The robbed Naruto squad was on the verge of tears.
They never expected that the scroll they'd just snatched would be taken away before they even had time to warm it in their hands.
And to make matters worse, the ones who robbed them were people they knew. But that wasn't even the worst part—the real issue was how sly Senko Gekkō was.
They hadn't even realized what happened before her Crystal Release struck, binding them completely in an instant. They didn't even have time to react.
"Sasuke, Naruto, what do we do?"
"What do we do? What else can we do? Keep looking for another scroll! Michihito Gekkō! Senko Gekkō! I, Sasuke Uchiha, will remember this!"
Sasuke was practically fuming.
But really, what could they do? They couldn't even move right now.
...
"Hahaha, Minato! Looks like my son and daughter are about to become the first ones to reach the tower."
"Hmph, I'm not entertaining that. Is everything ready over there?"
"Yeah. Hayate's serving as the final examiner. I'll be assisting him from the sidelines."
Kazuyama Gekkō sighed at the mention of his younger brother. How old was he now? Still carrying that sword around every day—he looked like he might collapse any minute. It was honestly beyond words.
"Hayate's seeing someone, right? I remember hearing she was from the ANBU?"
"Yeah, Uzuki Yūgao. A good girl."
Even though Kazuyama had once tried to stop Hayate from following the path of the sword, he never interfered with his personal life.
...
Outside Konoha.
"Muren, you couldn't even take down a few brats?"
"I told you to finish the job quickly, not drag it out!"
Black Zetsu stared toward Konoha from a distance. With his sharp vision, he could already tell the village had gone on full alert.
That made him more than a little dissatisfied with Muren Uchiha.
"How is that my fault?" Muren shot back. "Who would've thought the One-Tail's Jinchūriki would be that strong? I was caught off guard."
"I had to manage the range of my Dōjutsu's control, his jutsu's spread—it's not that simple, you know."
His voice gradually lowered as he spoke.
Truthfully, he had gotten arrogant mid-fight. Even when his opponent went all out, Muren still thought he was only using one percent of his own power. He had gotten too careless, enjoying himself too much.
Still, he wasn't wrong about one thing—he hadn't expected Gaara's strength to exceed his expectations.
"But one thing's certain," he said finally. "That kid, Gaara—despite his age, he can already draw on his tailed beast's power. That surprised me."
"Though if his sensei is that bastard Kazuyama Gekkō, it makes sense."
A Seven-Tails Jinchūriki. A perfect Jinchūriki, hidden all these years.
That bastard excels in everything he does.
When he acts, it's always on another level entirely.
If he seriously trained a Jinchūriki, their power would soar beyond measure.
Gaara was living proof of that.
"So, what now?"
"Now that you've been exposed, Konoha's under full lockdown. I'm guessing they'll deploy a sensory barrier soon."
"Even if you want to get inside, it won't be easy."
Black Zetsu didn't bother arguing. Talking was pointless—they needed to plan their next move.
Muren crouched on a hillside, the corners of his lips curling into a sinister grin beneath his mask.
"If a sneak attack doesn't work, we'll just go in head-on."
"We've recovered plenty of Sharingan eyes. We've prepared enough 'soldiers' already. Using a few won't hurt. As long as I'm here, not a single Sharingan will go to waste."
"With White Zetsu and Kabuto around, as long as the Sharingan and Rinnegan remain, creating more 'soldiers' is child's play."
Black Zetsu stayed silent, only nodding slightly.
It was, after all, the most direct approach.
"When do we move?"
Seeing Black Zetsu's implicit approval, Muren chuckled.
"That depends on when you send in the 'soldiers'. Don't tell me you expect me to chauffeur them myself."
"I'll stay here and observe their movements."
Black Zetsu: Are you even listening to yourself right now?!
Muren Uchiha: What? I can't do some recon work now???
...
Death Forest Tower.
The Michihito Gekkō squad was the first to arrive.
Waiting to greet them was none other than their uncle.
"Ahem… I figured you'd be the first ones here, but I didn't expect you'd arrive this quickly."
Hayate Gekkō stood in the center of the hall, smiling faintly at his niece and nephew.
Though, with his sunken cheeks and dark circles, he looked like a stiff breeze could knock him over.
"Yo, Uncle Hayate. You're the examiner this time?"
"Ahem… yeah, yeah. Go get some rest."
Over the next few days, more examinees trickled into the tower.
By the fifth day, a total of twenty-four had arrived.
Once again, they gathered in the central hall—but this time, standing at the center wasn't Hayate Gekkō, but Kazuyama Gekkō himself.
"Tch tch, everyone's here?"
"Twenty-four participants. Not bad, though fewer than I expected. Such a simple exam, and only this many passed."
Kazuyama swept his gaze over the assembled genin, his expression one of mild dissatisfaction.
Most were familiar faces.
And when they saw him, many couldn't help but look shocked.
After all, the name of the "Konoha Twin Stars" was known throughout the entire ninja world. None of them had expected one of them to be the examiner.
Of course, there were exceptions—Michihito Gekkō and Gaara among them.
"Now we'll begin the second half of the second exam of the Chūnin Exams."
"The first half tested your teamwork. This part will test your individual abilities."
"The rules are simple: one-on-one combat. The screen will randomly select your opponents."
"The winners will advance. Alright, Hayate, you take over."
After explaining the rules, Kazuyama turned and walked away, leaving Hayate to preside over the matches.
As for what he was off to do—it was simple. He couldn't shake the feeling that Akatsuki wouldn't give up that easily.
He went straight to find Rasa and Minato.
"Hey, you two. My right eye's been twitching nonstop."
"I've got a bad feeling something's about to happen."
He said it bluntly.
Rasa, who already knew about the attack on his son during the exam, scowled.
"Hmph! They've already dared to strike once—there's no reason for us to hold back!"
"Let's see how they plan to fight. If they want to cause trouble in Konoha, I'll be more than happy to oblige!"
Minato turned his head sharply, staring at him in disbelief.
In his mind, he could only think—
You bastard… how can you say something like that with a straight face?!