"Did we win?"
Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui were left speechless, completely taken aback.
From the moment Li Zhenwu and Guy Sensei started fighting, they were astonished. By the time the battle concluded, if the shock could be measured, they had absorbed more than a pound of it.
What they found hard to comprehend was that although Li Zhenwu had taken five steps back and Guy Sensei had retreated three steps, Guy Sensei still declared Li Zhenwu the winner!
Before they could question this for long, Guy Sensei had already explained himself.
"I had no choice but to use power beyond that of a typical Chunin, which is why it looked like I retreated less than Zhenwu."
"I see!" Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui suddenly understood but then realized something else.
"So does that mean we passed this assessment?" The two were momentarily stunned, unsure of what to do, and Shiranui Gensui blurted out the question.
"Of course you passed," Guy Sensei nodded. "The initial rule was that either you defeated me or forced me to use power exceeding that of a Chunin to pass. Now that you've succeeded, I will lead your team moving forward."
Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui exchanged glances, both feeling like they were in a dream.
Initially, they had prepared for a tough battle, ready to give their all to pass the assessment.
But what was happening now? Just Li Zhenwu alone had defeated the Chunin-level Guy Sensei, relegating them to mere bystanders.
"Don't feel any unfairness," Guy Sensei suddenly interjected.
"You three will be a team from now on, so the stronger Li Zhenwu becomes, the stronger your team will be.
Plus, each of you has a different focus: Gensui can handle ranged attacks and defense, while Hana can scout, heal, and even track.
Together, you three form a vibrant and energetic powerhouse!"
As Guy Sensei spoke, he became animated with youthful enthusiasm, something Li Zhenwu had grown accustomed to, while Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui were still getting used to it.
"Guy Sensei is like this; he's a real youth at heart. You'll get used to it," Li Zhenwu reassured Hana and Gensui as he approached them.
"Zhenwu, I didn't expect you to be this strong," the two nodded, with Inuzuka Hana expressed surprise.
"Heh, I can get even stronger. You guys better get used to it," Li Zhenwu chuckled.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage withdrew his gaze and put away the crystal ball, murmuring to himself, "The youth are truly formidable..."
...
Although the three had passed the assessment, it was primarily Li Zhenwu's strength that allowed them to do so, akin to a higher-level character helping lower levels to level up.
In truth, this assessment was a process for the teammates to understand each other's strengths and abilities.
Because of Li Zhenwu's overwhelming power, Inuzuka Hana and Shiranui Gensui felt they had no room to stretch themselves.
Thus, afterward, Guy Sensei intentionally set up a sparring match between Shiranui Gensui and Inuzuka Hana, with himself and Li Zhenwu observing.
Their battle, while perhaps not as intense as the earlier fight between Li Zhenwu and Guy Sensei, was still impressive, as both threw everything they had into it.
Using his unexpected Shuriken technique, Shiranui Gensui showcased remarkable skill with this unique weapon, and his Earth Style techniques were executed flawlessly.
Inuzuka Hana was no slouch either, flawlessly coordinating with her Ninken, the Inuzuka's three gray brothers, for a tight and harmonious attack.
However, by the end, Shiranui Gensui came out on top. Inuzuka Hana's preference leans more toward medical ninjutsu, and she was not as versed in combat as Shiranui Gensui.
Through these two battles, they became well-acquainted, fully aware of each other's abilities.
Once their small team officially formed, they became real ninjas and began undertaking missions!
"Now that you've formed your sacred team, you can start your official ninja tasks!" Guy Sensei grinned widely, his teeth glimmering in the sunlight, radiating enthusiasm.
"Tasks..." Li Zhenwu didn't have much expectation for the missions, as he could already foresee what their initial tasks as newly appointed ninjas would entail.
Sure enough, Guy Sensei's next words confirmed his suspicions: "Your first task is to let loose your youth and... pull weeds!"
Following this first task, for the next half month, they spent their days running around the village.
The tasks were all mundane chores, but in between tasks, Guy Sensei would require the three of them to join him in some "youthful" training.
Weeding, looking for small animals, helping villagers fix their houses, and even shoveling manure... the missions ranged from trivial to somewhat interesting.
The most prestigious task was delivering a message, but even that was limited to delivering within the village.
This monotonous routine went on for a full half month.
Finally, after that period, their team's daily tasks were about to change, and an opportunity to take on higher-level missions outside the village was finally approaching.
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