Those are the people appointed by Lord Orochimaru. You came late and didn't know the prestige of Lord Kimimaro. He is a terrifying person who can even suppress the Sound Four."

Dosu whispered in Zaku's ear mysteriously.

"What? Suppress the Sound Four? Alone?"

Zaku was startled.

Kabuto and Kimimaro were not in Otogakure all year round, Jūgo was low-key, and Suigetsu was playful, so they were not well-known in Otogakure.

Except for the four of them, the Sound Four were the terrifying figures second only to Orochimaru in the minds of Otogakure ninjas.

Even the arrogant Zaku had to be convinced.

"Just one person."

"He's so strong? Why is he still participating in the Chunin Exams?"

"Maybe Lord Orochimaru has other arrangements. I advise you to be honest and not offend this lord. Otherwise, you may not be able to survive in Otogakure in the future."

Zaku couldn't help swallowing, he didn't expect this Kimimaro to be such a terrifying person, so he put away his dissatisfaction.

Everyone went all the way without incident, and soon arrived at Konohagakure.

"Is this Konoha? It's really big."

Suigetsu looked at the huge gate and sighed.

Orochimaru's expression was a bit nostalgic.

"Hehe, I'm finally back."

His expression was restrained, and no one noticed the strange color in his eyes.

"You are the team sent by Otogakure to participate in the Chunin Exams this time, right? Welcome to Konoha."

It was Nara Shikaku of the Konoha Jonin class who greeted them.

Sending Shikaku to greet the people from Otogakure can be said to be very respectful.

"Hehe, you are the captain of this generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, Nara Shikaku, right?"

Shikaku's name was still very famous in the ninja world.

The most famous one is not the Ino-Shika-Cho captain, but the Konoha strategist.

The Nara clan has inherited high IQ, and plays an extremely important intellectual role in every Ninja World War.

"Just a little reputation. Please come with me, Konoha has prepared a hotel for you."

"Then I will trouble Mr. Shikaku."

"You're welcome."

The two were very polite, and in this atmosphere, everyone stepped into Konohagakure.

Looking at the Hokage Rock in the distance, Kimimaro couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

"Finally here. The center of the ninja world, Konohagakure."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 82: Being a Chef is Harder than Being a Ninja

Kimimaro walked alone on the streets of Konoha.

An hour ago, the Otonin Village had successfully checked into their hotel, and it was now their free time.

The Chunin Exams were three days away.

Three days was enough time for Kimimaro to check in at the scenic spots here.

Looking at the ever-increasing abilities and items on the panel, Kimimaro showed a satisfied smile.

"This trip was really worth it."

Kimimaro was thinking like this when he suddenly saw a sign in front of him.

Ichiraku Ramen!

The number one food shop in Naruto, this place naturally has some value for checking in.

Kimimaro walked to the door of Ichiraku Ramen, made a V sign with his fingers, and smiled slightly.

"Congratulations to the tourist, the scenic spot has been successfully checked in, and you have obtained the same cooking skills as Xiao Dangjia Liu Subaru."

Kimimaro was a little surprised, cooking skills?

What's the use for a ninja?

For ordinary people, it can improve their food.

"Forget it, since I'm here, let's go in and taste the best food in Naruto."

Kimimaro pushed open the door and walked into Ichiraku Ramen.

"Welcome, eh, the guest is not a local, rare guest, rare guest, what do you want to eat?"

As soon as he entered the door, Kimimaro was greeted by Teuchi's warm smiling face.

Seeing the Otonin forehead protector on Kimimaro's forehead, he was only slightly surprised, and soon regained his smile.

"Signature ramen."

"Okay! A signature ramen! Please sit down, guest, wait a few minutes, it will be ready soon."

Teuchi greeted, picked up the dough and started to operate.

The best noodles are always the ones that have just been pulled.

Teuchi's technique was very neat, and it didn't take long for a dough to turn into evenly thick ramen in his hands.

Such a technique contains the precipitation of the years.

It was still early, and Kimimaro was the first customer today.

After a minute of operation, the noodles were put into boiling water.

"Uncle's craftsmanship is really good, just now that ramen technique, without thirty years of skill, can't reach this level."

"Oh? Expert."

Hearing Kimimaro's praise, Teuchi was a little surprised.

