"Feels easy, doesn't it? In that case, we just need to defeat a team to pass the exam." After hearing the rules, Obito felt this exam was much easier compared to the previous one.
"If we're lucky, that's possible," Kakashi nodded and said.
A distance of ten kilometers is not long for a ninja; the core of this exam is to seize the Scrolls.
"Then at least half of the people will be eliminated after this exam," Nohara Rin analyzed the rules.
Last time, only three teams were eliminated due to cheating in the theory exam and low scores; most teams passed the first stage.
"Not just that, at most only one-third will remain after this exam," Kakashi shook his head slightly.
To pass the exam, all teams will actively attack other teams, but the problem is that it's not guaranteed they'll grab matching Scrolls. If they don't, they'll keep attacking.
Kakashi felt even one-third was a conservative estimate; some troublemakers might not stop even if they collected the Scrolls, further increasing the number of eliminations.
"Relying on luck is bad; there's no way we'll smoothly encounter matching Scrolls given Kakashi's presence," Obito had already prepared for the possibility of winning five times and getting nothing.
Kakashi: ...
"Maybe it's you who's unlucky. After all, we've always been in the same team," Kakashi retorted.
"How could I be unlucky? I've always been looking forward to the enemy showing up. If they do, it only proves I'm lucky," Obito thought Kakashi was trying to rationalize.
"Each team, send one representative to collect the Scrolls," the Chunin responsible for distributing the Scrolls called out.
Kakashi looked over; the place for collecting the Scrolls was a wooden house with only front and back doors and no windows.
"Rin, you go collect the Scrolls. Once you get them, put them away immediately and don't reveal them," Kakashi decisively said.
He realized the second stage of the Chunin Examination had already begun, starting from the moment the Scrolls were collected.
If you know in advance whether a team has a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll, you can engage in combat accordingly.
"Obito, you stay here with me to watch those coming out. If someone doesn't hide their Scroll, remember their face and the type of Scroll. You haven't forgotten how to differentiate the Scrolls, right?"
"Teacher Mokgetsu just explained it. How could I forget? White is the Heaven Scroll, dark is the Earth Scroll." Obito felt he was being seriously underestimated. Even a fool wouldn't forget something right after it's explained.
However, Obito understood the situation's urgency and didn't continue to argue with Kakashi. Instead, he and Kakashi kept an eye on the exit from two different directions.
"Heaven Scroll, Earth Scroll, Earth Scroll..." After watching five teams, Kakashi found that the Scroll distribution was not patterned, purely random.
Other ninjas noticed Kakashi and the others' actions, but none raised the alarm; they discreetly informed their teammates and observed for intelligence with peripheral vision.
Ninjas with special abilities directly used their skills to gather information. Ninjas from the Hyuga Clan opened their Byakugan to check everyone's Scrolls, and those from the Aburame Clan sent a small bug into the wooden house.
"Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu!" When it was Terumi Mei's turn to take the Scroll, she directly used the Hidden Mist Jutsu to shroud the wooden house in thick fog.
"Our Scroll is an Earth Scroll; come and get it if you can." After Kurozawa got the Scroll, he directly held it up for everyone to see.
Kurozawa's arrogance sparked a discussion among the students.
However, no one explicitly stated they would seize Kurozawa's Scroll, as doing so would directly expose their team's Scroll details.
Hoshigaki Kisame remained unmoved; Kurozawa's action was not without thought. Their mission was to create chaos during Konoha's Chunin Examination.
Zabuza, at nine, was a ruthless figure who killed off peers from the same graduation year. Kurozawa, at thirteen, had become a Chunin three years prior and was an experienced young Chunin. Hoshigaki Kisame, at eleven, possessed astounding Chakra and strength. With such a lineup, the Hidden Mist's higher-ups naturally wouldn't let them take the exam normally.
After Nohara Rin obtained the Scroll, she immediately put it into the Ninja Pouch and regrouped with Obito and Kakashi.
Kakashi led the two to a secluded area to quietly communicate.
"We have a Heaven Scroll," Nohara Rin whispered.
"Then we need an Earth Scroll," Kakashi began recalling the teams that had an Earth Scroll. Besides Kurozawa, who openly displayed it, he knew five teams that had an Earth Scroll.
Kakashi glanced at the teams with Earth Scrolls, memorizing all their members.
While observing other teams, Kakashi noticed quite a few teams were also eyeing them.
Most of them were ninjas from other villages, mainly from the Hidden Mist.
Kakashi was not surprised by this, as their team indeed seemed easy to bully, being made up of kids under ten.
"Tsk, if only they were near our entrance, they should all be freshly graduated Genin," a Hidden Mist Ninja thought.
Ninjas don't generally have duels or avoid bullying the weak; more people prefer picking soft targets over tough ones.
This wasn't just the case with Kakashi's team; teams like Might Guy's and Asuma's were treated the same.
Even more people had their eyes on them because quite a few from the same village targeted them too.
Kakashi had some fame in Konoha. Among the ninjas participating in this Chunin Examination, some were Kakashi's seniors from the Ninja Academy, and others were Genin who had taken the Chunin Exam with him before.
Though they couldn't understand why Kakashi participated in this Chunin Examination, those familiar with his prowess surely wouldn't consider Kakashi's team as the primary target.
"This is not good." Feeling the malicious stares around him, Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses with his middle finger, a bit of cold sweat appearing on his forehead.
Although he hadn't reacted as swiftly as Kakashi, he followed up in time to protect the Scroll information.
But seeing the current situation, Ebisu realized those teams were determined to snatch from them, treating them as easy pickings.
Facing seniors who had graduated three or even five years earlier, Ebisu admitted he was a bit nervous.
Shiranui Genma couldn't maintain his carefree smile either; the pressure was immense.
"Don't worry, believe in your youth!" Might Guy placed his hand on their shoulders, encouraging them.
Looking at Might Guy's radiant smile, Ebisu felt much more at ease. With such a mighty teammate, advancing seemed much more promising.
Fifteen minutes after the Scroll distribution was complete, Teacher Mokgetsu began the next arrangement, leading candidates to their respective entrances.