Chapter 175: Worse Than a Dog
The nerves of Contact Evolution spread throughout Kurama Yakumo's body.
The physical data of her body flooded into Tonbo's mind instantly. With her mental barriers lowered, reading her memories was equally effortless. During the process, Tonbo encountered some resistance from Ido within her spiritual world, but in the face of absolute power, it was futile.
With a single Phantom Sealing Chain, he bound the entity's form and successfully siphoned all of Yakumo's memories. Everything went smoothly, including the process of sealing some of her physical tissue samples.
Sealing jutsu truly was the "child of destiny" in this version of the world. Or perhaps, until her genjutsu was broken, everything about her remained fundamentally real. Regardless, Tonbo didn't feel the slightest anomaly.
Looking at the small scroll in his hand, Tonbo tucked it away. Whether it would actually serve as a successful contingency would depend on the future.
"Next is the memory seal."
Tonbo was well-prepared for this. As a master of memory manipulation, the setup was trivial.
"What... what happened to me?"
Yakumo woke up slowly, looking at her familiar room. She felt dazed, unsure of what had just occurred.
"It's nothing. Your body is just weak; you fainted for a moment," Tonbo said.
Yakumo blinked. "Where are Tianyu and Maki?"
"They went home already. You still need to be careful with your health. If anything happens, remember to send someone to notify me. I'll be going now," Tonbo said.
"Okay," Yakumo replied softly.
Time passed.
Tonbo's body grew stronger, and his chakra reserves continued to swell. He was making rapid progress in every field. He discovered that as his body evolved, his brain's processing speed also accelerated. This provided a massive boost to his ninjutsu research.
"Tonbo, for this session of the Chunin Exams, you will be the Chief Proctor. The others will assist you. You are responsible for designing the exam rules."
On this day, Hiruzen Sarutobi called him in yet again to assign tasks.
It was exactly as Tonbo had thought when he first transmigrated: members of the Analysis Class were like the bricks of Konoha—they were moved wherever they were needed. However, these were usually very comfortable assignments.
Unlike his initial thoughts, though, with his current combat power, it would be impossible for him to just hide in the back with the Analysis Class during the eventual Fourth Great Ninja War.
"Chunin Exams again? Is it an internal exam or a joint one?" Tonbo asked.
Most of the time, Konoha's Chunin exams were internal. Only occasionally would they invite allied nations for a joint exam.
Hiruzen replied, "A solo exam. Follow your own ideas. Make sure to select ninjas who can truly handle the responsibilities of a Chunin. Do not go easy on them."
A Chunin was a squad leader responsible for the lives of their teammates. Letting someone pass when they were incompetent was an act of irresponsibility toward their future comrades.
"Understood," Tonbo said. He would handle it strictly as business.
For a solo exam, Konoha already had a mature system. The general direction wouldn't change—focusing on unity, cooperation, team bonds, analytical skills, and leadership. As Chief Proctor, his job was to arrange his assistants to achieve those goals through different, creative methods.
"It's time for the Chunin Exams again. I heard it's a solo Konoha exam this time. That's great! It won't be as hard as a joint exam!"
"True. Fighting other villages is exciting, but it's too dangerous, and the success rate is much lower."
"I heard the Chief Proctor is the famous Captain Tonbo. I hope the test isn't something impossible."
Inside Konoha, various Genin were buzzing with discussion. Every Genin's primary goal was to become a Chunin, so the exams were always the center of attention. This was also Tonbo's first time directing the exams, leading many to worry if he would "go crazy" and devise something beyond their imagination.
"Tonbo Tobitake..."
Kabuto Yakushi pushed up his glasses, his eyes glinting with thought. This was the man Lord Orochimaru had specifically ordered him to gather intel on.
Should I participate in this year's exam to gather information? But if I pass, it might complicate the plans for next year.
"I've wanted to meet this legendary figure for a long time," Kabuto smiled to himself. "I wonder if he's truly as powerful as they say—strong enough that even the legendary Uchiha wouldn't dare face him head-on."
Kabuto recalled the rumors about Itachi Uchiha. Supposedly, because of Tonbo's presence, the massacre had to be timed for when he was away. He wondered if it was true. After all, even Lord Orochimaru had admitted he was inferior to that Uchiha Itachi.
"Kabuto! We're definitely going to become Chunin this year. You have to work hard too!" Kabuto's teammate said. Kabuto had "failed" the exams five times in five years, and his teammates sincerely hoped he'd pass this time.
Kabuto gave a gentle smile. "Yeah, it's okay. A Genin can still contribute to Konoha."
"By the way, why did you drop out last time? Your skills were clearly good enough."
"Haha, I drank some expired milk and got a terrible stomach ache."
"Is that so? You won't do that again this year, right?"
"Of course not."
The Ninja Academy.
"Sasuke! Sasuke! Since Tonbo-ojisan is the proctor for the Chunin Exams, let's go watch them together!" Ino gathered her courage and approached Sasuke, her hands fidgeting and her face flushed.
"Ino-pig! I'm the one who's going on a date with Sasuke!" Sakura shoved Ino aside and looked at Sasuke with a blush. "Sasuke, let's go watch the exams together, okay?" Her hands were tucked nervously behind her back.
"Dammit, Sakura! How dare you push me!"
"Ino-pig, don't even think about stealing Sasuke!"
"Hey! Do you think the rest of us don't exist? Sasuke is mine!"
The other girls in the class saw how blatant the two were and aggressively joined the fray. Sasuke was the undisputed king of popularity in the class, especially as he got older.
Snot bubble pop—
Naruto's snot bubble expanded and contracted as he slept. Hearing the commotion, he looked up. Seeing the arguing girls centered around Sasuke, his eyes filled with immense jealousy.
"Dammit, Sasuke! How can he be so popular just by sitting there? Aaaah! I hate this feeling!" Naruto was losing his mind.
Beside him, Shikamaru sighed. "It's the looks. You weren't born with them, so there's nothing you can do."
"Dammit! Who says? Look at Kiba!" Naruto pointed toward Kiba.
Two or three girls were gathered around Kiba, but they weren't looking at him—they were looking at Akamaru. Akamaru was standing on his hind legs, holding a pen and paper, scribbling and drawing. The girls had hearts in their eyes.
"Akamaru's theory scores are better than yours. Did you forget?" Shikamaru said deadpan.
Inuzuka Kiba was popular not just for his strength, but for Akamaru. Naruto instantly deflated, his soul seemingly floating out of his mouth.
"Akamaru... that guy... you aren't even a student! Why are you learning theory? Dammit!"
Last year, Kiba had asked Iruka-sensei for permission, and Akamaru became a regular participant in the class tests. His theory scores were consistently in the top tier of the class. That was the day many students in the class realized what it meant to be "worse than a dog."
Naruto was one of them.
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