The train heading east, passing through a long tunnel, suddenly opened up and brightened in front of you.

The majestic mountains and dense forests appeared in front of me, and in the carriage, I put my hands on the incense burn next to the window, and I saw such a scene, and my eyes did not blink.

"It's a beautiful view."

Such an exclamation came out of her mouth.

Although the train is often used during the outings of the ninja school, it is basically a tourist in the territory of the Oni Country. And this time the place to go is Konoha, which is located in the central hinterland of the Fire Country, occupying a relatively rich area of the Fire Country. The Land of Fire is also located in the middle of the continent, and if you want to take a train from the Land of Oni to the Land of Fire, you must pass through the border of the subject country of the Bear.

And the country of bears, Xiang Rin has never been here.

Even when I went out a few months ago, I took the sea route, not the land.

The Land of Bears is a small country rich in mineral resources, with steep mountains and a lot of forest resources to be exploited.

In this regard, even the country of ghosts is slightly inferior.

"Have you arrived in the Land of Bears? In a few hours, you can get off the bus. ”

Asuka, who was also resting in the carriage, also opened their eyes at this time, yawned, and saw the spectacular mountain forest scene outside the car window, knowing that the train had carried them out of the territory of the Oni Country, and now officially entered the territory of the Bear Country.

Because the country of ghosts has to experience disasters that sweep the earth by monsters every once in a while, the color of the clouds in the sky is a little darker than that of other countries, and it also looks gloomy. Although this change is not obvious, it is impossible to detect it without careful attention. But Asuka and others, who have lived in the country of ghosts since childhood, can clearly distinguish the difference.

"In other words, is it time to change trains?"

Xiang Rin asked.

This sentence not only attracted the attention of Asuka, but Aya couldn't help but glance at Kao.

"Uh...... What's wrong? ”

Xiang Lian saw the two staring at him a little strangely, and asked a little unnaturally.

"Haven't you heard Teacher Yan say before?"

"Say what?"

"After getting off at the terminal stop in the country of bears, we're going to rush to Konoha on foot."

Asuka sighed softly, he looked at Xiang Li's blank expression, and knew that in the previous briefing, she didn't listen carefully, but wandered out of the world, ignoring the content behind.

"On foot?"

"The tracks for the train are only laid in the territory of the Oni Country and its vassal countries, in other words, there are no railroad tracks in the countries such as the Bird Country and the Rain Country that we will pass through later, so we will have to rush to Konoha on foot."

Asuka patiently explained.

"It's such a long way to walk on foot, and when you get to Konoha like this, you may not be able to maintain your heyday......

A look of distress appeared on Xiang Li's face.

"It's not that exaggerated, it's a little faster, and you can get there in less than two days by running with all your might. Anyway, I didn't have much to carry except for a backpack. ”

Aya can't understand Kao's brain circuit, which shouldn't be a big problem for ninjas.

And normally, the foot speed of a ninja is much faster than that of a train. It's just that there is still a period of time before the joint middle ninja exam, just rush to Konoha before the 15th, there is no need to rush too much.

"I mean sleeping outside, don't you think you're going to have a sore back in the morning if you don't have a soft bed?"

Xiang Lian said dissatisfied.

Women are trouble. Asuka and Aya shook their heads, but they didn't refute Kaoru's words.

"We didn't go to Konoha this time for tourism, but to pass the exam. Just endure until the third exam arrives, and then you can return to the country of ghosts. ”

Asuka had no choice but to say so.

The Joint Chunin Exam is divided into three exams.

It also corresponds to three national locations.

The first exam is a written test in Konoha. The examination process is also handled by Konoha single-handedly.

The content of the second exam is currently unknown, and the location is in the Land of Wind, which is conducted by the village of Shayin.

The content of the third exam is also unclear, and the location is in the country of ghosts, which is also the last stop of the joint juninja exam.

According to the information revealed above, at that time, high-level officials from various countries in the ninja world, as well as world-famous tycoons, will gather in the country of ghosts to watch the final exam of the joint ninja exam. As you can guess, it was an open event similar to a gladiatorial fight.