Just from his ramen technique, he could tell that he was definitely an expert.

He started learning how to make ramen at the age of thirteen, and now it is exactly the thirtieth year.

The young man in front of him looked only fourteen or fifteen years old, but he could actually see this?

Could it be that he also knows the way of ramen?

"I dare not call myself an expert, I can do a little bit myself."

"Hahaha, then little brother, try my signature ramen."

While speaking, Teuchi scooped up the ramen that had just been cooked with his right hand and put it into the already prepared noodle soup.

Add the side dishes, and a bowl of signature ramen is ready.

"Please enjoy slowly."

Appearance, excellent!

It can stimulate people's appetite.

The aroma is tangy!

It can make people involuntarily secrete saliva.

The color and fragrance have already satisfied two points, and the rest is the taste.

Drink the soup first when eating noodles!

Kimimaro picked up the spoon, scooped up the ramen soup, blew it gently, and then drank it all in one gulp.

The entrance is slightly hot, the deliciousness swirls on the tip of the tongue, and then slides into the throat smoothly.

A warmth immediately surged in my stomach.

Refreshing!

A mouthful of soup shows the deliciousness of pork bones to the fullest.

"Wonderful! What a bowl of pork bone soup. It's really rare to be able to cook pork bones to such an extent."

Kimimaro did not hesitate to praise him.

"The pork bones are crushed, and the deliciousness of the pork bones is completely released. It takes a day and a night to cook them successfully. Uncle is really a patient person.

Ingredients such as wolfberry and red dates were added one after another during the cooking process, and finally all these ingredients were taken out, leaving a bowl of white bone soup. There is a feeling of returning to basics."

Teuchi was shocked.

This noodle soup is his exclusive recipe, but he didn't expect that the white-haired boy in front of him could tell the recipe after just one sip.

unbelievable.

However, the surprise has just begun.

"This char siu is even more wonderful, take a bite, the lips and teeth are fragrant, and it complements the bone soup.

The seaweed slices are dry and crisp, with an unusual taste.

Finally, ramen. Strong and smooth.

The combination of these is simply perfect!"

Kimimaro praised here, and had already swallowed all the signature ramen into his stomach, showing a satisfied smile.

"Hahaha, little brother, you are really not simple, your tongue is a treasure for chefs. Just after eating it once, you can perfectly restore the ingredients and practices. It's really scary.

Are you really not a chef?"

Teuchi looked suspicious.

Kimimaro was slightly taken aback, those words just now seemed to blurt out like his instinct.

It seems that when he obtained Liu Subaru's cooking skills, he also inherited his tongue that never forgets after eating and can reproduce dishes.

"No."

Kimimaro shook his head and laughed.

"Really not? That's a pity. Little brother, why don't you stop being a ninja and be a chef with me. With your tongue, I guarantee that you will become the number one chef in the world in three years at most."

Speaking of this, Teuchi even showed a bit of anticipation.

"Sorry, uncle. I have no such plans. And my current cooking skills should be enough."

"Enough? The sea of ​​cooking is boundless, how can there be a day when it is enough? Little brother, you are too naive. Being a chef is more difficult than being a ninja."

Teuchi said with a serious face.

Kimimaro couldn't help laughing when he saw this.

This Teuchi is also a persistent person.

"Little brother, let me taste your cooking skills."

Hearing Teuchi say this, Kimimaro was a little moved.

He just acquired Liu Subaru's cooking skills, and he also wanted to try it.

There are all kinds of ingredients here, which is a good place for experiments.

"Okay."

Kimimaro agreed directly and walked into the kitchen unceremoniously.

What to do?

This is a ramen shop, and there is nothing more convenient than making noodles.

Thirty minutes later.

"Uncle! Come for a bowl of signature ramen! Extra large!"

Naruto ran in excitedly.

"Wow! It smells so good! Uncle, have you developed a new ramen? Then I don't want signature ramen, give me a new ramen!"

"Hehe, Naruto, you came just in time, there is indeed a new ramen in the store, but I didn't make it, you can try it."

Teuchi came out of the back kitchen with a bowl of noodles, with an extremely emotional expression on his face.

"What a fragrant noodle, it's not made by uncle? Is it sister Ayame? Wow! (▽), it's delicious! It's even better than uncle's previous ramen!"

