Chapter 142: Betting with Tsunade

The Chūnin Exams?

So, it's finally happening, huh?

Shinho glanced up at Tsunade, asking, "When is it scheduled?"

"About two months from now, but the exact date isn't set yet since we still need to negotiate with Sunagakure, it'll be a joint event," she replied.

"A joint Chūnin Exam?" Shinho asked with feigned surprise. "Those are rare."

"The joint Chūnin Exams are a great opportunity," Tsunade noted, resting her chin on one hand. "Many employers from different lands will attend. Do you know what happens if you win?"

"Konoha will receive more mission commissions."

It was just like the trade fairs in his previous life, the genin who participated in these exams would be the future of the village, so naturally, a good performance here meant that employers would trust you more.

"Correct," she said with a grin. "Among all the genin, I'd say Team 7 has a solid shot at victory."

The talent of her students was something Tsunade was well aware of. 

Shinho's skills in medical ninjutsu alone were on par with seasoned jōnin. With his rare expertise in taijutsu and bug manipulation, he'd be a surprise to any opponent. 

Then there was Sasuke, a genius with a fully activated Sharingan and adept at both Lightning and Fire Release techniques.

Lastly, Naruto, born with immense potential for taijutsu as the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, had raw power that, in the most extreme circumstances, could be unleashed with game-changing impact. 

But, of course, relying on the Nine-Tails for the genin exam would be cheating, as that would be far too risky.

"I don't have any objections," Shinho agreed.

"Great," Tsunade said, stretching with a sigh of relief. "Have Kakashi sign you all up."

While she herself wasn't one for such ambitions, as Hokage, she had to consider Konoha's interests. 

Winning the Chūnin Exams would boost the village's standing and bring more high-paying missions to its doorstep. Not sending Team 7 to compete would be a wasted opportunity.

Of course, she wouldn't send Shinho on a losing match, she had this idea purely because team 7 was strong. 

Shinho's gaze drifted slightly as she stretched, momentarily caught by her effortless poise.

"Brat!" she snapped, her face suddenly stern. "What are you staring at?"

"Just reminded myself I still owe you a bottle of honey wine."

The tension in Tsunade's face softened. Smiling, she reached out her hand. "Hand it over."

Shinho felt relieved as he passed her the bottle, which she tipped back, taking several deep gulps, half emptying the bottle.

"Ahhh," she exhaled, looking far more lively. "I feel alive again."

"Impressive, sensei," Shinho praised with a grin.

Tsunade waved off his compliment but added with a serious tone, "You all have promising skills, but with so many other villages participating, things can get unpredictable. Focus these next two months on strengthening yourselves instead of taking on missions."

"Got it."

Tsunade was right; the next two months would be well spent preparing.

"Honestly, I'm out of things to teach you at this point," she admitted with a small chuckle. 

Medical ninjutsu? Shinho had it all down but for the Yin Seal. Taijutsu? He was already well-versed. "Sometimes, having such a talented student can be a challenge."

"It's no problem," Shinho said with a smile. "I can train on my own."

"Tomorrow, Jiraiya will be back in the village," she added as an idea struck her. "There's a certain jutsu I think you might want to learn."

"Which jutsu?"

"Rasengan," she explained. "It's a non-elemental jutsu developed by Jiraiya and the Fourth Hokage. It's the pinnacle of chakra shape transformation."

Of course, Rasengan. The technique Naruto wielded with such impact all the way to the end of the story. 

Powerful in its base form and adaptable to nearly any variant—Wind Release, Lightning Release, Fire Release, even Natural Energy—the possibilities were simply endless, the only thing limiting it's power were your imagination.

"Though you're a medical ninja, learning the Rasengan for self-defense could be invaluable," Tsunade continued. "It doesn't require hand seals, which could really catch an enemy off guard."

"Sounds like a powerful jutsu, count me in," Shinho answered without hesitation. The Rasengan was far too versatile to pass up.

"Have Kakashi and the others meet me at the Hokage's office tomorrow," Tsunade directed. "Now, go make dinner."

