Chapter 130 - CHAPTER 130:

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Konoha had been invaded.

Within the protective perimeter of the village, a massive perception barrier—maintained by a specialized sensory unit—stood as its first line of defense. This barrier squad memorized the chakra signatures of every Konoha shinobi, enabling them to differentiate between residents and outsiders with precision. Any foreign chakra that crossed the threshold would normally trigger an immediate alert.

Typically, the system offered only a rough estimation of the intruder's chakra levels. But this time, there was no estimation. The entire barrier had been forcibly destroyed.

An Anbu agent rushed in to deliver a frantic report, struggling to keep pace with the chaos. "The leader of the Akatsuki... he's brought his members... they've invaded the village. The perception barrier has been shattered. And at the same time... a large number of Summoning Beasts have appeared inside Konoha."

In the group chat, confusion quickly took hold.

Big Pillar Hanhan: What—Konoha was... invaded?

Senju Tobirama: Hm.

Namikaze Minato: Are you certain?

Senju Tobirama: Seems accurate.

Namikaze Minato: This must be addressed without delay. A mass Summoning inside the village means casualties and widespread destruction.

Senju Tobirama: Yes.

Big Pillar Hanhan: This doesn't make sense. The Akatsuki stopped after their attempt to capture Shukaku. We even returned Sasori of the Red Sand to them. Why attack again? Didn't they abandon their hunt for Tailed Beasts?

Tobirama's Record: Hashirama, are you an idiot?

Tobirama's Record: In the world of shinobi warfare, there are no true friends—only the language of power.

Senju Tobirama: Shut up, Uchiha Izuna.

Uchiha Shisui: Could someone explain this more clearly? What exactly is the origin of the Akatsuki?

Uchiha Shisui: During the Third Ninja War, Kirigakure and others invaded Konoha, but we detected them early and repelled them with little trouble. This time, the attack wasn't even noticed. It was overwhelming.

Jiraiya the Dragon Returns to the Sea: If this involves Akatsuki and Amegakure, then part of the blame may lie with me. Their leader, Pain, was once my student.

Jiraiya the Dragon Returns to the Sea: Is it Konoha's tradition to turn students into enemies?

Senju Tobirama: Enough.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Our concern should be protecting the villagers and defending the village. Once secured, we locate the Akatsuki's leader—Pain.

Senju Tobirama: Why the panic?

Namikaze Minato: Nidaime, all Akatsuki members are considered Kage-level, and the Summoning Beasts are already in the village. This is no trivial matter.

Minato recalled the Nine Tails incident. It wasn't the beast itself he feared, but the scale of destruction it left in its wake. At that time, the village's Chūnin and Jōnin had suffered heavy casualties.

Kurama said nothing.

Senju Tobirama: Kakashi and Might Guy aren't online.

Big Pillar Hanhan: They're not here right now.

Senju Tobirama: I see... then allow me to speak.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Go on, Tobirama.

Senju Tobirama: Konoha's first official Jōnin Exam has now begun.

Big Pillar Hanhan: We already know that. But isn't this the worst possible time?

Big Pillar Hanhan: Shouldn't dealing with Akatsuki take priority?

Shukaku: Regarding Akatsuki, I've had experience. Deidara blew himself up once—luckily, it happened near the ocean. If he had done it inside Konoha, at least one-sixth of the village would have been leveled. No—perhaps even one-fourth.

Even from afar, Onoki—nicknamed Cowardly as a Mouse—felt the sting of that memory. Deidara had been his apprentice and once considered the next Tsuchikage, but abandoned his legacy to chase the fleeting "art" of explosions. Eventually, he blew himself up in the name of beauty, leaving behind only questions.

But this wasn't the moment for regret.

Onoki: Should I come from Iwagakure?

Despite having returned to his village, Onoki maintained cooperative ties with Konoha and couldn't ignore its crisis.

Fifth Mizukage Terumi Mei: If needed, I can depart from Kirigakure immediately.

Big Pillar Hanhan: We appreciate your support.

Senju Tobirama: Seriously... is no one going to listen?

Senju Tobirama: I said there's no need to rush.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Tobirama, do you even care about the village?

Senju Tobirama: Brother, will you let me finish? As I said, the Jōnin Exam is underway.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Yes, we heard you. But Pain is invading. Most of our ninja can't handle multiple Kage-level enemies.

Senju Tobirama: Let me complete my point. The exam is being led personally by Kitahara-kun.

Big Pillar Hanhan: ...?

Namikaze Minato: Hold on. You don't mean... this invasion is part of the exam?

Senju Tobirama: Exactly.

Big Pillar Hanhan: ???

Jiraiya: ???

Onoki: Huh?

Fifth Mizukage Terumi Mei: You're serious?

