"Isn't this a bit too much?"
Tenten couldn't help complaining.
For the people trapped inside the technique, they were desperately trying to crack a barrier.
But from the outside… they were just running in circles, over and over, even passing the exam room multiple times without ever walking in.
"This barrier isn't even that hard. And I left a back door for them. They even dispelled the illusion layer. There are tons of ways to get out, so if they insist on headbutting the wall… what do you want me to do?"
Souma spread his hands helplessly.
He actually liked this barrier.
Its strongest effect wasn't the maze, but the way it messed with your sense of direction.
He wasn't sure which sub-sigil did that. Definitely worth researching later.
Shame he hadn't brought a notebook.
He could only carve the pattern into his memory for now.
"…"
Up at the front of the room, Tokubetsu Jōnin Yuura opened her mouth, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Simple?
Even your average chūnin would have a hard time breaking this thing.
Of course…
Just like Souma said—no matter how strong a barrier was, a barrier was still just a barrier.
If someone really wanted to brute-force their way out, there were plenty of methods.
One method: hug the wall, probe along it bit by bit, and have a "blind man" find the classroom entrance.
The classroom doors were covered by genjutsu, making the inside look unclear.
But as long as you pushed the door open, you'd see the proctor.
Second method: throw ninja tools and use sound to judge the space.
But those outside were all genin…
Anyone who could think and execute at that level was definitely no ordinary genin.
Third method: pure sensory ability.
In short, there were more solutions than problems.
Did Souma really think Kankurō couldn't find the exam room?
Hardly.
If that guy actually used his puppet techniques seriously, locating the classrooms would be easy.
He was obviously playing dumb and hiding his hand.
The Konoha Crush Plan…
Clearly, Sunagakure and Orochimaru had been in contact for a long time already.
Souma mused silently.
It made sense.
In the original timeline, Temari and Kankurō had already graduated long ago, yet were dragged out into "late exam-takers," only sitting the Chūnin Exams next year.
Normally, they shouldn't even be here this time.
His appearance must have been a huge headache for Rasa—
Especially this Chūnin Exam.
Souma's existence was like a tiny, sharp thorn:
Small damage.
Very high annoyance.
One after another, around twenty teams finally managed to find the exam room.
Just like Souma had said, this barrier was ultimately just a visual trick. As for the directional confusion…
There were way too many ways around it—marks, threads, even ink droplets would work.
But even if it was only these twenty-odd teams…
After one written test and a round of elimination—
The second stage could basically start straight as a free-for-all tournament.
"Yuura-sama, the exam is starting in a few minutes,"
one of the chūnin reminded her.
Yuura glanced at the time, then looked out the window, hesitating.
Could it be…?
She looked down at the other proctors.
"What do you all think?"
"This is the Chūnin Exam. We follow Chūnin Exam rules."
"…"
Yuura sighed quietly.
The rules allowed the candidates to cheat and interfere.
But if the proctors intervened now, they'd be the ones breaking the rules.
So be it.
They'd leave it to fate.
Outside, Temari didn't look happy.
She had found the exam room—but not by breaking the barrier.
She had relied on wind and sound to triangulate the space.
Plus, Sunagakure was the host.
No one knew this building's layout better than they did.
So it wasn't strange that she found it.
What bothered her was—
She hadn't managed to crack his barrier.
"Sis,"
Kankurō whispered behind her.
"I know,"
Temari snorted and walked into the classroom.
When she saw the situation inside—
Her mood brightened.
So after all that scheming…
Konoha still had fewer people here than Suna.
She took her assigned seat—
Ironically, right between Souma and Kazusa.
Temari shot Souma a small, smug smile.
You hurt others eight hundred, and yourself a thousand. Is it worth it?
She didn't say it aloud.
But the look on her face said everything.
Souma didn't even bother to respond.
What's the rush?
Most of Konoha's teams were still outside, sure—
But the back door he'd left was right there, carved with an obvious Konoha mark. Now that the illusion layer had faded, anyone careful enough would notice.
