While the three genin recovered in the village, Hayate went to check the battlefield.
Unfortunately, 42's corpse didn't have anything to deduce his identity, so Hayate assumed it was one of the other villages' plot.
Still, since the bandits disbanded and fled, it was concluded that the bandits were forced by 42, so it would be highly unlikely that the bandits would gather here again.
Which means, the mission could be counted as a success.
After that, they returned to the village.
Hayate allowed them to rest for a few days, while he went to give his mission report.
Of course, when Hiruzen heard that there was a strong shinobi who lead a bandit group nearby and that his goals are still unknown, he felt troubled, but he was certain it was a plot of a village with bad relations like Kumogakure.
But even more so, he felt troubled that not only Team Kakashi's mission was far more dangerous than he initially anticipated, but now it was the case for Team Hayate's as well.
So the first thing he did, was to order to check all current missions on their difficulty level.
Anyway, he was still glad that there were no casualties from both teams and that the Genin showed an unexpected skill and mental fortitude.
So he decided to ask Hayate if he wants to recommend his team for the Chunin-exams as well.
After some days of rest, the members of team eleven got a notice to meet up with Hayate.
Hayate's arm was still injured since it wasn't a clean break like Arina's and needed more time to heal.
"Koff, I summoned you here today to tell you that I recommended you all for the Chunin-exam."
Silence.
"Ehmm sensei, what is this Chunin exam?" - Kotaru
'I feel bad for Hayate sensei, here he is basically saying that he acknowledges us and then those two have no idea...' - Eiji
"It's basically an exam which allows us to be promoted to Chunin. As far as I know, it's pretty rare for rookie Genin to be recommended for them..."
"Is this really a good idea for us?" - Arina
"..." - Kotaru
"Koff, Eiji's explanation is right. Anyway, the exam is voluntary, so if you don't want to participate, you just have to not turn those applications in. But if you instead want to participate, report to room 301 at the school by 4 in the afternoon tomorrow. That's all."
'So it starts...now I must do everything to help Hayate-sensei' avoid his death...' - Eiji had a dark expression.
Hayate initially thought they would be happy about their chance to take the exam this early, but they all had gloomy faces.
'Maybe they still didn't sort their emotions about last mission out...but that's something which shinobis need to learn to deal with...'
Eiji and Arina went home, but Kotaru called out to Hayate before the latter went off as well.
"Sensei, please wait! Can I talk to you for a bit?"
"Sure, what's wrong?"
"You know, on our last mission Eiji was undisputable the reason we survived and even Arina pulled something amazing off...but I - I was just useless...I couldn't even move...so I don't know if I'm qualified for this exam..."
"Koff, I know how you feel, but I wouldn't recommend you just so you aren't left behind. This exam is dangerous and I would only recommend you if I acknowledged your skills as a shinobi."
"But...I don't have anything special about me and I'm not as brave in a dangerous situation as Arina..."
"Precisely because you are so normal I recommended you...you know, as someone who is completely normal, the only thing you can do is to slowly accumulate experience and to use it. You may certainly fail this exam, but you will use the failure to grow. But don't overexert yourself, the exams are dangerous, so if you are at your limit, just quit. Taking baby steps and doing the exams over till you pass is really okay."
Kotaro thought some time about Hayate's words.
After some time it looked like he was convinced and said with a smile: "Thanks sensei, you are right! I will just take baby steps and then one day I will surpass this stupid Eiji!"
Eiji! Didn't we agree to meet up earlier? Why are you letting us wait?!" - Kotaru
"Jo calm your tits, I'm only 2 minutes late..."
"Yeah sorry, I'm just kinda nervous..."
"Uhm, I took some tea with me, it will probably help with the nervousness..."
"Ah great, thanks Arina! Anyway, you said you wanted to talk to us before we go there, Eiji?"
"Yeah, I have some juicy insider-information about the first test."
"WHAT?! HOW?!"