"Speaking of which, what will be the content of the first written test?"

Xiang Lian also gradually put her mind on the first exam she will face in the near future.

"Shinobu is a recruit, and he is responsible for polishing the basics. Ninja is the backbone, and ninjas of this class must know how to collect intelligence, transfer information, work as a team, manage team leaders, etc., all of which start to learn and grow from the middle ninja stage. Excluding the third personal battle that is likely to occur, the content of the first two exams is nothing more than this. ”

Asuka explained.

"I see, worthy of Captain Asuka, his mind is still so clear."

Xiang Ryu nodded matter-of-factly.

Asuka ignored Xiang Li's praise and continued to say according to his own train of thought: "The first written test, like in previous years, is a compulsory item. But the exam for the lower ninja upgrade to the middle ninja stage is definitely not for us to follow the process and finish the exam papers normally. In this written test, there will be examiners who will set traps and obstacles for candidates to eliminate unqualified candidates. ”

"What's the exact?"

"I don't know. But the written test is related to words, and words are a carrier of information...... If you want to take the test, it can only test the candidates' intelligence gathering and information transmission skills. And messaging, maybe also involves coordination between teams. ”

"Can't be 100% sure?"

"I'm not an examiner, how can I know what to do in the written exam? But the score on the surface of the paper is certainly not the criterion for the examiners to score. This is the only one that can be conclusive. ”

Asuka spread his hands, expressing helplessness.

Countries jointly hold the Zhongnin exam, and the leakage of exam questions is a serious matter.

In order to ensure the concealment of the exam questions, the organizers must have carried out layers of blockades.

Only the moment the candidates step into the exam room, will the answers be revealed.

The guesses he made now were only the results of deductions based on a qualified middle ninja.

But whether this is the case depends on his thinking, whether he and the examiner who made the question in Konoha have reached an agreement in this regard.

"Even then, you need to be prepared in advance. I don't want to fail in the first two exams and be ashamed to go back. ”

Xiang Lian said.

"It's the same with Cai."

After all, the personal account is frozen, and that kind of thing is really terrifying.

Asuka shook his head, shook off the distractions in his mind, and said to Karen and Asai, "So, how about we simulate it beforehand?" ”

"Simulation?"

Kaori and Aya looked at Asuka at the same time, interested in what he called the 'simulation'.

"No matter how the written part of the Zhongnin exam is changed, it will definitely involve the intelligence gathering and information transmission part. What we are not sure about is what the examiner will ask us to use in what context and in what form to accurately collect information and ultimately pass it on to our peers. But we can rule them out one by one, and there will definitely be a correct answer in it. There is a way to be prepared, and victory is always reserved for those who are well prepared. ”

"How?"

Xiang Rin asked.

Asuka thought for a moment, walked to the locker in the carriage, took out a notebook from his backpack, tore off a piece of paper, took out a signature pen and wrote two words on it, and then put it in front of Xianglin.

Xiang Ryu looked at Asuka for some reason and asked, "Captain Asuka, what is this going to do?" ”

"Very simple game. Next I am the examiner, and what you have to do now is how to avoid my 'sight', and use all means to accurately pass the words on the paper to the color, and there can be no obvious flaws, otherwise it will be regarded as a violation. ”

Xiang Ryu frowned in distress, thinking about how to accurately transmit the two words on the paper to Cai.

However, it is necessary not to show obvious flaws, otherwise it will be treated as a failure. This made Xiang Ryu fall into deep thought.

At this moment, Cai suddenly raised his hand and said, "I know, Brother Asuka, the word 'exam' is on the paper. ”

Asuka looked at Aya who had opened her eyes at some point, and her face darkened.

He forgot that the white eyes existed.

In fact, there is no need for the incense to convey any information, and Aya can easily know the answer on the paper by observing it with his white eyes.

Xiang Li looked at Asuka who was a little embarrassed, and said with a smile: "Captain Asuka, your method is not good at all, and it is easy for Cai to see through."

