SHINOBI EXAM

"Kids, don't think too much," the little old man, Third Tsuchikage, floated in the air, speaking to the ninjas in his village.

"That is the S-Class Forbidden Technique developed by Second Hokage Senju Tobirama. It is a forbidden earth weapon that uses the soul of the deceased as a medium. It is completely obedient to the caster and retains the memories of the deceased from when they were alive."

He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. "This technique allows the user to tap into all the ninjutsu of the deceased, though the power is greatly weakened due to the limitations of Chakra. However, as long as the soul endures, the Yin soldiers formed by the cursed soil will remain unyielding."

The implication was clear: the little devils of today were naive to believe they could face such an overwhelming force.

"Hateful!" The Tsuchikage thought, feeling the weight of the situation. "This battle is futile! No matter how many people come, it won't make a difference. It's no wonder there's such a massive formation for just four people. Everyone, except for me and the young Kazekage, retreated into their protective circles. Even with all our experience and resources, there's no chance of winning."

His mind wandered to the future... the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Even he, an old monster who had lived through the first three ninja wars, could sense the terrifying implications.

The images flickered again.

[The video paused.]

The intensity of the scene made everyone outside the image pause for a moment. The waves of sand created by the two Kazekage's chakra were truly remarkable. The collision of their forces generated a tremendous momentum, and the power was felt by everyone, even through the image.

[In the video, Fourth Kazekage Rasa looks up.]

The conflict between sand and gold created an immense sea of sand. It was a showdown between two shadows—an earth-shattering clash.

The scene shifted. Standing on the sea of sand, floating on a ball of sand, was the youngest son of the Fourth Kazekage, Gaara. He was the very child that Rasa had molded into a weapon for the village.

However, what puzzled Rasa was that despite Gaara's use of the Kasumi Technique, powered by the One-Tail Shukaku, Gaara still appeared human. He didn't transform as he once had.

"Yeah, these younger generations are getting more and more impressive," Tsuchikage Ohnoki, now an elder, thought to himself. He recognized both generations of Kazekage, but he never expected what was to come.

The image continued with the next scene: A powerful ninjutsu duel between Ohnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, and his teacher, the Second Tsuchikage, Mu.

["Dust Release: Original Stripping Technique!"]

["Dust Release: Original Stripping Technique!"]

Two massive beams of white light—one shaped like a cylinder, the other a cone—collided in the air. The resulting explosion was silent but deadly. The light created a blinding glow, reminiscent of a nuclear explosion. Everything it touched, from the sand mountains to the rocky terrain, vanished before the eyes of the onlookers.

A huge crater appeared in the aftermath, the earth itself stripped away by the might of the Dust Release.

In the distant Daming Mansion, the hand of the Fire Country Daimyo trembled, causing his spoon to drop, shattering his delicate dessert. As he stared down at the broken pieces, he couldn't help but reflect on the power displayed before him.

"Is this the true strength of the ninjas? How terrifying…" The Daimyo, who rarely ventured beyond his city and was always protected by twelve guardian ninjas, had never seen such power firsthand. Though he had never directly experienced the violence of war, he now understood how relentless and determined the ninja world could be.

"Sir, why don't you leave this place and stop watching these barbarians?" One of the Daimyo's attendants urged him. The image wouldn't harm him, but the display of power was enough to unsettle anyone.

Still, the Daimyo felt strangely exhilarated. "Perhaps I should be a little more accommodating when Hokage next submits the budget. I certainly don't want to anger someone as terrifying as him."

A small grin formed on his face as he considered the possibility of a more generous approach to Hokage's requests. But the unease lingered.

Unlike the Daimyo, the ninjas watching the scene were keenly aware of the significance of what they were witnessing. Few had ever seen Kage-level strength on display. Most had only ever been taught to respect, obey, and worship these figures from childhood.

"Simply…" a Jōnin muttered with a wry smile, "It's beyond our realm. They're not like us. Not even close."

While some villages, like Sunagakure, felt the weight of the battle and its consequences, Iwagakure's ninjas were filled with pride. Their Tsuchikage, Ohnoki, was renowned for his strength and leadership.

"As expected of Tsuchikage-sama!" They cheered, admiration evident in their voices. "The grandson of the First Tsuchikage and the student of the Second Tsuchikage! Truly, the Third Tsuchikage is the strongest in the ninja world!"

Ohnoki listened to the praises from his younger villagers, yet his thoughts remained focused on the task at hand. "That's my teacher," he mused.

In the image, Gaara and Ohnoki found themselves in a dire battle. Neither was able to gain the upper hand over their respective enemies: the revived Fourth Kazekage and the revived Second Tsuchikage.

The tension was palpable.

A young Sunagakure ninja, her hands gripping her chest in anxiety, whispered, "Gaara-sama…"

Her concern was shared by Temari, who, standing behind Gaara, commanded their coalition of Sand Shinobi to hold their ground.

Meanwhile, in the distance, the powerful voice of Ghost Lantern Huanyue pierced the tension, mocking, "A Dust Release like that? Hey, that kid... Onoki, right? You seem to have come from another time."

The Iwagakure ninja, who revered their Tsuchikage, couldn't help but be puzzled. "What? What do you mean 'time travel'?" They shrugged it off, as the wind was too strong to hear clearly.

In the video, the situation continued to escalate, as the powerful shadows battled against the odds.

At this moment, the ninjas outside the image could only watch, helpless against the overwhelming might they were witnessing. Even though they were part of the ninja alliance, their role seemed less significant—merely spectators in the face of true power.

Then, the camera shifted, and the next words of the Ninja Alliance Commander echoed across the field.

["Father, long time no see."] Gaara, now Kazekage, greeted his father with an unnervingly stiff voice.

Rasa's reply was direct and cold. "Gaara! Where is Shukaku?!"

His words carried the same tone he had used when addressing his subordinates as the Kazekage, questioning the whereabouts of Shukaku, Gaara's tailed beast, and the container of his power.

-----------------–––--––--------------------------------

Visit our Patreon for more:

patreon.com/Samurai492