"Is sister Shizune late again?"

"She went to meet with Suna's emissaries," Tsunade explained casually, "but she'll be back soon."

Shinho rolled up his sleeves. "Then I'll prepare a couple of dishes to pair with the wine."

"Get going, then!" Tsunade said, licking her lips in anticipation.

Once he'd left, she took another sip of honey wine, savoring its sweetness. By the time he returned with the dishes, the bottle was nearly drained.

Shinho noticed her reddened cheeks and chuckled to himself.

He knew it would turn out like this, How can you ask a cat to not eat fish?

At that moment, the front door creaked open, and Shizune's voice echoed through the hall.

"I'm back!"

"Perfect timing," Shinho called over with a grin. "Dinner's ready."

Tsunade shook her head to clear the buzz, then asked, "How'd it go?"

"Smoothly," Shizune replied. "I conveyed Konoha's terms."

"What terms?" Shinho asked curiously.

"We're insisting that the primary venue for the joint exams be in Konoha," Shizune said with a slight smirk. "Though the idea for the exams may have originated from Suna, Konoha will be calling the shots."

As another of the Five Great Villages, Suna had to bow to Konoha's demands. 

Tsunade's decisive negotiation had left no room for protest.

"Well done, Lady Hokage," Shinho said with a thumbs-up. "No-nonsense as always!"

"Flattery won't get you anywhere, brat," she replied with a slight smirk.

Shizune chuckled, placing a piece of chicken into Shinho's bowl. "Think Team 7 can pull off a win?"

"Absolutely," he answered confidently.

Though the Chūnin Exam was open to a broad pool of competitors, there was only one real threat: Gaara. 

He was Suna's Jinchūriki of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast—among the Jinchuriki, Gara had the worst childhood.

Gaara's mother had died in childbirth, leaving him to be raised by his uncle Yashamaru. Yet due to Shukaku, Gaara, like Naruto, was feared and loathed by his own village. 

If things had ended there, he might have endured, but his father, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was obsessed with testing whether Gaara could control Shukaku.

The Kazekage sent Yashamaru to assassinate Gaara, lying and telling Gaara that it was revenge for his sister, Karura. 

Yashamaru even claimed that neither he nor Karura had ever loved Gaara.

What kind of child could withstand such torment?

Gaara lost control, killing Yashamaru. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, deemed him a failure and repeatedly sent assassins after him. 

Gaara survived only because of the protective sand surrounding him. Over time, the need to stay awake to suppress Shukaku's influence caused his personality to become violent and bloodthirsty.

"Good luck," Shizune said with a smile.

"And if I win, what kind of prize will there be?" Shinho's eyes gleamed as he asked playfully.

"A prize?" Shizune blinked, then turned to Tsunade and said, "That would be up to Lady Hokage."

"Let's see if you win first," Tsunade replied, giving him a glance as she took a sip of her drink. "Pride and complacency is the downfall of a ninja."

"How about a wager?" Shizune suggested, as an idea sparked.

Tsunade was infamous for losing every bet she made. Shizune used to think it was impossible for anyone to have such terrible luck, but she believed it wholeheartedly now. 

With Shinho's tips, she had even learned to hedge against Tsunade's bets. This suggestion, therefore, was merely a natural extension of their established cause-and-effect pattern.

"Sounds good to me." Shinho exchanged a knowing look with Shizune, the mutual understanding unspoken.

"Just don't hold it against me when you lose!" Tsunade challenged, taking another swig. "I'll warn you in advance—only the final round of the Chūnin Exams is individual combat. You'll be on your own."

"I know," Shinho replied with a nod. "If I take first place, you'll give me a reward. If I don't, I'll give you ten bottles of honey wine."

"Deal!" Tsunade agreed without hesitation, her eagerness almost as if afraid he'd change his mind.

"Alright then," Shinho said with a smile. "Be sure to prepare a fitting prize. It'll be hard to impress me with just anything, sensei."