Naruto took a few mouthfuls, and the noodles were gone.

Hearing this, Teuchi felt a little disappointed.

"Uncle, what's the name of this noodle?"

Naruto drank the last bit of noodle soup in one gulp and asked curiously.

"Catfish noodles."

The person who spoke was not Teuchi, but Kimimaro who came out of the kitchen with a bowl of noodles.

He ate the noodles he made while talking, without any delay.

Apparently also captivated by the deliciousness.

"Kimimaro! Why are you here?"

Naruto was startled.

The hospital diagnosed gallstones, and yesterday I tossed and turned until three o'clock in the morning to go through the hospitalization procedures.

I won't talk about a bunch of speechless things in the middle.

Now I am hospitalized for treatment, and I was told that I cannot have surgery during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so the earliest arrangement will be after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

I hardly ate anything in the past two days, and the doctor also said that I need to fast. I don't know if I need to fast until the operation starts.

Alas, in short, one word, miserable.

I've been getting fluids from two o'clock in the afternoon until now, and it's not over yet.

It's the limit to write this chapter.

It is estimated that it will be like this for the next few days.

I will try my best to write if I can, but I really can't help it if I can't. very sorry.

Make it up when you get better.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 83: Encounter

"You know each other?"

Seeing that Naruto seemed to know the young man with amazing cooking skills in front of him, Uncle Teuchi was a little surprised.

"Yes, we do. Uncle, have you forgotten? I told you a few days ago. When I went to the Land of Waves on a mission, I met a very powerful white-haired boy, and it's him."

Teuchi suddenly realized.

"So it was him. Little brother, you're really hiding your skills."

"There's nothing to hide, it's just a means of survival."

Kimimaro finished the last sip of the noodle soup in the bowl, feeling satisfied.

Liu Maoxing's cooking skills are truly remarkable. From now on, I don't have to worry about my food anymore.

The almost countless recipes in my mind are enough to eat for a year without repeating.

And every one of them is a superb delicacy.

The system was really generous this time.

Looking at Kimimaro's appearance, Teuchi could tell that this young ninja also had a story.

"Naruto, I said we would meet again."

"How did you come to Konoha?"

Although puzzled, Naruto was still very happy.

Fighting side by side once was enough for Naruto to consider him a friend.

He was just that kind of outgoing person.

"I came to participate in the Chunin Exams."

"Chunin Exams? What Chunin Exams?"

Question marks instantly filled Naruto's little head.

"You don't know yet? In three days, it will be the joint Chunin Exams initiated by Konoha, Suna, Oto, Kusa, Taki, and Ame. Each village will send Genin to participate. It's a grand event.

With your strength, you should be qualified to participate in the Chunin Exams. Didn't you sign up?"

Kimimaro pretended to be puzzled.

"What? There's such a thing? I had no idea. Damn it, it must be Kakashi-sensei who didn't tell us. I'm going to find Sakura and Sasuke right now and tell them about this. Then we'll go find Kakashi-sensei together."

Naruto was about to leave, but suddenly grabbed Kimimaro's right hand.

"Kimimaro, will you come with me? I'll show you around Konoha. I'm very familiar with this place."

Naruto was very enthusiastic. Kimimaro had nothing urgent to do, so he didn't refuse.

"Alright."

Seeing Kimimaro agree, Naruto was even more delighted.

Kimimaro left the money for the meal and left with Naruto, leaving behind Uncle Teuchi with a look of regret.

"What a pity, such a good chef seedling, why would he want to become a ninja?"

On the streets of Konoha.

"Kimimaro, that's the three-color dango shop, the number one dessert in Konoha. It's said to be a shop that's forty years away from becoming a century-old shop."

"That's a barbecue restaurant. The barbecue there is particularly delicious. But I still prefer Ichiraku Ramen."

Naruto enthusiastically introduced his birthplace to Kimimaro.

It could be seen how much he loved this place.

But the way those villagers looked at him was not very kind.

Indifference, dissatisfaction, disgust, even hatred.

Kimimaro frowned slightly.

Even if those gazes weren't directed at him, after feeling them all the way, he felt very uncomfortable.

Naruto grew up under such gazes, but he didn't turn evil and instead wanted to protect them.

Such a heart was truly admirable.

Kimimaro asked himself if he could absolutely not do it.

