Chapter 3: The Chunin Selection Exam
part 3

~ Tower in the 44 training area ~

The three Genin stood up. Her gaze fell on a board that hung on the opposite wall.


"If there were no heaven
One should know reason and wait for the opportunity.
If there were no earth
one should run across the field and seek favor.
Open the two scriptures - heaven and earth -
And every wrong way becomes the right one.
That is the most important thing of ... that guides you.
The third Hokage. "

Las Sayuri before, "Does anyone know what this is supposed to mean?"
"Let's open the reels and find out.", Itachi smiled for the first time since this exam began.
Sayuri took out the scrolls and handed one to Itachi.
They were not allowed to be opened during the exam. But now it was over, but what would she expect? At the same time, Sayuri and Itachi rolled the scrolls.
They looked amazed at the drawn formula.
"The great secret of the scroll?" Shisui scoffed.
Itachi grabbed the roll of Sayuri and threw both rolls on the floor when suddenly a cloud of smoke came out of them.
"Jutsu of the familiar spirit," he said.
When the clouds of smoke cleared, a still young man was standing. He had short, dark brown hair and a cut on his nose.
He was wearing the Konoha vest, so at least he had to be Chunin.
"Who are you?" Asked Shisui.
He smiled. "My name is Iruka ... the Chunins are supposed to ... see the future students after the end of the second exam." He must still be young, "After I heard who was on this team, it was clear to all the senses that you had to make it ... but you had to wait a long time for you."
"And why should you receive us?"
Iruka smiled and pointed to the blackboard. "Did you understand that?"
"No," replied the three in unison.
Iruka started laughing.
"Me neither at first. But think about it ... earth and sky stand for something."The Genins fell silent.
"Could it be ...", Sayuri said after a while, "That heaven stands for the spirit and earth for the body?"
"And how do you get that?"
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Earth is something solid, tangible, like the body. Heaven is ... well ... traced back to the table ..."
Iruka laughed again. "That's kind of right.
If you don't know heaven, you have no "mind". His weakness is intelligence. “Sayuri and Itachi looked at Shisui, who began to smile widely.” He should study and prepare for assignments.
When one is weak physically. "Now many people looked at Sayuri, who looked offended," You should train all the time. That is the point.
If you master both, every task becomes safe. No service is dangerous anymore. "
"And what then goes into the blank line?"
"The character of both rolls," he lifted up the rolls, "means
both human and chunin. A chunin is the leader of a team and responsible for it. For this he needs to be able to control both the properties of heaven and earth.
The second exam is there to highlight the skills of each individual. "
"What would have happened if you had opened the scrolls before the end of the exam?" Shisui asked.
"You would have been unconscious until the end," replied Iruka with a smile that made the three of them feel cold.
"Well ... that was actually the most important thing.", He turned around, "The next test will be tough too, so make an effort."

~ Tower ~

"I congratulate you on passing the second exam," said the third Hokage aloud.
Many chu and jonins stood behind him.
Besides Sayuri's team, only one other had gotten through.
So the test wasn't just difficult for us ... she thought.
"Before I tell you the rules of the third test, I will make the goal of the entire selection test clear to you, because besides the reasons to deepen the friendship of the countries and raise the level of the ninja mutually, there is a deeper and more important reason.Namely the replacement of the war between the countries.
At that time, the heads of the authorities decided that killing and losses were pointless and we were looking for a solution to resolve our disputes differently ... "
"Disputes?", The girl from the other team interjected, "But the countries are alliances!"
"Now yes, but such alliances do not keep power struggles at bay. So that the countries don't get stupid thoughts, these are there
Selection exams.
In fact, you are putting your life at risk for the power of your country.
For the third examination, princes and other important people are invited, your future clients. They form an opinion of you and decide whether you have what it takes to be a chunin. You will then address these chunins when assigning the missions.
In addition, the federal states demonstrate their strength through the selection test. Such a thing then serves as a threat in international politics.
The power of a country is the power of its ninja village. And the power of a ninja village is the power of its ninja. This power only shows itself in a life-and-death struggle! "
With that, the Hokage took away everyone's silent question. > Why should we risk our lives? <
In any case, he had made sure that it was quiet in the room and that no questions were asked.
"This test represents the fighting strength of each individual and demonstrates the power of the country. It only makes sense if those involved fight at the risk of their lives.
Keeping the balance of power through these battles means maintaining friendship between the ninjas so that war does not break out.
This test is a struggle for your dream and for the power of your country.
Did you understand that?"
Sayuri found it hard to nod because that was not her way of thinking.
Balance of power ... what a stupid thing!
The Hokage smiled.
"Then we come to the third test:
This test is a duel and it will take place like a tournament.If you win you will advance to the finals.
But you don't become chunin by winning the tournament.
The princes will grade the fights and thereby decide whether you have what it takes to be a chunin. It doesn't matter if you win or lose.
The exam begins in exactly ... "He raised his arm and pretended to be looking at a watch." Three months "
"Why so late?" Interjects Shisui.
"To train," the Hokage replied, "To be Chunin, you have to master the abilities of the earth and the sky. Did the Chunins tell you that?
And something else. You are not allowed to tell the other, maturing Chunin anything about the course of the test;