"Bah, bah, bah, you talk too much" Tsunade glared at him. "You'd better just hand over the honey mead now and save yourself the embarrassment."

"Let's eat, shall we?" Shizune cut in to smooth things over.

After dinner, Tsunade stretched out on the sofa, looking utterly relaxed and carefree, as if she had shed all sense of duty.

"Shinho, I've set up some hot water for you," Shizune called, knocking on his door.

"Thank you, Shizune," Shinho said, pausing as he grabbed his sleepwear. He looked at her, a smile playing on his lips.

"Did you forget something?" Shizune asked, puzzled.

"I just remembered how you used to say I should bathe with you," Shinho said, his eyes twinkling.

Shizune froze, her heart suddenly pounding as she glanced away in a fluster, her mind racing.

Was he suggesting they bathe together now? No, absolutely not! Her cheeks flushed bright red as she turned and fled, clearly rattled.

Shinho couldn't help but chuckle. Finally, he had his revenge.

The calm night passed, and morning arrived with clear skies.

"Good morning, Kakashi-sensei," Shinho greeted as he arrived at the First Training Ground.

"What's up?" Kakashi asked, looking up from his copy of ichi ichi Paradise before tucking it away.

"Tsunade-sensei said we're to participate in the Chūnin Exams," Shinho announced directly.

"Chūnin Exams?" Kakashi seemed surprised, though not too much. 

With Team 7's skills, the day was bound to come; it was just sooner than expected. They hadn't even graduated from the academy two months ago, and now they were headed for the Chūnin ranks?

"I'll submit the registration form to Lady Hokage," Kakashi said with a nod.

"Also," Shinho continued, "She said she wanted to see us."

"When?" Kakashi asked, momentarily startled.

"Today," Shinho replied.

"Got it," Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "Wait here for a moment."

In a flash, he vanished.

"Shinho!" Naruto's voice rang out from a distance, getting closer.

Shinho turned to see Naruto approaching alongside Sasuke.

"Good morning," Shinho greeted them with a smile. "No training for now; we'll wait for Kakashi-sensei to get back."

"Is it a mission?" Naruto asked, his eyes bright with anticipation. "What rank is it?"

"It's not a mission," Shinho shook his head slightly. "It's about the Chūnin Exams."

"The Chūnin Exams?!" Naruto's voice rose with excitement.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in thought.

He knew what the Chūnin Exams meant—he'd be competing against other genin for a promotion, including Shinho.

"When does it start?" Sasuke asked seriously.

"Two months from now," Shinho replied, glancing at him.

The intense focus on Sasuke's face was clear.

So he's feeling confident, is he?

But Sasuke was too absorbed in his thoughts to notice, already strategizing. 

In two months, he would have mastered the Chidori, though his Sharingan remained only at the first tomoe. He pondered how he might push it to evolve into the second or third tomoe.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Kakashi suddenly reappeared, handing them each a form. "Fill these out."

"A joint Chūnin Exam?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he read the title.

"That's right," Kakashi said, his tone serious. "It's a Chūnin Exam co-hosted by Konoha and Sunagakure, with participation from many smaller Shinobi villages."

"So, lots of people will be there?" Sasuke's hand tightened around the hilt of his Thunder-Fire Sword. 

A stage this grand was a perfect chance for him to showcase his power. Ever since Itachi defected, the Uchiha had faded into obscurity. It was about time he reminded the world of their strength.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Naruto exclaimed, brimming with excitement.

"It would be more than that," Kakashi said, reminiscing about the last joint Chūnin Exam. "When it starts, Konoha will be packed with crowds from every land."

"Now that's a real reason to aim for first place in the name of youth!" Naruto grinned, giving a thumbs-up that revealed his flashiest smile. "I'm definitely becoming a Chūnin this time!"

Kakashi instinctively glanced around, half-expecting a certain Green Beast of Konoha to pop out of nowhere. But, thankfully, nothing of the sort happened.

"Once you've filled out the forms, hand them back to me," Kakashi said with a small cough. "After that, we're headed to see Lady Hokage."

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