Everything unfolded as expected.
Ever since Aizen altered the flow of events, this butterfly had been fluttering quietly in the shadows, never once stirring a storm upon the surface.
If there was any change at all in this additional round of matches, it was that Kankurō and Temari—Aizen's disciples—secured victory with an even more overwhelming dominance than in the original timeline.
Perhaps it was because the win came too easily, or because defeating Tenten brought no real sense of accomplishment. Either way, Temari found herself looking to Aizen with eyes full of longing, hoping for praise after her effortless victory.
Even when she tried to hide it, she couldn't help glancing at him from the corner of her eye, her expression silently asking for recognition.
Aizen noticed, smiled faintly, and reached out to gently rub her head.
Temari's face lit up with a quiet joy.
Kankurō, standing off to the side, muttered under his breath.
"…This is so embarrassing."
He promptly shuffled a step farther away.
The next match was announced:
"Gaara versus Rock Lee!"
"Remember, Gaara," Aizen's voice was calm, but firm. "That technique is forbidden."
"…Understood."
Gaara's indifferent reply was followed by the raising of her right hand, index and middle fingers together. Her body dissolved into sand, drifting gracefully toward the center of the arena before reforming in human shape.
"Ohhh!!!"
Across from her, Rock Lee leapt down from the viewing platform with a spirited shout.
At the signal from Moonlight Gekkō, the match began—an explosive clash that would be remembered as one of the most thrilling battles of this year's Chūnin Exams.
Rock Lee, unlocking the power of the Fifth Gate, pressed Gaara harder than anyone had in years. The sand armor protecting her body began to crack and fall away under his relentless strikes.
Gaara's teeth clenched as she attempted again and again to draw on the chakra sealed within her body.
Behind Aizen's mask, the Sharingan spun to life. For a moment, he nearly forced Gaara's chakra down through sheer ocular power.
Even if she lost, he could not allow her to reveal herself as a Jinchūriki.
Fortunately, Gaara held back. The One-Tail's chakra remained hidden.
Instead, the sand from her gourd poured across the arena floor, grinding the stone tiles into dust to increase her supply.
Finally, when Rock Lee's body gave out under the toll of the Fifth Gate, Gaara struck with a violent Sand Shigure and claimed victory.
The Sharingan in Aizen's eyes faded back to black. Beneath his mask, he murmured, "Restless child…"
"Wow… that was incredible. Even Lee couldn't win," Sakura gasped in awe.
From the viewing platform, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, narrowed his eyes. The Land of Wind… truly formidable.
After observing the three siblings, his suspicions grew clearer. Sunagakure was using this Chūnin Exam to showcase their village's power to the lords and wealthy patrons in attendance.
After all, the prosperity of a hidden village largely depended on the missions funded by these influential figures. Whichever nation they entrusted with high-paying commissions would see its economic strength rise significantly.
The Chūnin Exams, then, were not just for the sake of the genin—they were a contest of prestige, a subtle clash of power between nations.
Once the battles concluded, Gekkō Hayate, his body wracked by fits of coughing, gathered the victors and announced the final lineup. The tournament would resume in one month.
But the pause wasn't for the genin to rest. It was to allow the nobles and merchants time to gather in Konoha and witness the finals.
In that month:
Naruto began his Summoning training under Jiraiya, his father's former teacher.
Sasuke entered intensive training with Kakashi to master Chidori.
And Sunagakure steadily dispatched more shinobi into Konoha, their numbers swelling by the day.
News then spread:
The Kazekage himself would attend the Chūnin Exam finals.
To some, it was surprising. To others, expected.
Meanwhile, reports from Mitarashi Anko and Hatake Kakashi confirmed that Orochimaru had infiltrated the village. His true objective remained unclear, though Uchiha Sasuke was almost certainly one of his targets.
Yet with so many high-profile guests already in Konoha, halting the exams was impossible. Sarutobi Hiruzen instead reinforced surveillance and tightened security around the village.
Three days before the finals.
At dawn, Sarutobi Hiruzen and other senior figures—including Nara Shikaku—waited at Konoha's main gate. That even the Hokage himself was present signified the importance of the guest they were about to receive.
Before long, accompanied by several Sand shinobi escorts, a man in a white robe and shadowed hat appeared.
Unlike Hiruzen's hat, inscribed with the kanji for "Fire", this man's bore the symbol of "Wind".
The Kazekage had arrived.
"Welcome to Konoha, Lord Kazekage."
Hiruzen greeted him warmly.
"You are too polite, Lord Hokage."
The two exchanged handshakes. Yet beneath the civility, the Kazekage's words carried barbs.
Nara Shikaku and the others frowned at the hostility, but Hiruzen only chuckled softly.
"Hahaha… These old bones of mine can still serve for a few more years."
Together, under escort, the two Kage proceeded into the village, heading toward the southeastern district where lodgings had been prepared for Sunagakure.
"Lord Kazekage, you came earlier than expected. Surely it isn't just for the finals?" Hiruzen asked with a faint smile.
"I couldn't wait," Rasa replied. "After all, this year's candidates are… very promising."
Soon, they arrived at the Kazekage's residence—a luxurious estate reserved solely for him.
Compared to the modest business hotel where Aizen and his group resided, this was a five-star sanctuary. A palace fit for one man alone.
Inside, Gaara pressed herself against the window sill, her eyes fixed on the passing figure of her father in the street below.
"Then, I won't disturb your rest, Lord Kazekage. Until tomorrow," Hiruzen said, bowing slightly before leaving with Shikaku and the others.
From a distance, Aizen watched the Third Hokage depart. Beneath his mask, a thin smile curved at his lips.
"Enjoy the show tomorrow, Lord Third."