~ House of the Uchihas[konoha-Gakure]~

"You and Itachi, you are mean!", Howled little Sasuke. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked petulantly at her.
"Why?" Laughed Sayuri.
"in the past three months neither of you have had time to play with me!"
She crouched down to be eye level with him and then gave him a hug. "I'm sorry, sweetheart! I don't want that.
It's just that something very important is happening today that we had to prepare for. "When she noticed that Sasuke's face was not lightening, but that he was still looking at her petulantly, she added:" Tomorrow we will do something together - I promise! "
Sasuke started to smile widely and returned the hug.
"With Itachi?"
"I should ask him ..." Itachi wasn't the type of person who enjoyed doing things with others, not even his brother. He preferred to be alone.
Sayuri wasn't surprised that Sasuke didn't ask about Shisui. He was just his cousin and he didn't have much to do with him. Sayuri had grown up with Itachi as if they were siblings and Sasuke
saw her as a sister. It was natural for him to spend time with her.
"Would you even open your mouth near him?", asked he.
Sayuri felt herself blush. "What makes you think that?"
Sasuke smiled, mockery flashing in his eyes.
"When you see each other, you always start to be silent. You don't even say something when mom and dad talk to you!"
The little one was right about that. Lately, they hardly saw each other because of the training. When Sayuri saw Itachi, she suddenly felt an inexplicable feeling, a warmth followed by a loud palpitation of the heart.
"You have a crush on each other! Everyone can see that!"
Her eyes widened and her face took on the color of the fish swimming in the pond outside.
"You have a pretty loose mouth for your age," she said when she had found the language again.
"But it's true! Itachi usually acts so aloof, but I bet he loves you!"
Sayuri got up and moved to the door. "If he should love me, I'll be Anbu at thirteen!", She said, so as not to show that Sasuke's last sentence had left her speechless.
When she opened the door, her heart almost stopped. Itachi was standing behind the door, he seemed to be about to open the door too. Did he hear everything?
She decided not to say anything, she wouldn't have uttered a word anyway. An overwhelming silence fell over them as Sayuri walked past him towards the entrance door.
She was afraid Itachi could hear her heart pounding in her chest.
"Where are you going?", He broke the silence and it looked to Sayuri as if it would run down her spine.
"I ... want to go to the memorial stone.", She was surprised that the words came so fluently.
"Shall I come with you?"
She eyed Itachi in amazement. She would never have expected that from him.
"Do you think something could happen to me?"
He shrugged. Without waiting for his answer, she moved on.

~ Memorial stone[Konoha-Gakure]~

Sayuri ran her finger lightly over the engraved name of her mother."Did you love father?" She asked almost silently, without waiting for an answer. It occurred to her that there were - even in Konoha clans, where forced weddings were part of the tradition and she hoped that her mother hadn't had one like that and that it wouldn't happen to her either.
What it is like to spend your life with someone you don't love, to share your bed with them, to raise your children ...
She stopped the thought. How did she come up with something