I, Konoha's Sage of Life

Elsewhere, Aburame Toji dashed toward the finish line as soon as he secured the scroll.

However...

He hadn't run far when his insects relayed some alarming news—

Kanda Kyoichi was closing in!

"That fast?"

Toji was shocked.

Even Orochimaru and Hyuga Natsu couldn't stop him?

Impossible!

But there was no time to dwell on his disbelief. Kyoichi was catching up quickly, and Toji had no choice but to stop him while trying to reach the finish line with the scroll.

Parasitic insects swarmed out.

A dense black cloud of insects surged toward Kyoichi like an unstoppable wave. But to Toji's astonishment, the man ignored the oncoming swarm, shielded by a layer of earth-style chakra as he barreled forward.

"Such speed!"

Toji increased his pace, but he couldn't match Kyoichi.

Without even activating the First Gate or the Eight Gates, Kyoichi's Body Flicker Jutsu was enough to overwhelm Aburame Toji.

Moments later, Toji's newly dispersed insects detected—

He was already there.

Boom!

A Leaf Whirlwind.

Toji's body dissolved into a swarm of insects.

A substitution.

Predictable.

In the next instant, Kyoichi's hands flashed through a sequence of seals, and a water dragon roared into existence, crashing to the ground with a deafening explosion that left a massive crater.

Toji staggered out from the edge, coughing violently.

He had taken internal damage.

Damn it...

That Water Dragon Bullet was ridiculously powerful!

But before he could recover, Kyoichi was already upon him again.

Toji didn't give up, but Kyoichi showed no mercy. He swiftly incapacitated Toji with a single kick.

They weren't friends—why would he hold back?

Toji coughed up blood, unable to continue. Kyoichi confiscated his tools, took the scroll, and left behind a shadow clone.

"The clone will patch you up a bit," Kyoichi said curtly.

As he sprinted toward the finish line, he began to piece things together.

Orochimaru's mention of being the "chief examiner" hinted that this was no ordinary exam.

This was an additional challenge.

A challenge tailored specifically for him.

Kyoichi understood that defeating Aburame Toji and Hyuga Natsu had removed his most immediate obstacles. Orochimaru's decision to stop pursuing him signified tacit approval of his capabilities.

The additional test was complete, and promotion to jōnin was practically assured.

The so-called third round?

It didn't even matter.

When he reached the central area, Kyoichi combined the scrolls.

Before long—

"Kyoichi-kun, we meet again," Orochimaru appeared.

It was a shadow clone, but it was clear he wanted to chat rather than cancel the technique immediately.

"Kyoichi-kun, do you know why I was the only one chasing you?" Orochimaru asked with a sly smile.

"Tekuno and the other Aburame senior were promoted based on battlefield merits," Kyoichi replied. "As for Shirakumo-senpai... if I'm not mistaken, he has ties to the Hokage. That leaves only me, whose battlefield achievements fall short."

"Ha! Brilliant. Truly brilliant!" Orochimaru chuckled.

As expected, clever people needed no further explanation.

"Thank you for holding back, Orochimaru-sama. Without your restraint, there's no way I could have caught Aburame Kei," Kyoichi said humbly.

He wasn't naive enough to think Orochimaru was truly this weak. The man had barely used any ninjutsu during their encounter, relying primarily on taijutsu.

For a master of ninjutsu like Orochimaru, holding back that much was practically charity.

"Hahaha. Go on to the Hokage's office for the third round," Orochimaru said before his clone dissipated.

Kyoichi bowed slightly and headed toward the Hokage's office.

As he had suspected, the third round was irrelevant. The second round had been the real test, filled with traps, ambushes, and tasks. While the others went through the motions, only he had truly been examined.

---

At the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage was already waiting.

Aside from Kyoichi, all three others—Shirakumo, Tekuno, and Aburame Toji—had successfully passed.

"Lord Hokage!"

"Good, good!" Hiruzen Sarutobi beamed. "You all performed excellently in the second round, especially Kanda Kyoichi. You exceeded all expectations! Honestly, I never imagined you would perform so outstandingly."

Sarutobi was full of praise. Initially, he had been confident Kyoichi could pass but hadn't expected him to shine so brightly. Not only was his strength impressive, but his overall aptitude—essential for a jōnin—was exceptional, surpassing many current jōnin in the village.

Moreover, Kyoichi had independently studied medical ninjutsu.

He was shaping up to be a well-rounded and ideal team leader!

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," Kyoichi bowed respectfully.

Tekuno scratched his head in confusion. "Lord Hokage, what about the third round of the exam?"

"Heh, there's no third round." Sarutobi smiled warmly. "As of today, you are all jōnin of the village."

Kyoichi wasn't surprised, nor were Shirakumo and Aburame Toji.

Unlike Tekuno, they had already known this exam was largely a formality, and only Kyoichi had faced any genuine challenges.

The reason was obvious:

The Senju bloodline.

---

"Did you get it?"

"No. He's strong—hehehe. The Senju clan... even after generations of intermarriage and dilution, their power remains truly formidable."

Orochimaru marveled as he worked on his research, eyes alight with excitement.

The Senju constitution.

After all these years, he had witnessed its greatness again!

"You failed to get it, even after engaging him yourself?" Danzo frowned, clearly displeased.

You've got to be kidding me. Is this the level of the fabled Sannin?

"As chief examiner, it was my duty to oversee the exam. Since he demonstrated sufficient strength, I couldn't unfairly hinder him."

"And if you're so desperate, Danzo, why not handle it yourself?" Orochimaru sneered, casting a sidelong glance.

Did he look like someone who could be manipulated so easily?

Danzo scowled, clearly irritated.

"You'd best not make any reckless moves against him," Orochimaru said as he continued his research. "If you stir up trouble, the old man will come after you. Sarutobi may not be in his prime anymore, but he's far from senile. He won't let you drag him into the fallout of targeting a Senju descendant."

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