Although Guy lacked any Kekkei Genkai, his mastery of the Strong Fist style provided him with keen insight. Naturally, at such close range, Hyuga Kyo’s use of the Vacuum Palm did not escape his notice.
However, Guy didn’t dwell on it. Hearing Hyuga Kyo refer to it as a secret technique, he immediately exclaimed in admiration, “I didn’t even notice when you activated it. Your secret technique is amazing!”
The Vacuum Palm, much like Pain’s Shinra Tensei, was powerful because it required no hand seals and could be used at will, instantly upon a mere thought.
Those unaware of it would easily fall into its trap during their first encounter.
Even a master like Sasori once fell victim to Hyuga Kyo’s Vacuum Palm, losing his Third Kazekage puppet, which turned the tide of their battle instantly.
Hyuga Kyo then grew serious, sternly warning, “Remember, this is my secret. Don’t reveal it to anyone, not even our comrades in the village!”
Protecting the secrecy of the Vacuum Palm was one reason Hyuga Kyo chose to eliminate his mission target on the spot rather than capture him alive.
Guy nodded earnestly, “I understand. I won’t tell anyone.”
Hyuga Kyo trusted Guy. Despite his seemingly comical and absurd demeanor, Guy was, at heart, a very disciplined ninja.
Upon returning to the village, Hyuga Kyo and Guy headed straight to the mission center.
After completing their mission, the mission center once again elevated Hyuga Kyo’s squad’s status, granting them access to all high-difficulty A-rank missions, including assassinations.
Hyuga Kyo had executed the mission exceptionally well.
Not only did he swiftly eliminate all targets, but he also brought back the corpse of a Mist Kekkei Genkai ninja, effectively exceeding the mission’s objectives.
Ninja corpses were, in many ways, sources of intelligence.
Particularly, the bodies of Kekkei Genkai ninjas held significant research value. During the war, every major ninja village had specialized corpse retrieval squads dedicated to collecting Kekkei Genkai ninja corpses left on battlefields for research.
In the following months, Hyuga Kyo and Guy became mission maniacs. As Chunin, they completed two A-rank missions and five B-rank missions, making them notable figures within the village due to their high success rate.
The receptionists at the mission center began actively screening missions for Hyuga Kyo and assisting.
After completing another B-rank mission, Hyuga Kyo felt a strange sensation as if someone was watching him while heading home…
He discreetly observed his surroundings, furrowing his brows slightly.
Although the streets were bustling with people, no one was hiding and watching him. Hyuga Kyo, with his Tenseigan, was sure of that, yet the feeling of being watched persisted, making him uneasy.
Quickly, he recalled a specific jutsu that the Third Hokage had used before.
The Telescope Technique!
“Is the Third Hokage watching me? It seems my efforts these past few months have caught his attention!”
Realizing it might be the Third Hokage observing him, Hyuga Kyo no longer paid it much mind.
The Third Hokage’s surveillance likely indicated he was reviewing Hyuga Kyo before considering him for advancement. Given the village’s current state, the busy Hokage wouldn’t have the leisure to observe an ordinary Chunin otherwise.
This intermittent surveillance continued for about a month.
Hyuga Kyo, already cautious by nature, became even more careful once he suspected the Third Hokage was watching. He displayed no unusual behavior, focusing solely on his missions. He was confident the Third Hokage would find nothing suspicious.
Sure enough, before long, Hyuga Kyo received an internal notice for the Special Jonin promotion assessment.
Special Jonins were considered high-ranking combat forces in the village. Although the village could mobilize thousands of ninjas during wartime, the number of Jonin, including Special Jonin, was only in the hundreds.
In other words, out of every hundred ninjas in the village, only a few were Jonin or Special Jonin, while the remaining ninety-plus were Chunin and Genin.
This ratio meant that Special Jonin were practically command-level ninjas. During wartime, a single Special Jonin could command several four-man squads on missions.
The assessment location was an Anbu base, where Hyuga Kyo saw many familiar faces.
Among them were Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Iruka Umino, Anko Mitarashi, Genma Shiranui, Hayate Gekko, and even the young Uchiha prodigy, Shisui Uchiha.
From afar, Guy shouted, “Kyo, over here!”
Hyuga Kyo walked over and greeted his classmates.
In the past, Hyuga Kyo might have felt somewhat reserved around these people. In the ninja profession, strength was paramount; without it, even classmates couldn’t form close bonds.
But now, Hyuga Kyo can interact with his peers with ease. He even felt a subtle sense of superiority.
With a calm expression, Asuma asked, “Hey, I heard you and Guy completed several A-rank missions together. Is that true?”
Hearing Asuma’s words, Kurenai, Iruka, Anko, and the others gathered around, clearly interested in the topic.
Hyuga Kyo nodded, “Yes.”
Guy laughed heartily, “See, I wasn’t lying! We really did complete several A-rank missions!”
As someone often mocked by others, Guy was usually on the receiving end of bragging. Finally getting his chance to boast, he was understandably in high spirits.
Seeing Guy, the typical underachiever, showing off, everyone felt a bit sour, sparking a competitive spirit. As they chatted, the conversation inevitably turned to the upcoming Special Jonin assessment.
Asuma looked around and whispered, “I heard over two hundred Chunin are participating in the assessment, but only about fifteen will be promoted to Special Jonin!”
“Gasp…”
Everyone collectively gasped.
Two hundred Chunin competing for fifteen spots meant about thirteen or fourteen people vying for one position. The competition was fierce.
Feeling dejected, Iruka said, “I guess I don’t stand a chance.”
Genma and Hayate sighed as well, clearly sharing Iruka’s lack of confidence.
Seeing his friends so disheartened, Asuma looked displeased, “Hey, can’t you guys have a little confidence? Kakashi is already a Jonin. How can we be so discouraged about the Special Jonin assessment?”
As the Hokage’s son, being overshadowed by Kakashi was a sore point for Asuma. Sometimes, the Third Hokage would even use Kakashi as a benchmark to criticize him, which frustrated him greatly.
Sharing similar sentiments, Guy clenched his fists and agreed, “Yes, we must catch up to Kakashi!”
Meanwhile, Hyuga Kyo used the opportunity to observe his competitors. Roughly counting, there were indeed over two hundred Chunin participating. However, none seemed to have more chakra than him, which boosted his confidence.
At that moment, Shisui Uchiha approached and said, “Senior, thank you for looking after Itachi. He often speaks highly of you, saying you’re an exceptional ninja!”
Hyuga Kyo observed him and asked, “You’re Shisui Uchiha?”
Shisui, feeling a bit apologetic, replied, “Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you, senior. I am Shisui Uchiha.”
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