On the Sunagakure examination grounds, beneath the shadow of a massive ox-headed moon halberd, a petite young girl wrapped her fingers lightly around the weapon's shaft.
With a casual swing—
A violent surge of air pressure exploded outward.
A writer?
Mentioning the girl, one of the instructors rubbed his temples in visible frustration.
"She's a novelist. Once locked herself away for an entire month just to finish a manuscript and skipped the academy exam entirely. Otherwise, she would've graduated long ago."
Her individuality was overwhelming.
A civilian-born student with rare creative talent—paired with a colossal ox-horn moon halberd utterly disproportionate to her frame—she naturally became the center of attention the moment she stepped forward.
The girl's eyes were crystal clear, almost piercing. Her attire was simple, unadorned, yet a strand of luminous pearls hung at her neck, casting a faint glow that made her appear refined and strangely radiant.
"Hoshino Mai," she said calmly. "Reporting to Senior Shiraishi."
Shiraishi nodded.
"The assessment begins now. Show me what you can do."
Hoshino Mai was well known within Sunagakure—not only for her talent and strength, but for the disturbing nature of her works.
Even future bestsellers like Icha Icha Paradise paled in comparison.
Her stories were infamous for their grotesque, dark transformation themes—scenes so extreme that most readers couldn't stomach them. Though banned in Sunagakure, her books were wildly popular in other countries, making her an unlikely exporter of Sunagakure's most controversial "culture."
The moment the test began, her presence changed.
Her fighting spirit surged.
The two-meter ox-headed moon halberd roared to life as she gripped it, raw power erupting outward. The surrounding air seemed to tear apart, like a beast howling as a vortex of compressed wind spiraled outward.
The weapon itself was exquisitely crafted.
The halberd's head resembled a three-pronged fork. At its core lay a blade shaped like a spear tip, with two crescent wings extending beneath it—curved like ox horns, spaced roughly a foot apart. Each wing was diamond-shaped, sharpened on all sides for maximum lethality.
Such a weapon demanded extreme precision and control.
Even among ox-horn halberds, this one was enormous—normally unsuitable for a girl.
Yet in Hoshino Mai's hands, it looked perfectly natural.
The sheer force of her swings spoke of terrifying strength.
She flashed a playful smile.
In the next instant, the halberd's twin wings detached and shot forward like missiles, tearing through the air straight toward Shiraishi.
"Careful, Senior Examiner."
Shiraishi did not retreat.
He did not even step aside.
His silver blade lifted slightly—one clean motion.
The twin wings were deflected effortlessly.
In the same breath, the remaining weapon shifted.
The ox-horn halberd reassembled into a massive spear.
Silver light flashed.
Hoshino Mai transformed into a rushing torrent of wind, launching her second assault.
The destructive force surged forward like an avalanche.
Shiraishi raised his blade.
A single block—
And countless Cyclone Blades erupted outward, forming a violent vortex that collided head-on with the spear's charge.
The resulting storm exploded in all directions.
As the spear was knocked aside, the twin wings lying on the ground were seized by Hoshino Mai. With a sharp twist—
They split apart.
Two crescent scimitars.
A modular weapon system?
The twin blades danced as Hoshino Mai closed in again. Sand and wind spiraled beneath Shiraishi's feet as he maneuvered, steadily reading her limits.
Once he had her measure—
The Cyclone Blade shot forward.
The twin scimitars shattered.
The battle ended.
"Next," Shiraishi said calmly. "The Three Basic Techniques."
Hoshino Mai's combat power was undeniable—her raw strength alone surpassed even North Island, the so-called "Iron Barbie," by a noticeable margin.
And this was from someone supposedly obsessed with writing.
Which meant—
Her potential after focused training was frightening.
Alongside Hoshino Mai, Morimoto Ryōji, and Nagase Bizen stood out as exceptional candidates. Their combat styles were distinct, yet capable of complementing one another.
With Hoshino Mai's assessment completed, the three-day evaluation of the public ninja academy officially concluded.
That same day, Shiraishi received news from Ebizō—
Sunagakure's elite ninja academy had held its grand opening ceremony.
The campus was built in the Oasis Ring District, the most desirable environment in the village. Its faculty was formidable—Elders, and even the Fourth Kazekage Rasa himself, would periodically teach courses.
The disparity in resources compared to Shiraishi's public academy was obvious.
More importantly, the Daimyō of the Land of Wind had strongly supported the elite academy's creation.
"The Daimyō fully endorses elite education," Ebizō said calmly over tea. "From his perspective, a fully professionalized shinobi force means less long-term military expense."
"And the Kazekage?" Shiraishi asked.
"Rasa agreed to reduce intake and funding—but not to shut down the public academy entirely," Ebizō replied. "At least he remembers he's still Kazekage, not the Daimyō's lapdog."
Though Rasa heavily favored the elite academy, he understood the danger of completely abandoning public education.
Total elitism meant handing all power back to the clans—reversing history.
Maintaining a base of civilian shinobi was essential for stable rule.
Still, as a product of compromise between the Sand-Release clans and the Elders, Rasa could only go so far. Keeping the public academy alive was already his limit.
Ebizō turned his gaze to Shiraishi.
"Do you believe ninety Genin slots are enough?"
"Based on current evaluations," Shiraishi replied without hesitation, "at least two hundred students are qualified to become Genin—and real assets to Sunagakure."
Ebizō's eyes lit up.
"You're certain?"
This joint Chūnin Exam was the last opportunity to expand the civilian shinobi base.
Recalling the performances he had witnessed, Shiraishi answered firmly:
"What they lack is opportunity."
"Good," Ebizō said, rising to his feet. "Leave this to me."
He immediately sought out Chiyo and the other Elders.
Before long, a formal proposal landed on Rasa's desk.
Within the Yamaji clan estate—
Yamaji Jushin struggled to open her eyes and lift the Elder Council document placed before her.
It detailed Ebizō's mediation proposal concerning Morimoto Ryōji.
The elderly matriarch squinted as she read.
She reached for a pen—
Then her strength failed.
Her eyes closed once more as she drifted into unconsciousness.
"Mother," a voice said gently, "leave these matters to me."
Yamaji Ryoko picked up the document and skimmed it.
Her expression darkened instantly.
"A traitor's son," she snapped coldly, "and they expect the Yamaji clan to forgive him?"
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