Under the command of the fake Kazekage, Sunagakure's invasion force had already assembled.
To ensure the plan's success, Orochimaru also intended to exploit Shukaku, the One-Tail.
He ordered Elite Jōnin Baki to escort Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō—along with the other Suna genin—to Konoha first under the pretext of the Chūnin Exams.
Meanwhile, he followed with the combined forces of Sunagakure and Otogakure.
Thousands of shinobi infiltrated the Land of Fire without causing the slightest ripple.
Upon reaching Konoha's outskirts, Orochimaru handed command of the allied forces to his subordinates.
He himself entered Konoha openly—
In the guise of the Kazekage.
The Scale of the Exams
In addition to Sand and Sound, villages such as Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Takigakure also sent delegations.
Yet in terms of sheer numbers—
Konoha held overwhelming superiority.
Nearly ninety genin from Konoha participated.
All other villages combined did not match that total.
Even Sunagakure—one of the Five Great Nations—had only thirty.
Participation numbers subtly reflected national strength.
It was no wonder Rasa had felt anxious.
A powerful neighbor at one's bedside was never comforting.
Alliances were unreliable.
Uzumaki Clan's Uzushiogakure had once been Konoha's close ally—even bound by marriage ties.
Yet it was annihilated.
In the shinobi world—
Strength alone ensured survival.
A Leisurely Spectator
On Konoha's bustling streets, Uchiha Akihito wandered idly.
The moment he appeared—
He was immediately flanked by Tsunade and Kurenai Yuhi.
"Akihito, little brother," Tsunade grinned, grabbing his arm. "Come shopping with me."
Kurenai objected softly, "He promised to have dinner with me."
"Then we shop first and eat later," Tsunade declared.
Neither consulted him.
Akihito sighed inwardly.
Even a god-tier shinobi could not survive shopping with two women unscathed.
Meanwhile—
The village thrived with visiting dignitaries.
Merchants capitalized on the excitement.
And Akihito's status as Hokage's Advisor meant his finances were… comfortable.
Compared to Danzo's extravagant "shadow emperor" days, however, Akihito was practically frugal.
Youthful Frictions
Elsewhere—
Team 7 strolled the streets.
Naruto trailed Sakura.
Sakura trailed Sasuke.
Sasuke ignored both.
When Naruto accidentally bumped into someone—
He was hoisted by the collar.
Kankurō sneered.
"So this is Konoha's genin? Pathetic."
Naruto bristled.
Sasuke intervened with a precise pebble strike to Kankurō's hand.
"You're too arrogant."
Tension escalated—
Until a cold voice cut through.
"Enough, Kankurō."
Gaara.
The air chilled.
Even his own siblings feared him.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
That one… is dangerous.
The Calm Before the Storm
Akihito inhaled slowly.
If his calculations were correct—
Orochimaru was already inside Konoha.
But this was not his headache.
The one who should be losing sleep was the Third Hokage.
Hiruzen had once spared his beloved student.
Now the consequence approached.
The Hokage's Calculations
At the Hokage Office, jōnin gathered.
Hiruzen asked:
"Which of your students do you recommend for the Chūnin Exams?"
Asuma recommended Team 10.
Kakashi followed with Team 7.
Might Guy nominated Team 9.
One by one, candidates were put forward.
Hiruzen nodded, satisfied.
A strong showing would deter rivals for years.
He only regretted one thing—
He had failed to control his three students:
Orochimaru defected.Jiraiya drifted away.Tsunade aligned with Akihito.
His political net had missed its largest fish.
The Exams Begin
The Chūnin Exams officially commenced.
After a preliminary genjutsu filter—
Only 168 candidates remained.
First Stage: Written Examination
The true purpose?
Information gathering.
Not knowledge.
Genin displayed creativity:
Gaara used sand and floating eyes.Kankurō manipulated his crow puppet.Kiba relied on Akamaru.Shino used insects.Neji activated the Byakugan.Sasuke copied with Sharingan.
Naruto?
He couldn't answer a single question.
And he wasn't good at cheating either.
He handed in a blank paper.
But in the final psychological test—
He shouted before proctor Ibiki Morino:
"I'll become Hokage someday!"
He passed.
Because courage—not answers—was decisive.
Ultimately—
Only 78 candidates advanced to the second stage.
Konoha still dominated numerically.
On the surface—
Everything unfolded exactly as Hiruzen had hoped.
But beneath the calm—
Kabuto lurked.
Gaara simmered.
And somewhere in the shadows—
Orochimaru waited.
Uchiha Akihito's eyes gleamed faintly.
The script had begun.
Now—
How violently would the waters churn?
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