The Chunin Exams, Designed By You!

"Sensei, has the Third Hokage assigned you another mission?"

Asuma felt a sense of anticipation.

Could it be another mission of B-rank or higher?

That would be splendid!

"Have you sought out the Third Hokage again?"

Yūhi Kurenai swung her gaze towards Asuma.

Asuma was taken aback.

His face flushed as he retorted loudly, "Absolutely not! I didn't seek him out the last time, he gave me the mission willingly!"

"Hahaha."

The assembly of ninjas burst into laughter.

The mission hall was enveloped in high spirits.

Whispers about Asuma had reached everyone's ears, whether they were true or false remained a mystery.

But.

It was likely to be true.

Because under Asuma's name, a record of a B-rank mission indeed existed.

Kyōichi clapped him on the shoulder and chuckled, "Don't misunderstand, this has nothing to do with you this time."

"I wasn't involved last time either!"

Asuma responded, his pride touched.

"Alright, alright."

Kurenai chortled and joined the banter.

Shisui had been silently observing.

As he passed by...

"In reality, even if you did, with your current strength, don't bother about idle talk."

Shisui whispered.

Once done, he quickly synced his steps with Kyōichi's.

Asuma was momentarily taken aback.

No one understands you better than your own kind.

Requesting missions...

He indeed did.

But he was hesitant to admit it. However, upon hearing Shisui's words, he pondered and found them reasonable.

That's it!

Why worry so much?

With considerable skills, who cares about pointless gossip?

The key is to become stronger!

Asuma tightened his hold on his kunai and marched into the hall.

Kyōichi nonchalantly accepted a C-rank mission.

A guard mission, not particularly challenging, but this time he informed Asuma and the rest that he would only intervene if their lives were threatened.

Asuma declared...

Perfect!

Having survived two intense battles, they were not the team they once were.

For a standard C-rank mission, they were completely sure they could accomplish it by themselves.

So, while escorting the merchant caravan, Kyōichi sat inside the carriage, leaving Asuma and the others to run alongside, tiring Asuma's team.

Kyōichi even declared it was for...

Training!

Thus, their resilient team was born.

However.

Their tranquil days were soon disrupted.

Upon returning to Konoha...

"Jōnin Kyōichi, the Third Hokage requests your presence."

"..."

Fantastic.

Certainly, something was brewing.

Kyōichi bade goodbye to his three students and headed to the Hokage building.

In the conference room.

Numerous jōnin were already present, including Namikaze Minato.

Spotting Kyōichi's arrival, he gestured with his eyes, and Kyōichi understood to take the position next to him.

"What's the situation?"

"The Chūnin Exams,"

Namikaze Minato murmured back.

Kyōichi understood.

The Chūnin Exams.

The timing was apt.

Having graduated a couple of months ago, the Genin were overdue for their promotions. With the lull in wars but their imminent return, promoting Genin swiftly was a priority. However, the promotion of Chūnin could only be achieved through exams...

Konoha's educational and promotional system still seemed lax.

What was the worth of these exams?

Naruto had emerged victorious in the exams and competitions, but still didn't ascend to Chūnin, did he?

Also.

Kakashi was already a Chūnin.

If he were to participate, it would be unjust to others.

If he abstained, what about Obito and Rin?

The Third Hokage outlined the details of the exams, then scanned the room and asked, "Given the unique circumstances this year, does anyone have any suggestions?"

Kyōichi observed.

The Third Hokage's gaze seemed to linger on him as he spoke.

After some consideration, he remained silent.

Did the Third Hokage seek his assistance, or wish for him to abstain from speaking?

There were no apparent benefits to voicing his thoughts.

As for the others...

Kyōichi noticed Minato's expression seemed somewhat strained.

When he glanced in his direction,

Minato whispered, "I was the one who sensed your return and recommended to the Third that he ask for your input."

"..."

Was this a setup?

So be it.

The Third Hokage cleared his throat and said, "Kyōichi, given your prowess in teaching, would you like to share any thoughts?"

"Lord Hokage, I don't have many thoughts, just a few queries."

Kyōichi found himself compelled to step forward.

"Go ahead."

The Third Hokage straightened, his curiosity piqued.

He was under the impression that there were no flaws with the Chūnin Exams, but unexpectedly, Kyōichi had several reservations...

Were there so many shortcomings in the exam format he had designed?

"Sir, given the unique circumstances this year, many students have already seen battle, some teams even have Genin in Chūnin positions, if their entire teams participate, wouldn't it be unfair to others?"

"..."

The Third Hokage leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.

Kyōichi's point was crystal clear.

Hatake Kakashi!

He became a Chūnin at the age of six.

Although he was merely nine at present, his abilities were decidedly superior compared to others.

"Anything else?"

"There's also the issue of whether this team-based exam format truly gauges an individual's comprehensive qualities. Some make it all the way but still don't get promoted in the end, is that fair to them?"

Kyōichi shrugged.

What does being a Chūnin entail?

On the battlefield, they command several Genin teams; they are the backbone.

It's not just about strength, but even more about strategy.

The Third Hokage was left pondering by the queries.

After a long consideration, he sighed and said, "The exams can't replicate every aspect of a battlefield after all. But you've raised very pertinent issues, do you have any solutions?"

"I propose shuffling all the team rosters, allowing them to form new teams to partake in the exams."

Kyōichi calmly responded.

"Shuffle the rosters?"

Minato, Sekkō, and several other jōnin exchanged bewildered glances.

This...

Wouldn't all their team-building efforts go in vain?

"Yes, reshuffle the teams following certain logical principles, disassociate them from their familiar teammates, and let them form new teams for the exams. Finally, select Chūnin from the leaders of each team."

Kyōichi elaborated.

The Third Hokage mulled over this for a while before asking, "Do you have a plan for the exam content as well?"

"No..."

"Alright, you're responsible for crafting the Chūnin Exam blueprint this time. Once it's complete, I'll categorize it as an A-rank mission for you, feel free to enlist assistance from anyone, even myself, and mobilize resources as needed."

The Third Hokage didn't wait for Kyōichi's response.

This youngster was concealing his prowess!

Initially, when he inquired if anyone had thoughts, Kyōichi didn't respond. But when singled out, he highlighted several critical issues and also provided quite sophisticated suggestions.

To claim he didn't have supplementary plans...

Who would buy that!

At least he wasn't buying it!