"Jo calm down! Anyway, if I tell you make sure to behave like you know nothing. Don't tell the other participants about it either, okay?"
"...Alright."
"So, the info I got is, that they let us take a written test, but that written test isn't important. You don't even have to answer one of the questions. The crux of the first exam is, that at the end they will pressure us to leave, but we just have to stay to pass. So even though many will try to cheat since the fake questions on the written test are too hard, it's better to not risk it and just write nonsense or nothing in the first phase and wait till they want us to leave. There we just stay and we pass. Easy, right?"
"That's...it kinda sounds a bit ridiculous...kinda hard to believe you..." - Kotaru
"I agree...are you sure that your information is correct?" - Arina
"Come one, am I really that untrustworthy?
"Absolutely!" - Kotaru
"Ouch that hurts, anyway let's go, it would be laughable if we got disqualified for being late."
"There are sure many people here, I have never seen more people in the acade - hey what's the noise up there? " - Kotaru
"Is someone as talentless as you really planning to take the chunnin exam? Why bother? Bunch of wet-behind-the-ears snotnoses!"
"You said it!"
"Please...we are begging you..let us in."
'It's that scene where Lee and Tenten are hiding their strength while trying to get into the fake room...I didn't see Tenten for a while, so butting in now would be kinda awkward...let's just sneak past everyone and get to the real room, Sasuke should appear soon anyway to get everyone heated up.'
"Hey guys, let's just follow me quietly!"
"What, but isn't this the room we have to report in?"
"Keep your voice down and just do as I say!"
"Oh man, sometimes you really annoy me...why don't you say anything Arina?"
"Let's just trust Eiji, since he said he has inside info..."
While they went sneaky past everyone, Tenten was kicked down and mocked more.
Of course, Lee insisted beforehand that they shouldn't draw attention, so she just took the kick.
She didn't take much damage from it though, but coincidentally her eyes saw Eiji's back for a moment.
'Wait, could it be? Is he really here as well?'
Her thoughts were interrupted by Sasuke's flashy entrance: "That sounds good in theory, but you'd better let me through. And drop the genjutsu you've created, while you're at it."
...
"Wow, it looks like you were right Eiji...in this room are even more people...so what do we do now?" - Kotaru
"Sit and wait somewhere where we don't draw any attention..."
"I agree, the people here look really strong...the less attention the better..." - Arina
But before they could do that, they were approached by their ex-classmates.
"Hey, you are here as well? I'm amazed you are still a shinobi and didn't end up in juvenile-prison." - Shikamaru
"How can you say to the incarnation of buddha himself? My virtues are renowned through the whole -" -Eiji
- "Hey it's you sword-freak? Your team is the least I expected to see here..."
"Damn, why are they all only talking to Eiji and ignore us?" - Kotaru
"Well, he is a bit flashy, so people pay naturally more attention to him...anyway I guess we can forget about drawing not any attention..." - Arina
But the attention wasn't as big as when Team Seven walked in.
Ino instantly shouted and jumped at Sasuke, while Sakura started to shout at Ino.
And then after some time, Naruto started to shout as well.
And Eiji's team was still in the area of the spotlight.
"..." - Eiji
"Why are our ex-classmates so weird and loud?" - Kotaru
"I don't know..." - Arina
"Would you guys do us all a favor and just shut up!"
"!"
'Of course, fucking Kabuto is here as well...' - a dark expression flashed across Eiji's face for a second, before he wore his usual grumpy face again.
..this isn't a school field trip, you know."
"Who the heck do you think you are?" - Ino
"Name's Kabuto. So what? You kids need to open your eyes."
While Kabuto talked to them, Eiji signaled his teammates to get out of the center of attention, but when they managed to distance themselves from there, they were stopped by Tenten.
"..." - Tenten
"Jo, what's up Tenten? How you doin??" - Eiji
"What's up?! Why didn't you tell me that you would take the exam too?"
"Hey Tenten, you know him?" - Lee
"Yes...he is something like a childhood friend of mine..."
