Cloud Village's investment degree in this Chūnin Exam truly proved extraordinary...
When that mountain-built, magnificently scaled, complete circular giant competition venue came into view, this thought involuntarily emerged in Shuji's mind.
Konoha had its own joint exam competition venue yet lacked Cloud Village's scale.
"Participating genin squad members will be led by our people to designated rest areas for placement."
Samui spoke to Shuji. Simultaneously, several Cloud shinobi stepped forward, preparing to guide Konoha's genin squads toward another direction.
This posture seemingly did not intend letting Konoha's participating squads directly lodge within Cloud Village interiors.
Shuji expressed no objection to this, merely turning toward Gekkō Hayate and Uzuki Yūgao, slightly nodding. Both returned knowing gazes, indicating they would watch the squads.
Samui explained. "Please understand. This stems from unified management considerations. All shinobi squads from external villages are arranged in this specially designated area outside the village. Corresponding living materials are fully prepared by Cloud Village and will be supplied in sufficient quantities."
"If individual needs exist, some shops around the venue can also provide services."
"Within this designated venue area range, your movements are free and will not face unnecessary restrictions."
After all, Cloud Village was hosting joint Chūnin Exams for the first time. Not easily allowing people into the village proved normal. Shuji expressed understanding. This also proved good—avoiding tight surveillance.
After confirming this young Konoha squad leader showed no resistant emotions, Samui led him formally entering Cloud Village's gates.
Unlike the somewhat ostentatious competition venue outside the village, true Cloud Village hid deeply among steep continuous mountain peaks. Buildings mostly attached to mountain bodies. Roads spiraled tortuously.
Once entering, without familiarity with paths or prior reconnaissance, getting lost proved easy.
Shuji had visited the Kazekage's office. The Hokage's office, since last year, became an overtime regular haunt.
Comparatively, Fourth Raikage's office style could be counted as the most concise, even called rugged among Kage-level offices he had seen.
The spacious room contained almost no excess decorations. Besides necessary office desks, chairs, and filing cabinets, the corner even displayed fitness equipment like dumbbells and grip strengtheners.
Fourth Raikage A was a man constantly building muscle.
"The Hokage actually dispatched you over." A sat casually on the sofa. "The last time seeing you was already last year, right, Shuji?"
"Raikage-sama's memory proves excellent."
"Useless small talk ends here." The Raikage cut to the main topic. "One matter requires advance notification to your Konoha side."
His sharp gaze fell on Shuji, saying, "Regarding this Chūnin Exam's specific processes, our Cloud Village's thinking might differ somewhat from your Konoha's past practices. We have our own assessment standards and methods."
"Written tests and wilderness survival assessments should be naturally possessed capabilities for shinobi aspiring to become chūnin. However, considering individual circumstances exist, we're willing to retain this portion."
"However, wilderness survival assessments prove unnecessary. As shinobi, if lacking even such capabilities yet still being selected for Chūnin Exam participation, this itself is responsibility the participating shinobi village must bear."
Shuji listened quietly, not feeling surprised that Cloud Village wanted changing exam processes. Or rather, when seeing that astonishingly scaled, obviously massively resource-invested dedicated venue outside Cloud Village, inwardly he already held speculations.
Since selling tickets, naturally spectacle must be increased.
Written exam segments proceeded quickly with bland scenes. As long as Cloud Village wished, appropriately controlling difficulty meant many people passing exams and entering next rounds, guaranteeing subsequent finals' participation base.
The wilderness survival portion contained too many uncontrollable factors, especially under current conditions lacking mature remote monitoring or image transmission technology. The entire process proved lengthy, scattered, and difficult intuitively displaying to audiences.
For Cloud Village attempting directly obtaining economic gains through Chūnin Exams, this section probably mostly produced negative effects—large investment yet non-intuitive returns.
Once wilderness survival assessments caused excessively severe losses among participating candidates from various villages, inevitably subsequent finals stages would have few participants, forcing carefully prepared schedules to shorten.
Like Konoha—finishing in one day.
"Regarding canceling wilderness survival assessments while only retaining written tests, I already communicated with Yugakure and Shimogakure representatives. Both already expressed acceptance." The Raikage continued, locking his gaze on Shuji. "Now, only awaiting your Konoha's final response."
Shuji did not directly answer whether agreeing but raised another key question. "Since canceling wilderness survival assessment portions occupying considerable weight..."
"Then, to guarantee assessment comprehensiveness and selection effectiveness, will finals' specific formats, processes, and scoring standards correspondingly undergo changes and adjustments?"
At this time, the female ninja Mabui who had been quietly standing beside the Raikage holding document stacks spoke. "Regarding finals portion specific arrangements, including the competition system, processes, rules, plus detailed scoring standards you're concerned about, we will provide one complete written explanation document for your side's reference and review."
Samui, who brought Shuji inside, stood quietly not far behind him. The Raikage and his secretary before him also cast gazes toward him. Invisible pressure permeated the office.
Shuji contemplated briefly before responding flatly. "If so, to be responsible toward participating genin, please allow me first carefully understanding specific competition processes and rule details before making formal responses."
Raikage A stared at Shuji for several seconds. After brief silence, he said in low tones, "Acceptable. Giving you one day. Tomorrow this time, tell me Konoha's answer."
"Samui, escort him back."
When Shuji, accompanied by Samui, returned to Konoha's assigned lodging area, he noticed considerable Cloud shinobi appearing around lodging exteriors.
They did not approach too closely. However, gazes cast toward lodgings were filled with undisguised scrutiny plus some eager provocative meanings.
Observed Konoha shinobi showed vigilant expressions. Some faces carried some unease.
Uzuki Yūgao and Gekkō Hayate hid among crowds. As long as Cloud Village showed no substantial actions, both would not act.
Samui, escorting Shuji back, watched this scene. Her gaze swept among crowds, quickly locking onto one figure while frowning.
She quickly stepped forward, questioning a seemingly young, also blonde youth in low tones. "Atsui! What are you doing running here?"
"Big sister! I just wanted seeing Konoha shinobi who defeated Trainer Xi, exactly how amazing! Exactly how hot-blooded!"
"This isn't cool at all. Return quickly!" Samui grabbed her brother's arm.
The grabbed Atsui, while being dragged outward, still shouted things like "not passionate enough," "just wanted witnessing," until forcibly dragged over ten meters away by Samui.
Only afterward did Samui express slight apology toward Shuji. "Apologies for the embarrassment."
However, she merely apologized for her brother's behavior, treating other still-observing Cloud shinobi as invisible.
Shuji watched the siblings depart, saying nothing more while directly walking into Konoha's lodging.
"Everyone enter. I have important exam matters requiring explanation to everyone." He spoke to Konoha shinobi still remaining outside with varied expressions.
Regarding Cloud Village's proposal, he had no rejection intentions. Just needed seeing whether detailed processes buried any traps.
From current appearances, Cloud Village perhaps had no intentions doing anything to Konoha. However, regarding utilizing home field advantages to embarrass Konoha shinobi during competitions and dampening Konoha momentum, they probably welcomed this, possibly even secretly encouraged it.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild