"Natsuhi, morning!" Shisui blinked, his expression shifting into one of practiced sorrow. "I am so sorry.
Chiho broke up with yesterday... my head was in such a ss that I completely forgot our plans. It's entirely my fault. I own that."
Hearing this, Natsuhi's righteous fury instantly deflated. She even began to feel a twinge of guilt for her own boisterous entrance.
"I... I didn't realize it was so sudden. I forgive you," she mumbled, looking away. "The drinks... we can do it another ti."
"It's alright," Shisui said, shaking his head. "It wasn't your responsibility. Don't worry about it."
But the more magnanimous he was, the worse Natsuhi felt. Seeing her look downcast, Shisui tossed back the covers and stood up.
"Actually, why wait for 'another ti'? As an apology, let buy you breakfast. I heard that new stall near the village entrance is quite good."
Natsuhi was about to nod when a voice called out from outside the door. "Is Takigawa Shu in?"
It was the Chunin from the Mission Office. He didn't seem surprised by the state of the broken door—Taki was a small village, and such things were common.
"Your application for the Chunin exam was fast-tracked and approved. Evaluation is today at 9:00 AM, Training Ground 3. Don't be late."
"Chunin evaluation? I understand. I'll be there."
As soon as the ssenger left, Natsuhi leaned in, her eyes wide. "Chunin evaluation? I didn't think you'd be moving up so quickly!"
"Just luck, I suppose." Shisui tucked the notice away and moved to wash up. "Tell you what—after the exam, I'll buy you lunch as a proper apology. How does that sound?"
Natsuhi crossed her arms, a small smile finally tugging at her lips. "Then I'll offer my congratulations in advance."
Training Ground 3 was located on the eastern edge of the village—a flat expanse of sandy soil dotted with a few sparse trees.
When Shisui arrived, two n were waiting: the Chunin from earlier and an older shinobi with silver hair, puffing on a pipe.
"Takigawa Shu?"
"Yes." Shisui bowed.
"I am Sasaki, your proctor for today. Beside is Morita, the recorder. The exam consists of three parts: a written test, a service record review, and a field test. Since your rits are already verified, we begin with the written portion."
Sasaki handed over a paper and a pen. Shisui sat at a small, rickety wooden table brought out for the occasion and unfurled the test.
The mont the questions hit his eyes, he nearly broke character. The paper was a carbon copy of the Konoha Chunin Exam written test from several years ago—not a single word had been changed.
In Konoha, the test was a psychological ga designed to test information gathering and the ability to cheat without being caught. Here, however, it seed they expected him to actually solve the problems.
"A few years ago, so of our people went to Konoha for the joint exams and thought these questions were excellent," Sasaki explained.
"Since it cos from a Great Village, the content is naturally more sophisticated than what we could produce."
Shisui found the situation absurd, but his hand moved steadily. He knew the answers to every question, but he carefully paced himself.
He intentionally included minor errors in the complex analytical questions and left a few slight flaws in the logic. By the ti he handed it in, he estimated his score at exactly 60%.
He figured a barely passing grade for a student with an "unremarkable" background like Takigawa Shu would be the perfect way to fail or be asked to retake it. He wasn't in a hurry to climb the ranks; he wanted to remain an inconspicuous Genin.
To his surprise, Sasaki looked over the paper, nodded, and offered a word of praise. "Very impressive. You passed this section. Next: the field test."
"The field test has three parts," Sasaki continued. "First is Taijutsu. Your opponent is . Last forty-five minutes without falling, or demonstrate sufficient skill. Second is projectile accuracy. Third is a demonstration of Ninjutsu. Understood?"
Shisui nodded. The Taijutsu match began.
Sasaki's movents weren't flashy, but they were rooted in solid experience—the style of a man who had survived many real battles.
Shisui carefully throttled his own prowess, keeping it strictly at "high-level Genin" standards. He focused on defense, counter-attacking only when necessary, looking competent but unexceptional.
After fifteen minutes, Sasaki stopped. He circled "Pass" on the ledger.
Next was the projectiles. Shisui took the kunai and shuriken, hitting the target twenty ters away with a respectable seven or eight out of ten.
He thought this was the floor of his disguise—anything less would contradict Shu's known skill. To his amazent, the proctor called it "excellent."
Finally, Sasaki asked the last question. "Takigawa Shu, aside from the Academy clones and replacents, what Ninjutsu do you know?"
Shisui gave an embarrassed smile. "Body Flicker... and one simple Genjutsu, the Sly Mind Affect Technique."
The Sly Mind Affect was a D-rank Genjutsu—the absolute basics. As for Body Flicker, its execution varied wildly between individuals, making it a safe choice. Shisui was certain this ager repertoire would disqualify him.
However, Morita and Sasaki leaned in, whispering loudly enough for Shisui's sharp ears to catch every word.
"Sasaki-sama, this kid has potential. He's young and has a clean record. The reason he knows so few jutsu is likely because he has no teacher and hasn't had the points to trade for scrolls. We're short on mid-level officers right now..."
"You're right. If his repertoire is lacking, it's our duty as seniors to provide for him."
Sasaki turned back to Shisui with a fatherly smile. "Your Taijutsu foundation is solid, your experience is verified, and you passed the written exam.
Overall... you've passed. Congratulations, Takigawa Shu. You are now a Chunin of this village."
Shisui blinked. Just like that?
He knew Taki's standards were likely lower than Konoha's, but he hadn't realized they were this loose.
"Since you only know two techniques," Sasaki added, "I'll assign you a defensive jutsu to learn. As long as you master it within a short ti, you're good to go. This is the Earth Style: Mud Wall."
"Thank you, Proctor."
"Go. Your new pay grade and mission roster start tomorrow. Check in with the Mission Office for details."
Shisui accepted the new forehead protector, his mind racing. He hadn't intended to beco a Chunin so easily, but he wasn't one to stick stubbornly to a plan when the terrain changed.
If he was now a Chunin, he would simply have to adjust his strategy to fit his new level of access.
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