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For ordinary ninjas, villagers, and even Anbu, very few know that Pain's invasion of Konoha is actually part of the JĹŤnin exam. Therefore, even ordinary Anbu entered the examination field, either as participants or students.
Besides the Anbu under the Third Hokage, there are also root members who remained after Danzo's fall. They all need to be tested. This is a JĹŤnin exam with all of Konoha as the exam room.
Tobirama was slightly relieved. Though some ninjas were inexperienced, the Anbu's execution was decent.
Evacuation of the villagers began promptly.
Namikaze Minato:
Senju Tobirama: Oh? Minato, what are you thinking?
Namikaze Minato: Just feeling emotional.
Namikaze Minato: This scene reminds me of the Nine Tails' attack.
Senju Tobirama: Yes, during that time...
Senju Tobirama: What exactly happened back then?
Tobirama had heard about it from Minato before. He knew of the masked man. And based on the information, Uchiha Madara had long been active, but he likely wasn't the one who caused the Nine Tails incident. It must've been another unnamed Uchiha clan member.
Namikaze Minato: When the Nine Tails appeared, the village was destroyed almost instantly.
Namikaze Minato: We had to evacuate villagers immediately.
Namikaze Minato: The ninjas were mobilized too.
Senju Tobirama: I see.
Senju Tobirama: So the situation now mirrors the past.
Senju Tobirama: But this time, it's different.
Senju Tobirama: Uchiha Madara was a menace.
Senju Tobirama: But this is an exam.
Senju Tobirama: So no need to worry. Kitahara Hitoshi will keep things under control.
Namikaze Minato: Right.
Everyone understood this was an evaluation of each ninja's emergency response ability, including Anbu, ex-root members, and Konoha's clans: Hyuga, Nara, Sarutobi, Shimura, Yamanaka, Aburame, and more.
There were even casualties.
Senju Tobirama: Wait.
Senju Tobirama: Someone died?
Hashirama: Yeah... And Kitahara Hitoshi didn't intervene?
Hashirama: Everyone in the live stream can see it.
Namikaze Minato: I think because this is like the Chūnin exam, death is acknowledged as a risk to become a ninja.
Senju Tobirama: True.
Senju Tobirama: But...
Tobirama reflected. During the Chūnin Exams, other villages participated. So, although life-and-death waivers were signed, the risk was shared across all shinobi villages. But now...
No other village ninjas were involved. Yet every ninja took years of training, funds, and resources.
Hashirama: Tobirama, calm down.
Hashirama: Didn't you test Impure World Reincarnation using Sand Shinobi corpses?
Hashirama: That technique requires ninja remains. Look carefully now.
Hashirama pointed out that Kitahara Hitoshi's Wood Style clone sealed the dead ninja's body into a scroll immediately.
Senju Tobirama: I see.
Senju Tobirama: So even death is part of this.
Senju Tobirama: That means... this exam is real.
Tobirama began contemplating what it truly meant to become a JĹŤnin.
Elsewhere.
Atop a hill behind Konoha's entrance, a masked man with a single Sharingan silently observed.
It was Uchiha Obito.
He had two reasons for being there.
First, Uchiha Madara instructed him to deplete Naruto and Sasuke's power and provoke them into using the Six Paths: Planetary Devastation granted by the Sage of Six Paths.
To Obito, this situation felt surreal. Uchiha Madara had been corrupted, resurrected, and the Sage of Six Paths had appeared. Naruto and Sasuke... had essentially become unbeatable.
In one night, the world had changed. His ambitions, dreams, and desires had been crushed. Based on current power levels, he couldn't defeat anyone.
Obito remembered Naruto vividly. After all, he had once given warmth to the newborn baby. He never imagined the child would grow up to be this powerful.
And now...
Surpass him entirely.
Obito watched Pain's summoned beasts wreak havoc across Konoha. The scene reminded him of the Nine Tails Rebellion. Back then, he had been the one who returned to the village as an invader.
But this time, Madara's mission seemed... confusing.
While staying in Akatsuki, Obito discovered that Pain had received a mission from Konoha. When he saw the details, he was stunned.
It was a 200-million-rank special mission issued by Konoha's next Hokage, Kitahara Hitoshi. The Akatsuki were invited to invade the village to assist in conducting a revised JĹŤnin assessment.
Obito was speechless.
A JĹŤnin exam... that involved a full-scale invasion of Konoha? Deploying Kage-level threats to pressure examinees?
Insane.
Obito had heard that when Deidara and Sasori went to capture the One Tail, they were intercepted by Kitahara Hitoshi. Sasori was captured and later ransomed by Kakuzu for 80 million ryo.
After that, Pain placed Kitahara Hitoshi's name under special attention.
Obito hadn't paid much attention back then. To him, Uchiha Madara's resurrection was the priority.
But now...
Kitahara Hitoshi had the audacity and confidence to invite Pain into Konoha?
Was he stronger than Naruto and Sasuke?
What the hell had Konoha been eating these years?
How could there be so many monsters?
Obito decided to see for himself. He also wanted to find an opportunity to provoke Sasuke and Naruto into using Six Paths: Planetary Devastation.