Fourth Raikage Ai: So the invasion is staged? Tch.

Senju Tobirama: Shut it, Raikage. But yes, it's true. The invasion is part of the exam. All of you kept interrupting. I've only just pieced it together myself.

Senju Tobirama: I was in the Hokage's office and noticed a letter on Kitahara-kun's desk—a reply from Pain, confirming his arrival and participation in what appeared to be the Konoha collapse plan. That's when it clicked: this Jōnin exam is an assessment.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Now it makes sense. The exam was approaching, but we never received any documentation.

Namikaze Minato: No one could have guessed the content would be a simulated invasion.

One Tail Shukaku: Can you even do that?

Namikaze Minato: That explains why the Uchiha clan cemetery was left untouched. It's a cornerstone of Konoha's legacy.

Senju Tobirama: Precisely. Once I understood his strategy, I couldn't stay calm. Who would've thought? He's insane.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Mmm. Let me calm down too. Is this really how modern exams are structured?

Onoki: I had considered reorganizing Iwagakure's standards based on Konoha's. But Kitahara Hitoshi turned his entire village into a battlefield. That level of confidence... it's outrageous.

Hiring enemies to invade, safeguarding candidates, and protecting the village—all while monitoring every outcome? What if he failed?

Back during the Chūnin exam, Kitahara Hitoshi had already demonstrated Jōnin-level strength. Now, he was using a village-scale disaster as the Jōnin exam itself.

Ohnoki was floored.

Namikaze Minato: And it's already begun.

As Minato spoke, everyone turned toward the screen. Tobirama had gone offline, presumably coordinating the operation now that the invasion was active.

This exam tested adaptability under pressure, evaluating real-time decisions and strength against a live threat. That was the true purpose: to see how shinobi reacted when everything was on the line.

Now Minato also understood why, when the Wooden Golem joined Konoha, Kitahara told her she'd have an important role.

This invasion served a dual purpose—not only testing the village's strength, but also drawing out traitors and determining who would resist. Anyone who revealed themselves... would be dealt with on the spot.

It was a masterstroke—cruel but effective.

If anyone else had attempted this, Tobirama would have condemned them outright. But now... he wasn't so sure.

Under Sarutobi, the village had grown stagnant. Perhaps it was time for something drastic.

Even so, sweat gathered on Tobirama's brow. He admitted silently—he couldn't have done something like this. Only Kitahara Hitoshi could.

The live feed continued. Kitahara Hitoshi officially began the exam.

He had mobilized not only the Anbu but also remnants of the disbanded Root organization, repurposed for evacuation and logistics. The Hyuga clan offered support, forming the framework of the resistance effort.

Akatsuki's forces were intercepted in real-time.

Anbu reported that Pain had first targeted the Eight Tails, which narrowly escaped—confirming that capturing Tailed Beasts was still a top priority.

But the Eight Tails was now part of Konoha, and it would not be surrendered.

Other shinobi had been assigned defensive positions based on their capabilities, and the setup appeared tactically sound.

The chat group members understood instantly—this was no longer a drill.

The Jōnin exam had officially begun.

Chūnin, Jōnin, and Elite Jōnin were all being assessed. Their reactions to Pain's invasion, their combat effectiveness, and their moral choices—everything was being judged.

Ordinary villagers had no idea this was a test. That made their reactions all the more authentic.

Senju Tobirama: Damn it!

Footage now showed a shinobi fleeing in panic. The exam was still streaming live.

Suddenly, the feed split into eight separate panels.

Namikaze Minato: What's happening?

Normally, only a single camera view was active. Now, nine perspectives appeared on screen.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Kitahara must've used Wood Style clones.

Namikaze Minato: That makes sense. This way, they can support multiple locations.

Big Pillar Hanhan: Mmm. That's much more reassuring.

Hashirama had once vowed no one would ever destroy the village. That's why, when Akatsuki attacked, he was the first to object.

But if this was merely an exam—an orchestrated crisis—it was tolerable.

With Kitahara deploying Wood Style clones, the situation could be controlled.

This was his test—to see, decades after the village's founding, whether it had produced any shinobi worthy of its legacy.

He had failed many before. Now, his hopes rested on the new generation and those who carried his ideals forward.

Minato observed the live feeds closely. Naruto and Sasuke were not in the village and likely not part of the exam.

But Kakashi and Might Guy were.

In one panel, Kakashi clashed with one of Pain's Six Paths. In another, Might Guy led civilians to safety. A third showed Cloud shinobi, including the Wooden Golem and Samui, organizing their units. Asuma and his team were locked in combat with Pain's summoned beasts. Kurenai was guiding villagers toward evacuation routes.

The test had begun, and the village itself was the proving ground.

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