Chapter 108: Appearance.

In the training ground number forty-three, outside the famed Forest of Death in the back mountain of Konoha Village, nearly two hundred gathered participants convened. Each dressed in a myriad of outfits, their appearances varied greatly, and they either stood in groups of three or clustered in more practiced teams, each with a serious expression.

They discreetly scanned the group, their eyes occasionally pausing on Genin wearing family crest-emblazoned clothes or those with noticeable traits. Naturally, even those usual troublemakers were within their scope of observation. They were covertly gathering intelligence in preparation for the upcoming exams.

Everyone was from the same village and might not have seen each family's ninjutsu, secret techniques, or bloodline limits, but they had at least heard of them. Confirming the details in advance allowed them to make targeted preparations when they entered the exam later.

"Man, these guys are really annoying," Uchiha Hien complained, feeling the intermittent scrutiny from all around. "Isn't this pointless?" 

"Hien, not every ninja is as well-informed about various clan details as we are," Toshiro responded, trying to soothe his impatient companion. "Most of them come from ordinary backgrounds without diligent instructors to provide enough intelligence. It's only natural that they'd take some action now."

On the contrary to Hien, their other teammate, Uchiha Tetsu, looked around with wide, curious eyes, openly scrutinizing his fellow Genin without any subtlety, seemingly unbothered by their reactions. If not for the intimidating presence of the Uchiha clan crests on their clothes and the ten similarly dressed Uchihas around them, a chaotic brawl might have already broken out in the training ground.

Sighing, Toshiro decided to let Uchiha Tetsu be, knowing he would only learn after experiencing the consequences. Indeed, many in the training ground were covertly observing their potential opponents, but they did so cautiously, afraid to be caught. This discreet surveillance understandably annoyed Uchiha Hien, who could not pinpoint exactly who was watching them, leading to his growing impatience.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Tetsu openly scanned others, particularly focusing on those with unusual clothing or hailing from notable families, unfazed by their reactions.

"Hien! You seem off. Are you feeling unwell?" Tetsu, engrossed in his 'intelligence gathering,' suddenly sensed a chill from behind. Turning around, he saw Uchiha Hien with a false smile, his eyes narrowed to slits like little crescent moons.

"No, I'm fine, really!" Hien replied, though it was clear to Tetsu that he had angered him somehow. 

Seeking help, Tetsu glanced at Toshiro, who remained wisely silent, not wanting to get involved in their drama.

Just then, a sound drew everyone's attention, saving Tetsu from the tense situation.

Bang! A large cloud of white smoke exploded, enveloping the central area of training ground number forty-three. As the smoke slowly dissipated, a figure emerged, standing atop a five to six-meter-tall green-skinned toad. This newcomer, with messy, unkempt white hair, struck an exaggerated pose.

In a theatrical tone reminiscent of kabuki actors, the figure declared, "From Mt. Myoboku, the Toad Sage, White-haired Child, Friend of Lost Women, Jiraiya has arrived!"

The declaration left the two hundred or so Genin speechless, staring blankly at the bizarre introduction of this strange person who had summoned a giant toad and uttered incomprehensible words. The surreal atmosphere rendered Jiraiya's performance absurd, with no one speaking up, making it seem even more comical.

Toshiro, seeing this flamboyant appearance by Jiraiya in such a ridiculous manner, couldn't help but have a twitch of his lips, ultimately admiring the Third Hokage's talent in training ninjas.

"Who is this idiot? Is he really an examiner?" Someone finally broke the lengthy silence, voicing the confusion shared by many. They doubted that the Third Hokage would assign such an unreliable person to oversee the Chunin Exams. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. 

(End of Chapter)