Neji glared at every member of Eiji's team, but in his eyes, none of them looked strong, so he lost quickly his interest.
"Well you see, we just got back from a long mission yesterday, and then today is the exam, so I didn't have any time..."
"But didn't we come back a week ago?" - Kotaru
'THIS IDIOT!' - Eiji
"Ehm, you see, this guy here is Kotaru and he loves to joke ar -"
Before he could finish, everyone's attention was drawn to Naruto yelling, how his name is Naruto Uzumaki and that no one will beat him.
"Kid's got some life in him, maybe you went too easy on him, Lee." - Neji
"Anyway, it was nice to see you again Tenten, but we should -"
Eiji was interrupted by the noise of the Oto-nin attacking Kabuto.
'Damn why am I currently interrupted nonstop?!'
"Lee, what did that look like to you?" - Neji
"Kabuto saw through the attack...so there must have been something else to it, some trick they used to make him sick." - Lee
Eiji was in the mood to flaunt a bit so he said: "It's easy, this Otogakure guy used sound waves while swinging his arm to attack. Because the sound-waves messed with the liquid in his ears, Kabuto felt nauseous and vomited."
"!"
'How did this guy analyze it in such a short time?! Maybe I underestimated him...' - Neji
"Would everyone please just shut up?!"
Suddenly Ibiki appeared with a group of proctors.
"Anyway, looks like the test is about to start, so see ya!"
Eiji and his team went to sit on vacant seats.
"Hey Tenten, you said you know him? Can you tell me who he is?" - Neji
"You mean Eiji? Well, to be honest, I personally think he is probably stronger than even you Neji...he is one of Konoha's best kenjutsu users despite his age..."
'Stronger than Neji?' - Lee made a dark expression.
But they had to stop their thoughts and concentrate on Ibiki explaining the contents of the first test.
...
"..." - Ibiki
The written test started and everyone started to try to answer some of the questions, while some already seen through the farce and started to cheat.
Then there were others who cheated too obviously and were disqualified.
But there was a trio that just sat there and did nothing.
Two of them, the one with glasses and the girl looked at the sheets, and after seemingly being convinced of something they stopped looking at it and just sat there waiting for something.
And the other one of them didn't even turn the sheets around and just took a soft-drink out and began to drink it nonchalantly!
'If they are giving up already and lost all hope to even try, why don't they just leave?'
Ibiki was a bit annoyed but decided to just ignore them.
But then the boy who held a sword had an accident and the soft drink fell over and completely soaked the sheets wet - they were unusable now!
"Oh man, I didn't bring another can with me...I'm still thirsty..."
Everyone was stressed out about the test, so normally one not being able to write on his sheets anymore would be a nightmare, but he didn't care at all!
"..."
Some of the other participants glared at him angrily but then decided that they should rather use the time for the test and started to ignore him.
But he started to draw on the table with a bored expression.
'WHY IS HE EVEN HERE???...calm down Ibiki, getting so worked up isn't like you...anyway, it's about time for the real test.'
"Get ready for the tenth question! And before we get to the question itself...I'm adding one more new rule."
While Ibiki explained everything, many people got worked up like Kiba for example who started to shout at him and complained.
Ibiki:" Just your rotten luck. I wasn't making the rules in past years..."
He used it as a chance to increase the mental pressure with his answer.
After that people started to give up one after another: "I quit! I'm rejecting the question...Genna!! Inaho!! Please forgive me!"
"I quit too!"
"I'm sorry guys..."
Many people started to quit, letting their teammates fail as well.
Eiji got up as well and stretched his arm.
'What the hell Eiji? Everything went exactly as you told us..why are you doing this???' Kotaru
'?' - Arina
'It was obvious that those three would quit, considering they didn't even try to answer the questions before...' - Ibiki
"Excuse me, do you guys have some tee? I'm kinda thirsty..."
"..."
Ibiki smashed his fist into the blackboard behind him.