Winter fades, spring arrives.
The ninja world also celebrates the New Year, and each Spring Festival symbolizes bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new.
Konoha was immersed in a festive atmosphere, with banners hanging from every corner, rooftop, and eave. But it wasn't just for the New Year—it was also in preparation for the upcoming Chunin Exams.
This time, Konoha's Chunin Exams had gathered participants from four of the five great ninja villages all except Kumogakure(hidden cloud village). It was truly an unprecedented event in the history of the shinobi world!
A testament to Konoha's formidable influence and status, filling every villager with pride.
Right now, the streets were alive with laughter and cheer. Even Naruto, usually the target of scorn, could walk by without anyone glaring at him.
"Seeing them so happy… I really don't want to ruin their mood," Naruto mused, glancing around.
"Whether their mood gets ruined or not isn't up to us," Shikamaru said with a shrug.
"So this is what Yuto meant when he said the lives of ordinary people are entirely at the mercy of those in power," Ino remarked calmly. "The people themselves have no say in the matter."
"War, huh…" Sakura took a deep breath. "Who knows how many innocent lives will be lost when the time comes?"
"Sakura, have you talked to your parents yet?" Ino asked.
"Not yet. I don't even know how to bring it up," Sakura groaned, tugging at her hair in frustration. "I can't just tell them the truth, but they're planning to go watch the exams at the arena!"
It was obvious.
When the Chunin Exams began, Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure would all turn on Konoha—and the first place to get hit would be the arena.
'Going to watch would be a death wish!'
"Don't worry," Ino reassured her with a smile. "We'll just have Yuto rig the ticket draw so your parents don't get seats."
"What about yours?" Sakura shot her a skeptical look. "Did you already tell them everything?"
"Are you kidding? They'd break my legs!" Ino rolled her eyes. "My dad and Shikamaru's dad were both assigned to the security detail, so we can't do anything about it. But it's fine—if they die, Yuto can just turn them into Arrancar."
Sakura stared at her in stunned silence before muttering, "Wow. What a thoughtful daughter, already paving the way for her dad's post-death career."
"I-I was thinking the same thing…" Hinata timidly raised her hand.
"Oh, great, so I'm the weird one here?" Sakura jabbed a finger at herself, her expression twisted in disbelief. "I'm the only one scrambling to keep my parents alive?"
Amid the banter, the group arrived at Yuto's doorstep.
"I'm done! I don't want any more!" Sasuke's irritated voice carried from inside.
"No can do," a gentle yet firm woman's voice replied. "You're finishing this plate!"
"Ugh, what homewrecker is trying to seduce my Sasuke?!" Sakura's blood boiled as she forcefully slid the door open.
Inside, a woman with long, straight black hair was shoving a bowl of oranges into Sasuke's arms while he scowled in disgust.
"Y-You are…?" Sakura's fiery rage instantly fizzled into nervousness as she gulped.
"Oh my, everyone's here already?" The woman in the elegant black dress stood up, her beauty breathtaking. "I'm Uchiha Mikoto—Sasuke's mother."
"S-So it really is her?!" Sakura's eyes widened in horror.
Ino, meanwhile, had a realization—this was one of the female spirits from that day!
"The redhead was Naruto's mom, and this is Sasuke's?!'
'Oh, come on!'
What kind of absurd love rivals was she up against?!
"Wait, Sasuke's mom?!" Naruto gasped. "Does that mean you and my mom are both—"
"Shh!" Mikoto pressed a finger to her lips with a playful smile. "Some things are better left unsaid. Come in and sit down. Yuto's at the ANBU headquarters debriefing, so he'll be back soon. Sasuke, be a good host."
"Hinata…" Ino muttered gravely as Mikoto walked away. "Our 'soft approach' strategy just became obsolete. The enemy's firepower is overwhelming."
"Huh?" Hinata blinked in confusion.
'What strategy? Nobody told me about this!'
"We're switching to full assault!" Ino slammed a fist on the table, eyes blazing with determination. "Tomorrow, we go clothes shopping!"
"Hey, don't drag her into your nonsense!" Shikamaru sighed. "Hinata's from a noble clan—she can't just—"
"Did you guys see the number on Sasuke's mom's wrist?" Sakura cut in.
"No. 2," Neji said grimly. "The top two strongest Arrancar… and they show up like this?!"
*Konoha, ANBU Training Grounds*
Unlike the festive streets, the atmosphere here was tense and solemn.
Still, since it was the New Year, the ANBU members had temporarily shed their masks.
"Captain Yuto, congratulations on your promotion," a violet-haired girl said, admiration in her eyes. "Becoming a captain at just ten years old—you're the first in Konoha's history, right?"
"All thanks to the Hokage's trust," Yuto replied modestly.
"Don't sell yourself short," a dark-eyed boy chimed in. "That 'Dance of the Crescent Moon' you just performed? I doubt even the Second Hokage, its creator, could've done it better."
"Pfft, of course our Yuto's a genius!" A pineapple-haired girl slung an arm over his shoulder, grinning. "Lady Tsunade declared him a medical-nin after just four days of training. Talent like that? So unfair…"
If she had even a fraction of his skill, maybe her own teacher wouldn't have abandoned her.
"Anko… you're not even in ANBU anymore," the violet-haired girl, Yugao, said flatly. "Did you just come here to flirt with our captain?"
"Oho? Someone's jealous~" Anko teased. "What about your precious childhood sweetheart? Eyes on the prize, girl."
"Anko, don't joke like that," Hayate coughed, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Yugao and I are just friends."
"Tch. Spineless," Anko sighed. "Keep this up, and some 'sudden love interest' will swoop in and steal her away. Right, Captain Yuto?"
[Choose.]
[1. Call me the "Homewrecker Captain!"
[2. Hit Yugao with a "Dizzying Touch" right now.]
[3. Ask Anko why she's hiding a tiny spiked club in her bra.]
'A spiked club in her bra?!'
Yuto's gaze shifted to Anko, now filled with newfound respect.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Anko feigned nonchalance, though she suddenly felt exposed.
"Call me the Homewrecker Captain," Yuto declared.
Silence.
[Reward: 20 years' worth of chakra energy.]
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