After entrusting Kimimaro to Zabuza, Orochimaru no longer spared him a thought, turning instead to the grand plan involving Konoha.
This plan was crucial—an experiment with the forbidden technique, Edo Tensei.
Since the jutsu had been created in Konoha, Orochimaru found it fitting that Konoha should be the one to witness its true power.
Inside a dimly lit chamber, Orochimaru's pale face looked weary, yet his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"Kabuto, is the Sound Village prepared?" his hoarse voice asked.
"I've already given word. They're eager and awaiting your orders," Kabuto replied, pushing up his glasses, a cunning gleam hidden behind the reflection.
The shinobi of Otogakure were almost fanatically loyal to Orochimaru. His charisma was undeniable—many were willing to throw away their lives for him without hesitation.
"Remind them: there must be no mistakes," Orochimaru ordered coldly.
"There won't be," Kabuto assured with a respectful bow. "I've drilled the orders into them multiple times. Please rest easy, Orochimaru-sama."
"I trust your work," Orochimaru said, lips curving faintly. "What about Sunagakure? Anything unusual?"
"None. Everything is as usual."
Kabuto explained smoothly. The Hidden Sand's pool of elite shinobi was limited, and the village remained firmly under Rasa's control. Because of his frequent trips abroad for trade and village development, few people—his own children included—ever saw him.
This made it all the easier to conceal the truth of his death.
Time passed swiftly.
Soon, the day of the Chūnin Exams drew near.
Thanks to Tsunade and Naruto's intervention, Kimimaro's illness had been temporarily suppressed. But it was only a reprieve—symptoms treated, not the root cause. For now, they could only stabilize his condition and prolong his life, hoping a true cure could be found later.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office…
The Third Hokage sat calmly behind his desk, pipe in hand. His aged features carried a gentle expression, more like a kind grandfather than the leader of a great village. Yet behind that warmth lay unshakable authority. Even in his twilight years, he still carried Konoha's burdens.
He handed a stack of application forms to the assembled jōnin.
Iruka stood among them, listening closely as Hiruzen and the jōnin finalized their decision. His students—all of them—would be nominated to take the Chūnin Exams.
This time, unlike in the original events, Iruka voiced only mild hesitation. Deep down, he knew Naruto and Sasuke were already operating at a chūnin's level.
Even so, he couldn't hide his concern.
"Hokage-sama," Iruka said, frowning, "I don't doubt Naruto and Sasuke's abilities. But the others still seem lacking. Wouldn't it be safer to wait?"
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed. His tone, though calm, was resolute.
"Iruka-sensei, at our age, we were already fighting on the front lines. They're shinobi now. That means carrying the resolve to fight and endure. I believe in my students."
Though Sakura's strength lagged behind, Kakashi knew that being a shinobi wasn't just about battle. Teamwork was what mattered most. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were a unit.
The other jōnin expressed similar confidence in their own students.
Iruka found himself outnumbered. He could only bow his head, worry weighing heavily in his chest. The Chūnin Exams were dangerous. Injuries, even death, were not uncommon. Though every shinobi accepted that risk, Iruka still wished his students could live ordinary, peaceful lives.
The discussion ended, and with a blur of Body Flicker Techniques, the jōnin vanished from the office.
Out in the village, news of the Chūnin Exams was already spreading.
Ino blinked in surprise when she first heard it. Spotting Sakura nearby, she waved energetically.
"Sakura! Over here!"
Sakura looked up, startled by her enthusiasm.
"Ino? What is it? I was just about to head to the hospital."
She spoke hurriedly—her training in medical ninjutsu left her with little free time.
"So busy? Oh, right—have you heard?"
"Heard what?" Sakura asked blankly.
"The Chūnin Exams, of course!" Ino exclaimed. "Don't tell me you don't know yet?"
Sakura tilted her head, clearly confused. Kakashi hadn't mentioned it to Team 7 yet. With Naruto and Sasuke buried in training and Sakura chasing her new studies, none of them had been told.
"What Chūnin Exams?" she asked carefully.
"The joint Chūnin Exams—Konoha and Sunagakure are hosting together! Ninja from other villages will be here too," Ino said, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Really?!"
Sakura's surprise mirrored her words.
Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly composed herself and said,
"It does sound interesting, but I have something to take care of. Let's talk another time!"
With that, she hurried off toward the hospital to continue practicing her Medical Ninjutsu. If she was late, it would displease Miss Suzuko, and she couldn't risk that.
Watching her friend rush off, Ino tilted her head, rubbing her temple with a puzzled expression.
"When did Sakura get so motivated? She feels… completely different now."
If Ino had understood the term, she would have realized Sakura had begun to push herself into overdrive.
As Sakura walked away, she faintly caught Ino's words but dismissed them. The Chunin Exams, she thought, surely had nothing to do with newly graduated genin like her.
What she didn't know was that Kakashi had already registered Team 7. Not just Kakashi—other jonin leaders had done the same for their teams.
At the hospital, Sakura's days quickly filled with grueling study and training.
The fast-paced environment, the strict discipline, and the heavy medical knowledge would have overwhelmed most, but she adapted surprisingly well.
Miss Suzuko only guided her for half an hour each day; the rest was up to Sakura to master on her own. Fortunately, she had always been an academic prodigy. Even in the face of vast and intricate medical theory, she absorbed the knowledge steadily, step by step.
Later that evening, Kakashi appeared before her.
The moment he explained his reason for coming, Sakura froze.
She hadn't expected that what Ino had mentioned earlier would suddenly apply to her as well.
"We're… also taking part in the Chunin Exams?" she whispered, stunned.
The pressure settled on her shoulders immediately. After all, this was not just Konoha's test—genin from other villages would be competing. She couldn't help but feel nervous.
"Do Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun know?" Sakura asked, uncertainty in her voice.
"I've already informed them," Kakashi replied calmly.
"The exams begin tomorrow. Make sure you're prepared."
With a few final words of advice, he disappeared as suddenly as he had come.
That same day, Konoha was already buzzing with new arrivals. Shinobi from smaller nations wandered the streets, their presence a show of support for the joint Chunin Exams hosted by Konoha and Sunagakure.
Among them, Gaara had also arrived. His normally impassive face lit with a fleeting spark of excitement—he would finally see Naruto again. The corners of his mouth tugged upward in the faintest of smiles.
Kankuro, walking beside him, nearly tripped in shock.
"Did I just… see Gaara smile?"
...
TN:
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