"I'm really sorry about what happened last time. Our team doesn't mean to hold grudges—it's just that some of us really can't stand those who rely on their bloodline limits and act arrogant."
Katori Sumire's voice was calm, her violet eyes earnest as she bowed lightly toward Uchiha Shigure.
Shigure blinked, caught off guard. He had braced himself for hostility, but instead, what came was a sincere apology.
Still tense at first, Shigure soon relaxed. Deep down, he didn't dislike them; after all, they were comrades from Konoha. A little friction was nothing unusual during the exams.
"Don't worry about it," Shigure said. "There are a lot of familiar faces here… but even more I don't recognize. Looks like the whole Leaf has gathered for the Chunin Selection Exams."
Before he could continue, Sumire leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Just… be careful around the Uchiha."
Shigure tilted his head. "The Uchiha?"
"They're glaring at you." Her expression was serious now. "I can feel the malice from them."
Shigure chuckled, but it carried no joy. "Not just a feeling. There was already a small fight at the gate."
"You misunderstand," she added quickly, her lips tightening as though she was about to say more.
"Sumire, it's our turn!" Yoshida Kappei's shout from across the room interrupted her.
The girl hesitated, swallowing whatever words she almost spoke. "Anyway… just be careful," she whispered again before walking off.
Shigure frowned slightly. Why warn him like that? They weren't close, not even teammates. Yet the sincerity in her voice reminded him of Hyūga Hizashi's warning—that elements within his own clan were scheming against him.
He could feel it now, as he entered the wide waiting hall. Dozens of hostile stares weighed against his back, several belonging without doubt to fellow Uchiha.
"Yes… this exam will not be as simple as it looks."
A loud voice cut through the room: "It's time to show everyone how lively youth can be!"
Heads turned as three familiar figures entered.
"The Ino–Shika–Cho formation…" someone murmured.
Indeed, it was Nara Kazu, Yamanaka Yuki, and Akimichi Dotonoki—the generation's newest trio inheriting the famous alliance of their clans. The three had graduated alongside Shigure, so their arrival instantly brightened the atmosphere.
"Yo! Uchiha Shigure?" Yamanaka Yuki beamed, waving energetically. "I look forward to working with you in the field exam!"
Before Shigure could answer, Akimichi Dotonoki muttered around a mouthful of food. "Yuki, are you even sure we'll make it past the written part?"
"Of course!" Yuki shot back confidently. "We've got Kazu, after all. He's our brain!" She patted the aloof Nara boy's shoulder, who gave a weary shrug as though already tired of life.
Their noisy camaraderie only made it clearer: Shigure was popular. Memories of his dazzling performance during the graduation trial hadn't faded. Eyes around the hall turned toward him with expectation, curiosity—and envy.
Among those watching was a green-jumpsuited figure bouncing with nervous energy.
Might Guy's dark eyes gleamed. He had been at the Academy longer, but unlike Kakashi, he had never reached Chunin. Now, staring at Shigure, he felt it—the burning pulse of youthful rivalry.
He stepped forward with a booming voice. "Your name is Shigure, right?"
Shigure straightened, calm in the face of Guy's blazing spirit. "That's right. And you are Might Guy."
"I can see it—you've got strength! If fate offers us a chance, let's clash during the exams!" Guy clenched his fist with fiery passion.
For Shigure, it was perfect. Guy, the future master of the Eight Gates… earning his trust could open priceless opportunities. His lips curved into a small smile.
"All right," Shigure said firmly. "I'll face you without holding back. I want to know just how strong the youthful Might Guy truly is."
Guy's grin widened like a sunrise. He spun to his teammates, eyes alight. "Genma! Ebisu! I've found us a worthy rival!"
Shiranui Genma, ever the picture of laid-back cool with a senbon between his lips, smirked. "Sounds exciting. My blood's starting to stir already."
Ebisu adjusted his sunglasses nervously. "Wait—an Uchiha prodigy? Guy, are you seriously dragging us into this?"
"Don't worry, Ebisu," Genma said with a quiet confidence. "We'll be fighting all kinds of enemies in this exam. What's one more?"
Ebisu groaned, but didn't argue further.
Watching them from the side, Shigure silently committed each name, face, and team to memory.
"Let's see… besides my group with Kusuo and Akane, there's Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. There's also Nara Kazu's trio, Sumire's team, Guy's squad with Genma and Ebisu…" His eyes darkened as they landed on the familiar Uchiha rivals who had provoked him earlier—Mamoru, Kaku, and Fēng among them. Their hostile glares promised more trouble ahead.
"And then those other outsiders glaring at everyone… there must be nearly a hundred squads. That means five waiting rooms or more. This exam really is on a grand scale."
A tug on his sleeve broke his train of thought. Hyūga Akane, her red hair tied neatly behind her, had been whispering constant encouragement to Kusuo, who looked pale at the sight of all the competition.
"Calm down, Kusuo. You'll do fine," Akane said gently.
But Shigure could see it—the fear in his teammate's eyes. Kusuo had no faith in passing a written test.
"Kusuo, Akane," Shigure said quietly, drawing them close. "Listen carefully. The questions aren't the real trap. Pay attention to the examiner's words. No matter what happens, don't quit. Not even if you can't answer anything. Walk out on your own, and you'll doom the entire team to elimination."
The two nodded, although uncertainty still lingered in Kusuo's face.
Before they could say more, a Chunin official entered, clipboard in hand.
"Uchiha Shigure, Hyūga Akane, Hatake Kusuo—enter the Uguisu examination hall. The test is about to begin."
Shigure exhaled slowly. "Remember what I told you," he said, then led the way inside.
The examination room was set up with long rows of desks. By design, each teammate was seated far apart. Kusuo sat anxiously biting his lip, Akane glanced around uneasily, and Shigure lowered himself into his chair, gaze sharp.
This arrangement… clearly predetermined.
The chief examiner arrived, tall and composed, his ponytail swaying as he stepped to the front.
"I am Nara Shikaku," he announced in a voice that carried effortlessly across the hall. "Your proctor for the first stage of the Chunin Exams."
Murmurs rose, only to fall silent at his next words.
"There are two things you must know before we begin. First: from this moment on, speaking is forbidden. Anyone who utters a single word—no matter who they are—will be sentenced to remain Genin for life. You will never again have the right to attempt promotion."
The weight of his words silenced even the boldest whispers. The room became so quiet that Shigure could hear Kusuo's ragged breathing several rows away.
Shikaku's sharp eyes scanned them one by one, then nodded in approval. "Good. You understand."
"Second, I will now read the exam rules. Listen carefully, and understand them well. For those who fail to grasp what I say… it would be wiser for you to leave now, while you still can."
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