416. Bonds

"These two are absolute monsters!" Chino blurted out after watching the battle between Uchiha Itachi and Kimimaro.

Despite having successfully awakened her Blood Dragon Eye and gradually mastering it over the past few months, she still felt there was a significant gap between her and the two on the field.

Hearing Chino's comment, Haku couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Even Minato Namikaze, the Hokage, couldn't resist clapping.

"What an incredible battle!" he exclaimed, his face filled with admiration and praise.

The performances of Uchiha Itachi and Kimimaro were simply extraordinary.

Although Minato had mentally prepared himself beforehand, he was still thoroughly shocked.

Based on the strength they displayed, they had far surpassed the level of an average chunin, reaching the level of elite jonin.

They might even be on par with some jonin!

Why "might"?

Mainly because, in a simulated battle like this, neither Itachi nor Kimimaro could fully immerse themselves, meaning they couldn't unleash their full potential.

Only in life-or-death situations would their true abilities and hidden cards be fully revealed.

This was why Minato speculated that they had already reached the level of jonin.

Of course, the most noteworthy aspect of this battle was the combat intelligence both of them displayed.

Whether it was Itachi's use of genjutsu in the heat of close combat or Kimimaro's subtle creation of a bone membrane beneath his skin, both demonstrated their exceptional talent in battle.

This was the key factor that determined whether a ninja could survive on the battlefield.

Minato had seen too many so-called geniuses with immense potential who died young...

In his opinion, to become a true powerhouse, both combat talent and combat intelligence were indispensable.

The former determined the ceiling, while the latter determined the floor.

Of course, there were always exceptions—those with freakish talent who could bulldoze their way through anything.

Fortunately, Uchiha Itachi and Kimimaro seemed to possess both!

The former was a member of the Uchiha clan, one of the most prestigious families in the ninja world, and possessed the Sharingan, one of the most powerful kekkei genkai.

The latter's Shikotsumyaku, while not as famous as the Sharingan, was still one of the most formidable kekkei genkai in the Hidden Mist.

Truly, they were worthy of being Danzo's disciples...

Minato silently marveled in his heart.

Next, Danzo had Haku and Chino face off in a spar.

The result was a narrow victory for Chino.

This was mainly because Haku, during his time in the Hidden Mist, had to hide his kekkei genkai and thus couldn't train properly.

It wasn't until Danzo brought him to the Leaf Village that he began systematic training.

Although his strength had improved rapidly thanks to his Hyōton (Ice Release) kekkei genkai, he was still slightly behind Chino, who had been trained from a young age.

At least in the clash between the Blood Dragon and the Ice Dragon, he couldn't match Chino, who possessed the Blood Dragon Eye.

As the majestic Ice Dragon was defeated in the collision, Haku calmly admitted his loss.

"I lost, Chino," he said with a gentle smile.

Compared to Chino, who was more of a wild child, Haku seemed more like a refined young lady.

Hearing this, Chino naturally wiped her nose with pride, but deep down, she was secretly nervous.

After all, Haku had only been learning ninjutsu for a few months, yet he had already given her such a tough fight.

If she didn't work hard, wouldn't she be surpassed soon?

Damn it...

If she got surpassed, how could she maintain her authority as the "big sister" of the group?

No, she had to ask her teacher for extra training!

Minato, who was watching from the sidelines, had no idea what Chino was thinking. All he knew was that the Leaf Village had struck gold!

Uchiha Itachi was one thing—he was a homegrown Leaf kid.

But the others—Kabuto, Chino, Kimimaro, and Haku—were all brought back by Danzo from outside!

And yet, each of them possessed such terrifying talent!

This was truly...

Minato didn't even know what to say.

He stared at the red and white dragon ice sculptures on the training ground, and after a long pause, he finally managed to say, "Senior Danzo, you're amazing!"

Faced with Minato's heartfelt praise, Danzo simply smiled.

He was just a little more foresighted than others, that's all.

Well, maybe a lot more.

After the training matches ended and Minato left the Root headquarters, Danzo waved Kimimaro over.

"What is it, teacher?" Kimimaro stood before Danzo, his calm and obedient demeanor the very image of a model student.

Seeing this, Danzo smiled and said, "If you want to participate in the Chunin Exams, you usually need to form a team of three."

"That means, aside from you and Haku, you'll need one more member to complete your team."

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

Faced with Danzo's question, Kimimaro frowned.

Although he was confident he could defeat all teams except for Uchiha Itachi's, the requirement of forming a three-person team had stumped him.

From what Kimimaro had observed, he hadn't found anyone suitable.

Should he just pick someone at random?

"Do you need me to help you find a teammate?" Danzo finally offered, seeing his hesitation.

Hearing this, Kimimaro was momentarily stunned, but the hesitation on his face quickly disappeared.

He finally smiled, like frost melting away, and replied, "Yes."

With his confirmation, Danzo pulled out a scroll from his robe.

"This scroll contains a location. If you go there, you'll find your new teammate."

"I think you'll like that one."

Kimimaro had complete faith in Danzo's words.

He immediately took the scroll and prepared to set off.

Seeing this, Kabuto adjusted his round glasses with interest and nudged Itachi beside him.

"It seems our teacher has dug up another treasure from somewhere."

Kabuto knew his teacher well.

Danzo had a sharp eye for talent. If he sent Kimimaro personally to recruit someone, that person must be exceptionally gifted.

Itachi nodded in agreement with Kabuto's assessment.

"Still, having a few more juniors isn't a bad thing," Itachi said, looking at everyone present.

There was Kabuto, who always seemed unmotivated but was actually a genius with a kind heart.

Kimimaro, who appeared cold on the surface but was warm inside.

Haku, who was as gentle as water and always cared for others.

Chino, who was brash and blunt but deeply loved everyone in the group.

And then there was Shisui, who was far away but always gave them a sense of security and reliability, like a mountain...

"Sometimes, bonds like these aren't so bad," Itachi thought to himself.