There was still time before the end of the second trial. The deadline was two days. Team 14 was escorted out of the exam site. There were taken to rooms specially prepared for candidates who finished early. It was in the same building the first test took place. Jun would have preferred to go home, but the exam wasn’t over. It was probably better this way to stay focused.

The genins bathed, ate, and rested their bodies. They heard several people taking possession of the neighboring rooms in the middle of the night. Jun repressed an amused smile when he sensed Fujitaro’s chakra.

They took turns standing guard. One person stayed awake while the other two slept. They rotated frequently. They couldn’t afford to lower their guard. The next day, they stocked up on supplies and equipment, special on explosive tags. Natsumi couldn’t replenish her shurikens and kunais. She was a bit sad about it. She had used quite a bit of them in the canyon. The explosive tags were fine though she preferred to have her stock full of shurikens. Susumu had been unusually quiet since they passed the test.

“I will forfeit the next round.” He said.

Natsumi and Jun turned to him with puzzled expressions.

“It’s common knowledge that the third round is an individual tournament. Keeping the team intact isn’t a requirement. My absence will not affect your participation. I will talk to the examiners about it.”

“Are you sure?” Natsumi asked.

“You aren’t hurt, are you?” Jun inquired.

“Yes, I’m sure. And no, I’m not hurt. It’s just… I’m not ready to become a chunin. In terms of combat ability, I’m still far behind you two.”

“You’ve improved a lot,” Jun said.

“And you passed both tests like us,” Natsumi added.

“Yes, I’ve improved, but it’s still not enough to keep up with you guys. During the first test, it was Jun who found the answer. And it was also you who killed that kunoichi from Kumo. She had defeated me. And you Natsumi, our traps and ambushes were made possible thanks to you. Compared to you two, I barely contributed.” Susumu said in a frustrated tone.

“It’s your Genjutsu that took us to the finish line. You were able to fool the Uchiha team and the other, giving us time to escape and pass the test. We wouldn’t have succeeded without you.” Natsumi added.

“Genjutsu is the only thing I have going for me in addition to medical ninjutsu and strategy. But these are just for support. On my own, I can’t accomplish much. A chunin leads teams and protect them. I must be able to do that as well in addition to my support role.”

“But your support is what got us here,” Jun argued.

Susumu stubbornly crossed his arm.

“It’s not enough.”

“You’re a strong shinobi,” Natsumi said.

“It’s true. You know a bit of Ninjutsu, and your Taijutsu is getting stronger.”

“You guys are nice. But my weaknesses are too many. The first two tests were about teamwork, but the tournament is different. We will not fight as a team. I will be on my own. It’s not something I can accomplish right now.”

Jun understood; he even agreed with him for the most part. However, he wanted all of them to pass together. He felt they were leaving him behind if they participated in the next round without him. He remembered Shikamaru passed the chunin exam in the storyline. It wasn’t all about raw power.

“We can’t change your mind?” Natsumi asked.

Susumu shook his head.

“I was already thinking about it before entering the exam. I wanted to have an idea of my level. I wasn’t going for a promotion.”

Jun said no more. It was his choice. They cannot force him to do something he didn’t want. The teenager believed his comrade’s lack of raw power didn’t necessarily mean he would fail the exam. However, if Susumu didn’t feel up to it, it would be best for him to stay back.

The day passed slowly. They left their room to stretch their legs. Jun was glad they didn’t run into Fujitaro’s team. He wasn’t in a mood to deal with drama. Another team arrived in the early afternoon. It was three genins from Kumo. They looked proud of themselves and also grumpy. They were injured. Bandages could be seen on their bodies.

Team 14 avoided them. They wanted to lay low in front of anyone from Kumo. Jun had killed one of them. There was no way to know who was close to Masu. Her friends may not react well to her death. The last team to arrive came right before sunset. They were from Konoha. There was a dark-haired boy who fainted as soon as the team arrived and was taken to the infirmary. His comrades were injured as well. A Hyuga boy had his forearms covered in bandages, and a pale kunoichi was limping.

Everyone was summoned to the main hall shortly after. Jun saw Fujitaro’s team and couldn’t hide a surprised expression. The Uchiha had a large gash under his left eye. It was like someone had tried to gouge out his eye with a blade and barely missed. His friend with the bun received a large bruise on the corner of his jaw. The other had one arm in a sling.