Furthermore, the mission Pain received from Konoha included another clause:
"Eight Tails will be positioned at Konoha's entrance. Arrange for someone with MangekyĹŤ Sharingan to control it and cause chaos."
MangekyĹŤ? That narrowed it to Obito or Itachi.
But Itachi had gone off to resolve things with Sasuke.
And since Rinnegan-bearing Pain was leading the invasion, Sasuke might return as well.
So Obito made his move.
His task mirrored his past one—control the Eight Tails, just as he once controlled the Nine Tails.
But something felt wrong.
Though Konoha's barrier had fallen and the village was exposed, Obito hesitated at the entrance. It felt as though invisible thorns pierced his feet. As if stepping forward would enter a place beyond comprehension.
By the time he stepped in, Konoha's JĹŤnin assessment had already begun.
Many ordinary ninjas were still confused. They had been told the assessment would happen today, but no content or time had been announced.
And now...
The Akatsuki were attacking the village.
"Captain Nara..."
"This is bad!"
"Konoha's barrier has been destroyed!"
"Thirteen summoned beasts have appeared across the village, causing widespread destruction!"
Two subordinates rushed to inform the Nara household.
According to the intelligence gathered by Anbu, the Akatsuki organization from Rain Shinobi Village was responsible for the attack.
"Their leader, Pain, possesses strength comparable to the Kage level."
"Eight Tails was repelled at the village entrance and is now retreating inside," reported Nara Shikahisa.
Nara Shikahisa, once a think tank under the Third Hokage, became more reserved after the exposure of the Second Hokage and Danzo's fall. Though he never directly wronged Konoha, he could still be regarded as one of its strategists. He now awaited the Second Hokage's command.
As a high-ranking ninja, Shikahisa understood that the effect of Impure World Reincarnation could end at any time. Thus, the village had already decided on the next Hokage. This new Hokage would oversee the first Jonin assessment. All Jonin, including himself, were required to participate.
It made sense—the Third Hokage's leadership had been lackluster. The Second Hokage naturally wanted to evaluate the current strength of Konoha's shinobi. Shikahisa had no objections to the assessment.
"Today is supposed to be the first ninja world evaluation," he mused. "But the Akatsuki launched an invasion."
"The Jonin candidates like us weren't given any details. We were simply told to report under the Hokage Rock at 3 p.m."
"And just by chance, Akatsuki launched an attack on the same day."
"The assessment itself lacked any clear instructions."
Nara Shikahisa was momentarily stunned.
He had a terrible thought.
"Dad?"
When he received the report, Shikahisa had been playing shogi with his son. Shikamaru heard the news too.
"…Report this immediately. Go," said Shikahisa. "Second Hokage and Kitahara-kun must be informed of Akatsuki's invasion."
"They already know," the subordinate replied. "Anbu, the former Root members, and the Hyuga clan have been mobilized for evacuation. All Chunin and Jonin are engaging the enemy to buy time for civilians and children to retreat."
"So, what else is there?" Shikahisa asked.
"Yes. The enemy this time is extremely powerful—on par with the Nine Tails Rebellion," the subordinate added.
"So Second Hokage has considered reviving the First Hokage, but it takes time. Ordinary shinobi must delay the enemy."
"But they are not to overextend. Those without the confidence to fight are allowed to retreat, preserving the village's final spark," he concluded.
"…Understood. We obey."
"Shikamaru," Shikahisa turned to his son. "Help evacuate the villagers. If you have the courage, stay. If not, retreat. I have high expectations for you, so I hope you choose to stay."
"Eh…" Shikamaru was startled.
Was his father crazy?
The Nine Tails incident had nearly annihilated the village. Did his father believe he could help now?
Still, Shikamaru followed his father's orders.
Situations like this were unfolding across Konoha.
Big Pillar Hanhan: Hmm...
Big Zhuzi Hanhan: Seems like Nara Shikahisa has begun the assessment. He used to be known as smart, but now he seems clueless.
Senju Tobirama: Not necessarily.
Senju Tobirama: Oh? What do you mean?
Senju Tobirama: Nara Shikahisa participated in the Third Ninja War and was highly praised.
Senju Tobirama: That's also Minato's impression.
Namikaze Minato: Yes. Shikahisa has long served as a think tank and fought during the Third War.
Namikaze Minato: So I suspect he may sense that this invasion is suspiciously well-timed—perhaps part of the assessment.
Namikaze Minato: But… he likely isn't confident enough to say it definitively. It could just be another major crisis for Konoha.
Senju Tobirama: It's obvious. Only Kitahara Hitoshi could think of hiring Akatsuki to attack the village and turn it into a Jonin test.
Senju Tobirama: And yet, he allowed his son to participate in battle, showing he's unsure if it's truly a test, but doesn't rule it out.
Senju Tobirama: His son, Shikamaru, is smart too.
Senju Tobirama: If he can grow through this, that's excellent.
Senju Tobirama: Nara Shikahisa is worth using.
It was then that Tobirama realized just how effective Kitahara Hitoshi's Jonin assessment system was.
No matter how strong a shinobi might be, excellence on paper doesn't always translate to results.
Only when placed in real, mobile missions can their true strengths—and flaws—be revealed.
Points can be added or deducted.
At the same time, the village leadership gains direct insight into the abilities of its ninja.
It was indeed ingenious.
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