Lotus Of The Leaf ~Book One~

Chapter 32! Narrowing The Field: Surprising Match Announcement

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Iruka led us to the main hall where we all stood in rows. Naruto stood in front, Sasuke behind him, Sakura just behind him, and myself taking the rear. Anko began to speak. "First off, congratulations on finishing the Second Exam," I peered over Sakura and listened carefully. "Now we will explain what is happening for the third part of the exam," Anko yelled. "Listen carefully, everyone." She turned to the third hokage. "Now then, if you will, Hokage."

The Hokage stepped forward, taking center stage. "Before I explain the third exam, there is one thing I insist upon telling all of you about the true purpose of these exams." A lot of people cocked their heads in confusion. "Why do allied nations conduct the exams on a joint basis? Raising the levels of friendship and shinobi's among allied nations. It won't do to have the wrong idea of the true meaning of that statement. The exams are, so to speak," He inhaled from his pipe and blew the smoke out while we await for the response. "The microcosm of battles between allied nations."

TenTen spoke up to the old man.

"What does that mean?"

"If we look back on history, the allied nations today were once neighboring nations that continued to vie with each other and battle for power. In order to avoid a futile crushing of each other's military strength, those nations mutually selected a place to battle. And that was originally how the Chunin Exams began."

"Wh-Why would we have to do that?!" Naruto shouted out. "We're not doing this to select Chunins?!"

"There is no question that these exams are to select shinobi worth of becoming Chunin." He said, breathing out the smoke from his pipe. "But on the other hand, these exams also provide a venue for Shinobi who carry their nations pride on their backs to fight for their lives!"

"Nations pride?" I hum, tugging Shikamaru's shirt tighter around my shoulder for a moment.

"Many feudal lords and those of prominence from many nations who request Shinobi for work are invited to this Third Exam as guests. And, the feudal lord and Head Ninja of each village of the nations will watch your battles. If the gap in national power becomes unbridgeable, the strong nations are inundated with job requests. And withal, we can exert pressure upon each neighboring nation, that is to say, just how much military strength our village is developing and has."

"Even still," Kiba yelled. "Why is it necessary for us to fight for our lives?!"

"The Nations strength is the Village's Strength. The Villages Strength is the Shinobi's Strength. And the true strength of a Shinobi is created only in the fight for one's life! This exam is a place to see the strength of home country shinobi, and a place to display this as well. It is because it's an exam where you truly fight for you life that this has meaning. It's for this very reason your forerunners fought in this exam, a dream worth striving for."

"Then why use the expression 'Friendship'?!"

"I said it at the start, didn't I? That it won't do for you to have the wrong idea of the meaning. It's a custom where balance is preserved by fighting and removing life. This is the friendship of the Shinobi world. This is a fight for life with the pride of the village and ones own dream is on the line."

"Anything is fine," Gaara spoke up in a low growl. "Just tell us the content of the fight-for-life test."

"Very well, then." The Hokage nodded. "Now then, this is where I'd like to explain the Third Exam. But actually-" The Hokage stopped short just as a man jumped down in front of him. He looked weak, and frail; like he was ill or something. He convinced the Hokage to let him explain. The Hokage nodded briefly. "I'll leave it to you."