"Team Leader Nohara's daughter… really is Rin Nohara."
Even though Qianyu had already suspected it, actually seeing Rin Nohara still left him feeling a bit dazed for a moment.
Team Leader, looks like I can't be your son-in-law after all. I'm afraid Obito would dig up my grave and scatter my ashes when he gets back…
Then again, Obito's probably still just a snot-nosed kid right now. I could beat up two of him with one hand tied behind my back. Ha!
A little self-deprecating humor lifted his mood.
The tail end of the Second Great Shinobi War was still hanging in the air. Rin was about the same age as Yahiko, maybe a year or two younger. Still too young for the Academy. Same for that brat Obito.
Minato Namikaze was still holed up somewhere, working on that "Rasengan" thing—the spiral orb meant to protect Kushina—inspired by a Tailed Beast Bomb. Not "Master Minato" yet.
"Hi. I'm Qianyu."
Qianyu shook off the thoughts. He forced a small smile and waved at the little girl. "Qianyu? That name sounds familiar…"
A thoughtful look crossed Rin's small face. After a moment, she smacked her own forehead lightly. "Brother Qianyu! You're on my father's team, right? I've heard Dad talk about you!"
"Team Leader Nohara talked about me?"
Qianyu blinked, touched. "Did he say I was his most promising subordinate?"
Rin shook her head, her expression deadly serious. "No. He said he'd never had to guide such a clumsy kid before. Said you often drove him up the wall."
Qianyu: "..."
Rin peeked at his speechless face and giggled quietly to herself. Then her mind started turning. Why is he here?
"Ahem. Well." Qianyu cleared his throat—a tactical maneuver—and fished out the 500,000-ryō note from his pocket. "This… is some money your father asked me to hold onto for him."
He held it out to her. "He said if he ever didn't make it back to the village, I should give this to his family. I'm here to keep that promise."
Rin looked at the fortune held right before her. She didn't reach out to take it.
He must have been really close with Dad…
She hesitated for a few seconds, then lifted her head. A pleading look shone in her eyes.
"Brother Qianyu… this is too much money. I'm too young. I wouldn't know how to manage it. Could… could you please keep holding onto it for me?"
"If it's not too much trouble… when you're not busy, maybe you could use a little of it to buy some daily things and… come visit me sometimes? Would that be okay?"
"…Alright."
Faced with those puppy-dog eyes, Qianyu found he couldn't say no.
Of course, with kids like Rin or Konan—the kind that tugged at your heartstrings—Qianyu only saw them as little sisters. Nothing… legally questionable. His tastes didn't run toward small, flat tablets. He preferred the kind of gorgeous big sister with a jaw-dropping figure, the kind that would jiggle if you poked her.
"Thank you, Brother Qianyu!" Rin beamed. "Are you busy right now? If not, come in for some tea before you go!"
"Ah, sure. Thanks, Rin."
…
The sky had darkened by the time Qianyu left the Nohara household.
On the way back, he ran into that same young woman from earlier. She was pacing alone by the roadside. And on her head sat a pair of fluffy, utterly convincing cat ears.
"Wait… so the 'cat that can do the splits' was…?!"
Qianyu's worldview shuddered. To avoid being tested by temptation, he quickened his pace and headed straight home.
"Hey, Qianyu!"
Just as he was fumbling for his keys, a figure materialized behind him. A hand landed lightly on his shoulder.
"Holy—what the hell?!"
Qianyu's heart nearly stopped. He whirled around.
Tsunade stood there, hands behind her back, a playful grin on her face.
"Lady Tsuna—sis! What brings you here? Something up?"
Mid-word, Qianyu seemed to remember something and changed his address.
Slap!
The bright smile vanished from Tsunade's face.
Nawaki. You are truly the worst. I'm adding this beating to your tab.
She took a deep, calming breath, forcefully suppressing the urge to punch something. The smile returned to her face. She pitched her voice higher, straining to sound gentle.
"What, can't I… can't a girl just come see you without a reason?"
"Of course you can."
Qianyu, oblivious to her internal struggle, gestured to his modest, twenty-to-thirty-square-meter home. "My place isn't huge, but you're welcome to come over and hang out anytime. No problem~"
"Tch. It's so small. We couldn't do anything fun even if we wanted to…"
Tsunade scoffed, following him inside. She cut straight to the point. "Fine, fine. I do have a reason."
She pulled a sheet of paper from her robes and slapped it onto the low table. "It's a registration form. For the upcoming Chunin Exams. I signed you up."
"(òwó?)! The Chunin Exams?"
Qianyu was baffled.
Leaving aside the fact that Konoha's strongest fighters were all Genin, and he had no need to demote himself to Chunin… he was a medic-nin. Why would he take the Chunin Exams?
This wasn't like a few years from now. As a non-combat personnel, wasn't it better to climb the ranks peacefully through the medical system based on merit?
"What's with that look?!"
Tsunade seemed to read his mind instantly. All pretense of gentleness forgotten, she prodded his forehead with a finger, annoyed.
"I told you! I want you to head the medical reform project! If you don't meet the combat personnel assessment standards, how is my grand plan supposed to move forward?!"
"Go on, get! All this talking has made me hungry. Go whip something up in the kitchen. We can talk while you work," Tsunade ordered.
Talk while we work? You mean I work and you talk? You really know how to give orders!
Faced with Tsunade's tyrannical oppression, Qianyu, filled with righteous indignation, chose to…
"Yes, Lady Tsunade!"
Qianyu answered promptly and scurried into the kitchen.
Sometimes, letting someone walk all over you has its own charm. No need to be so hung up on pride. Qianyu comforted himself.
…
A few moments later…
Dinner was served. As they ate, the conversation turned to the Chunin Exams.
"Qianyu, don't think you can just breeze through this exam because of your current skills."
Tsunade spoke between bites. "This exam is… special. Don't say I didn't warn you. Be careful not to capsize in a tiny ditch."
Qianyu's brow furrowed slightly.
Honestly, he had thought this would just be a formality. Was he wrong?
After a moment of thought, he asked, "How is it special, Tsunade-sis?"
Since she'd already arranged it, he'd do it. Work hard, get an official position in Konoha. Life would be more comfortable that way.
As expected of the boy I… have my eye on.
Pleased that Qianyu wasn't being arrogantly overconfident but was humbly seeking her guidance, Tsunade nodded in satisfaction.
She set down her chopsticks, her expression turning serious. "Before I answer that, let me ask you something. Do you know the real purpose behind each village hosting the Chunin Exams?"
"I do."
Qianyu nodded. "On the surface, it's to select higher-quality shinobi. In reality, it provides a legitimate stage for the villages to compete, scheme, and test each other's strength."
"Important figures from various countries come to watch. They use it to gauge a nation's power. The only way to snatch the high-paying commissions from those big clients is to conquer them with sheer strength."
"Well said, Qianyu."
Tsunade gave an approving nod. Then she held up a slender finger. "This Chunin Exam… is the first new 'clash' since the end of the war between several nations."
"Every major village has a grudge to settle. So, this exam allows casualties. And the restrictions on examinees are minimal. That's the first point."
"Second…" Tsunade paused, her expression growing grave. "Kirigakure, the Village Hidden in the Mist—which has always remained completely isolated—has broken precedent. They've requested to participate in this joint exam."
She let the words hang for a beat before delivering the final blow.
"This… will be the first Chunin Exam in history where all Five Great Shinobi Villages are participating!!!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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