"So, how about you let Asuka deliver the message?"

Asuka took out the paper again, wrote the words, and put it in Sai's hand, making him a candidate to pass on the message.

"Me?"

Aya fell silent.

With white eyes, he can obtain information in a more convenient way, but Xiang Rin does not have this ability, and Aya is suddenly embarrassed.

"Captain Asuka, this is too difficult."

Xiang Lian couldn't help but complain.

After all, not everyone has colorful white eyes, and her perceptual ninjutsu is not good at this at all.

"But maybe the examiner will test us at that time, and it's this ability to transmit information?"

"It's just your personal guess, Captain Asuka, right?"

"Even if it's speculation, it can be true. After all, there are too few types of intelligence gathering and information transfer exams, and under limited conditions, only these things can be tested. At that time, the examiners of Konoha will change whatever they want, but the core things will definitely not change. ”

Otherwise, it will not be a mid-ninja exam, but a difficult assessment of upper ninja.

Asuka is confident in his judgment.

Since it is a middle ninja exam, it must be scored according to the passing standard of middle ninja. The scope of the exam will not exceed this level.

Hearing Asuka's words, neither Kaori nor Aya could find a reason to refute it, so they began to think hard about the problem that Asuka had laid out.

And time also passed together.

◎

September 13, 4 p.m.

At the main gate of Konoha Village, the bored Kamizuki Izumo and Gangzitetsu sat at the doorman and began to yawn lazily.

Because of the opening of the joint ninja exam, even they, who usually guard the main gate of Konoha, have become busy in recent days.

Fortunately, most of the candidates basically officially arrived in Konoha yesterday or the day before yesterday, and as for the candidates who have not yet arrived in Konoha, there are not many left. In this case, they also temporarily unload their heavy responsibilities and let their bodies relax.

After several days of high-intensity work, even as an elite in the village, it was a bit unbearable.

"Speaking of which, how many candidates haven't arrived? I did the math, plus the day before yesterday and yesterday, there were already more than two hundred candidates who arrived in Konoha. It is worthy of the joint middle ninja exam, and there are so many lower ninjas involved at once. ”

Gangzitie held the roster that had not been expanded, and lamented the influence of the joint Zhongnin exam.

Even in a ninja village like Konoha, the middle ninja exam is held every year, and there are only about a few dozen people participating in the lower ninja.

Although the way to become a middle ninja does not have to pass the middle ninja exam, the middle ninja exam is indeed the most formal way to promote the middle ninja.

And the special promotion of the middle ninja or the upper ninja, that is something that only happens under special circumstances.

Many lower ninjas are promoted to middle ninjas, and they can only honestly take the middle ninja exam.

"I'll see...... There are nine ninja candidates in Yinyin Village, twelve people in Caoyin Village, nine people in Yuyin Village, six people in Tangyin Village, six people in Takiyin Village, twenty-seven people in Yanyin, twenty-one people in Yunyin, and thirty people in Shayin, but there are twenty-seven people, and there are still three people left. And Wuyin Village ......"

Izumo Kamizuki also took out a list, looked at it, and found something unusual.

"What's wrong with Fog Hidden Village?"

"Three candidates?"

Izumo Kamizuki carefully looked at the names on the list, and found that there were only three candidates from the Fog Hidden Village who participated in the joint ninja exam, and his eyes were full of incredulity.

"Three!?"

Gangzitie's eyes widened, equally incredulous.

Like the ninja villages of the five major countries, there are at least twenty-one candidates sent out. For example, they Konoha, there are more than sixty candidates who participated in the joint middle ninja exam this time.

And Wuyin Village only sent three candidates...... How is this possible?

"Are you sure there is no mistake on the list?"

"Nope. Ghost Lantern Water Moon, Kaguya Jun Maro, White ...... It is these three lower ninja candidates, from Wuyin Village. ”

"Ghost Lights...... Kaguya ...... It's all a big surname. ”

Gangziiron reacted.

