The clone looked at the main body—who was smiling happily—with a puzzled expression.
He shook his head. He couldn't follow the body's line of thought at all and didn't understand what was so funny.
Didn't I just follow your instructions to help those Konoha Genin gain their favor?
Yuichi's smile slowly faded, her face returning to calm.
"Since that's how it is… then tomorrow, you…"
Hearing Yuichi's words, the clone widened his eyes in disbelief.
"Wait—you're really going to do that?"
"The first move has been played. It'd be a shame not to keep the game going and…"
Yuichi suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
A strange feeling washed over her.
The sensation of being watched.
She abruptly stood up, masking it with a sunny, cheerful smile.
Her hand reached out, resting lightly on the head of the Wood-Style clone.
"Then get ready! Tomorrow's the second exam. Do your best!"
Without another word, Yuichi turned and left, returning to her post—continuing her duty of monitoring Konoha.
The main body hadn't finished her thought, but her sudden change in tone made it obvious something had happened.
Even the clone could sense it.
Watching Yuichi's back as she walked away, the clone's lips curved into a confident smile. He then turned and headed home.
Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage silently observed the two through his crystal ball, shifting the view to follow the Wood-Style clone.
He understood the purpose of the exam, and at the same time chose to help his fellow village Genin.
"…His heart is too kind," Sarutobi muttered.
Yet it was precisely that kindness that reassured him.
But the worry remained.
Yuichi had inherited the Senju bloodline and displayed talent rivaling even the Second Hokage.
It was impossible for him to reveal that kind of ability in the Chūnin Exams.
The Third Hokage sighed silently.
As long as Yuichi aligned himself with a particular clan, Sarutobi could never bring himself to abandon such an exceptional child.
But Yuichi was not born into a clan.
He was a civilian ninja—one who would inevitably lean toward supporting the common folk.
And that was in conflict with Sarutobi's control over Konoha.
For Sarutobi, the power of the clans was the foundation of his rule.
What reassured him about Yuichi, however, was how easily the boy mingled with other Genin of Konoha.
A kind-hearted child like this… is easy to guide.
But therein lay the danger as well. He was close only to the civilian Genin, never the clan-born.
That, Sarutobi knew, could become either Yuichi's strength… or his downfall.
Perhaps even Yuichi himself did not realize it.
The very reason Sarutobi would one day cast him aside was not his defiance—
—but that he was too close to the civilian ninja.
"What will you do now, Lord Hokage?" An Anbu member asked respectfully. "If no Konoha Genin are eliminated, the allied villages may start to harbor resentment toward us."
But on the other hand, eliminating Genin who had already officially passed would harm morale inside the village.
The clans whose children were removed would undoubtedly push back against Sarutobi's rule.
It was a dilemma—whether to preserve the trust of the alliance, or the trust of Konoha's own people.
For the first time, Sarutobi found himself resenting Ibiki.
That Ibiki… why didn't he think to quietly remove a few of the Konoha Genin?
If Ibiki could hear this thought, he would be outraged.
The rules had been set. The Konoha Genin had benefited, yes—but they had not broken any rules. Why should he eliminate them deliberately?
It was a flaw in the exam's design, one the examinees had exploited.
Even Sarutobi himself hesitated to decide.
And that was the dilemma Yuichi's Wood-Style clone had inadvertently created for him.
The will of the people of Konoha—
—or the opinion of the alliance.
Outside the village, Yuichi trained through a Shadow Clone, honing his ninjutsu.
He tilted his head up, gazing at the blazing sun hanging high in the sky.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"It's a tough choice, isn't it, Sarutobi? But I doubt you'll ever choose the side of Konoha's civilians…"
Back in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi stared at the list of those who had passed the exam.
His brush hovered for a moment before he struck out nearly fifty names.
"Tell Ibiki these Genin are to be placed on the elimination list."
"Yes, Lord Hokage!" The Anbu took the scroll and vanished.
"The alliance's opinion… is still too important," Sarutobi murmured with a weary sigh.
If the alliance turned against Konoha, his son Asuma's succession to the Hokage's seat would be thrown into chaos.
That was the last thing Sarutobi wanted. Stability above all.
Even in the best of times, the transition of Hokage brought turmoil. Asuma's prestige was still lacking—if this matter was mishandled, the allies might sever ties with Konoha entirely.
That would deal a devastating blow to both Asuma and the Sarutobi clan.
Once shaken, the great clans of Konoha might even reconsider their allegiance to the Sarutobi family.
That evening, Yuichi completed his final patrol and returned to Konoha.
As he walked through the streets, he noticed something different.
The usual lively noise was gone.
The shops that once overflowed with voices now stood eerily quiet.
Yuichi passed a clothing shop he had often visited.
The owner—an older woman who used to greet every passing ninja warmly—sat in silence.
Her son, a 21-year-old Genin who had entered this year's exam, sat beside her, wordless.
She was usually full of smiles, proud as she spoke of her son, a ninja of Konoha.
But today her face was clouded with grief, her eyes heavy with despair.
Yuichi didn't need to ask. He already understood.
So… you really chose the alliance over your own people, Sarutobi.
Tch. Typical.
Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. Don't you understand that?
No… you understand. You just don't care anymore.
The Sarutobi clan had taken deep root in Konoha, becoming a towering tree. They no longer looked down at the fallen leaves that once nourished them.
With a faint smile, Yuichi lifted his head, staring at the stars gradually piercing through the evening's gray sky.