Their initial victory didn't make Naruto, Sasuke, and the others relax. They knew better. Their fathers had warned them repeatedly—this year's Chuunin Exams featured participants from all five great shinobi Village. Competition would be fierce... and brutal.
Suddenly, Karin's expression tensed.
"Oh no… I sense unfamiliar chakra approaching!"
Several distinct chakra signatures had entered her perception range. Although not overwhelmingly strong, they were clearly not from Konoha.
"Naruto, Sasuke, Boruto—heads up. Enemies incoming. Their chakra isn't high, but don't let that fool you. Chakra levels don't always equal strength."
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance. They understood immediately. The second exam wasn't just about surviving—it was about collecting tokens. And between the three of them, they didn't have enough. Boruto only had one.
"They're here," Naruto muttered.
From a distance, Chōjūrō squinted through the trees. Four figures moved toward them—two blond, one red-haired, and one with jet-black hair. His eyes narrowed when he spotted the Uchiha crest on one of their backs.
"That's not a standard Konoha squad," he said flatly. "Looks like we've found that rumored team."
The Mist ninja beside him hesitated. "Should we just… let this go? We could each go our separate ways."
It was a cautious suggestion, clearly laced with concern.
But Naruto and Sasuke had already drawn their kunai. Their intent was crystal clear.
"Leave your tokens," Naruto said coolly. "We'll pretend we never saw you. You'll still have a shot at finding weaker teams to ambush. Three tokens per person—those are the rules."
Sasuke smirked. "Or are you planning to test your luck?"
Chōjūrō's expression hardened. "So there's nothing to discuss then? Waterbird, forget it. They're not backing down."
With rare decisiveness, he raised his sword. Although he hadn't brought the legendary Hiramekarei this time, even an ordinary ninja blade was deadly in his hands.
"Then let's settle this with action!"
"Uchiha Shuriken Technique!"
Sasuke struck first, unleashing a flurry of shuriken. The three Mist shinobi quickly moved to counter.
"Water Style: Water Wall Technique!"
A torrent of water rose up, forming a solid barrier. Chōjūrō smirked—until one shuriken sliced clean through the wall and grazed his teammate's shoulder.
"Tch... those aren't ordinary throws."
His teammate staggered but wasn't seriously wounded.
"We need cover. Mist Hiding Technique!"
Thick fog billowed out, blanketing the forest in seconds. It was the Mist's specialty—low chakra consumption with maximum battlefield control.
Too bad for them, Naruto was waiting.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A massive gust surged forward, shredding the mist in an instant. With Naruto's monstrous chakra reserves, even a basic technique became overwhelming.
Ever since he was little, controlling chakra came naturally. With the Nine-Tails under the constant gaze of several Mangekyō Sharingan, Kurama had long since given up resisting. These days, the tailed beast served more like a reluctant battery pack.
Kurama sighed internally. Heh. This kid again. Am I just a walking generator now?
The mist vanished.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Sasuke followed up, but as expected, the slow-moving fireball was easily dodged.
"Tch." Sasuke clicked his tongue.
Boruto smirked. "Told ya it was too slow."
Naruto chuckled openly. "I warned you, didn't I? Unless you're sneaking up on someone, the Great Fireball is just a flashy firework."
"Shut it, Naruto."
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Fire Style: Phoenix Claw Red!"
Two more blazing jutsu ignited the battlefield. Naruto added another gust of wind, fueling the flames into a raging inferno.
This time, dodging wasn't so easy.
Only Chōjūrō emerged unscathed. One teammate was badly burned and collapsed, wheezing on the ground. The other was scorched enough to lose half his combat strength.
Naruto lunged toward Chōjūrō, engaging in close quarters. His punches were precise, enhanced by chakra and years of taijutsu training.
Chōjūrō parried with his blade, but defending against Naruto alone was hard enough.
Meanwhile, the remaining Mist shinobi tried to assist—only to fall prey to Sasuke's Genjutsu.
Their eyes glazed over as they collapsed to the ground, trapped in illusions.
