After leaving the office, Anko found a secluded corner and contacted Naruto.
"…Understood. I'll be careful not to let the Nine-Tails' chakra affect me."
On the other end, Naruto slipped into a restroom, had a brief private conversation with the little snake, then returned it to his pocket.
This situation wasn't a burden for him at all—in fact, it was a pleasant surprise.
Hiruzen wants to take me as his disciple. That's like handing me a pillow right when I'm about to fall asleep, he thought with quiet delight.
Up until now, Naruto had been troubled by the lack of avenues to learn new jutsu. Training under Kakashi wasn't realistic—Kakashi still needed to teach Sasuke Chidori, and their chakra natures didn't align anyway.
As for seeking out Jiraiya? According to canon, Jiraiya would first have him sign a blood contract and learn summoning techniques. That wasn't bad—but it didn't meet Naruto's current needs. What he desperately required was greater mobility.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, was different.
As one of the ninja world's most renowned masters of ninjutsu, Hiruzen even gave Naruto the right to choose what he wanted to learn.
A sudden idea flashed through Naruto's mind.
If he could master that technique during the time before the third exam… he might truly become unstoppable.
There was no doubt that taking Naruto as a disciple also carried enormous political significance.
"But we won't be able to rely on the Nine-Tails' chakra in the coming battles. Speed-running won't work—we'll need another approach."
With that thought, Naruto returned to Sakura and Sasuke.
…
Inside the massive training arena.
The genin who had passed the second exam gathered in the center. Before them stood jōnin from various villages, Konoha's elite shinobi, and high-ranking officials. Wearing the Hokage's robes, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood at the center and addressed the crowd.
First, he congratulated them on surviving the brutal second round…
As usual, he explained the significance of the Chūnin Exams, emphasized their cruelty, and encouraged everyone to give it their all.
Naruto scanned the crowd, counting how many had made it through.
"Six teams, eighteen people each…" he calculated. The Konoha Twelve, the Sand siblings, those three, and Kabuto—meaning aside from the three Sound ninja who were wiped out, everyone else passed.
Only one group fewer than in the original timeline.
What he didn't notice was that many eyes were already fixed on him.
Neji never took his gaze off Naruto. He carefully observed Team Seven and realized that all of them—including Naruto—looked remarkably energetic, in stark contrast to the battered, exhausted expressions around them.
What a terrifying opponent…
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio wore complicated expressions. They had personally witnessed Naruto strike Jin with a Rasengan, and Sakura's performance had left a deep impression as well.
Kabuto's eyes shifted back and forth between Naruto and Sasuke—but compared to Sasuke, Naruto clearly interested him more.
The so-called "Konoha F4," especially Danzō, also noticed Naruto's calm expression. When they looked his way, Naruto happened to meet their gaze.
He smiled—and gave a polite nod.
Is that a provocation… you damned Nine-Tails brat?Danzō narrowed his eyes slightly, hiding his emotions.
Only Tenten and Hinata were staring at Naruto with sparkling eyes.
"Now then—cough, cough—let me explain the format of the Chūnin Exam," came a weak voice.
Gekkō Hayate stepped forward, coughing violently, prompting frowns from the crowd. He then began explaining the rules of the preliminary matches.
"…The preliminaries will be conducted in one-on-one battles. After hearing the explanation, anyone who wishes to withdraw or feels physically unwell, please raise your hand."
Hayate scanned the room with his pale face. As expected, Yakushi Kabuto raised his hand to withdraw.
No one seemed surprised.
"If there are no other withdrawals… that leaves seventeen participants. According to the drawing rules, one person will receive a bye and advance directly to the finals."
The arena instantly erupted into noise.
"What?!""Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?""Someone just gets a free pass?""That's not fair!"
Everyone spoke at once, making it nearly impossible for Hayate—whose voice was already weak—to regain control.
"Interesting," Naruto murmured.
In the original version, there were seven teams of twenty-one. After Kabuto withdrew, exactly twenty remained—there was no bye at all.
Hayate coughed a few times and said weakly, "Ahem… everyone—"
"Silence!"
A cold, commanding voice suddenly rang out from the center of the arena. The crowd fell quiet at once.
The blond youth standing there swept his gaze across the room. There was no anger in his eyes—only a calm, unquestionable authority, like a general reprimanding his ministers.
"It's just a bye. What's there to make a fuss about?"
Naruto's sharp gaze cut through the crowd."Battles between ninja are inherently filled with randomness. A jutsu released one second later, or a ninja tool thrown one second earlier, can completely change the outcome—sometimes even fate itself."
"The Third Hokage just said that the Chūnin Exams are a miniature version of war. Were you not listening?"
"Luck is also a form of strength."
His words were clear, his presence overwhelming. The arena was deathly silent.
Most importantly, he deliberately addressed Hiruzen.
Naruto's Survival Guide for the Workplace:When a superior appreciates you, seize opportunities to demonstrate your value in front of them—and openly show respect.
Since Naruto already knew Hiruzen intended to take him as a disciple, it was only natural to return the favor and help solidify that relationship.
Grandpa Third—learn to distinguish loyalty from betrayal.
As expected, Hiruzen smiled and nodded after hearing Naruto's words, clearly satisfied.
After a moment of silence, Temari muttered from the crowd,"Even so… the person with the bye still has a huge advantage."
Inevitably, not everyone agreed with Naruto.
"Ahem—this student is right. Luck is indeed part of strength," Hayate finally regained control. "Now we'll draw lots to determine who receives the bye."
As he spoke, he winked at Anko. She stepped up to the microphone, and a large screen slowly descended.
"The name of the participant who receives the bye will appear on the screen."
Ding-ding~
A strangely intelligent sound echoed as names rapidly cycled—then stopped.
Naruto suddenly felt uneasy.
[Haruno Sakura]
Well… now you're in trouble, he thought. You just gave a speech, and your teammate gets eliminated directly.
Sakura calmly stepped forward and walked straight to the spectator seats, as if the crowd didn't exist.
"Heh, hey—HEY!"
A man wearing round sunglasses and a black face mask beside her immediately exploded in anger, pointing at Naruto.
"This wasn't rigged, was it?! Your teammate just happens to get a bye?!"
Naruto was speechless.
How about letting her fight you instead?Can you survive her iron fists?Do you understand Konoha's humanitarian values?!
Naruto squinted at him and asked,"What's your name?"
"Huh?" The man clearly hadn't expected the question. "Akado Yoroi. Why?"
"Nothing," Naruto replied calmly, pointing upward at Sakura. "Just asking on her behalf."
Yoroi sneered."Fine, fine. You'd better pray you don't run into me."
He belonged to the same faction as Kabuto—both were Orochimaru's subordinates. At this moment, his anger outweighed his desire to test Sasuke.
Naruto, however, was deep in thought.
With the draw rules changed… will my opponent be different this time?
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All the fanfiction is 30-chapter ahead but this "A Witty Life in the Naruto World" is 30 chapters ahead there