Ch-25 Chunin Exams and Secret Ambitions

Baki and his team departed two days ago. Meanwhile, Uchiha Aiko and Uchiha Nakamura have already arrived back at the Daimyo mansion.

Upon their return, they were informed about the Chunin exams and found themselves in agreement with Emiko, Hakuda, and Matsuda's approach.

Uchiha Aiko inquired, "When will you be leaving for the Chunin exams?"

"The Chunin exams are taking place in 5 days, so we'll be departing for Sunagakure tomorrow," Uchiha Emiko stated.

"Be cautious, all three of you. If you happen to encounter an ambush in Sunagakure, retreat immediately," warned Uchiha Aiko.

"Indeed, we will be cautious. Anyone who attempts to act against us will have to face the dire consequences," responded Emiko.

"Alright then, I'm feeling tired. I'll take my leave now. It's up to you to decide on how to proceed and whom to select," said Aiko.
......
Simultaneously, in a courtyard within the Daimyo mansion...

"Master Karan, they're departing for Sunagakure tomorrow," Fourth reported.

Uchiha Karan retrieved a coin and handed it to Fourth. "Take this coin and deliver it to Emiko. If she encounters any obstacles she cannot overcome, inject chakra into the coin, and I will take care of the situation. Also, dispatch the Shadow Guards from the Eleventh to the Fifteenth with them," he instructed.

"Understood," Fourth replied before disappearing into the shadows.

Suddenly, Fourth emerged from the shadows in front of Emiko.

"Damn, don't scare me like that," Emiko exclaimed.

"Master Karan gave me this coin for you. He said that if you encounter any issues beyond your capabilities, you should infuse chakra into it, and he will handle the rest. Additionally, the Shadow Guards from the Eleventh to the Fifteenth will accompany you," Fourth explained to Emiko before vanishing into the shadows once again, leaving Emiko to process the information.

Following that, Emiko made her way to the arena where the top six candidates from each army were being selected.

In the arena, two warriors stood facing each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The first ninja, named Jake, was dressed in black and had a sword strapped to his side. The second ninja, named Max, wore a dark blue outfit and held a sword in his hand. Both of them were skilled in the art of swordsmanship and the use of ninjutsu techniques, including Fire Release, Earth Release, and Water Release manipulations.

As the battle began, Jake quickly summoned a clone of himself to distract Max while he launched a series of Fire Release attacks. Max responded by creating an Earth Release barrier to protect himself from the flames. He then used a Water Release jutsu to launch a powerful wave at Jake, who managed to dodge at the last second using the Body Replacement Technique.

Jake countered with a powerful Earth Release jutsu, causing the ground beneath Max to tremble and shake. Max swiftly jumped to avoid the attack, landing behind Jake and delivering a swift strike with his sword. Jake managed to block the attack, but not before sustaining a small cut on his arm.

The two ninjas continued to exchange blows, each one trying to outmaneuver the other. Jake used a combination of sword strikes and Fire Release jutsu, while Max utilized his Water Release and Earth Release ninjutsu to keep Jake at bay.

Suddenly, Jake summoned another clone, but this time it was different. The clone was made of pure Fire Release, and it charged at Max with incredible speed. Max managed to dodge the attack, but not without getting a small burn on his leg.

Max then countered with a Water Release jutsu, creating a mist around Jake to obscure his vision. Jake quickly used the Body Replacement Technique to escape the mist, but not before sustaining another small cut on his arm.

The battle continued to rage on, each ninja giving it their all. In the end, both of them sustained slight injuries, but neither one emerged as the clear winner. They both acknowledged each other's skills and techniques, and parted ways as friends.

As they walked away, Jake couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to test his skills against someone as skilled as Max. He knew that he still had much to learn, but he was confident that with practice and dedication, he would continue to improve and become an even more formidable ninja.

"Is it not too unfair to the other Chunin exam participants? Our top recruits possess the strength of Jonin and can easily overpower any other ninja taking the exam in Sunagakure," Matsuda remarked, expressing his concerns.

Hiroshi let out a chuckle and responded, "We are not violating any rules, are we? The exam regulations state that participating ninjas must be under the age of 16, and our recruits meet that requirement. So, I don't think anyone should object."

Matsuda also chuckled upon hearing Hiroshi's reply.

After a full day of competitions, the event came to a close, and in the evening, 30 recruits were gathered together.

Emiko addressed the recruits, saying, "Congratulations on being selected by us after the competition. You are now representatives of Master Karan and will showcase to the entire ninja world the power of his soldiers. Do not disappoint him with your performance. Let the whole ninja world know how powerful Master Karan's soldiers are, as they will be closely watching this exam. They will be curious to see the individuals under Master Karan's current command, and he might even make an appearance himself."

"We won't let Master Karan down," Max assured Emiko.

"We'll give it our all," added Jake.

Emiko nodded and concluded, "Go and get a proper rest, we'll be leaving tomorrow."
......
At the same time inside Sunagakure.

At the same time, Baki entered the Kazekage's office.

"I heard you only returned with two companions. What happened?" asked the Kazekage.

"Kazekage-sama, it's like this..." Baki proceeded to tell the whole story of how Hayate was killed.

"So Uchiha Karan is not coming, correct?" asked the Kazekage.

"Hmm, don't worry too much. Your companion's revenge will be avenged," Kazekage said.

Baki bowed slightly before continuing, "Kazekage, about the battle between the two generals Matsuda and Hiroshi, I can say that they are extremely strong, even without using chakra. Their physical strength and swordsmanship are powerful enough to battle a Jonin. Furthermore, all three generals have opened the Three Tomoe Sharingan, so it's impossible that they don't know ninjutsu and genjutsu."

Kazekage was shocked after hearing about the strength of Uchiha Karan's generals. Now he could be sure of his decision.