Karin and Boruto watched calmly from the side. The battle was practically over.
---
Back in the control room, the entire skirmish was being broadcast. Each village's higher-ups watched intently—this was the perfect chance to observe the next generation of shinobi talent.
"So that's your youngest son, Fugaku?" Tsuchikage Ōnoki asked, narrowing his eyes. "He's impressive. Both the Uchiha and the Hokage's lineage are full of monsters, it seems. That boy's Wind Style and close-combat skills are leagues ahead of his peers."
Ōnoki wouldn't admit it out loud, but envy tugged at his chest. The Uchiha name always brought unease, and now there was another prodigy.
Still, he took some comfort in knowing his granddaughter Kurotsuchi—and even the rogue Deidara—were talented in their own right.
Fugaku gave a modest nod. "He's still rough around the edges. But yes, Naruto has potential... not inferior to the Fourth Hokage."
His tone was humble, but the pride in his voice was unmistakable.
Meanwhile, Mizukage Mei Terumi stood awkwardly to the side, her face darkening with every passing second.
It wasn't Chōjūrō's fault. The Konoha team was just too overwhelming.
The truth was, Kirigakure had long been in decline. Yagura's reign, while under manipulation, had left deep scars. The Bloody Mist era had thinned their numbers and slaughtered their best bloodlines.
The Mizunotsuki, Kaguya, and Hōzuki clans—once pillars of Mist's strength—were shadows of their former selves.
Mei clenched her fists. She could almost feel her toes curling from embarrassment.
"Hmph. Nothing impressive. Those Mist brats were weak," the Raikage barked dismissively, slicing through the room's tension.
His blunt remark halted the conversation, souring Mei's mood further.
Fugaku raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Ōnoki just grunted.
Only the Kazekage remained quiet—watchful and cold. After all, he wasn't the real Kazekage.
Orochimaru, hidden beneath that mask, had no intention of drawing attention to himself… not yet.
Let the others boast. Let them squabble.
For him, the true games were only beginning.
----------------------
After dozens of exchanges, Chōjūrō's defense finally collapsed. His arm hung limp at his side, clearly broken. With one arm rendered useless and no ability to form one-handed seals, resistance was no longer an option.
"We surrender!" Chōjūrō declared through gritted teeth.
It wasn't a decision he made lightly. But if they continued, he and his teammates would be seriously injured—or worse. Though unwilling, he had no choice but to settle for failure in the second round.
Not making it to the finals came as a bitter disappointment. Even Terumi Mei hadn't expected things to end like this. But the other four Kage were already singing praises of their own genin, so she could only pretend nothing had happened.
Even Fugaku, beaming with pride over his son's performance, didn't notice the Kazekage quietly slipping away.
Having secured the tokens, Naruto and Sasuke didn't see a reason to waste energy. They let the remaining Mist ninja leave.
Chōjūrō stared at their retreating backs, clenching his fist. Frustration and regret flashed in his eyes.
"Nice teamwork!" Boruto said with a smirk. "If the rest of the exam is this easy, we'll breeze through it."
"What are you bragging for?" Karin said bluntly. "You didn't even lift a finger. Naruto and Sasuke did all the work while you stood there like a bystander."
Boruto clenched his jaw. He couldn't refute her—Karin had a mean tongue and a meaner punch. He'd learned that the hard way.
"Hmph! A gentleman doesn't fight women."
"Quiet!" Karin suddenly snapped. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Something's wrong. I sense a massive chakra signature approaching from below—fast!"
Everyone froze.
"It's huge… sinister… even more dangerous than Fugaku-sama," she muttered. "Run!"
Sasuke and Naruto reacted immediately. Karin's sensory skills were razor-sharp. If she said they were in danger, they were in real danger.
Before they could move, the ground beneath them erupted. A deafening roar shattered the silence as a massive white serpent burst forth from the earth, sending trees flying and the ground cracking.
"Too late! We can't outrun it! Defend yourselves!" Naruto shouted.
He had the best reflexes among them, but even he knew escape was impossible. If he couldn't get away, neither could the others.
