Early the next morning, the cemetery of Konoha Village was quiet.
After paying her respects at her parents graves, Yugao stepped away, flowers still in hand, and stopped before another tombstone nearby. She bent slightly and placed the bouquet down with care.
The name carved into the stone read:
Nohara Rin.
She didn't actually like her at all—yet she still came to pay a visit, compelled by a reason she couldn't quite put into words.
Yugao stood there in silence for a moment.
Then she turned and left.
After exiting the cemetery, she made her way to the village's memorial monument. Her eyes scanned the long list of engraved names until she found it.
Uchiha Obito.
For a second, Yugao froze—then she couldn't help but let out a small, amused breath.
Fate really loves to toy with people…
Who would have thought that the man the world remembered as a fallen hero would end up becoming the greatest mastermind lurking behind the shadows?
As her lips curved into a faint smile, memories surfaced on their own—her very first encounter with Obito Uchiha.
--
"You don't just swing a sword like that, little girl~"
Back then, when she was training relentlessly, desperate to take even a single step further, a casually dressed man had appeared beside her, smiling with open interest.
At the time, she had no idea what kind of disaster she had just run into.
"Who are you?!"
"I'm just a nice guy passing through?"
"…."
"Well, don't worry about the details."
"What if I said…"
"I kind of have a crush on you?"
He had said it calmly—without the slightest hint of shame.
"What do you want?"
"Obviously—kidnap you."
--
That shamelessly confident tone…
Even now, she remembered it clearly.
Yugao let out a quiet chuckle.
Looking back, Obito's words back then were genuinely perverted. She hadn't misjudged him in the slightest—even if he occasionally tried to act cool, that nature of his always slipped through.
Just as she was lost in those memories, footsteps approached from behind.
A white-haired man wearing a Konoha flak vest walked over from a distance. He stopped in front of the memorial monument, placed a flower down, and only then noticed Yugao standing nearby.
A hint of surprise flickered in his remaining eye.
"Are you… a ninja from the Snow Hidden Village?"
Kakashi glanced at the forehead protector hanging at Yugao's waist and asked, already knowing the answer.
"That's right. I brought a team to Konoha Village to participate in the Chūnin Exams."
Yugao admitted it openly, her tone calm and unguarded.
"I heard Konoha has a memorial monument, so I came to take a look."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted naturally toward the white-haired shinobi. Almost instantly, she recognized him—Kakashi Hatake, Obito's former teammate.
At the same time, Kakashi was also observing her.
A jōnin from the Snow Hidden Village…
And still so young.
"Did you come here this early," Yugao asked lightly,
"because the name of someone you cherish is engraved on it?"
"…Yeah," Kakashi replied casually.
"A former friend."
"I see."
Yugao gave a polite, shallow bow.
"Then I won't disturb you any longer. Goodbye."
With a calm expression, she turned and walked away.
If she stayed any longer, she was afraid she might actually laugh out loud.
'So this is what Obito feels like… there really is an immense pleasure in playing with people.'
After leaving, the corners of Yugao's lips curved upward ever so slightly.
Interesting.
Behind her, Kakashi glanced once at her retreating figure, then turned his attention back to the memorial monument.
Silently, his eyes settled on a single name.
And he stood there, unmoving.
--
A week later, Konoha's Chūnin Exams officially began.
In front of the Chūnin Exam hall.
"Sakura-chan, you're late!" Naruto complained, his voice unusually soft—far too gentle to suit a guy like him.
"Yeah… sorry," Sakura replied apologetically. Then her eyes shifted to Sasuke, and her expression subtly changed.
Memories surfaced—of the Sasuke she had seen during their last mission… and that day as well.
"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," she said hesitantly.
Sasuke didn't look at her.
"…Yeah," he replied simply, closing his eyes for a brief moment.
So she really couldn't accept seeing that side of me, huh?
Strangely enough, it didn't bother him at all.
If anything, he felt relieved—maybe she'd finally stop buzzing around him.
Inside the hallway, a large crowd had already gathered, all clearly candidates for the Chūnin Exams.
Bang!
A boy in a green jumpsuit was suddenly slammed to the ground.
A girl dressed in pink, her hair tied into two ponytails, rushed forward to help him up.
"Are you really planning to take the Chūnin Exam with skills like that?" one man asked mockingly—the same man who had thrown the green-suited boy aside.
"Maybe it'd be better if you brats quit now," another added with a sneer.
It was obvious—these two were some kind of test for the examinees.
"You're just a bunch of green little runts, after all," the first man continued, his tone openly mocking.
"Please, let us pass," the girl said anxiously as she stepped forward. "My name is Tenten—"
Bang!
A punch answered her words, sending her crashing to the floor.
"Hey, that's too much!" someone in the crowd shouted.
But no one stepped forward.
