Upon the Uchiha's surrender, the spar ended. The two old classmates exchanged a few words before deciding to part ways. Tatsuya wanted to try something out alone.
Perhaps it would be a new technique.
Thus, Suguru watched Tatsuya's retreating form, a subtle smirk playing across his lips.
The spar had been pleasant, serving as another opportunity to test his current status while simultaneously observing the growth of an old classmate.
"Now, it's time for business."
Suguru's gaze flashed as he moved towards the Forest of Death. His steps had a leisurely gait to allow for his thoughts to flow.
Thus,
His mind immediately shifted to the upcoming Chuunin Exams and what the original arc had been like.
'It's too bad I took my Chuunin Exams much earlier… and at Sunagakure at that.'
The Forest of Death awaited more than just him after all, but all the other eager genin. Luckily, Suguru was not one to leave such an opportunity to cause a little chaos.
With his slow footfalls, he eventually made his way to the designated training ground, surveying the environment. Eyes flashing to absorb the little details of the lay of the land.
"Hm," he hummed.
The forest was a labyrinth of twisted trees and dense undergrowth, perfect for testing one's resolve. His fingers traced the bark of a nearby tree, feeling the flow of its life force.
'Let's see,'
The Heaven and Earth scrolls…
The two examination items came to mind. They had a simple mechanism in previous exams and in the original. But what if they could be more?
Suguru's mind began to calculate. A grin formed on his face with every successful thought.
A nice little Fuinjutsu touch might be enough to make the test more… thrilling.
The scrolls could be more than mere objects to be collected. They could be challenges themselves. All he needed to do was add a little spice.
Modifications to their content could also be a way to misdirect and deceive. Subtle seals that would react differently to various ninja techniques. A way to truly separate the exceptional from the barely competent.
—Bite.
Suguru pulled out a scroll, his bitten, bleeding fingers then moved with practiced precision, beginning to draft the first iterations of his modifications. He contemplated the various ways he could enhance the traditional Heaven and Earth scrolls, making them more than mere collectibles.
'Perhaps a seal that reacts to the bearer's chakra nature,' he mused. 'Or one that creates an illusion when tampered with.'
The possibilities were endless, and Suguru found himself lost in the process. A few clones had even appeared beside him at some point, each bearing a different Dojutsu in their gaze.
Honestly?
It was standard procedure.
Suddenly.
A rustle in the nearby bushes caught his attention.
Without looking up from his work, Suguru knew it was an Anbu scout, likely sent by Hiruzen to keep an eye on him. He smirked, finding amusement in the Third's cautious nature.
Red dust had long been tampering with the world around him. There was no chance that an unsuspecting person could figure out that Suguru's eyes were each bearing a Dojutsu of their own.
"I know you're there," Suguru called out casually without looking away. "Tell Lord Third that his concerns are unnecessary. I'm simply preparing for my duties as proctor."
The presence vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Suguru alone with his thoughts once more. He returned to his scroll, adding a final touch to the design.
'This should be sufficient for now,' he thought, rolling up the scroll and tucking it away.
Rising to his feet, Suguru surveyed the forest once more. The clone with the Byakugan had mapped out several places of interest for use later.
"If only I had more time…"
Suguru swore he could create an exam that nobody would forget.
Especially since, among the genin participating this time would be Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, and the others — younglings who would one day shake the world.
"For now, I need to make sure I can execute even a portion of my ideas."
Thus, Suguru walked deeper into the forest, surveilling the marked locations in person. The towering trees cast long shadows across the ground, creating a patchwork of light and darkness completely in line with the village hidden in the leaves.
"I wonder how they'll fare," he murmured to himself, thinking of Team 7 and the challenges that awaited them. "Especially with the modifications I have in mind."
Suguru almost laughed out loud.
And the hours passed by, swiftly. Unceasingly.
Night arrived, people went to sleep, and a new morning would soon surface.
* * *
The day of the Chuunin Exams arrived.
Suguru stood at the entrance to the Forest of Death, his silver hair dancing in the gentle breeze.
Today would be a good day.
The towering trees stood around him like the most loyal soldiers, their ancient trunks scarred from countless battles of previous examinees.
"Heh,"
The boy leaned against a wooden post, appearing casual to any observer, but his mind was far from idle.
Suguru had long activated his Kaisugan, the silver irises of his eyes shattering before his vision extended beyond the physical constraints of distance.
His consciousness soared across Konohagakure, penetrating walls and barriers until it settled on the examination room where the first stage was taking place.
There, Ibiki Morino stood at the front of the room, his scarred face twisted into a sadistic smile as he explained the rules of the written test.
'And so, it begins…'
Suguru observed the genin's reactions with amusement.
Some were confident, others terrified.
Suguru's gaze lingered on Naruto, who didn't seem to be fidgeting nervously in his seat like in the original. He wasn't struggling with the questions designed to be beyond genin-level comprehension.
An odd development that Suguru had most likely caused.
"Oho? Interesting," Suguru muttered to himself, watching Sasuke activate his Sharingan discreetly to copy another examinee's movements.
Nearby, Gaara sat perfectly still, arms crossed, his expression betraying nothing of the monster that lurked within. Tatsuya lazily sat down, without even a single desire to answer.
It seemed like Tatsuya knew something that the other genin did not.
Suguru's lips curled into a slight smile as he spotted Mitsuko using her Byakugan to gather answers.
The girl had grown since their Academy days; her movements were more refined, her chakra control sharper.
Then, Suguru's gaze shifted to Sakura, who seemed to be answering the questions legitimately, her intelligence proving sufficient for the task.
He, himself, looked at the questions and realized something. An odd expression appeared on his face.
"Oh,"
He could solve those things even before he graduated from the Academy… In fact, those were his basics.
Orochimaru's standards were terrifying.
Suguru shook his head and brought his mind back from his reveries.
The room now buzzed with tension as Ibiki announced the final question, the ultimatum that would determine who continued and who failed.
Suguru watched with amusement as Naruto simply gazed blankly at Ibiki.
As if to ask…
What?
Hopeless questions?
True hopelessness cannot be achieved so simply. Despair was a weapon more fatal than a mere exam.
After all, Naruto had gone through such devastating circumstances before.
No…
Many times before.
"As expected," Suguru whispered, deactivating his Kaisugan and returning his awareness to the Forest of Death.
He straightened his clothes, took off his forehead protector, and checked the modified scrolls tucked into his pouch. Soon, the genin would arrive, and the real test would begin.
A test he had personally enhanced with his own brand of challenge.
"I hope they take it as a little challenge from a younger batch,"
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