Jun felt guilty. It was his fault. It was his idea to trick them with Susumu’s Genjutsu. He attracted the team who was pursuing them to Fujitaro and the others. The latter looked at him sideways when their gaze met. He knew then that Fujitaro was blaming him.

The genins lined up in a row. There was an audience before them. All the senseis of the teams were present. They were lined up behind Raido. A dozen chunins stood on their left. Jun recognized several examiners among them.

“Congratulations on passing the second test. You are qualified for the third and last test. It will be held in a tournament format. There can only be one winner. However, that doesn’t mean there will only be one chunin. You can lose and still get promoted. You can also win the tournament and remain a genin. We want you to show us what you’re capable of. The tournament will take place in front of civilians. Your performance will represent that of your village. The outcome may affect the relationships between many countries. That being said, the tournament is not something you should take lightly. Lives could be lost. If you don’t feel strong enough to fully demonstrate your skills, you may forfeit now. If you don’t want to participate, you may also forfeit now. You aren’t obligated to take part in it. Now, raise your hand if you wish to retire from the exam.”

Several hands went up. Among them was the boy who passed out earlier, the Uchiha who broke his arm, and Susumu. The kunoichi who was limping also raised her hand.

“There are eight of you left. Therefore, there is no need for preliminaries. The tournament will start in thirteen days.”

There were whispers in the room. It seemed most genins had expected to start immediately. Jun wasn’t surprised. He possessed his memories from the storyline. He knew there was a delay between the preliminaries and the main rounds.

“Let me explain. This time is necessary to allow the Daimyos and other important figures from your villages to arrive. Moreover, these days are valuable to you. Use them wisely; rest up, train your body, get ready to give your best.” Raido added before signaling one of the chunins to come forward.

The chunin was holding a box filled with folded cards.

“We will start the draw.”

Jun was the first person to randomly pick a card. He read the number four on it. When the last person went, everyone announced their number.

“One.” A genin from Kumo said.

“Two.” A Hyuga announced.

“Three,” Fujitaro said.

“Four,” Jun said.

“Five.” A kunoichi from Kumo said.

“Six.” The last genin from Kumo said.

“Seven.” Fujitaro’s comrade, the Uchiha with the bun, said.

“Eight,” Natsumi announced.

The numbers were recorded on a scroll by a chunin. Then, he approached the genins and showed them the scroll. Everyone read it.

First Battle: Kenji vs. Miyamoto Hyuga

Second Battle: Fujitaro Uchiha vs. Jun Uchiha

Third Battle: Akiko vs. Kyo

Fourth Battle: Michi Uchiha vs. Natsumi Maruno

According to the format of the brackets, the winner of the first battle would face the winner of the second battle. The winners of the last two battles would face each other.

Jun thought about his opponent. Fujitaro used to beat him during the first years of the Academy; however, things were different the last year. Jun had beaten him during their recent confrontations. But Fujitaro had improved since then and he was aware of that. Moreover, Jun’s team had outwitted him during the last test. The teenager knew his opponent will fight with revenge in mind.

He examined the other participants. Kenji was a genin from Kumo. He was about fourteen years old, with fair skin, messy blonde hair, and a serious face. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but Jun couldn’t put his finger on it. Miyamoto Hyuga was younger, maybe twelve years old. He seemed calm and collected. He looked like the average Hyuga with white eyes and long black hair. The Konoha headband was tied around his forehead.

Akiko was the youngest member of the Kumo team. She was around eleven years old and possessed a slender figure. She had gray eyes, fair skin, and short brown hair. Kyo, her teammate and also future opponent, was taller than her. He had a darker complexion, short hair, and wore sunglasses. He was physically imposing but seemed nervous.

Michi Uchiha wore the Police uniform with the clan symbol on his back. He had a thin face and black eyes. His hair was smooth and long. He wore them in a bun. Unlike Fujitaro who couldn’t wait to start fighting, Michi was calm and composed. Jun didn’t remember him being particularly aggressive during their confrontation in the canyon.

“The tournament will take in the Konoha Arena thirteen days from now at nine o’clock. I’ll see you then.” Raido said and disappeared using the Shunshin.