"Orochimaru-sama!"
The appearance of Orochimaru made all the Genin immediately stop whatever they were doing, including Gen, who, along with the others, bowed respectfully.
Orochimaru's eyes calmly scanned the group, observing one by one the young people who would be part of this test. But when his gaze fell on Gen, he paused for a fraction of a second, barely perceptible.
However, he said nothing.
"Since everyone is here, let's depart immediately."
Without giving Gen a special greeting, he quickly averted his gaze and, with a few simple words, gave the order to depart.
As he turned to leave the village, one of the three ninjas who had arrived with him showed the permit to leave the village to the ninjas guarding Konoha's gates.
Although Kumogakure had invited the Five Great Villages, they were not so arrogant as to allow their ninjas to enter without restrictions.
Therefore, besides the participating Genin, the number of escorts was strictly limited to a single squad.
The three ninjas who arrived with Orochimaru were not unknown in the village; rather, they were Jōnin with some renown.
As for Orochimaru, technically, he was also a "Jōnin."
The ninja ranking system did not include a specific level called "Kage." The designation of "Kage level" used by Gen was merely a power classification he had established himself.
But that title was reserved solely for the leaders of the Five Great Villages, so the highest rank within the ninja hierarchy was that of Jōnin.
Even though Orochimaru's power far exceeded that of an ordinary Jōnin, within the official system, he was only considered an elite Jōnin.
After showing the departure permit, the three accompanying Jōnin and Gen immediately followed Orochimaru's lead.
Once outside the village, under Orochimaru's leadership, the group instantly accelerated, moving at high speed through the forest, propelling themselves from branch to branch with the characteristic agility of ninjas.
This was no ordinary group.
Even though, officially, the young participants were Genin, the reality was very different. None of them were at the level of a standard Genin.
At worst, their level was on par with that of a Chūnin. But the most outstanding ones were already at the rank of elite Chūnin or even Tokubetsu Jōnin.
Despite the fast pace of the journey, no one fell behind, and much less did any unforeseen incidents occur.
Thanks to the group's strategic formation, the trip was smooth. After resting for a night in the Land of the Moon, near the border of the Land of Lightning, they finally arrived at their destination the next day: the Hidden Cloud Village.
Unlike Konoha, Kumogakure was situated at a high altitude and surrounded by mountains.
Most of the buildings were constructed around the mountain or at its peak, and at their summits, they seemed to touch the sky, enveloped in a sea of clouds.
"So that's why it's called the Hidden Cloud Village?"
Upon arriving, Gen observed the place carefully.
In the manga or anime, the description of the Hidden Cloud Village was much less detailed than that of Konoha, so he only had a vague understanding of its appearance.
Apart from the place where Sasuke went to hunt down Killer B, he didn't know any other locations in Kumogakure.
The other Genin accompanying him shared the same curiosity as they analyzed their surroundings.
After undergoing a series of identity verifications, they were all admitted into the village.
Compared to the prosperous Konoha, Kumogakure's architecture was much more rustic and sturdy. Additionally, while walking around, they could see that most of the people there had dark skin and muscular builds.
At the same time, these people also observed them with a certain wariness and marked hostility.
It seemed that at the slightest hint of provocation, they would be ready to attack en masse.
Under the guidance of Kumogakure's staff, Gen and his group were finally taken to the residence for foreign guests.
Once settled in, all the Genin were gathered.
"There are three days left until the Chūnin Exam. During this time, you may move freely, but remember: causing trouble and leaving the village are strictly forbidden. Understood?"
Naoki Nara, one of the three Konoha Jōnin assigned to escort the group, spoke seriously as he looked at the young shinobi.
"Understood!"
The Genin nodded without objections.
The simple fact that they were allowed to move freely was already a good amount of freedom.
Each of them was a unique talent. Besides their strength, they also had great maturity, so none of them would risk causing trouble in this situation.
After giving a few more instructions, the group was dismissed.
Some formed small groups to explore the village more thoroughly, while others preferred to return to their rooms to rest and mentally prepare for the exam.
"Gen, should we go back to the room to rest or take a walk outside?"
Reiko looked at him, waiting for his decision.
Kuu was also paying attention.
Even though Gen was the youngest, his power and, more importantly, his status were higher than theirs.
The reality was that Reiko and Kuu were not simply his teammates; they had been sent by the clan as his protectors, so they always followed his orders.
"You two go take a walk, I need to meet with Master Orochimaru." Gen waved his hand.
With that, Kuu and Reiko left the residence.
…
"What do you think? Compared to Konoha, what impression do you have of Kumogakure?"
In Orochimaru's room, Gen was sitting on the floor casually beside him.
After thinking for a moment, he responded, "More than the village itself, what stands out the most, aside from its more rustic environment, is that its inhabitants seem to have a much more aggressive attitude. It feels like everyone here is a trained soldier."
"Mmm, you're right. Compared to Konoha, the people of Kumogakure are undoubtedly much more combative. That is one of the characteristics of this place.
In terms of military strength development, one could say that Kumogakure ranks first among the Five Great Villages. It is a very warlike village." Orochimaru nodded.
Gen couldn't agree more with those words.
Not only because he knew the history but also because even in the anime, it was clearly shown: Kumogakure was a village with an aggressive and dominant nature, always seeking to impose itself over others.
A perfect example of this was the attempted kidnapping of Hinata.
Back then, Kumogakure had been clearly defeated in the war, weakened, and without the same strength as before. And yet, instead of adopting a more cautious stance, they displayed a blatantly defiant attitude.
Not only did they dare to send an infiltrator to kidnap the Hyūga clan's heiress within Konoha, but when they were discovered and their plan failed, they didn't hesitate to threaten another war if the village didn't comply with their demands.
A very aggressive village.
________
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