Reizo Chuunin Exam 3

Mission:

Reizo made his way over to the Raikage's chambers and stationed himself just outside the door. Just chilling in the hallway, Reizo recounted all that had transpired over the last few weeks that had led up to this moment. It seemed like it was only a short time ago he had become a Genin, and yet it felt like he had been a Genin for an eternity. So much had happened.

He'd watched the execution of a traitor to Kumogakure enough times to sway his opinions from one extreme to the other. He'd been assigned to a team with Senshi, Max, and their sensei Itami. They'd gone on a mission to defeat a group of bandits. Reizo successfully navigated a maze with acceptable stealth for the first Chuunin trial, and then demonstrated his Daytime Tiger for his second. He teamed up with Senshi to fight the Raikage himself in a straight up Taijutsu fight, and passed despite losing the fight. He rewatched the execution during his genjutsu exam and reversed his opinions, cementing his loyalty to the village. He went on a second supposed C-rank mission, which soon turned into an SS-rank confrontation between their team and a deity named Maku. And only yesterday he had completed his second Chuunin exam, slaying the 5 prisoners that were designed to stop his promotion.

He had been mentally and physically scarred throughout all of these experiences, but his loyalty for Kumogakure remained steadfast through it all. It all brought him to this moment today, before the Raikage himself. The Genin patiently waited outside the door of the chambers, eagerly listening for him to be called inside.

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274 words

The raikage had paid special attention to this particular Genin"s journey and it was finally time for a big milestone. The door to the office would creak open, seemingly unassisted, into a darkened roon, daring Reizo to enter.

Should the Genin do so, he would find only a single chair in the center. A raspy voice that originated from nowhere and everywhere at once would speak up.

"Sit"

The door would crack ever so slightly open, and Reizo peeked inside. Knocking before entering (assuming the Raikage would allow him to do so), Reizo would find the chair in the middle of the room. Glancing about, trying to get ahold of his surroundings, Reizo would take his seat upon being commanded to by the ominous projected voice.

There was no fumbling or hesitation, just total obedience. He recognized the voice as the Raikage's as he had been in his presence before. He and Senshi had tackled their 3rd Chuunin trial together vs. him after all. Reizo did not so much as make a single sound once seated; the Genin would simply cross his ankles and fold his arms into his lap as he patiently awaited further instructions.

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128 + 274 = 402 words

Once the Genin was seated, the disembodied voice would continue.

" You have come far in your journey, and yet this is further to go still. You seek the rank of chunin and I ask you, why should you be given it? From all that you have learned of yourself through these missions, why do you feel you deserve to be hailed as a chunin of Kumogakure no Sato?"

Reizo considered the Kage's question. He had honestly had a long time to think about this type of question, and through all of his experiences, he think he had what could be considered a sufficient answer.

"When I first enrolled in the Academy, I had the goal of following in my father's footsteps. He was a well respected Jounin and he died a hero on a mission for this village. As I advanced through the Academy and gained more experience as a Genin, I realized that that wouldn't be enough. I... I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to surpass all others, and I admit it was a very selfish goal. However, it's what motivated me through much of my early career. Now, though, I recognize that such a selfish goal is too shortsighted and too narrow. The Genjutsu that the exam put me through helped me realize that what I really want is to be an asset. An asset to my friends, my family, and most importantly an asset to the village, and by extension its Raikage.

"I believe I deserve to be a Chuunin because of my participation and leadership role within my 4 man team, my courage in the face of great adversity, and my perseverance despite the many setbacks I've encountered. I've been beaten, scarred, and put through hell and back, but despite it all I've never given up. I fought an S-rank missing name by the name of Maku Jemuzu and survived. I worked with my team to confront the challenges he posed to us, and despite the massive difference in power, I never gave up and persevered. I think those qualities, in addition to my passion for training not only myself, but also those under me are what would qualify me for Chuunin." Reizo would confidently respond.

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402 + 303 = 705 words

Honesty was indeed a valuable asset to one's self, and often it was hardest to be honest with oneself, a hurdle this genin seemed to have crossed. Still hurdles never stopped in the life of a shinobi and today was no different.

"You have listened all the reason you deserve to be a chunin, now list all the reasons you should never ever be given that title. Let's put your assessment skills to the test." The ninja now had to prove if his honesty worked in the best interest of his village or himself.

"Hmm... why shouldn't I be a Chuunin?" Reizo thought about the way the question was crafted. Obviously he wanted to be honest, but he didn't want to make a statement that was too strong. He didn't want to disqualify himself from the rank. Fortunately, Reizo didn't have any glaring weaknesses that he could think of. He was a pretty well rounded individual.

"I can think of a few reasons why someone would be hesitant to place me as a Chuunin. It can be difficult at times for me to want to learn essential knowledge if I don't see the immediate return. For example, I put off learning how to handle genjutsu and how to suppress my chakra for far longer than any of my peers. I still learned them prior to my exams, but I think it's worth noting that I did put them off until I truly felt it necessary. I also have a tendency to be somewhat forthright and stubborn. If I believe a decision is the right one, it can be hard for me to compromise. If the merit in the opposing argument is there however, I don't have a problem ceding my decision altogether. I think I do a good job at taking the time to understand others' perspectives though," Reizo would respond.

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705 + 217 = 922 words

The voice seemed to hiss momentarily as this Genin listed all his flaws. If honesty was appreciated, it was also best taken into consideration and this Genin was slowly dropping himself from being considered for the post.

"All these traits you list we endevour to weed out at the academy level. Yet you retain these weaknesses. how do you expect to defend Kumo's strengths and ideals with such a weak foundation?"

Reizo grew suspicious of the Raikage's words. He felt like this was a predetermined question. It was all a setup. Still, he felt it wise to just play along, despite feeling somewhat affronted by the Raikage's character attack.

"With all due respect Raikage-sama, I don't believe my foundation is weak because of these flaws. I think they've molded me into a much stronger person with a powerful moral compass. A compass that always points toward acting in the best interests of the village and its people before myself. I think my foundation in Taijutsu has caused me to develop not only a strong body, but a sharp mind as well. I plan to defend the village with my great conviction and intuiton, as well as my powerful resolve and dedication to it. I am fully committed to the interests of this mighty village, and its inhabitants. And because of that, I believe there is no one with a stronger foundation based on hardened principles, with a disciplined backround, than myself. At least among my fellow Genin peers," Reizo would say. He would choose his words carefully - he didn't want to appear confrontational, but at the same time he wanted to assert how he truly felt. Saying his foundation was weak was big hit to his pride.

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922 + 217 = 1139 words

Listening to the irritated Genin defending himself, the voice would have chuckled, had it been want to display an emotion that in any way eased the boy's mind. "A moral compass you say, you feel you know what is right for our village."

A clinking sound resonated through the room, the sound of metal and glass brushing against each other. a small sliver of light illuminated a kunai and a thin tanto now laid out in front of the genin. "Choose your weapon, wisely. If I were to tell you we would not both leave this room alive, which weapon would you wield and which would you like to be killed by?"