Naruto drinking makes me stronger

Chapter 20 - The Chunin Exams Begins

Jiraiya flinched as Hiruzen shot him a cold glare.

"Jiraiya, you fool... Have I not trained you properly?"

Jiraiya chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Lately, the old man had been unusually hard on him. Even last time, when he had just casually mentioned something to Youyu, he had ended up getting beaten black and blue.

"Anyway, you just want that kid Youyu to pass the written test, right?" Jiraiya asked, shifting the conversation before Hiruzen could lose his temper again.

Hiruzen inhaled deeply, trying to stay calm. "You have an idea?"

"Of course! Why don't you just let him cheat?" Jiraiya grinned.

Hiruzen's eyes twitched. "Cheat?"

Jiraiya crossed his arms. "Come on, old man! The first exam is about gathering information anyway, right? What's the difference?"

"Are you seriously suggesting that Konoha, the host of the Chūnin Exam, should help its own genin cheat?" Hiruzen's voice was laced with disbelief.

"Hey, I'm just saying, Youyu's strong, but can he actually pass a written test?" Jiraiya leaned back, shrugging.

Hiruzen pinched the bridge of his nose. This disciple of his never ceased to amaze him with his ability to come up with the worst possible ideas.

"You think I'll compromise the integrity of the exam just because one student can't read?"

"Well, yeah."

Hiruzen sighed, staring at Jiraiya long enough to make the younger man shift uncomfortably. "You disappoint me."

"Okay, okay, I get it! No cheating! Geez, old man, lighten up," Jiraiya muttered.

Hiruzen reached for his staff.

"Wait! You really love hitting people, don't you?!"

Jiraiya barely dodged as Hiruzen swung at him, scrambling for the door. "I was just giving a suggestion! You didn't have to take it so personally!"

"Out."

Jiraiya yelped as the next strike nearly took off his head and bolted from the office.

Once he was gone, Hiruzen sighed and rubbed his chin. Maybe the idea wasn't as ridiculous as it sounded.

It was unthinkable for the Hokage himself to assist a student in cheating, but in Youyu's case, was it really cheating? The first exam tested a shinobi's ability to gather intelligence. Youyu, however, had no ability to gather information at all. If given free rein, he might decide that the fastest way to get answers was to threaten the proctor at swordpoint.

After a moment of consideration, Hiruzen made his decision.

News of Konoha's invitation to the Chūnin Exams spread quickly across the other villages.

In Kirigakure, the request reached the Mizukage's desk.

"Konoha sent out an invitation?"

"Yes, Mizukage-sama."

A pause.

"Let's see what Konoha is plotting."

Meanwhile, in Kumogakure, the Third Raikage roared with laughter after reading the summons.

"Konoha's hosting an exam, huh? I like it! We'll go, and we'll show those weaklings what real strength looks like!"

His subordinates nodded. There was no hesitation. For Kumogakure, this was the perfect chance to make a statement.

Iwagakure and Sunagakure, however, declined the invitation.

That was no surprise. Iwagakure's leader, Ōnoki, was too cautious to send his shinobi into another village's territory for something as simple as an exam. Sunagakure's rejection was more unexpected, but whatever their reasons, it didn't matter.

With Kirigakure and Kumogakure participating, the event was already shaping up to be a major opportunity.

Youyu's graduation went through without issue. With the Hokage's direct approval and the fact that no one doubted his strength, there were no delays.

After the necessary formalities, he walked out of the Hokage Building, his new forehead protector resting lazily on his head.

"Youyu, it looks great on you!" Rin smiled.

"Youyu-kun, my father said this Chūnin Exam will have participants from other villages," Kurenai added, concern in her voice.

"Don't worry, I'll cut them all down," Youyu said, his eyes gleaming.

In his mind, the foreign ninja were nothing more than bottles of fine sake waiting to be opened. Once he defeated them all, he would claim his promised reward—a house full of alcohol.

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen watched Youyu leave.

"You delivered everything to him?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Tanaka said. "I handed it to him personally."

Hiruzen exhaled in relief. The answer sheet for the written exam had been discreetly given to Youyu. That meant he wouldn't fail before the real battles even began.

It was absurd that the Hokage himself had to assist a student in cheating, but Youyu was an exception in every way. This wasn't even about integrity anymore—it was about ensuring that Konoha's biggest wildcard made it to the later stages.

Hiruzen turned back to the reports. Iwagakure and Sunagakure's refusals weren't surprising, but he still had to consider their reasoning.

He set the thoughts aside. As long as Youyu proved Konoha's strength in the exams, the other villages would get the message.

As the Chūnin Exam approached, more and more foreign shinobi arrived in Konoha.

On the streets, villagers glared as a squad of Kumogakure ninja walked by.

"That's Kumogakure's headband... Those bastards," someone muttered.

Tensions were still high. The Second Shinobi War had only recently ended, and Kumogakure had been one of the major participants.

"They're here for the exam?"

"I heard Konoha invited them."

"And those guys over there? Which village are they from?"

"Kirigakure. It's been a long time since we've seen anyone from the Mist."

The Kumogakure ninja strolled through the village, unimpressed.

"Hah. So this is Konoha?" One of them scoffed. "These weaklings are sitting on some of the best land in the world."

"Don't underestimate them," their jōnin leader warned. "Konoha is the cradle of geniuses."

"I know, I know. You mean that Kakashi kid, right? The son of the 'White Fang'? But didn't he already become a Chūnin? Who else is there to even worry about?"

Their leader said nothing, but his gaze lingered on the village.

Elsewhere, a Kirigakure ninja walked through the streets, sharp teeth bared in a grin.

"Konoha's too dry. It's suffocating here."

His squad leader, the massive Watermelon Mountain Fugu, gave a low chuckle.

"Don't worry. When the exam begins, you'll have plenty of chances to spill some blood."

"Yes," Kisame Hoshigaki muttered, his shark-like eyes flashing. "I can't wait."

Word Count: 1,050

Author Notes:

Jiraiya: "Just let him cheat."

Hiruzen: "We do not cheat in Konoha!"

Also Hiruzen: "Secretly delivers an answer sheet."

Next Chapter: The Exams Begin!