In Konoha Village, after leaving the Central Tower, Gekkō Hayate hurried straight toward the Hokage's Office.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Hm?"
The Third Hokage looked up, pipe in hand. "Hayate? What is it?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Hayate said quickly. "It's about the leader of the Snow Hidden Village's genin team."
Without wasting time, he explained everything he had learned about Uzuki Yugao.
"So," the Third Hokage said after listening carefully, a hint of surprise in his eyes, "your childhood friend—who was confirmed dead during the Nine-Tails incident—not only survived… but is now leading a Snow Hidden Village team in this Chūnin Exam?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Hayate nodded firmly.
"..."
The Third Hokage fell silent, tapping his pipe lightly as he thought.
After a moment, he spoke again, his voice calm.
"It seems that during the chaos of the Nine-Tails incident, she was taken away."
He glanced at Hayate and continued:
"Hayate, back then Uzuki Yugao was only a student at the Ninja Academy. She was never officially registered as a Konoha shinobi."
"In other words, even if she later became a ninja of another village, it would be considered emigration—not defection."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Hayate stiffened slightly.
The meaning was clear.
Konoha had no authority to demand Yugao's return.
As long as she posed no threat to the village, Konoha had no grounds to detain her—especially now, when the Land of Snow was no longer a minor nation. Its growing influence meant that even Konoha had to tread carefully in diplomatic matters.
The Third Hokage understood it at a glance.
Hayate still hadn't let go of Yugao.
With a quiet sigh, he thought, Growing up often means accepting things you can't change.
"Hokage-sama, I—"
Hayate hesitated, his fists clenched. He truly wanted to bring Yugao back.
Seeing his expression, the Third Hokage let out a soft sigh.
"Hayate," he said gently, "you may go and speak with her."
"If she wishes to return to Konoha of her own will, then I will personally negotiate with the Snow Hidden Village."
After all, reclaiming a jōnin-level ninja was no small gain.
That wouldn't be a bad outcome at all, he thought.
Hayate's eyes widened in surprise, then shone with joy.
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
--
On the other side of the Forest of Death, things were very different from the Snow Hidden team—who had already cleared the exam ahead of everyone else.
Team Ten was facing a deadly situation.
The Sound Village ninja standing in front of them were no ordinary opponents.
"Damn it…"
Shikamaru muttered under his breath as he crouched deep within the bushes, carefully watching the enemy's movements.
"Even after being this careful…"
Giving up crossed his mind for a moment but he knew better. The hostile team hunting them wouldn't let them escape so easily.
These guys…
They're not normal genin at all, Shikamaru thought grimly.
They had been moving cautiously from the start, keeping a low profile. And yet, the Sound ninja had still managed to track them down with frightening precision.
They were targeting us from the very beginning, he realized instantly.
Tch… complaining won't change anything, Shikamaru thought, exhaling quietly.
It's not like they'll just leave if I whine about it.
In the next instant, he flicked a kunai forward using the brief distraction to shift positions.
His body moved swiftly as he rushed toward Chōji, who had already taken a hit earlier and was breathing heavily.
At least Ino was unharmed for now.
Shikamaru slid in beside Chōji, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Can you still move?" he whispered.
Chōji clenched his teeth and nodded, though his breathing was uneven. "Y-Yeah… but they hit harder than I expected."
"That figures," Shikamaru replied quietly, eyes never leaving the shadows ahead. "They're not holding back at all."
The forest was unnervingly silent.
Shikamaru's gaze narrowed. The wind stirred the leaves, but the presence he felt didn't fade. If anything, it was closing in.
Tch… surrounded already? What a drag, he thought.
He glanced back briefly.
Ino was crouched behind a thick tree trunk, kunai in hand, her expression tense but focused. She met Shikamaru's eyes and gave a small nod—I'm ready.
That was good. At least she hadn't panicked.
"Stay close," Shikamaru whispered to Chōji. "If things go south, don't try to be a hero."
Before Chōji could respond
A sharp crunch echoed through the forest.
Shikamaru's eyes widened.
"Above!"
Too late.
A figure dropped from the branches, slamming into the ground where Shikamaru had been moments earlier. The impact cracked the earth, sending dust and leaves flying.
"Heh… found you."
From the smoke, a Sound ninja straightened up, a twisted grin on his face.
Another presence flared to the left.
Then another.
Shikamaru clicked his tongue softly.
"Just great…" he muttered. "Three of them."
The Sound ninja laughed. "You Leaf brats really thought hiding would save you?"
Shikamaru slowly rose to his feet, shadow stretching faintly beneath him as the sun shifted overhead.
Think, Shikamaru. Think.
If I can just buy a few seconds…
Behind him, Chōji steadied himself. Ino tightened her grip on her kunai.
No one ran.
Because they knew...
If they broke now, they wouldn't get another chance.
--
Swoosh—swish
Three figures moved swiftly through the Forest of Death, leaping from branch to branch at high speed. One of them was clearly in a bad mood.
"Hey—why do we have to follow your plan, Airi?" Kiba grumbled, irritation written all over his face. "Don't forget, I'm the one who usually calls the shots."
Beside him, Shino said nothing. His movements were steady and precise, but his gaze shifted briefly toward Airi, who was leading them ahead, hopping lightly between the trees.
A sudden change in plans hadn't been something he'd anticipated.
"I have a bad feeling…" Airi said quietly as she turned back to look at them, her expression anxious and sincere. "I think Shikamaru might be in danger. Please… help me."
"Tch. And how would you even know that?" Kiba shot back, clearly unconvinced. "You don't have any tracking jutsu, do you?"
He couldn't understand how she could be so sure—whether it was true or not.
"Airi," Shino finally spoke, breaking his silence. His voice was calm, measured. "I don't mind either of you leading the team. But only if it doesn't put us in unnecessary danger. Are you certain about this?"
Even as he said it, he knew how strange it sounded.
"..."
Airi didn't answer right away.
After a brief pause, she turned fully toward them. Then, with a gentle smile, she placed a hand over her chest.
"Please… believe me," she said softly. "As for how I know…"
She hesitated for a moment, then continued, her voice quiet but firm.
"It's just a feeling. That's all."
Her eyes shimmered slightly. "Please, Kiba… Shino… just this once, let me be a little selfish."
The three continued forward in silence, the sound of the forest rushing past them as Airi waited for their answer.
"Hmph."
Kiba clicked his tongue, crossing his arms as he leapt onto another branch. "Fine. Since you asked the great Kiba for help, it can't be helped."
"Woof."
Akamaru, perched atop his head, barked softly in agreement.
Airi let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank you… really, thank you, Kiba-kun."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly—she'd been far more nervous than she let on.
She then turned toward Shino, blinking at him expectantly.
"…Alright," Shino replied simply.
He was a man of few words to begin with.
"Yay!"
Airi smiled brightly. "Thank you, Shino-kun!"
With that, the three of them pressed on, changing direction as Airi pointed ahead, toward the faint, unseen danger waiting for them deeper in the forest.
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