If they still couldn't find it…
Then getting eliminated early was doing them a favor.
Better than walking into the field just to die.
But—
Not everyone could understand his thinking.
Neji, for one, really didn't.
From his point of view, Souma's "adjustments" had done zero good for Konoha.
Most of their exam candidates were still blocked outside…
He was still thinking this when—
The door swung open.
"Quick—uh…"
Yuura turned her head.
She had been ready to do what she'd done before: tell the new arrivals where to sit.
But when she saw the long line trailing out the door—
Her eyes almost popped out.
"Yamahiko, hurry and assign seats! The exam's about to start!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Yamahiko and a few chūnin rushed forward and began weaving them into the gaps between other villages' teams.
One, two, three…
"This is impossible."
Temari froze.
Konoha's genin… had all arrived.
How!?
Those who arrived late were usually the weaker ones.
If they had the ability, they'd have already muscled their way here by now.
Most of those who made it earlier were precisely the ones who'd relied on their own methods.
So what was this now?
They lined up and filed in like they'd come in a tour group.
As Kabuto walked from the platform back to his seat, he passed Souma and murmured just loud enough for him to hear:
"Thanks for leaving the mark, Souma-kun. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten everyone here. Once we came through, we used genjutsu to cover the spot again."
"…"
Souma could only stay silently speechless.
What could he say?
Kabuto really didn't want to be "the first one to figure it out," so he had circled the second floor with the others more than ten times.
Only when time was about to run out…
He "happened" to notice something strange, then "guided" everyone to discover the tiny back door and crawl out of the barrier.
Kabuto reached his seat.
"You cheated!"
Temari said sharply, refusing to let it go.
"Huh?"
Souma had originally not planned to respond, but her accusation was just too weird.
Cheated?
I'm not even a proctor.
I cracked the barrier, modified it, and then left a back door so my own people could get through…
What's the problem?
"I know you're in a hurry,"
Souma said lazily,
"but you might want to calm down and focus on your exam first."
"…"
Temari had no comeback.
She'd let frustration get to her earlier and already embarrassed herself once.
Yuura cleared her throat.
"The exam is about to begin. Before we hand out the papers, I'll go over the rules. Cheating is forbidden in this test."
"Surrounding you, in every corner of this room, are proctors…"
She read out the rules one by one.
Souma listened with mild surprise.
No cheating test this time?
No hidden "cheat or fail" rule?
Whatever.
Didn't affect him anyway.
The test papers were passed out soon after.
He glanced over the questions and felt a little… disappointed.
The difficulty was below the graduation exam the Third Hokage had set for him back then.
He picked up his pen and started writing.
As he was getting into it, a candidate not far away was suddenly yanked to his feet.
"Out."
"You. Out."
"You over there… out."
Name after name was called.
Those who refused to accept it were escorted out more forcefully.
They're really serious about this…
Souma was a bit surprised.
He had a faint feeling—
Sunagakure might have prepared a "Plan B."
Afraid he'd keep messing with their setup, they simply switched to this straightforward style of exam.
Which was fine.
Everyone relied on their own ability.
If you could cheat under these conditions, that also meant you were strong.
That said…
With the mix of proctors around—
Half from Suna, half from Konoha's ANBU—
Cheating under their noses was about as smart as breakdancing in a minefield.
Knowing the teachers were actually watching and still trying to cheat was peak headstrong behavior.
A few minutes later, Souma finished his paper.
Bored, he read through the whole thing again.
He couldn't exactly write out full solutions for anyone else.
But a simplified hint… now that was doable.
Before long, a fly landed on Tenten's answer sheet.
She was just about to shoo it away—
Then I froze.
The fly was… walking lines.
In a very specific pattern.
This…?
Tenten's eyes widened, utterly stunned.
No way…
You can even do this!?
Souma, as expected of you.
Truly reliable.
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