Just as he was lost in thought, a child's cry suddenly came from ahead.

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Brat. Don't you watch where you're going? How dare you bump into me?"

Not far away, a puppet master-dressed boy grabbed a child by the collar and lifted him up.

These two were Kankuro and Konohamaru!

Temari was standing next to them.

"I... I didn't do it on purpose."

"Not on purpose? Heh, do you think you can get away with it just by saying that?"

Temari couldn't stand it anymore.

"Kankuro, stop causing trouble."

"What's the big deal? It's just a brat who doesn't know his place and is arrogant."

Kankuro's face was full of disdain.

"Let go of that boy!"

Seeing this, Naruto immediately shouted.

When Konohamaru saw Naruto, it was like seeing a savior.

"Brother Naruto, help me!"

"Tch, the good-for-nothing brat's big brother is here too? You want me to let go just because you say so? Do you think you have the ability?"

"Damn it, I'll show you!"

Naruto rushed forward directly. Kankuro sneered and gently moved the fingers of his free right hand.

Two chakra threads, invisible to the naked eye, attached themselves to Naruto's feet.

He gently pulled, and Naruto immediately lost his balance and fell backward.

"Ah!"

Naruto exclaimed, not knowing what had happened.

Just as he was about to fall, a hand pressed on his shoulder, stabilizing his body.

The owner of this hand was naturally Kimimaro.

"Phew..."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. He was even more surprised. What method did this guy use?

He actually tripped me directly?

If Kimimaro wasn't here, it would have been embarrassing.

It's naturally not a good thing to lose face in front of your little brother.

"Suna's puppeteer, it's not a wise choice to cause trouble in Konoha."

Kankuro frowned and looked at Kimimaro.

"Oto ninja?"

An Oto ninja would actually help a Konoha Genin?

Kankuro was very puzzled.

As the main force of Suna's Genin and the son of the Fourth Kazekage, he knew about the Konoha Crush plan.

Seeing Kimimaro obstructing him, he felt a little strange for a moment.

Could it be that the other party didn't know he was an ally?

When Temari saw Kimimaro, she couldn't help but admire, "Oto even has such a good-looking ninja?"

"Let him go."

Kimimaro said again.

"What if I don't?"

With the cooperation with Oto, Kankuro naturally didn't think Suna was in a weak position, so he didn't intend to back down.

Kimimaro shook his head slightly, extended his right hand's finger, pointed at Kankuro, and seemed to be muttering something.

Binding Technique One, Restrain!

Kankuro was puzzled when he suddenly felt his hands and feet bound by an invisible force.

The hand grabbing Konohamaru also automatically retracted.

Konohamaru immediately regained his freedom and ran behind Naruto and Kimimaro.

At this moment, Kankuro also broke free from the Binding Technique that Kimimaro had only used one-third of its power.

"Brat, you're courting death!"

Kankuro felt humiliated and became furious. He placed the puppet Crow, wrapped in bandages, on the ground, seemingly ready to attack.

Temari, who was on the side, quickly stopped him.

"Are you crazy? You want to use Crow here?"

"It doesn't matter. I won't use the mechanisms inside."

As Kankuro spoke, he was about to untie the bandages.

Kimimaro shook his head slightly. At this time, Kankuro was really immature.

His gaze didn't fall on Kankuro but instead looked towards a tree on the side.

There, someone was there.

A blue-clothed boy, Uchiha Sasuke.

Whoosh!

A pebble shot out from his hand, hitting Kankuro's hand that was about to untie the bandages.

Kankuro felt the pain and immediately looked over.

"Who!"

"Outsider, do you enjoy showing off in other people's villages?"

Sasuke's cold words rang out.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 84: Probing

"Damn it, another annoying brat! I'll take care of you too!" Sasuke suddenly attacked, making Kankuro's face even uglier. He was ready for a big fight.

But just then, a figure appeared behind Sasuke.

It was Gaara.

"Enough, Kankuro. If you mess around again, I'll kill you!"

His tone was cold, his killing intent unconcealed.

Kankuro's back went cold, and his anger vanished instantly.

Sasuke looked behind him in shock.

He hadn't sensed Gaara at all before he spoke.

So strong!

Gaara looked younger than him, yet he could conceal his presence to this extent.

If they were in a fight, Sasuke would already be seriously injured.

