Here's the BONUS CHAPTER as promised—thanks for the support, and let's keep this energy going!
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As soon as Tsunade made the announcement, both Kurenai and Shizune turned to Guts with wide, curious eyes.
Shizune began, puzzled,
"Isn't the Chūnin Exam meant for Genin in teams of three? But Guts is already a Chūnin… won't that be unfair to the others?"
It was a fair concern. A team with a Chūnin would definitely stand out—possibly overwhelm the competition.
Tsunade nodded lightly, expecting the question.
"Becoming a Chūnin isn't solely about combat strength."
"If a Genin passes the written portion and performs well enough in the practical stages, they can still be promoted—even if they lose—so long as they show leadership, strategy, and judgment."
She turned to Guts, her gaze sharp.
"Guts and Kakashi are already Chūnin, yes, but we still had them take part in this round of exams. Think of it more like a… scouting opportunity—for Jōnin promotion."
In truth, the two most unusual names on this year's roster were Guts and Kakashi.
While it looked like they were retaking the Chūnin Exams, this was, for them, more of a Jōnin interview—an evaluation of their maturity and readiness to take on high-level missions and lead others.
"That's incredible, Guts~"
Kurenai said, her voice soft with admiration. Her cheeks flushed slightly.
"Maybe you'll be a Jōnin before we know it."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter to me,"
Guts replied casually, shrugging.
"But if it comes my way, I'll take it."
He wasn't one to chase titles. After all, even in the original timeline, Naruto stayed a Genin up until the Fourth Great Ninja War. And look how that turned out.
Still, there was no harm in participating.
Tsunade grinned, cracking her knuckles.
"Alright then, don't embarrass me—especially don't lose to Jiraiya's student's student! Got it?"
Then, waving her hand dismissively, she added,
"Now get going. I have some very serious… gambling—ahem—I mean, medical research to attend to."
Before anyone could question her, Tsunade vanished in a blink.
Still, she wasn't lying. Lately, she'd been hard at work developing her Ninja Art: Mitotic Regeneration: One Hundred Healings—a technique that could change the future of a battlefield.
The gambling habit, though? Still going strong.
Shizune murmured, placing a hand over her chest. Her breath was a little shaky.
"I'm not sure I'm ready."
"Relax," Kurenai said with a warm smile.
"We're still young. We get two chances a year anyway."
Just then, Guts's brows twitched slightly—barely noticeable.
But Kurenai had been with him for over two years. She caught the subtle shift in his expression and stepped closer.
"Guts? What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," he replied quickly, straightening.
Then, with a casual roll of his neck, he added,
"We're supposed to be training for the exam, right? Let's go."
"Thank you!" Kurenai beamed, then turned to Shizune.
"Huh? Me? Is that really okay?" Shizune looked startled.
She'd always felt like the background character in Tsunade's circle.
And with how close Guts and Kurenai had become—well, everyone noticed it—Shizune often ended up excluded, intentionally or not.
But Kurenai just smiled and took her hand.
"Of course. Come on."
With that, the two women walked off, hand in hand.
Guts followed behind, but his mind was elsewhere.
That sudden flicker of chakra—he recognized it.
It showed up occasionally—once a month, sometimes less. And each time, Guts pretended not to notice. It was safer that way.
At least, it told him one thing: Uchiha Madara's eyes weren't on him. Not like Obito's.
That gave him some breathing room.
For now, all he could do was continue getting stronger.
"Guts! Why are you lagging behind today?"
Kurenai called from ahead.
"I'm coming," he replied, picking up the pace.
The Chūnin Exams this time were different from the ones Naruto's generation would experience in the future.
There was no grand convergence of candidates from the Five Great Nations.
This was strictly a Konoha-only event.
When Guts and Shizune arrived at the Ninja Academy—site of the first test—they were met with several familiar faces.
Minato's team, Might Guy's team, Sarutobi's team…
Most of the participants were Genin, average age around 15. Though the turnout wasn't as huge as Naruto's time, there were still nearly a hundred examinees.
"Yo! Guts! Kurenai!" a booming voice called out.
Might Guy ran up, leaving behind Ebisu and Shiranui Genma, who were clearly less enthused.
Guts looked at the trio and couldn't help but mutter,
"One god carries two dead weights…"
Ebisu, the self-proclaimed elite, was a walking meme. Genma, cool toothpick and all, wasn't known for anything beyond being a referee in the final rounds.
No wonder Guts sighed.
"Oi, that didn't sound very complimentary!"
Ebisu adjusted his glasses, eyeing Guts.
"A Chūnin taking the exam again… doesn't that seem a bit unfair?"
"There's no such thing as 'fair' in the ninja world,"
Guts said with a huge grin, showing his white teeths that could reflect light.
"The only thing that matters is whose fist hits harder. Understand?"
Ebisu's face darkened with frustration, while Shizune quickly stepped in.
"Alright, alright! Let's not fight," she said with a nervous smile.
"We're classmates, after all. Let's support each other, okay?"
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