Marissa, now eight years old, had made a name for herself in the ninja academy in less than three years. She was known as the “Iron Fist Big Sister.”
Nobody judged her by normal standards, given her father was the Sixth Hokage. As his daughter, Marissa was destined to be a rare genius.
Moreover, anyone who saw Marissa’s 1.8-meter-tall, muscular frame and massive fists would instinctively forget she was only eight years old.
Addressing her as “Big Sister” didn’t seem so far-fetched.
Regarding this year’s Chunin Exam, it was the most grandiose event in the last decade. Konoha invited the four major ninja villages and numerous smaller ones, with over a thousand participants, making it “an unprecedented event.”
Many speculated that Konoha went all out to give the Sixth Hokage’s daughter, Marissa, a platform to make a name for herself at a young age.
However, no one wanted to play a supporting role for an eight-year-old girl, especially the proud ninja.
The Chunin Exam required participants to be Genin, but there were no age restrictions. Whether young or on the brink of old age, they could participate as long as one was a Genin.
This allowed other villages to bring out their hidden talents. In every village, there were individuals who, for various reasons, remained Genin but were actually very capable.
These so-called “eternal Genin” were mobilized, coming to Konoha with grand ambitions to participate.
After all, the essence of the Chunin Exam was always an important occasion for major ninja villages to showcase their power; no one wanted to lose.
As the host of the exam and the permanently neutral village, Konoha promised a fair competition platform that would not favor any side.
Thus, participants from various villages could freely demonstrate their strength.
For these reasons, the four major ninja villages took this Chunin Exam very seriously, sending their strongest Genin, determined to win.
Tourists from different countries, including daimyos, officials, and nobles, also arrived in Konoha, engaging in diplomatic activities under the guise of watching the exams.
Currently, Konoha’s resident population has reached three million. With the arrival of the Chunin Exam, hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the ninja world flocked to Konoha, significantly boosting tourism and the economy.
This Chunin Exam was destined to be a grand event, even making a significant mark in ninja world history.
Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate.
Only three days before the Chunin Exam’s main event, the villagers of Konoha woke up to find the sky covered with thick clouds blocking the sun.
With the rumbling of spring thunder, a light rain began to fall, drizzling continuously and covering every corner of Konoha.
Fortunately, the rain was light and bearable without an umbrella. The raindrops on the faces and bodies of pedestrians felt refreshing, adding a touch of joy.
In this spring rain, the participating teams from various ninja villages arrived in Konoha.
The team from Iwagakure marched through Konoha’s streets with over two hundred members. At the front, sitting in a palanquin, was the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, personally leading the team and emphasizing his emphasis on the exam.
Flanking Onoki as bodyguards were a long-legged girl with short black hair in a red cheongsam and a giant with a huge nose and a simple face.
Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi.
Both were Onoki’s disciples, around eighteen or nineteen years old, and Jonin of Iwagakure, with Kurotsuchi also being Onoki’s granddaughter.
They had studied in Konoha and returned to Iwagakure after passing their Jonin exams three years ago.
However, neither Onoki, Kurotsuchi, nor Akatsuchi were the main focus for Iwagakure this time.
Onoki opened the palanquin’s curtain and looked around, frowning in surprise:
“Where’s Deidara? He’s missing again?”
Kurotsuchi snorted, crossing her arms: “I told you Deidara is unreliable. Don’t expect him to bring glory to Iwagakure. If he doesn’t cause trouble, we should count ourselves lucky.”
Akatsuchi, concerned, asked Onoki: “Tsuchikage-sama, should I look for him? He said he had a stomachache and went to the bathroom over there.”
He pointed to a nearby alley with a restroom sign.
Before Onoki could respond, Kurotsuchi rolled her eyes, reprimanding Akatsuchi:
“Idiot brother, you’ve been tricked. He didn’t have a stomachache; he’s already sneaked off somewhere.”
Suddenly, a slightly mocking voice came from behind her.
“Oh, little sister talking bad about me behind my back again, caught you red-handed.”
It was a young ninja with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Bangs covered one eye, revealing only a blue right eye.
Deidara, like Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi, was Onoki’s disciple and the most talented, once Iwagakure’s unparalleled prodigy.
Unfortunately, geniuses often had flaws, sometimes bordering on madness.