The former is a ninja clan that has appeared in a generation of water shadows, and the latter is a powerful family with a blood inheritance limit, and it is said that the ninjas of the Kaguya clan are extremely good at physical arts, and they are bloodthirsty and aggressive, even if it is a fog hidden village, they have a headache about how to deal with this family.

"Although there are only three of them, they can be sent by the fog Yin, and it is estimated that the strength is extraordinary. As for the country of ghosts, it doesn't seem to have arrived yet, and the list says that there are a total of fifteen ninja people who participate. ”

"Is it an elite again?"

Gangzitie sighed.

The middle ninja exam is not to see which ninja village shoots the more lower the ninja, it means victory.

Although the country of ghosts is a rising star, none of the surrounding powers dares to underestimate the national strength of the other party.

"Hey, you two, are you registering your identity here?"

A question came from his ear.

Izumo Kamizuki and Gangko Iron straightened their bodies and raised their heads to look at the foursome who appeared in front of them.

A combination of one woman and four men.

The woman was about fourteen or fifteen years old, carrying a huge closed fan behind her back, a sand hidden ninja forehead guard hanging from under her neck, and her hair was bright yellow.

Obviously living in the desert environment all year round, the skin is not rough at all, but white and delicate.

Beside her, were two younger teenagers.

One of them was dressed in pitch black, with an unknown object wrapped in a white bandage behind his back, and purple oil paint on his face.

The other was a short man with no eyebrows, with very serious dark circles under his eyes, and a sandy yellow gourd larger than a human on his back, made of unknown materials, but it looked very heavy.

There is a red word 'love' above the left eye, the eyes are cold and scary, and the temperament is cold.

Standing behind the trio is an adult man, with a white cloth band wrapped around his head and the left half of his face, and a crimson oil paint resembling animal claws on the right side of his face.

Looking at the other party's appearance, it is undoubtedly the three sand hidden shinobi who lead the team to the upper ninja.

"You are ......"

"Hello, I'm Sagakure Kamishinobu Maki, and these three are my students, Temari, Kankuro, and I'm Airo. Please help us register. ”

Markey said politely.

Now the relationship between Shayin and Konoha is much easier than before, and because of the problem of the country of ghosts, they are resolutely standing on the same front, and they belong to comrades-in-arms who advance and retreat together.

For these things, whether it is Maki, or the Kazuki Izumo and Gangko Iron who are in charge of the level information, they are very clear about this.

Before that, I also explained to them that I should be polite to my friends in Shayin.

"Okay."

Izumo Kamizuki helps the four of them register their information.

"Speaking of which, you were the last sand ninja to arrive in Konoha, why didn't you come with those sand ninjas in front of you?"

Gangzitie asked curiously.

Markey glanced vaguely at Iro, who was next to him, and replied, "There was something on the way, and it took a little time." ”

"That's right."

Seeing that Ma Ji didn't want to say more, Gangzitie didn't ask any more.

"By the way, is there a map here? The fifteenth middle ninja exam has just begun, and I want to play here in Konoha tomorrow. ”

Kankuro, who was dressed in a black pair, walked up with a smile on his face, greeted the two Konoha Shinobi cordially, and asked them for a copy of the Konoha map.

Unlike Sand Hidden Village, everything about Konoha is full of vitality for Kankuro.

For the bleak scene of the wind and sand in the Sand Hidden Village, there is only such a feeling of prosperity in Konoha as in his mind.

Hearing Kankuro's words, Temari, who is the eldest sister, also had some emotion on his face.

I wonder if there are any good cosmetics here in Konoha? She thought to herself.

For a girl of her age, of course, the cultivation of a ninja cannot be left behind, but the cultivation of a woman must also catch up with the progress.

Konoha is much more prosperous than Sunagakure, so you should be able to buy a lot of good things that are not available in Sunagakure Village.

Think of it as a relaxation before the exam.

"No problem, I hope you guys have a good time here tomorrow."

Kazuki Izumo smiled and took out a map of Konoha that marked all the attractions of Konoha and the bustling business districts, which were also specially marked.