"I... Gaara, they started it..."

"Enough!"

Gaara glanced at Kankuro.

"Haven't you been embarrassed enough?"

Kankuro immediately fell silent.

Gaara turned into sand and disappeared behind Sasuke, reappearing beside Kankuro and Temari.

Sand Body Flicker Technique!

This move amazed Sasuke and Naruto, who hadn't seen much of the world.

They had only seen ninjas of Kakashi's level use similar techniques.

This boy could do it too?

Gaara's gaze swept over Kimimaro and Sasuke, then he decided to leave with Temari and Kankuro.

"Let's go."

Temari and Kankuro obediently followed.

It was hard to believe they were siblings.

"How can they just leave like that? We haven't settled the score yet."

Naruto said, about to charge again, but Kimimaro stopped him.

"Naruto, they're probably like me, invited to the Chunin Exams. If you attack them now, win or lose, it won't do you any good. If you really want to fight, there will be plenty of opportunities during the Chunin Exams."

"Chunin Exams?"

Sasuke frowned, clearly unaware of this.

"Sasuke, you don't know about the Chunin Exams? Kakashi-sensei must have forgotten to tell us. He's always forgetful. Let's go find Sakura, and then we'll go find Kakashi-sensei."

Sasuke was naturally interested in the Chunin Exams, so he didn't refuse Naruto. He looked at Kimimaro first. "Are you here for the Chunin Exams too?"

"Yes. I think becoming a Chunin is a goal every Genin wants to achieve."

"Good. I regret not being able to fight you last time. This time, I hope we can settle the score."

A look of anticipation appeared on Sasuke's cold face.

His crimson Sharingan with two tomoe appeared, meeting Kimimaro's gaze.

"I'll be waiting."

Kimimaro smiled faintly.

Sasuke was indeed a level stronger than the last time they met.

Once a Kekkei Genkai is activated, one's strength will increase dramatically in a short time.

Ordinary Kekkei Genkai can only be awakened once, but the Sharingan can be awakened multiple times.

Single tomoe, double tomoe, three tomoe, Mangekyo Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, each stage is a huge improvement.

Sasuke had adapted to the power of the double tomoe, and now he could even fight a Chunin and had a chance of winning.

Sparks flew between the two, while Naruto was concerned about Konohamaru.

"Konohamaru, are you hurt?"

Konohamaru shook his head repeatedly.

"No, thanks to Naruto-nii-chan coming in time, otherwise, I would have been in trouble. That nasty guy, I just bumped into him accidentally, and I fell down. He was fine, but he still wanted to hit me."

Konohamaru was clearly dissatisfied.

"He did it on purpose."

Kimimaro said, and both Konohamaru and Naruto looked at him.

"Kimimaro, are you saying that the strangely dressed guy deliberately targeted Konohamaru?"

"Yes. He was deliberately looking for trouble, wanting to test your strength, or more accurately, the strength of Konoha leaf Genin. Targeting Konohamaru was just an excuse."

Hearing this, Sasuke understood.

The logic was simple: know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

"What a malicious guy."

"This Chunin Exam involves six ninja villages. In the eyes of Suna, the biggest opponent is Konoha's Genin, so such a probe is not surprising."

"Humph! Damn bastard! Next time we meet, I'll teach him a lesson!"

Naruto clenched his fists and made a vow.

"Naruto-nii-chan, you will definitely win this Chunin Exam! I believe in you!"

Konohamaru had full confidence in Naruto.

"Hehe, I think so too."

Naruto waved his hand, equally confident.

His recent training had made him feel stronger.

If he could become a Chunin, he would be one step closer to becoming Hokage.

Naruto found Sasuke, and the two planned to go find Sakura together. Konohamaru went home first.

Kimimaro wasn't interested in what happened next, so he made an excuse and left first.

While wandering around the village, he saw many young ninjas from other villages.

These people were probably here for the Chunin Exams.

But he didn't have any impression of most of them. They were probably the cannon fodder ninjas who would be eliminated in the first round.

As he walked, Kimimaro came across a large mansion with a plaque that read "Hyuga."

An ancient aura emanated from it.

"So this is where the Hyuga clan lives?"

Kimimaro's green eyes narrowed slightly, and then he coughed a few times.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Bright red flowers bloomed again on his right hand.

