"Kankuro, stop messing around! Did you forget what Aizen-sensei told us?"
Temari scolded sharply.
"Messing around? I wasn't the one! This brat ran into me!"
Kankuro growled, glaring down at Konohamaru, who squirmed in his grip.
"Uuugh~~ Save me, Naruto-nii!" Konohamaru cried desperately.
"You graffiti-faced freak! Let go of Konohamaru!"
Naruto shouted furiously.
"Graffiti-faced freak? You little runt!"
Kankuro's eye twitched as he tightened his hold.
Thunk!
A stone suddenly struck his wrist. But before it could make him loosen his grip, a lash of sand whipped through the air and shattered the rock into dust mid-flight.
In the next moment, two figures appeared.
"Yeah! Sasuke!!!"
Sakura squealed in excitement.
"...Gaara."
Kankuro froze, his voice betraying his fear.
"Kankuro, you're disgracing our village."
Gaara's cold voice cut through the tension.
Sasuke's sharp gaze lingered on Gaara, his eyes narrowing. This guy… I couldn't read through his technique at all just now.
"Are you picking fights with Konoha's candidates?"
Aizen stepped forward with a faint smile.
"Ah! Aizen-sensei!"
Temari stiffened and bowed quickly.
Kankuro turned his head aside, face dripping with cold sweat. He didn't dare meet Aizen's eyes, afraid his earlier actions would be noticed.
"Hey! Who the heck are you people? Are you with these weirdos?!"
Naruto demanded loudly.
"Idiot!"
Sakura smacked him from behind, grinding her teeth. "Can't you tell he's a Jōnin? Stop spouting nonsense!"
Naruto rubbed his head with a wounded look.
"Uchiha Sasuke… the younger brother of Uchiha Itachi."
Aizen spoke casually, yet the words made Sasuke's expression twist in rage.
He continued smoothly, "Four years ago, your brother joined forces with Uchiha Kenya. The damage they caused… even our Kazekage has yet to recover fully. Have you inherited that same formidable power in your eyes?"
"Don't you dare say that name!"
Sasuke shouted, unable to contain his fury.
Naruto and Sakura flinched at the sudden outburst.
"Seeking revenge, are you? But right now… what power do you truly have?"
Aizen chuckled lightly, placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. His calm, steady tone carried a strange weight, as if pressing into Sasuke's heart. "Think about what you can actually do now."
Sasuke's clenched jaw loosened slightly, his rage cooling just enough for composure.
"My student acted out of line just now. As his teacher, I apologize. I look forward to your performance in the Chūnin Exams."
Aizen's gaze swept over Naruto and Sakura before he turned, leading Gaara and the others away.
"Those Sand Shinobi… they're here for the Chūnin Exams too?"
Sakura whispered as she watched them leave.
She turned to Sasuke, wanting to comfort him—hoping to win his favor. But Sasuke didn't even look back, walking away in silence.
"Tch. That guy… he's always like this."
Naruto muttered, hands laced behind his head with a pout.
"It's your fault, Naruto!"
Sakura snapped, shifting all her frustration onto him.
Naruto blinked in confusion, feeling unfairly blamed.
A few days later, the first stage of the Chūnin Exams began—the written test.
It wasn't just Konohagakure and Sunagakure that sent candidates. Hidden Sound, Hidden Rain, Hidden Grass, and several other smaller villages had also gathered, each sending their Genin to compete.
Inside the examination hall—
Naruto suddenly stood up and declared boldly, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I'll become Hokage one day, and I'll never lose to the likes of you!"
The Sand siblings, already seated nearby, stared at him in stunned silence.
"Idiot…"
Temari thought with a sigh.
As Yakushi Kabuto appeared, followed soon by the Sound trio, the tension in the room thickened. The air was heavy with hostility until the examiner finally arrived—Ibiki Morino. His mere presence was enough to silence the crowd.
Meanwhile, on the second floor, the Jōnin instructors had gathered. With their students occupied, they had little to do but talk.
Kakashi leaned back lazily, eye half-closed. "Feels nice having a break from missions for once."
Genma, leaning against the wall with his senbon between his teeth, replied, "Don't get too comfortable. Sand's sending strong candidates this year—Aizen's students, and the Kazekage's children."
Kakashi's lone visible eye sharpened. "Aizen…"
The name carried weight. Since their first meeting four years ago, Aizen had remained an enigma.
"Hm?"
Kurenai, seated near the window, suddenly frowned. "Look outside."
Kakashi, Guy, and Genma followed her gaze.
On the street below stood a man in a pure white mask—Aizen. His presence drew the eyes of all. Four Sand Shinobi approached and bowed respectfully before him.
Without a word, Aizen turned and led them toward the southeast side of the village.
"That one… isn't he Kinaro, head of Sand's intelligence?"
Genma muttered, his brows furrowed. "Feels like Sand has sent more shinobi than usual this year."
Kakashi nodded. "I heard from Lord Hokage that the Kazekage will attend the finals in person. No doubt these are preparations for his arrival."
Genma hummed, unconvinced. Guy, as usual, looked lost in thought, more focused on his own energy than subtle politics.
Kurenai, however, remained quiet, her mind wandering elsewhere. Could Uchiha Kenya be among them…?
She remembered the late-night encounter. Her hand rose to her collar, unconsciously trying to cover the faint mark on her neck. Her cheeks flushed.
Of course, Kakashi and the others had noticed long ago. But they weren't the type to pry—at least, not openly. After all, while many men in Konoha admired Kurenai, these three weren't the kind to gossip.