Due to the upcoming Chūnin Exams hosted by the Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village), a noticeable influx of foreign shinobi had arrived in the village over the past few days.
Even before the Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud shinobi reached Konoha, shinobi from the Rain, Grass, and Waterfall Villages had already entered the village's gates.
As the exam date approached, more and more foreign ninja arrived. Hiruzen Sarutobi had already delegated all exam-related matters, ensuring everything was in place for the grand event.
Konoha, too, had begun its final preparations for the upcoming exams.
...
As one of the Five Great Nations, the Land of Lightning's Hidden Cloud Village finally made its appearance.
When the Cloud shinobi walked through the streets of Konoha, many villagers glared at the towering, muscular ninja with barely restrained fury, whispering their disdain under their breath.
"It's the Cloud shinobi… Those bastards actually dared to come to Konoha."
"That's the Cloud insignia… Those damn scumbags!"
Though the Second Shinobi World War had ended years ago, the scars remained. Many in Konoha still harbored deep resentment toward the Hidden Cloud, especially given the role they played in the war and the tragic death of the Second Hokage.
As the Cloud shinobi advanced through the streets, the murmurs of the villagers only grew louder.
"Why are they here?"
"I heard it's for the Chūnin Exams. They're here to participate."
"Even the Cloud are joining, huh?"
Soon after, another team of shinobi appeared at the street corner. Some villagers, unfamiliar with their insignia, turned to others for clarification.
"Which village are those shinobi from?"
A few who recognized the symbol on their forehead protectors quickly responded.
"They're from the Hidden Mist of the Land of Water. It's been a long time since we've seen shinobi from that village."
"I didn't expect even the Mist to participate in the Chūnin Exams."
The conversations of the villagers did not escape the sharp ears of the Cloud and Mist shinobi. After all, they weren't deaf—they were highly trained ninja.
Among the Cloud Village group, one particularly cocky Genin glanced around, taking in the surroundings with a look of disdain.
"Hmph, so this is Konoha?"
"A village full of weaklings sitting on such prime land… What a waste."
Their leading Jōnin, eyes sharp and composed, glanced at the outspoken Genin and warned in a calm yet firm voice:
"Don't be careless. Konoha is infamous for producing prodigies."
"When the exams begin, be extremely cautious of Konoha's contestants."
However, the brash Cloud Genin scoffed at the warning.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I heard Konoha produced some so-called genius named Kakashi Hatake. He's apparently the son of that 'disgraced' White Fang."
"But that guy already became a Chūnin ages ago."
"As for the rest of Konoha's new generation… I've never even heard of them. They're not worth mentioning."
The leading Cloud Jōnin gave the Genin a sharp glance but chose not to say anything further.
This kind of reckless, arrogant Genin only survived because of their influential background back in the village. If not for that, the Jōnin wouldn't have even acknowledged him—let alone warned him.
"If he dies in Konoha, it might actually be a blessing. At least he won't be a problem back home."
Though these thoughts crossed his mind, the Jōnin kept them to himself.
Over the years, other villages had grown increasingly dismissive of Konoha. It wasn't entirely without reason.
Aside from Kakashi Hatake—who was undeniably a genius—Konoha hadn't produced any particularly remarkable talents in recent years.
One exception was Veigar Koshima, whose name had once spread as a prodigy. However, due to the combined efforts of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura, any information about him had been deliberately suppressed, preventing it from reaching the wider shinobi world.
Within the Mist Village group, a teenage shinobi with shark-like features and bluish skin spoke with clear dissatisfaction.
"Konoha's air is so dry."
Leading the group of Mist shinobi was none other than Fuguki Suikazan, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, bearing the massive blade Samehada on his back.
The young shark-faced shinobi who had just spoken was Kisame Hoshigaki—already qualified for Chūnin but sent to Konoha as part of this exam's delegation.
Fuguki Suikazan turned to Kisame with a toothy grin, his jagged teeth glinting menacingly.
"Kisame, when the time comes, make sure to show Konoha's so-called 'geniuses' what it means to be a ninja forged in the Blood Mist."
"A dead genius is just another corpse."
Though it was phrased as encouragement, it was also a warning.
After a brief pause, Kisame nodded. "Understood."
As he followed behind Fuguki Suikazan, his bloodshot eyes fixated on the massive blade on his mentor's back—Samehada.
A deep, insatiable hunger flickered within them.
...
Hokage's Office.
The next day, the instructors responsible for guiding this year's Genin had gathered inside the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, surrounded by Konoha's elite Jōnin, spoke in a calm voice.
"Everyone, the Chūnin Exams are about to begin."
After finishing his sentence, he took a deep drag from his pipe, letting the smoke drift lazily into the air.
Konoha Ninja Academy – Exam Hall.
Since the academy had been chosen as the venue for the first round of the Chūnin Exams, all students and faculty had been dismissed for the day.
Veigar Koshima—someone who despised being late—had arrived at the exam hall early. Sitting alone in his assigned seat, he silently awaited the start of the test.
At the same time, his keen eyes meticulously observed each contestant entering the room, committing their faces to memory and collecting as much information as possible.
As the start time neared, the hall filled with examinees.
Some chose to sit quietly, while others grouped together with their fellow village Genin, whispering among themselves, analyzing their competition based on the limited information they had.
Among the Mist shinobi, Kisame Hoshigaki surveyed the exam hall, his sharp teeth bared in a grin as he muttered to himself.
"Konoha's Ninja Academy sure has a… warm atmosphere."
Despite his low voice, there was an unmistakable edge to his words.
Kisame could instantly sense the stark difference between Konoha's academy and the one he had endured in the "Village of the Bloody Mist."
Here, the air was lighter, less oppressive.
There was no fear of former classmates turning into future killers.
No paranoia of being eliminated by a kunai through the heart before graduation.
Here, students could laugh, play, and even fail an exam without fearing severe punishment.
To Kisame, it was both amusing—and utterly foreign.
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