Looking at the blood in his hand, Kimimaro was already used to it.

Compared to before, his body was getting worse and worse.

He coughed up blood more often than before.

He looked up again at the Hyuga clan's base, with a hint of longing in his eyes, but it quickly faded.

It would be very conspicuous for a ninja from another village to pay so much attention to the Hyuga's location.

If the ANBU found out, it would be troublesome.

Kimimaro could sense that the ANBU were everywhere in Konoha.

Allowing so many ninjas from other villages to enter their territory, Konoha naturally had to take corresponding measures.

After all, the invisible war between villages had never stopped.

So Kimimaro just glanced at it and left.

He was now just looking forward to the Chunin Exams starting soon so that he could carry out his plan.

As he was leaving the Hyuga clan's area, Kimimaro happened to see a girl walking towards him from not far away.

Their eyes met, and Kimimaro didn't look away, but the girl shyly lowered her head.

Obviously, she wasn't good at making eye contact with strangers.

This girl was Hinata Hyuga.

Kimimaro smiled faintly, didn't say anything, and didn't look at Hinata again, just walked straight past her.

The two passed each other, and the distance between them grew.

Seeing his retreating figure, Hinata breathed a sigh of relief.

"That person is so strange."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 85: The Chunin Exam Begins

The Chunin Exam, a gathering of heroes.

Hundreds of ninjas gathered here to compete, it could be said to be a grand event.

In the hotel.

"It's finally starting. It's time for me to test the quality of the Uchiha."

Orochimaru licked his lips like a venomous snake about to hunt.

"Did you find a suitable identity to infiltrate the Chunin Exam?"

Kimimaro asked casually.

"Hehe, I found one, a Grass ninja. His appearance barely meets my requirements."

That Grass ninja was really unlucky.

Kimimaro mourned for him for two seconds.

"Do you need my help with the mission for Tos and the other three?"

"Their value lies in this. If they still need help with this, then there's no point in their existence."

"Alright, then I'll be going."

Kimimaro left the hotel with Suigetsu and Jugo.

"Chunin Exam, Chunin Exam! It's time for me to show my skills!"

Suigetsu excitedly rubbed his fists, while Jugo remained in his bodyguard role, standing behind Kimimaro.

Soon, the three arrived at the designated location.

Pushing open the door, hundreds of eyes swept over them at the same time.

Nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, bloodlust, calmness, curiosity!

These people's eyes carried different emotions, and the atmosphere in the entire room was very oppressive.

The Chunin Exam had made these people overly nervous.

"These people all look quite fierce, but I wonder how much they actually weigh."

Suigetsu responded to each one without hesitation.

"There will be opportunities to compete, but not now."

Kimimaro's eyes also scanned the surroundings, and he saw many familiar faces.

The Konoha 12 were all here.

Kabuto was currently with the nine rookies from Naruto's generation, and they seemed to be quite familiar with each other.

"Kimimaro! You're finally here! Over here, over here."

Naruto waved as soon as he saw Kimimaro.

"Boss, is that the Konoha team you encountered last time? The one in the blue clothes is Uchiha Sasuke, right?"

Kimimaro nodded slightly.

"That yellow-haired kid is quite interesting. Boss, isn't that..."

Suigetsu spotted Kabuto and was a bit surprised.

"Don't expose us."

Suigetsu quickly nodded.

Kimimaro walked over with Suigetsu and Jugo.

The others were curious to see that Naruto and Kimimaro knew each other.

"Hey, Naruto, how do you know someone from Otogakure?"

Akamaru was scared when he saw Kimimaro and hid in Kiba Inuzuka's clothes, not daring to come out.

Kiba noticed this and was shocked, so he asked Naruto.

"Hehe, of course I met him when I was out on a mission."

Naruto smiled proudly.

"He can actually scare Akamaru to this extent, just how strong is this guy?"

Kiba wondered to himself.

Akamaru had the ability to sense chakra, and this would happen when he encountered a formidable ninja.

But it was the first time it was this severe.

Of course, if they had to fight, Akamaru would overcome his fear and fight alongside Kiba.

Hinata glanced at Kimimaro and thought to herself, "It's that strange person from that day. So he's also here for the Chunin Exams?"

"You're finally here. Our battle is not far off."

Sasuke was full of fighting spirit.

