Lost in thought, he found himself back at the camp entrance.
"What a diligent little rascal."
A boisterous voice came from the shadows beside him.
"Jiraiya-sama."
Shinichi stopped and turned to greet the source of the voice calmly.
He had already realized that, with the blessing of the Intuition (Green) talent, his sixth sense and sensitivity to his surroundings far surpassed that of ordinary people. Although he had not learned systematic sensory Ninjutsu, his ability to capture the gaze of others directed at him and to detect chakra fluctuations was extremely clear.
Jiraiya didn't try to hide it, so Shinichi noticed the observant gaze that fell on him before he even stepped into the camp.
"Your talent is exceptional, but what's even more remarkable is your unwavering perseverance. No wonder the third Hokage values you so much..."
Jiraiya stepped out of the shadows, arms crossed, his voice tinged with emotion.
"I was just doing my duty; it was the kindness and compassion of the third Hokage-sama that made me reach where I'm currently at."
Shinichi said humbly while bowing his head slightly.
"Alright, alright, no need for further praise of that old man."
Jiraiya waved his hand, a mysterious smile suddenly appearing on his face. He looked around and lowered his voice, saying: "Come here, I'll show you something nice."
Um?
A question mark popped into Shinichi's head, but he still did as he was told and went over.
Jiraiya chuckled and then extended his right hand. His eyes narrowed, and the air above his palm seemed to distort slightly.
Azure Chakra surged, spun, and condensed rapidly. In the blink of an eye, a fist-sized, stable, and dazzling chakra ball had taken shape, quietly rotating in his palm and emitting a deep energy hum.
Rasengan!
"How about that? Impressive, right!"
Jiraiya waved his hand smugly, and the chakra ball spun steadily, its light reflecting the childlike boastfulness on his face: "I only spent three days! I learned your technique in just three days!"
The light from the campfire danced in the distance, illuminating Shinichi's calm face and his slightly widened eyes.
He was indeed somewhat surprised, not surprised that Jiraiya could also learn the Rasengan, nor surprised that he could learn the Rasengan in just three days.
To his surprise, the Sannin showed it to him with a hint of pride, like a child eager to share a new toy.
Shinichi quickly composed himself and nodded seriously: "As expected of you, Jiraiya-sama, you are indeed amazing. It took me a long time to figure out this technique."
"Hehe, that's because I stood on your shoulders."
Jiraiya was quite frank, and with a clench of his fist, the Rasengan silently dissipated.
He stroked his chin, his gaze towards Shinichi now carrying a hint of serious inquiry: "However, you, a little brat, are indeed extraordinary. To come up with the idea of this kind of Sealless Ninjutsu and to successfully implement it step by step... the third Hokage said you're a genius, and he wasn't wrong. Most importantly, you're willing to put in the hard work."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Shinichi's sharp eyes and traces of sweat after his training: "I've seen too many guys who slack off because they're so talented. Do your best in this exam, and let me see if you, the developer of the Rasengan, are just as strong in other areas."
After saying that, he patted Shinichi on the shoulder with considerable force, then resumed his lazy demeanor, swaying as he walked towards the bonfire in the center of the camp, as if he wasn't the one who had just enthusiastically demonstrated his Ninjutsu.
Tsk, not even some Ninjutsu as a token of appreciation, trying to get something for free, huh?
Shinichi stood there, watching Jiraiya's retreating figure while thinking to himself.
Several days later, at the end of a seemingly endless golden sea of sand, a completely different dark outline finally appeared.
It was a settlement built against a huge rocky mountain, with a huge symbol of the Village Hidden in the Sand carved on the towering rock, which looked solemn and cold under the scorching sun.
They have arrived at the Village Hidden in the Sand.
... ... ... ... ..
In the days that followed, the exams proceeded as scheduled.
Having gone through the written test and the scroll-grabbing battle in the Demon Desert, despite encountering obvious targeted resistance from the Village Hidden in the Sand, Shinichi, Kosuke Maruboshi, and Might Guy still managed to steadily advance to the final round thanks to their solid skills and teamwork.
One month later, at the largest arena in the Village Hidden in the Sand.
The stands were packed with people, a cacophony of voices.
The audience included not only residents of the Village Hidden in the Sand, but also many wealthy merchants and officials from the Land of Wind who had come to witness the spectacle. The deafening noise almost seemed to lift the scorching heat from the air.
Most of the contestants who made it to the final round were from both Konoha and the Village Hidden in the Sand.
The tournament schedule seems to have been intentionally designed to pit Konoha's participants against each other, thus depleting and eliminating their own forces in advance.
The first match was between Shinichi Higashino and Kosuke Maruboshi.
However, before the match even started, Kosuke Maruboshi announced his withdrawal, citing acclimatization issues and physical discomfort, which immediately drew boos from the stands.
On the high platform, the third Kazekage turned to the third Hokage beside him, who remained composed, and spoke in a low voice, loud enough for the nearby dignitaries to hear clearly: "Hokage, this ninja from your village... seems a bit off. His age and the strength he displayed earlier don't seem like those of an ordinary Genin. Could it be that your village deliberately arranged for a Jonin to come here in disguise?"
The third Kazekage's tone remained calm, but the doubt in his words was sharp. He had specifically observed Kosuke Maruboshi during the previous assessment, and his seasoned experience and effortless strength were definitely at the level of a Jonin.
In order to win the Chunin exams, Konoha is so shameless.
The third Kazekage sneered inwardly.
He deliberately arranged this battle to force Konoha to make a choice: Whether to completely abandon all shame and preserve a senior player to compete for rankings, or to abandon him and preserve the younger, more promising talent.
Upon hearing this, the third Hokage maintained his usual gentle smile, took a slow puff of his cigarette, and said slowly, "You're joking, Kazekage. Kosuke's identity and resume are verifiable in Konoha, and he is undoubtedly a Genin. I can vouch for that."
He then changed the subject, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over the Village Hidden in the Sand waiting area: "Speaking of which, your village's young female ninja who can manipulate sand and whose defenses have remained unbroken to this day have also performed remarkably well. I can't help but wonder if she is some senior Jonin from your village who has changed her clothes and is here to instruct the juniors."
The third Kazekage's expression remained unchanged, and he smiled slightly: "You're overthinking it, Hokage. Karura is indeed a genuine Genin from our village, and I can assure you of that."
He wasn't entirely lying about that.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, Karura worked in an administrative position at the Kazekage building and was not a front-line combat ninja.
However, perhaps due to her kind nature and the experience of witnessing the death of her parents in her childhood, she awakened a special Kekkei Genkai.
She can infuse Chakra into sand and manipulate it for attack and defense.
In particular, she can move the sand at will and form a Sand Shield known for having an absolute defense.
In order to ensure that the Village Hidden in the Sand could achieve the best ranking on its home turf, the third Kazekage specially gave her a ninja identity and sent out this atypical weapon.
Having witnessed the strength displayed by Kosuke Maruboshi, especially his Water Style technique with its astonishing scale and control, he still had some concerns about whether he could secure the championship.
But now, with Kosuke Maruboshi's voluntary withdrawal from the competition, a weight has been lifted from his heart.
The two remaining players on Konoha's side, one of whom is Shinichi Higashino, seem to have good talent, but he is still too young and ultimately lacks experience.
The other is Might Duy, a ninja who specializes only in Taijutsu, and he posed little threat to Karura's all-encompassing sand defense.
In his view, neither of them could break through Karura's defense, and the championship was already in the Village Hidden in the Sand's hands.
This cunning old fox!
The two old foxes exchanged glances briefly, their smiles remaining unchanged, but inwardly they each cursed under their breath.