Atop the snake's head stood a pale-skinned man with slit-like eyes and a twisted smile—Orochimaru.
"Well done, children," Orochimaru said with an eerie smile. "You're better than I expected."
"Orochimaru, I hid underground for this?" the massive white snake hissed. "Are you ready to pay the price?"
Its tone and mannerisms were eerily similar to Manda, Orochimaru's infamous summon.
"You'll receive three sacrifices later," Orochimaru replied calmly. "That should suffice."
Naruto didn't wait.
"Wind Style: Wind Cutting Technique!"
A slicing gust of wind shot toward the serpent.
The white snake snorted. "What can a brat's ninjutsu do—?"
Slish!
Naruto's attack tore through the snake's scales, drawing blood.
"Agh! You little—!" Enraged, the snake's tail lashed out, striking Naruto in mid-air. His body vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Shadow clone," Orochimaru mused. "Just like Minato… The Fourth's blood runs strong in him. Or perhaps Fugaku's training is the real secret."
He didn't interfere, content to observe. His purpose wasn't to win—it was to test. He wanted to see how far the next generation could push themselves... and to test his new cursed seal.
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!" Sasuke shouted.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" Naruto followed up.
The coordinated attack amplified the flames, charring the white snake's skin black.
"You wretched brats!" the snake roared. It spewed a thick cloud of purple poison at them.
Naruto, already forming a seal, unleashed another wind blast—blowing the venom right back into the snake's gaping mouth.
The beast gagged violently, choking on its own toxic mist.
Sasuke scowled. "You have a terrible sense of humor."
Naruto grinned. "You can't poison a poisonous snake, Sasuke. That's just science!"
"Focus! My chakra isn't as ridiculous as yours, you know!"
Sasuke was already breathing hard, their earlier fight with Kirigakure draining his stamina.
"We need to finish this before backup arrives—or before we run out of chakra."
"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"
Sasuke's eyes flared crimson. In an instant, he unleashed a powerful illusion on the serpent. The effort took its toll—he collapsed right after, panting on the ground.
"Karin, you're up!"
"Boruto, hit its weak spot!"
Naruto grabbed Karin by the ankle and flung her high into the air toward the snake's head.
"Childish humans! I'll eat you alive!"
The white snake opened its mouth wide and swallowed Karin whole.
"Gotcha," Naruto smirked. "Now."
BOOM!
The detonation tag disguised as Karin exploded inside the snake's mouth. It roared in agony, blood spraying in every direction. Had it not been a resilient creature from Ryūchi Cave, it would've died instantly.
The beast slammed into the ground, writhing in pain, eyes wide with fury and disbelief.
"Excellent," Orochimaru whispered. "Using Genjutsu to mask a transformation, then detonating from the inside. Flawless coordination."
"We're not done yet!" Boruto shouted.
His invisible Rasengan struck the snake's left eye, blasting it apart.
High above, the real Karin descended like a missile. Channeling all her chakra into one punch, she smashed her fist into the snake's other eye.
CRACK!
It was a crude imitation of Tsunade's monstrous strength, but the sheer force was enough to rupture the eye socket.
The white snake shrieked in agony. Its vision gone, its brain likely damaged, it slumped forward—completely still.
"Is it… dead?" Naruto asked, breathing hard.
"It's dead," Karin confirmed, climbing out of the bloodied socket. "Brain matter's gone. It's more dead than dead."
Covered in gore, her crimson eyes gleamed under the sun, making her look more terrifying than the snake itself. Boruto instinctively leapt back.
Note to self: never underestimate Karin. Ever.
Clap clap clap.
Orochimaru slowly applauded, eyes gleaming with interest.
"Incredible. You children managed to kill one of Ryūchi Cave's snakes. At your age, that's truly impressive."
"Your summoning's dead. Don't you care?" Sasuke growled.
Orochimaru gave a nonchalant smile.
"Not really. I didn't summon it to win—I summoned it to observe. And thanks to you, I now know... my curse mark will be far more effective than I'd hoped."
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