At Konoha's First Park, the laughter of children and the chirping of birds intertwined into a symphony of early summer.
Mamoru ignored the strange looks from the surrounding children and was enthusiastically riding a small spring rocking horse, his body swaying rhythmically with the spring's movement.
These brightly colored rocking horses were clearly intended for toddlers, making Mamoru look particularly out of place sitting on one. A few passing children sucked their fingers, watching longingly but not daring to step forward, while the person in question was completely oblivious, swaying even more vigorously.
How could you brats understand the joy of an adult?
Not far away, Shino and Hinata stood side by side, both with worry in their eyes, though the nature of their concern was entirely different.
Shino pushed up his sunglasses and said in a serious tone, "Mamoru, I'm afraid the weight limit of that toy is..."
Hinata twisted her fingers, her voice soft. "Mamoru-kun... won't this attract too much attention?"
Just then, a familiar figure walked slowly from the tree-lined path.
Kurenai's crimson eyes swept over her three students, finally settling on Mamoru atop the rocking horse.
"Good morning." Kurenai's voice held a hint of helplessness. "Everyone is here, so..."
She paused deliberately, her gaze lingering on Mamoru for a few more seconds before continuing, "Though it's a bit sudden, I have recommended you for the Chunin Selection Exam."
She took three documents from her ninja tools pouch, the paper shimmering slightly in the sunlight. "These are the applications."
Hinata and Shino respectfully took the applications, carefully examining the text on them.
"Chunin Selection Exam..." Hinata read softly, her fingers unconsciously stroking the paper.
Shino looked up, his sunglasses reflecting the sunlight. "Kurenai-sensei, is it true that passing this exam makes one a Chunin?"
Kurenai nodded slightly, then shook her head gently. "Yes, but not entirely. It's mainly determined by your performance during the exam whether you can become a qualified Chunin."
Mamoru finally hopped off the rocking horse and walked slowly to Kurenai. He reached out and took the application, flicking the paper with his finger to make a crisp sound.
He looked indifferent, his tone flat. "This stupid exam is such a hassle."
Kurenai said, crossing her arms with a warning tone, "This exam system was established by Second Hokage-sama. It has been in use for decades. Even if you have an opinion, you must follow the rules."
"Fine, the founder is already dead, so there's no way around it. It's not like I can go down and give him my feedback."
Mamoru suddenly gave a sly smile, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. "Tell me, what would happen if every Genin participating in this exam, except for Team 8, was eliminated?"
Kurenai sighed, rubbing her temples. "I suggest you don't do that. While I don't know what decision the higher-ups would make, it would definitely be different from what you expect."
She didn't immediately question whether Mamoru had the ability to eliminate all the ninjas except for Team 8. Instead, she first considered the consequences and the subsequent chain reaction.
This matter-of-fact acceptance made Shino, standing nearby, push up his sunglasses.
Mamoru shrugged nonchalantly and stuffed the application carelessly into his pocket.
Kurenai turned to the other two students, her tone becoming solemn. "Recommendation for the exam doesn't mean you must participate, it's your choice. If you want to participate, sign your name on the application and arrive at Classroom 301 of the Academy promptly at 3:00 PM five days from now."
She looked at the three of them and added, "Alright, I've said all I need to say. Go back and think it over carefully."
With that, she formed a hand seal and vanished instantly, leaving only a few flower petals drifting down, shimmering with a crystalline luster in the sunlight.
"How convenient, she actually sent a Shadow Clone." Mamoru narrowed his eyes, secretly guessing that Kurenai's real body might still be with Yakumo.
He turned his gaze to his teammates and asked, "Are you guys going to participate?"
Shino adjusted his sunglasses, his gaze firm behind the lenses. "I want to participate. After all, it's a form of training. It's a good opportunity to test my strength."
He didn't want to miss this chance, as this Chunin Exam would surely involve other Genin, and he wanted to use it to test his current abilities.
After all, Mamoru in their team had long since surpassed the level of a Genin and could not be used as a reference point at all.
Mamoru looked at Hinata, who had been silent. "What about you, Hinata?"
Hinata's body trembled slightly at the mention of her name, and a blush rose to her cheeks. She lowered her head, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum. "I... as long as Mamoru-kun participates, I'll participate too."
"?"
Mamoru tilted his head, his face full of confusion.
This can't go on, this kid is almost losing her ability to make her own judgments.
"No. I'm asking if you yourself want to participate?" Mamoru deliberately slowed his speech, looking at her seriously.
Hinata took a deep breath, clutching the application in her hand until her knuckles turned white. She looked up, and though her voice was still soft, it carried a hint of determination. "Yes... I want to try too."
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting tiny points of light in her white eyes.
Having received the answer he wanted, the corners of Mamoru's lips curled into a gentle arc. "Then let's participate together. We can't slack off these next few days, let's continue the special training."
"Yes." Hinata nodded, the corners of her lips curling up unconsciously.