The Next Day
The morning dawned with a heavy atmosphere in the courtyard of the guest residence.
There, stretched out on the ground and covered with white cloths, lay several corpses. Orochimaru and the other Konoha ninjas remained silent, not daring to utter a word.
Over the course of the previous day, every corner of the forest serving as the field for the second exam had been thoroughly searched. Meanwhile, the rescue units had worked tirelessly to assist the wounded and recover the bodies of those who had lost their lives without even managing to leave the area.
Among those lying beneath the white cloths were the fallen Genin of Konoha, who had perished almost at the beginning of this second phase.
Sixteen young ninjas had set out filled with determination, but now, counting those who were gravely injured, only five remained standing.
That number alone was enough to highlight the cruelty and difficulty of this special Chūnin exam.
Even more painful was the fact that these participants were not mere novices, but the elite of the village's new generation. The magnitude of the loss weighed far more than just a statistic.
Gen approached one of the bodies and carefully lifted the white cloth to reveal the face of… Kuu Uchiha.
"Life is fragile, isn't it…?"
Gen gazed at the corpse in silence, while behind him, Orochimaru let out a faint sigh.
"That's why we must train without rest. In the end, training means reinforcing this fragile life we have been granted." Gen gently covered Kuu's body with the cloth once more, straightened up, and turned to look him in the eyes.
"…But even if we manage to become stronger, life is still short in the end."
Orochimaru pondered his words in silence. Then, with a wave of his hand, he signaled to the others present to take the bodies away and give them the final care they deserved. Only when everyone had left, leaving him alone with Gen in the courtyard, did he speak again.
"Training can make a fragile life stronger, but it will not necessarily make it eternal."
Gen spoke these words in a low voice, without taking his eyes off the place where the bodies had lain. Orochimaru, watching him from the corner of his eye, formed a slight, enigmatic smile.
"Interesting…" he murmured. "Perhaps training is also a path to eternity."
A brief silence followed before Orochimaru glanced at the nearest corpse and calmly asked:
"Gen, do you wish to avenge your people?"
"Yes. Kuu was not only my clanmate, but also my teammate. It is my duty to avenge him," Gen responded with determination.
Orochimaru nodded slowly, as if weighing each word.
"Then you will have your chance in the next exam, because the one who killed your comrade is the same Kirigakure ninja you will be fighting."
!
Gen's eyes lit up.
"Master, did you see what happened during the test?"
During his time in the forest, he had sensed the presence of watchful eyes, suspecting that Kumogakure was monitoring the exam. Orochimaru's confirmation only solidified that suspicion.
"That's right. While you were being tested, the representatives of each village followed the process through Kumogakure's sensory monitoring. I myself witnessed the murder of your clanmate," Orochimaru affirmed.
A cold glint flickered in Gen's eyes.
"That means I will soon be able to take my revenge…"
"By the way, Master, I also have something to tell you about the Jinchūriki of Kumogakure…"
Gen did not continue speaking about his revenge but instead changed the subject, telling him about Killer B as the Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails.
Such information was extremely valuable, as the Jinchūriki were considered fundamental weapons of war in each village.
The reason Killer B was so upset about not having killed Gen was precisely because he feared that his information would be leaked.
When Gen finished recounting what had happened with Killer B, Orochimaru's expression darkened.
"I didn't think Kumogakure would dare to include their Eight-Tails Jinchūriki in this Chūnin exam," Orochimaru had surprise in his voice. "Gen, the information you have obtained is excellent. When we return to the village, I will make sure you receive the reward you deserve for it."
His words were not an exaggeration: knowing the details about the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki already made this mission an overwhelming success.
"Thank you, Master!" Gen responded with a brief bow of his head.
Satisfied with his discovery, Orochimaru let out an enigmatic smile.
"However, Gen, you have also demonstrated impressive skill. You forced that guy to use his Bijū's power, and yet you still managed to escape. That means you have improved a lot in this time… You have grown quite a bit."
"I appreciate your words, Master. But my progress is largely due to everything I have learned from you. In reality, I managed to flee thanks to my speed; if I had fought head-on, I would be no match for a Jinchūriki." Gen nodded calmly, with no trace of pride in his gaze.
When planning to reveal Killer B's identity as the bearer of the Eight-Tails, Gen had already anticipated Orochimaru's questions, so he did not waver in the slightest when facing him.
The most important thing was that, apart from the Sharingan, in other aspects, with his current strength, he no longer needed to deliberately hide too much, as he had enough power to guarantee his own safety.
…
The lodgings that Kumogakure had prepared for each village were separated from one another, ensuring the privacy of each group.
In the guest house assigned to Kirigakure, Yagura, the leader of that delegation, summoned Kisame Hoshigaki for a private conversation.
"Your opponent in the first round is Gen Uchiha, from Konoha," he said with a terrifying calmness. "He belongs to a highly renowned clan and, moreover, is a direct disciple of Orochimaru, one of the most powerful ninjas in existence. In other words, his talent and strength are at an extraordinary level."
"Precisely for that reason, I warn you that his talent makes him a rival who will not be easy to face. I know your power well, Kisame, and as things stand now, you would not be able to defeat him. That is why, over the next three days, I will personally train you. And not only that…" he added as he took out a storage scroll, "I want you to use this to enhance your abilities."
Yagura, who despite looking like a teenager exuded a calm authority, carefully placed the scroll in Kisame's hands.
Kisame had great respect for Yagura, so he quickly took the scroll with both hands.
Naturally, he was pleased to hear that he would receive special training from Yagura, but he was also deeply curious about the contents of the scroll.
"Master Yagura, may I know what's inside?"
"It is a sword…" Yagura replied bluntly. "The Great Sword Samehada."
!
Upon hearing that name, Kisame felt a slight tremor in the hand holding the scroll. He lowered his gaze, and in his eyes, a spark of intense desire appeared.
________
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