Chunin Exam Arc: C0mmence the Exams

There were two ways to become chunin: promotion through the chunin exam or special recommendation. Both came with their own challenges.

Special recommendations meant that one's skills and achievements needed to be grand enough to be noticed or with the right connections so the recommendation could be passed along. However, it could be achieved at any point and could be done without announcing one's skills and specialties being to the world.

Chunin exams put one at the mercy of the hosting village and unless the village was sharing intimate details of every round, which was a possibility but she couldn't be certain, then were limited to watch the results of the third round. It also risked maiming or death under the guise of international collaboration. That also didn't include the Hidden Villages not formally recognized, as their invitations were at the discretion of the hosting nation. She had even heard gossip that once some were invited to 'demonstrate the difference'. However, the chunin exam also allowed equal opportunity, more or less.

Yuina prepared herself for the first round. The days had been long while simultaneously feeling like it had gone by in a flash. She stared at the pile of goods she had bought as she thought about phase two. The muscles in her face already hurt. Loud. Proud. Present. Unavoidable. An incomprehensible impenetrable force of nature. Or at least that was what she was going for.

She had feared Zabuza would get in the way of that. His moniker could give him the attention she sought. However, he preferred blending into the crowd. A style she was adequately versed in. She kept an extra pair of eyes on him and his motto was clear. One only needed to be good enough at killing to be a ninja. She wasn't quite sure if he was serious, sarcastic, or both in an ironic way, but it was the code he lived by. A reasoning all too prevalent in their field. She didn't have all the details but recon told her that the environment in the Land of Water was a benefit to his fighting style, so she had to have some hope that the different topography and climate would hinder him.

She could only control herself, so that's what she would do.

Yuina picked out some extra weaponry and some vials, and shoved them into her hidden pockets. Orochimaru signaled to her that there was someone listening in.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"They mentioned starting at 10:00am so there's still time to prepare. Unfortunately, they still haven't given directions on the location." He kept his eyes on the door.

"Does that mean I have to stay here until they come tell us?" There were reasons all foreign participants were thrown into the same three buildings for accommodations.

"No need to be impatient."

An envelope slipped from under the door.

Yuina approached the envelope and picked it up. Opening it revealed where they were meeting for the first round of the exam. "Look at that. The gods are granting me good fortune. No waiting required."

Orochimaru made another hand signal and pointed at which direction the loitering ninja had gone.

Yuina looked more closely at the contents of the envelope when the person was finally gone. She looked over every part, front and back. "So do we think this is real or a set up?"

"Hmm. It's likely real though it wouldn't hurt to cross check with the others." Orochimaru grabbed the letter from her hands. "You're on your own from here on, though."

"Yes, yes. I'll do my best." Yuina made three hand signs, one after another. "Try not to stay cooped up in here. I recommend the northwest quadrant for you." He had his own part to play.

"Do you now?"

"I think there's something even you'll take interest in. Where the river ends if not the bookstore above the garden."

"Perhaps I'll take a look." Orochimaru took out two scrolls and passed them to her. "Do you need more? They are simple enough to prepare."

He meant it earnestly, but the word simple irritated her a little. As if she should be able to do it. She breathed deeply through her nose trying to put herself at ease. She was still a little high strung from all the cram training before their departure. "I'll need more come the third round but this will be sufficient for now." She attached them at the top of her pants. One horizontally in front and one horizontally in the back. Slightly hidden but easy to each. "I'd say best of luck but that feels like undermining everything." She brought a finger to the corner of her lips in thought. "But saying we got this seems presumptuous."

"Try not to think to hard about it." He approached the door.

Yuina followed suit. "Then how about see you after round two."

Orochimaru locked the door behind them. It was folly to leave anything important in there, but a lock was still a deterrent to the typical person. Granted it was more effective against civilians.

She looked down the hall and waved to Hizashi's team. Everyone from Konoha had been placed on the same floor. "Ready?!" She waved. Her incessant smile returned to her face.

Yori yawned.

Mushiro pumped his arm. "Yeah, we totally got this."

"I wish they gave us more of a heads up," added Takasue.

"There's plenty of time." Yori stretched. "We're only leaving now to make sure we're on time. It would suck to have come all this way only to be disqualified because we were late getting lost."

"It's the big pointy tower. Even I know that." Takasue rolled his eyes.

"Dude, half the buildings are pointy towers." Mushiro flicked the side of Takasue's head to make sure he was awake.

Takasue crossed his arms. "I mean the actual building. Not the mountains."

That cemented that they were given the same location. It seemed like a poor place for sabotage considering it was an Iwa admin building, but there was always a sliver of doubt.

Orochimaru went on ahead while Yuina joined the three. They walked down the stairs to the ground floor. She put her hands around her mouth to call, "Koromi! Good luck!"

The Kumo girl jumped, acknowledged Yuina, before rushing out the front door faster.

Yori looked out the corner of her eyes. "Is there a reason you know a Kumo-nin?"

"It's been a few days. Have you talked to no one since we got here? This building was designated to Konoha and Kumo visitors along with a bit of extra space for travelers as usual. There's thirty of them joining us."

Yori narrowed her eyes catching on that Yuina was scouting the competition before the trials even began. She had been happy Yuina wandered off because her high energy had gotten to her on the travel to Iwagakure, but the girl was shrewd nonetheless.

They arrived at the administrative building. There was a line. Team Hizashi walked forward to line up while Yuina stayed back and watched as a Iwa-nin distributed room numbers.

They were being separated. She watched. They were breaking up people who came in together. No, they were informed of who knew each other. She watched as a few groups tried to split up to end up together, coming to the same conclusion as herself, only to still be separated. It made sense as there was no pattern given when choosing a number from the stacks before the ninja distributing them.

"You're not in line yet?" Nobu asked as Kushina's team entered.

"I'm about to. Just taking everyone in. It looks like a lot more people when everyone is together."

"Don't tell me you're scared," said Ryuu.

"Nope." She popped the p.

"Then get moving."

"Thanks, but you should be worrying more about yourself." Yuina followed the three to stand in the line that rapidly moved. The initial bunch that came in had almost been dealt with and people were coming in much more sporadically now. "It's your first time."

"It's your first time too," grumbled Masumi.

Yuina reached the front of the line and was given a room number.

408.

She looked at the stairs at the end of the hallway.

Let the exams begin.