Deidara was such an eccentric genius.
He didn’t see himself as a ninja but as an artist, obsessed with his unique form of art.
His art was simple, just two words:
Explosions.
Deidara loved making clay bombs and watching their explosions, mesmerized by the fleeting beauty of the fireworks.
A fragile yet intense beauty.
As a natural explosion enthusiast, he caused chaos in Iwagakure at the age of nine, creating so many explosions that he had to leave the village to live alone.
In his teenage years, Deidara accepted many terrorist missions to prove his art to the world, creating one spectacular fireworks display after another.
His original life path would likely have led him to join a terrorist organization, become a wanted criminal, and eventually be killed by bounty hunters or blown up by his own bombs.
Until the Fourth Great Ninja War reshuffled the ninja world, changing everything.
Including Deidara’s fate.
During a mission to attack an Iwagakure unit, he was captured and sent back to Iwagakure, where Onoki imprisoned him to reflect.
He spent several years in prison.
Although he no longer worried about food, as an artist, his talent had nowhere to shine.
Now, he had his chance.
Onoki promised Deidara freedom in exchange for winning the Chunin Exam for Iwagakure.
Having left the village as a Genin at nine, Deidara met the criteria perfectly despite his age.
He nonchalantly sucked on a lollipop, hands behind his head, irritating Kurotsuchi.
“Deidara, the exam is about to start, and you’re not prepared at all, always joking around. Remember, your freedom depends on winning the Chunin Exam!” Kurotsuchi scolded hands on hips.
“Annoying,” Deidara replied impatiently, “Little sister, you underestimate me. The Chunin Exam is a piece of cake. Watch me show the world my art, leaving them in awe!”
Over the years, Deidara honed his skills in prison, refining his art. Now, with elite Jonin-level strength, he saw the Chunin Exam as a minor challenge.
Onoki saw through Deidara’s arrogance.
“Deidara!” he warned sternly, “This is Konoha. Behave yourself! Stay in my sight and don’t use chakra. If you cause trouble, even I can’t save you.”
If Deidara dared to cause an explosion in Konoha, the Uchiha wouldn’t tolerate it, and Onoki would likely bring his ashes back to Iwagakure.
“Annoying old man,” Deidara covered his ears.
Sighing, Onoki ordered Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi to watch Deidara and dispatched Iwagakure ninjas to gather information on other participants.
Though confident in Deidara, Onoki wanted to know what cards other villages held.
Meanwhile, the team from Kumogakure arrived.
Led by the Fourth Raikage, their imposing presence suggested an invasion rather than participation.
Their determination to win was clear.
Among the black-skinned, muscular men, the most noticeable was a young man with slicked gray hair, a peculiar necklace, and a giant red triple scythe strapped to his back.
He was Hidan.
Originally from Yugakure, Hidan joined Kumogakure after Yugakure was annexed during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
For Hidan, this was perfect. A born battle maniac, he craved slaughter, enjoying the sight of enemy blood.
Yugakure’s peaceful philosophy, reducing ninja numbers to show goodwill and avoid conflict, was a stark contrast.
Yugakure’s strategy proved foolish as Kumogakure annexed them, taking their resources.
Hidan joined Kumogakure but remained an outcast due to his cruel, disrespectful nature and bizarre religious practices.
He stayed a Genin until this Chunin Exam presented his chance.
Despite being disliked, Hidan’s strength was undeniable, his unique fighting style troubling even Jonin.
The Fourth Raikage allowed Hidan to participate, promising promotion to Jonin and permission to spread his cult if he won.
Hidan cared little about rank but was passionate about spreading his deity’s teachings.
So, he eagerly came to Konoha.
“Many prey await. I’ll cause a great chaos, spreading blood everywhere,” Hidan licked his lips, ready for a ritual sacrifice.
His target was Marissa, the Sixth Hokage’s genius
daughter and a top contender.
Besides the four major villages, participants also came from smaller villages and individually registered Genin.
For Konoha’s enemies, infiltrating as contestants to gather intel was an excellent strategy.
Among Takigakure’s team was a red-haired boy with a large yellow gourd on his back, emotionlessly observing Konoha.
He was Gaara.
Become a Patron read up to 45 chapter ahead public release ^_^
Please join Discord Server so we can talk ^_^
