The Chūnin Exams began, ushering in a surge of talented ninjas—and hidden threats—into Konoha. The air was electric, charged with both anxiety and ambition. Team 7—Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—stood before the Academy, accompanied discreetly by Akari and Kaien. Despite the tension, Kaien remained his usual joyful, carefree, friendly, and deeply kind-hearted self. His maturity as a normal teenager allowed him to read the expressions, strengths, and weaknesses of the other participants with clarity, all while maintaining a lighthearted air that surprised those around him. His fiery red hair, glimmering with silver streaks, caught the morning sunlight brilliantly.
The first exam, overseen by the formidable Morino Ibiki, was a written test designed to evaluate stealth and the ability to gather information undetected. The room pulsed with anxiety, the tension of "pass or be eliminated" hanging heavy in the air.
Kaien, not officially registered, sat at the back, merely "observing." His Eyes of Infinity didn't read the questions directly; instead, he sensed the intent behind them. He perceived Ibiki's thought patterns, the vulnerabilities in the surveillance setup, and the unspoken fears of the genin.
Naruto—true to form—struggled. He understood none of the questions and felt utterly alone. Sasuke used his evolved Sharingan to copy answers, while Sakura relied on her knowledge. Ino, on the verge of using her clan's mind-control technique to cheat, hesitated.
Kaien, watching discreetly, sent a direct thought—no words, just a wave of gentle energy: "Don't cheat like that, Ino. You're stronger than that. Use your mind. Observe." Startled, Ino met Kaien's gaze, then composed herself. She realized she could glean information through observation, not trickery, and redirected her efforts accordingly.
When Ibiki announced that the tenth question was the eliminator—failure meant instant disqualification—the tension peaked. Naruto, desperate but unwavering, pounded his fist and loudly declared he would never abandon his dream. Kaien smiled: he had sensed Ibiki's real goal—to test courage and resolve. Naruto had passed not by intellect, but by sheer spirit.
"They all passed," Kaien later confided to Mom and Tsunade. "The test wasn't about knowledge. It was about who wouldn't quit. Naruto was the best at that."
The next phase, overseen by the fierce Anko Mitarashi, took place in the Forest of Death. The objective: survive five days, collect two scrolls—Heaven and Earth—and avoid being killed.
Upon entering the forest, Kaien's Eyes of Infinity detected the heavy, malevolent presence of Orochimaru. His departed-Sannin aura was like ink staining the purity of natural energy. Kaien's eyes swirled as he identified subtle manipulations of serpentine chakra, hidden traps laid by Orochimaru, and the sinister intent to target Sasuke.
"Mom, Orochimaru is here," Kaien told Akari, voice somber and stripped of its usual innocence. "He wants Sasuke—and he'll want to break me too."
Akari shivered; the threat was real and present.
Team 7 soon encountered Orochimaru, disguised as a Genin. He launched a powerful Katon at Naruto, but Ryūjin, Naruto's dragon, appeared in a gust of wind to shield his master. The impact was immense, but Ryūjin managed to partially deflect the blow.
Orochimaru, intrigued by this strange summon, turned to Sasuke. He sensed Sasuke's pure chakra and the power of his evolved Sharingan, recognizing immense potential.
As Orochimaru prepared to seal Sasuke with his cursed mark, Kaien stepped in—not with movement, but with his Eyes of Infinity fixed upon him. A surge of primordial energy, invisible yet overwhelmingly pure, washed over Orochimaru. It wasn't a physical blow, but a psychic intervention that assaulted his corrupted essence. Orochimaru screamed—not hurt, but repelled, as if his soul was twisted under pure light. The cursed seal, moments from completion, flickered and bent.
"You don't have the right to break Sasuke," Kaien said, voice soft yet absolute. "You are sad and broken inside. You must not break others."
For the first time in his life, Orochimaru was terrified. It wasn't chakra that threatened him—but pure existential force, transcending ninja techniques. He saw the red-haired child with galaxy-bright eyes and realized the magnitude of what he faced. Orochimaru aborted his plan; the curse mark he'd begun to apply on Sasuke stalled, leaving only an inert, duplicative pattern. Fleeing, he muttered, "Interesting… very interesting…" before disappearing.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, though confused by Orochimaru's sudden retreat, felt the protective aura radiating from Kaien. They hadn't seen the exchange, but they sensed the overwhelming force that drove their enemy away.
"What did you do, Kaien?" Naruto asked.
Kaien shrugged, innocent as ever. "I told him not to be mean. He didn't like it."
Later in the trial, they came across Team 10—Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji—struggling against Orochimaru's Sound Village assassins. Ino, exhausted, summoned Amaterasu, her golden phoenix. Its life aura repelled the attackers and began healing Shikamaru and Chōji.
Kaien saw that the Sound ninja's sonic technique could disrupt chakra and perception—something even Amaterasu couldn't fully heal. Discreetly, he unleashed a cosmic resonance wave, inaudible and invisible to the Sound clan. It momentarily impaired their technique, slowing and blurring their attacks.
With the opportunity, Team 10 turned the tide. Bolstered by Amaterasu's light, they subdued their opponents and claimed a scroll. Afterward, Kaien approached, eyes shining: "You were amazing, Ino! You're so strong and brave."
Ino smiled. She sensed Kaien's intervention, though she didn't fully understand it. Their bond—shaped by friendship and her growing affection—grew stronger by the trial.
Having secured their scrolls, Team 7 and Kaien spent the remainder of the five days training and resting in the forest. Kakashi was astonished by their growth—and Kaien's unseen influence. He'd felt the disruptions against Orochimaru and knew an unknown source had protected them. He could no longer dismiss Kaien as just a "traumatized child."
Kaien's Eyes of Infinity continued perceiving alternate realities—parallel universes branching out around their own. He glimpsed different versions of Naruto, Sasuke, and of Konoha itself. While this power sat unused for now, he kept it ready for necessity.
The Chūnin Exams marched on, and Orochimaru's threat was far from extinguished. But Team 7—guarded by Kaien, their silent guardian and advisor—felt stronger than ever. His bonds, blessings, and counsel would reshape the shinobi world in unforeseen ways. The grand game had begun, and Kaien—the Heir of Infinity—was the hidden key no one had seen coming.