Chapter 48: The Gathering
"And it is worth mentioning," Might Guy declared, striking a proud pose, "my record against Kakashi stands at 50 wins and 49 losses!"
Kamikawa Hiraoka fought back a wave of secondhand embarrassment. Doesn't everyone know what those 'contests' of yours actually are? he thought, recalling the rumors of their competitions in eating, rock-paper-scissors, and even more absurd challenges.
After announcing his "record," Guy promptly left with a dejected-but-determined Rock Lee in tow. His purpose—to scout the members of Kakashi's team—was complete.
Watching them go, Hiraoka turned to his teammates. "Let's get moving."
"Kamikawa Hiraoka! With me, now!" Kakashi's voice called out as he appeared at the doorway, summoning his team.
In a quiet corridor away from the main hall, Kakashi looked at the three genin. "I'll ask you one more time. Are you certain you wish to participate in this Chunin Exam?"
The three exchanged a glance, a unified resolve passing between them.
"We will participate!" they said in unison.
"Alright," Kakashi acknowledged. "You should know that this exam requires a full three-person team to enter. If even one member is missing, the entire team is disqualified."
At his words, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke's expressions shifted slightly, the weight of the rule settling on them. Kamikawa Hiraoka, however, remained characteristically unfazed.
"Fortunately, you've all chosen to participate of your own will," Kakashi said with a slight smile. "In that case, you'd better head to the examination hall. Don't be late."
"Right!" the three nodded.
Creeak.
Uzumaki Naruto pushed open the heavy door to the examination room.
The three of them stepped into a cavernous classroom, bustling with hundreds of genin. Naruto and Sasuke were momentarily taken aback by the sheer number of competitors and the palpable tension in the air. Among the crowd were familiar, unfriendly faces: Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro, all of whom had already clashed with them.
"Hiraoka, you made it!" Shikamaru's voice drawled from the side.
Hiraoka turned to see Shikamaru, and beside him, Yamanaka Ino. He immediately reached out and took Ino's hand. She blushed fiercely, acutely aware of the public display of affection in a room full of rival ninja.
Shikamaru sighed. "What a drag..."
Soon after, Inuzuka Kiba and Akamaru joined their group. Hinata, seeing Hiraoka, also shyly made her way over to his side, her face glowing a familiar shade of crimson as she stared at the floor.
"You must be the youngest genin in this group," a plain, calm voice observed from nearby.
Hiraoka didn't need to look to know who it was: Yakushi Kabuto.
Kabuto approached with a light chuckle. "You might want to keep it down. There are many ninja here from other lands, and they've been waiting a long time. Their tempers are growing... short."
As Kabuto spoke, the Konoha genin glanced around at the other foreign shinobi, noticing the impatient and hostile glares directed their way.
Kabuto then pulled a stack of dozens of rectangular cards from his vest. "Allow me to show you the data on my Ninja Info Cards."
He knelt, placing one card on the floor. "This information was quite difficult to acquire."
"Hey! It's just blank!" Naruto blurted out, confused.
"These cards require my chakra to activate and display the information," Kabuto explained patiently. He channeled a trickle of chakra into the card, and a swirl of white mist resolved into text and images.
He began explaining the data on the card in detail.
It was then that Uchiha Sasuke cut in. "Is there no information on Gaara of Sunagakure?"
Upon hearing the name, Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "We have that one too." He sifted through his stack and pulled out a specific card. A new image formed.
"Gaara of the Sand."
"Missions: 8 C-Rank, 1 B-Rank."
"He has never been injured on a mission. Furthermore... not a single opponent who has engaged him in combat has survived. This is all the intelligence I could gather on a foreign ninja; it was particularly hard to find."
As Kabuto spoke, Uchiha Sasuke listened, a grim understanding dawning on him. He thought of their mission in the Land of Waves, which had escalated to an A-rank due to Momochi Zabuza's interference. But he knew full well that Kakashi and Hiraoka had been the pivotal forces in that battle. He and Naruto had been little more than bystanders, largely powerless.
"Show me Konoha's Rock Lee," Sasuke requested, his voice tight. He needed to know more about the opponent who had so soundly defeated him.
"Rock Lee, right?" Kabuto confirmed, selecting another card.
As Lee's data materialized, Sasuke studied it intently, a complex mix of frustration and determination brewing within him.
"From the intelligence I've gathered," Kabuto advised, "many of the participants here are elite genin from their respective villages. This Chunin Exam is shaping up to be far more challenging than in years past."
Absorbing this, Sasuke fell into a contemplative silence.
Beside him, Uzumaki Naruto, however, was brimming with defiance. He thrust a finger out, sweeping it across the room in a grand, provocative gesture. "Don't you forget it! I, Uzumaki Naruto, will not lose to any of you!"
Kamikawa Hiraoka watched Naruto's outburst with a sense of inevitability. It was simply who he was.
Let them make their noise, Hiraoka thought, his eyes scanning the crowded room. In the end, most of these people are just background characters. Truly, there were very few individuals here that he felt were worth his concern.
##########
STONESSS