Inside the Leviathan's cabin.
Sakura was bandaging Naruto's wounds, while Sasuke leaned against the ship's railing nearby, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
"That guy... who was he!"
Sasuke, with his arms wrapped around his knees and his face buried in them, spoke.
"One of the Sannin, Orochimaru. He was also once defeated by your brother," Sakura said, wrapping the last bandage around Naruto.
The usually lively boy now had his deep blue eyes half-closed, their light dim.
The feeling of powerless defeat from being beaten by Orochimaru lingered in the hearts of the two boys.
Adding fuel to the fire was the frustration of being unable to even see Sakura's back.
"Don't be so gloomy. That guy is, after all, a Ninja qualified to compete for the position of Kage."
"With your current strength, you two are outstanding even among Chunin!"
Sakura wore an encouraging smile, ruffling the blond and black hair.
"But what about you, Sakura? You're the same age as us!"
Naruto, lying next to Sasuke, raised his right fist towards the sky.
He had once sworn to become someone recognized by everyone, but when a real crisis came…
He couldn't even protect Sasuke, let alone someone as strong as Sakura.
Hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke also looked up at Sakura, his desire to become stronger reaching its peak at this moment.
"What exactly should I do to become as strong as you?"
Reading the desire in the two boys' hearts with her Observation Haki, Sakura was momentarily at a loss for words.
'What to do? Find a system to bind with? Or follow me to the high seas to fight and kill?'
[Notice: Suitable Devil Fruits can be selected for the two of them.]
'Oh, that's not a bad method. System, you occasionally give pretty good suggestions~' Sakura looked at the line of golden text in her vision, a trace of mockery flashing in her eyes.
[Hmph, Devil Fruits are high-value items. Their cost in achievement points depends on their value.]
[Starting at 200 achievement points, no upper limit!]
'Profiteer! You really are after my achievement points after all!'
[Notice: This System offers fair prices, no deception of young or old!]
"Hmph!"
After using the system's own tactics against it, Sakura withdrew her gaze, coughed, and cleared her throat.
Sasuke and Naruto looked at the girl before them, knowing she had something to announce, and quieted down.
"You two, suppose there is a treasure that can grant you strange abilities…"
"But it will make you weak when you touch seawater. Would you be willing to accept it?"
Sakura sat cross-legged on the Leviathan's deck, her emerald-green eyes fixed intently on the two.
"I accept!" Sasuke agreed without any hesitation, 'Just being affected by seawater? Compared to the myriad side effects of Ninjutsu in the Ninja World, this price was insignificant.
"I accept too!" After thinking it over, Naruto, unwilling to fall behind Sasuke, also nodded in agreement.
"Good, I'll help you select suitable treasures. And remember to keep this a secret for me!" Sakura took the drinks handed over by the Leviathan and distributed them to Sasuke and Naruto.
"I will keep it secret, I swear on the name of Uchiha!" Sasuke took the drink Sakura handed him, looking at her with serious eyes.
As long as he could become stronger, could wash away the shame of the Uchiha Clan, he would spare no effort, even if it meant selling his soul to the devil. And selling it to Sakura seemed... not bad?
"Okay, I'll keep it secret for Sakura too!" Naruto's clear eyes shone with determination as he also reached out to take the drink.
Whether it was Sasuke or Sakura, they were both treasures he had gained in his gloomy life. Wanting to protect his comrades, wanting to protect this hard-won bond… for this, Naruto was equally willing to bet his life.
"Not bad~" Reflected in her eyes was the burning will of the two. Sakura grinned.
"For now, let's focus on passing the exam before us!" Sakura's gaze was gentle as she raised her cup to the two.
Sasuke and Naruto also smiled, similarly raising their cups and clinking with hers. A crisp sound echoed in the cabin.
"Whoo!" *2
…
On the other hand, in the Hokage Building.
"Orochimaru, huh? Of all times..." Hiruzen listened to the Anbu ninja's report, took out his pipe from under the desk, and lit it.
Recently, the pressure from the Chunin Exams had been increasing, and his smoking had doubled.
"Activate the village's barrier to its maximum, double the guard numbers, and send someone to recall Jiraiya to the village!" A series of targeted commands were issued from Hiruzen's mouth. The Anbu kneeling before him nodded and disappeared with a Body Flicker.
Hiruzen stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the scenery he had protected for over twenty years. He never thought that a moment of soft-heartedness over a decade ago would now put the village in danger.
His aged heart gradually turned cold, Hiruzen's killing intent boiling.
No matter what, Orochimaru's actions this time had crossed his bottom line. Even if it was his once most beloved student, if they touched the village he had fought for all his life, he would not hesitate to kill them, showing no more mercy!
"But that way, the security force for the Chunin Exams will be insufficient." In the office shrouded in killing intent, a low voice spoke against the current.
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened, sweeping over his old friend sitting on the sofa: "Did you have a hand in this, Danzo?"
"Hiruzen, you know me. I would never do anything harmful to Konoha!" Leaning on his cane, looking utterly composed, Danzo leaned back on the sofa. His single exposed, dim eye turned towards Hiruzen.
"That's for the best!" Hiruzen withdrew his gaze, still choosing to trust his old comrade.
'But the multinational joint exam couldn't be compromised now. Ninjas were needed to maintain order both inside and outside the examination grounds. With the original Anbu deployed to ensure the village's safety, maintaining order inside the exam grounds could only fall to...'
"Danzo, your position as Root's leader is reinstated effective immediately. The maintenance of order in the examination grounds will be handled by you and Root!" Hiruzen took his pipe, exhaling a puff of smoke, "You know the importance of this exam. There must be absolutely no mistakes."
Danzo, sitting on the sofa, seeing his goal achieved, revealed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He clenched the armrest one finger at a time, stood up leaning on his cane, "Don't worry, Hiruzen. Leave this matter to me."
"But, about those two geniuses from the Yamanaka and Aburame Clans before..." The hint in Danzo's tone was very clear.
'It's hard to get things done for you without some funds!'
Hiruzen, caught in a special period, was manipulated by Danzo and had no choice but to relent, "I can give you the approval, but you are not to place the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on them!" The cunning old Hiruzen naturally wouldn't let Danzo achieve his goal so smoothly, adding a restriction.
"Agreed!" After a moment of silence, Danzo nodded in agreement.
'So what if he couldn't place the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal! With my brainwashing... cough... charismatic personality, merely two geniuses from Ninja Clans would be easily handled!'
"Since you're giving me those two, what about Haruno Sakura, is she also..."
"How about you let me join your Root tomorrow?"
"There's such a good thing?"
"Get out! Now!!!"