Even their teammate, Neji, stood to the side, watching coldly without intervening.
The man who had punched Tenten raised an eyebrow.
"What did you say?" he scoffed. "Listen carefully—we're being kind to you."
"The Chūnin Exam is a harsh hurdle," the man beside him added.
"We've seen plenty of people quit being shinobi altogether. Some were even crippled for life—just because they insisted on taking this exam."
"And becoming a chūnin means becoming a leader," the first continued.
"Mission failure. The deaths of subordinates. Those are all responsibilities you'll carry."
"A bunch of brats like you becoming chūnin?"
"Don't make me laugh."
"What's wrong with weeding out those who won't pass anyway?" the two concluded.
Their words were cruel but no one present could easily refute them.
"…You make a compelling speech," a calm voice said.
"But you'll still have to let me pass."
Uchiha Sasuke stepped forward, hands in his pockets. Naruto and Sakura followed behind him, their expressions serious.
"And you should undo this genjutsu barrier immediately," Sasuke continued evenly.
"I have business on the third floor."
The hallway fell silent.
"What's this guy talking about?" someone muttered.
"I don't get it either," another replied.
"Well, well… so you noticed," one of the examiners said, surprise flashing across his face.
"It wasn't hard," Sasuke replied casually.
"Even without paying much attention, it was far too obvious."
He glanced at them calmly.
"And I didn't expect you two to be the ones testing everyone. Interesting."
"…What?"
Both men stiffened.
Did he see through us?
They exchanged looks.
They were none other than Konoha's legendary gatekeepers—Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane.
"What the hell are they talking about?" confusion spread through the crowd.
"Well then…" Izumo said—and suddenly lunged forward, launching a swift kick.
"But just seeing through it won't be enough!"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and raised one hand.
But instead of blocking the kick...
A figure suddenly appeared between them.
A boy in a green jumpsuit.
Rock Lee.
He intercepted the kick flawlessly but in the next instant, his expression changed.
Sasuke had grabbed the arm Lee had extended.
Before Lee could react, his body felt weightless.
Boom!
Sasuke smashed Rock Lee straight into the wall.
The impact cracked stone as Lee collapsed, stunned and confused, unable to process what had just happened.
"Don't interfere in someone else's business," Sasuke said calmly, dusting off his hand,
"if that's all the strength you have."
He had been slightly surprised by Lee's speed but it was still pitifully weak.
Trying to block me? Who was he trying to impress?
Without another glance, Sasuke turned and walked away.
He already knew he'd passed.
The hallway erupted in whispers.
"Who was that guy?"
"He's strong…"
"The green-suited guy was fast—I didn't even see him move!"
"And he got thrown just as fast…"
Excitement washed away the earlier gloom.
"No way… Lee was—!" Tenten stared in disbelief.
"He lost in taijutsu?"
"Sasuke-kun, wait!" Sakura snapped out of her shock and ran after him.
Naruto followed, teeth clenched.
"Damn it… there he goes again," Naruto thought bitterly.
Acting all cool and leaving me behind.
"Why does he get all the praise… I could do that too!" he muttered angrily.
"I'll show them!"
"Sasuke… Uchiha Sasuke?" Neji thought, watching him head toward the third floor.
His eyes sharpened.
It seems… this Chūnin Exam won't be boring after all.
"Damn it… I was careless!" Rock Lee groaned as he stood up, lightly scratched but otherwise fine.
"Let's do it again! Huh? Where did he go?"
"He already left, idiot," Neji said flatly, turning away without another word.
For a moment, Rock Lee stood there in silence.
Then...
His body trembled.
Veins popped at his temples as his fists clenched so hard they shook.
"THAT GUY…!!!"
Lee suddenly threw his head back, eyes blazing.
"To defeat me with trickery… to treat my taijutsu as if it were nothing…!"
His voice echoed through the hallway, burning with unrestrained passion.
"Uchiha Sasuke…!!!"
He slammed a fist into his open palm.
"My youthful flames have been ignited!!!"
Before anyone could react...
Lee exploded forward.
A whoosh of wind tore through the corridor as his green-clad figure shot past Neji in a blur.
"Oi—Lee?!"
Tenten spun around in shock.
"Where are you going?!"
Lee didn't stop. He didn't even slow down.
"I'm going to find him!!!" he shouted back at full volume, sprinting down the hallway with reckless speed.
"That man… that Sasuke…!"
His eyes burned with pure determination.
"I MUST CHALLENGE HIM AGAIN!!!"
In an instant, he vanished around the corner.
Tenten stood there, stunned.
Neji's gaze followed the direction Lee had gone, his expression darker than before.
"…Idiot," he muttered quietly.
High above, on the third floor...
A certain Uchiha had no idea that an unstoppable force of green determination was rapidly closing in on him.
The Chūnin Exams had officially begun to change.
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