Chapter 270: Interesting
"We have to get the code first and stop the other teams from getting it. Just imagine, we can reduce the competition in the first round alone. We just have to destroy the codes after finding them. Simple. That's why we can't waste time like the others. Let's just find the code, then I can once again focus on my art," Deidara replied.
"Okay, brother."
"Wait," Deidara said, raising his hand. A ninja was guarding the room.
"So, this test is here to judge our intelligence-gathering capabilities. These types of scenarios are common during missions. Quite an excellent way to test us," Deidara said, taking out some clay from his pocket.
With the mouth in his hand eating it, he threw a small spider outside. It swiftly went behind the ninja and released its effect. But this time, it didn't explode. Instead, it used a small pin laced with paralysis poison to immobilize the guard. The team went inside and easily found the code.
From a distance, Kaida, Kabuto, and Itachi watched. Well, Kaida and Itachi saw everything and relayed it to Kabuto, but they noticed something Deidara and his team didn't.
Aside from the ninja guarding the gate, five more shinobi were hiding in the shadows, ready to act if any team harmed the guard.
'So, we can use force to get the codes, as long as we don't get caught fighting the other teams. This is quite easy,' Itachi said through the mental link.
'Yup, let's get the first one right now,' Kaida agreed.
'Guys, I think you sometimes forget I'm not an Uchiha. Can you explain your excellent plan to me as well?' Kabuto said.
'See for yourself,' Kaida responded as he and Itachi suddenly vanished from their spot and appeared in front of Iwagakure's team.
With their Sharingan activated, Itachi placed Deidara under a genjutsu, while Kaida handled the other two.
'I got it. Now, what should we do about these guys?' Kaida asked.
"Ideally, we should eliminate them early for a better chance of winning in the end, but..."
'Yup, they're strong contenders. If there's no good fight at the end, our victory will look easy, not grand,' Kaida finished the thought.
"Let's just make them go back and wait for two hours. With their strength, finding five or six more codes in an hour is no difficult task," Itachi suggested.
"Okay," Kaida agreed.
Once again, both of their Sharingan revolved, and the Iwagakure team walked back to the examination hall. Even veteran Jonin could fall under the three-tomoe Sharingan's genjutsu, let alone Genin.
The instructor in the hall noticed that the Iwa ninjas were under a jutsu but didn't intervene, as it wasn't breaking any rules. Even though he had a good idea who had cast the genjutsu, there was no 'proof.'
'Konoha is really showing off,' the instructor smirked.
Slowly, more teams returned to the hall, sitting in their seats and waiting. When the sixth team came back, the instructor grew a little anxious.
'Are they planning on passing the first exam by themselves?'
Aside from the Iwagakure team, the Sunagakure team had also returned. Only teams from smaller villages were present. With most of the strong teams out of the competition, only four strong teams remained in the first stage: Konoha, Kumo, Kiri, and Amegakure.
After an hour, the Konoha team returned to the hall and submitted their paper to the Jonin.
"Three is just the minimum requirement. You guys still have time and can go for a higher score," the Jonin said. Since they had eliminated so many teams, he doubted that the Konoha team had gathered all the codes.
"Sir, we have all the codes," Itachi said in his aloof tone, submitting the paper. Then he, Kaida, and Kabuto returned to their seats.
'Konoha is not just showing off. They're planning to dominate the Chunin Exams,' the instructor thought as he sent the answer sheet for evaluation.
While he was thinking that, the Konoha team was having their own conversation, though no one else could hear it.
'Kumogakure was prepared for us, as was Sunagakure. They've developed a contingency plan against genjutsu,' Itachi said.
'Well, there's no way Kumo didn't know about you, so it's understandable they'd prepare a defense against genjutsu. As for Suna, those beetles are annoying,' Kaida added.
'Yeah, but on the bright side, it's good they have some defense. Otherwise, this exam would have become too one-sided,' Kabuto said, realizing for the first time how convenient the Sharingan was. Even the Chunin guarding the gates had respectfully stepped aside after one glance at Itachi's and Kaida's eyes.
'Let's see how the second round goes,' Kaida said.
---
After another hour, the teams that had been under genjutsu began to awaken one by one. Most of them quickly realized what had happened. Anxiously, they checked the time and, relieved they still had some left, rushed out of the hall to search for at least three codes.
Not all of them were as calm, though.
"Uchihaaaa! I'll kill all of you!" Deidara shouted as he came out of the genjutsu. He remembered seeing two red eyes before everything went black, and he began doing random things. For the last two hours, he'd been drawing a dragon on his desk. They hadn't even eliminated him, as if to say, 'Entertain us in the next round.' They were mocking his art.
"If you fight, you'll be disqualified," the instructor warned firmly before Deidara could charge at the Konoha team.
"You'll get your chance in the next round, though," the instructor added, his tone amused. He clearly saw what the Konoha team had done.
"I will definitely kill all three of you in the next round," Deidara growled, about to storm out when—
"Wait a second," Kaida said, standing up. He picked a small white spider from the ground. "Please don't use tricks like this again. Even children wouldn't fall for it," he said, squashing the spider in his hand.
"Hmph," Deidara snorted, and his team left the hall.
"Making enemies with everyone here... Quite reckless of you guys," the instructor said with the same amusement.
"The moment we decided to participate in the exam, they were already our enemies," Itachi replied coolly.
"Hahahahaha, interesting! Very interesting," the instructor laughed heartily.