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Not surprisingly, the next Chūnin Exam will be a direct confrontation—ninja versus ninja.
Night.
In the no-man's land of the Forest of Death, Orochimaru appeared quietly.
"How are things progressing?"
"It went well," the subordinate replied. "Although the time was short, we gathered valuable data."
He took out a slim, chakra-encrypted card and handed it to Orochimaru. It was a prototype data chip—a confidential tool designed by the Otogakure research team. It could store and protect information, only accessible through a specific chakra sequence.
"But Orochimaru-sama… is the Sharingan really that powerful? That kid from the Uchiha team—he doesn't seem like the strongest. There's another, Yagami Yatō. He's... different. Stronger, even."
The subordinate had deliberately approached Uchiha Sasuke during the first phase of the exams. He knew firsthand that while Sasuke was impressive, Yagami Yatō was on a different level.
"Heh… The Sharingan is far more powerful than you realize," Orochimaru murmured. "Sasuke's potential doesn't lie solely in taijutsu. That boy carries the blood of the Uchiha—true heirs to the power of the Sharingan."
He paused, eyes gleaming with chilling intensity.
Orochimaru had not forgotten. That day—when he faced those windmill-shaped eyes, the Mangekyō Sharingan of Uchiha Itachi—he was overwhelmed in an instant. Not even a jutsu could be cast before he fell to his knees.
The paralyzing power of those eyes haunted him. It had planted the seed of obsession, jealousy, and ambition.
"Well," the subordinate said cautiously, "the next move in Konoha is yours to make, Orochimaru-sama."
"Don't worry about the rest. No need for reckless action," Orochimaru said, licking his lips. "Just wait patiently… and watch Konoha's wheel spin once more."
With that, he melted into the shadows.
---
[Peace is Killed]
In the days that followed, no incidents occurred within the Central Tower. Every day, familiar or unfamiliar faces trickled in—those who had survived the harrowing Forest of Death.
Among the participants, the most eye-catching were the candidates from Konohagakure. As the host village, Konoha's presence was dominant, especially with the so-called "Konoha 11." All of them successfully passed and arrived at the Central Tower, attracting attention from every corner.
As the second stage neared its end, the atmosphere grew more intense, particularly among the Konoha candidates.
When the final team arrived and stepped through the Central Tower's entrance, the second phase of the Chūnin Exams officially ended.
All surviving genin were guided into a large indoor arena for the preliminary matches.
Originally, 26 teams of 3 genin each had entered the second test—78 candidates in total. But by the end, only 8 teams remained. The number of participants had dropped from 78 to 24. The elimination rate had exceeded 65%.
"Congratulations to everyone who made it this far," said Mitarashi Anko, the second exam's chief examiner. "Now, the Hokage himself will explain the third stage of the Chūnin Exams. Pay attention."
As Anko stepped aside, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, took center stage. He was flanked by several prominent jōnin: Hatake Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai Yūhi, and others. Representatives from other villages also stood present, such as Baki of Sunagakure.
But Yatō's gaze was locked elsewhere—on the man posing as the leader of Otogakure: Orochimaru.
"Yatō, that guy… that's Orochimaru," said the mongoose, its fur bristling. "He's here in person. Aren't you worried he'll notice you?"
"Don't worry," Yatō replied, calm as ever. "Sarutobi Hiruzen and the elite jōnin are still here. He won't try anything… not yet."
He glanced over at Uchiha Sasuke and couldn't help but think:
For Konoha's so-called peace, Itachi massacred the Uchiha Clan. He spared his younger brother, believing it would keep him safe. But ironically, it was he who led Orochimaru to Sasuke.
And that choice would later lead Sasuke to betray Konoha—the very village Itachi died protecting.
"This twisted fate… It'll fall back into your hands someday, Uchiha Itachi."
---
Sarutobi stepped forward.
"Before we proceed to the third stage, there's something you all need to understand."
As his voice echoed through the arena, murmurs rose among the young genin. Many had just emerged from the brutal second exam and were in no condition to fight again so soon.
"I know you believe the Chūnin Exams exist only to assess and promote ninja, or to encourage friendly relations between villages. But that's only part of the truth."
Sarutobi's voice hardened.
"The true meaning of this exam is something deeper. Consider it a miniature battlefield—a symbolic war between allied nations."
The word "war" caused an immediate stir.
Especially among Konoha's younger generation—the "Konoha 11"—who had grown up in relative peace. Their experience as genin spanned only a few months, and their worldview was limited to the village's borders.
But the old records were clear: these so-called allies—Sunagakure, Otogakure, Kusagakure—were once enemies of Konoha. Even now, alliances were fragile and often based on necessity, not trust.
Small and mid-tier villages like Kusagakure or Otogakure didn't possess great strength. To survive the era of the shinobi, especially during the Great Ninja Wars, they had to cling to the larger Hidden Villages to avoid being crushed or absorbed.
Take Sunagakure for instance—one of the Five Great Nations. Despite their strength, their past defeats at Konoha's hands forced them into peace talks. To avoid destruction, they entered an uneasy alliance to bide their time, recover, and perhaps one day strike back.
So why call the Chūnin Exams a war?
Simple. It was still about resources—manpower, political strength, reputation. Every promoted genin brought prestige to their village.
And in a world still reeling from war, those things meant power.
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