Kimimaro smiled faintly and said, "What are you guys doing?"

"Kabuto-senpai is taking the Chunin Exams for the seventh time. He said he has gathered some information and can share it with us."

Sakura interjected at the right time.

"I see."

Kimimaro and Kabuto's eyes met, and everything was understood without words.

They hadn't seen each other for two years, and they just exchanged smiles.

"Do you have Kimimaro's ninja info card?"

Sasuke thought of something and asked Kabuto.

Kabuto poked his glasses, a signature fake smile appearing on his face.

"Otogakure is a small ninja village established in recent years, and this is also their first time participating in the Chunin Exams, so I don't have any information on them."

Sasuke was a little disappointed.

"What do you want to know? I can tell you."

Kimimaro smiled.

"No need, I'll find out myself soon, using my strength to probe your information."

Sasuke's fighting spirit towards Kimimaro was evident.

Just then, three figures suddenly rushed out from the crowd.

It was the Otogakure team.

Zaku threw two kunai with his right hand, aiming them at Kabuto.

Kabuto was startled and quickly dodged.

Then Dosu followed up with a punch!

The device on his right arm vibrated, carrying a strange power.

Kabuto took a step back to dodge, and just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief for him, the lenses of his glasses shattered!

Then he clutched his stomach in pain and knelt on the ground.

Even Kimimaro couldn't help but praise his acting.

What good acting.

But Kimimaro also broke out in a cold sweat for Dosu.

Those glasses were Kabuto's prized possession. Dosu had shattered them, so his lifespan probably wouldn't last much longer.

"Quickly write on your ninja info card, Otogakure Genin Dosu defeated you with one punch and is destined to become a strong Chunin. Our Otogakure is not some small village."

Dosu was unhappy that Kabuto had just called Otogakure a small village.

It seemed this kid was quite patriotic.

Kabuto was pretending to be in pain and didn't respond.

"He dodged it, so why is he still injured?"

Sasuke was shocked.

They were all suffering from a lack of experience.

"It was caused by the strange device on his right arm."

Kimimaro directly pointed out the key point.

Since Dosu had made his move, he should be prepared for people to gather information.

After all, there were quite a few elites here.

"That device?"

Sasuke's gaze fell on Dosu's right arm.

It was covered with a multi-holed gauntlet.

"What a strange thing."

Ninja tools were also part of a ninja's strength, but relying solely on ninja tools would ultimately limit one's strength.

Strong people didn't need these flashy accessories.

"They're also from Otogakure. It seems you're not very familiar with each other."

Shikamaru, who had been observing silently, suddenly said.

"Indeed, we're not familiar. The competition in Otogakure is beyond your imagination. It's already good that we haven't tried to kill each other."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a chill in their hearts.

What kind of place was Otogakure?

"Kabuto-senpai, are you alright?"

Naruto and Sakura went forward to help Kabuto up.

Kabuto smiled helplessly.

"It's nothing serious, it's just a pity about my glasses."

Although Kabuto was smiling, Kimimaro could already see the anger in him.

This guy was probably quite pissed off.

"Quiet down! You bunch of trash!"

With a loud boom, the examiners entered.

The leader was a tall ninja with a fierce appearance.

Morino Ibiki, the head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force.

A black trench coat was his standard attire.

"I've kept you waiting. My name is Morino Ibiki, and I'm the chief examiner for the first round. Sit down, everyone. The exam is about to begin."

Upon hearing this, everyone stopped watching the commotion and acting, and found a seat to sit down.

"This chief examiner is quite fierce. At first glance, you can tell he's not a ninja working in a regular position."

Suigetsu whispered to Kimimaro.

"Indeed."

Once everyone was seated, Ibiki nodded in satisfaction.

"Next, I will announce the rules for this exam. This round is a written exam, and the time limit is one hour.

You currently have ten points. There are a total of ten questions on the test paper. For each incorrect answer, one point will be deducted. In the last fifteen minutes, I will give you additional questions.

As ninjas, you are not allowed to use despicable cheating methods. Including myself, ten examiners will be watching your every move.

Once any suspicious cheating behavior is discovered, two points will be deducted. Three people form a team, and if any one person in a team gets a zero, the entire team will be eliminated. In other words, this is a written team battle."

(End of Chapter)