Hearing that Kankuro wanted to play here in Konoha, as Konoha ninjas, Izumo Kamizuki and Gangko Iron were still very happy.

I also hope that Kankuro and the others will have a good time in Konoha Village tomorrow, and even if they fail in the exam, they can enjoy the beautiful exotic scenery.

"I don't think there's anything to do in a place like this. If you have registered, please get out of the way, and we will have to register in a hurry. ”

The unkind words came from the side, and they were a little harsh in Kankuro's ears.

"What did you say?"

Kankuro took the map and glared at it fiercely.

It was a good-looking red-haired girl, who looked smaller than herself, wore red glasses, and her overall image tended to be an intellectual beauty, but when she said it, she was very sarcastic.

"Am I wrong? Only the dirt buns in the corner will think this place is fun. ”

"Damn, I'm going to teach you a lesson."

Kankuro stretched out his hand to his back, and was about to make a move, when Temari stepped forward to stop him.

"Calm down, Kankuro, don't fall for this obvious provocation."

Kankuro put down his hand at this time, but the eyes that looked at the red-haired girl were full of hostility and unwillingness.

"Don't be sarcastic, Xiangri, and don't forget what we're here for. I'm sorry my teammate has caused you trouble, and I apologize to you on her behalf. ”

Asuka walked up quickly and bowed slightly to Temari and the others to prevent the situation from getting out of control further.

"It's nothing, you don't have to apologize to us."

Temari's tone was cold.

Especially when he saw the ninja forehead guards worn by Asuka and others, the expression on his face became even colder.

"Cut."

Kankuro snorted, his eyes fixed on the Aster Flower Ninja Forehead Guard on Asuka's forehead, and a look of hatred flashed.

As the son of the fourth generation of wind shadows, he clearly remembers the painful appearance of his father Luo Sha a few years ago when he was decadent and depressed at home. This has left a deep impression on them as children.

And the culprit of all this is the country of ghosts.

Now that I see the ninja in the country of ghosts, I am naturally in a bad mood and almost lose control.

"The other party is Sha Yin, there's no need to be so polite, Captain Asuka."

Xiang Ryu also glared at Kanjiuro fiercely, as if he might rush up and beat the other party at any time.

"Don't say a word, the middle ninja exam hasn't started yet."

Asuka glanced at Kao.

At this time, looking at the somewhat familiar face of the bird, and seeing the extremely conspicuous fan logo on the other party's clothes, Sha Yin led the team to Shinobu Maji's mind moved, and asked, "Are you ......?"

"Uchiha Asuka."

Asuka turned his head and replied without being humble or arrogant, and his eyes indifferently met with Machi's name, and said his name.

"Uchiha? That Uchiha Ruri is your ......"

Markey's expression was a little dazed.

"That's my mother."

Asuka replied generously, making Ma Ji nod slightly, not knowing what he was thinking, but he just glanced at Asuka deeply, and without saying a word, the three of them turned around and left.

Asuka also watched Markey and the others leave, and stayed on the short man with the gourd on his back for a while.

This guy's murderous aura is not much worse than that Shangnin, how many people has this gourd boy killed? Asuka fell into deep thought.

"Brother Asuka, that dwarf winter melon is very strong."

Aya walked over to Asuka's side, and like Asuka, he noticed the sand hidden shinobu who was carrying a gourd on his back and was named 'Iara'.

"The gourd kid's chakra is not normal, it gives me a very cold feeling."

Xiang Li's expression was also solemn.

She deliberately provoked Kanjiuro before, just to provoke the other party, and by the way, try the foundation of these sand hidden ninjas, especially the guy with the gourd on his back. It doesn't feel good for her.

It's a pity that this kind of shoddy provocation was seen through by Temari at a glance, and he failed to collect information, which made Xiangru feel very pity.

"When you encounter it, just be careful."

Asuka didn't continue to dig deeper, and walked over to Izumo Kamizuki and Gangko Iron to register their identity information.