Chapter 26: The Konoha Crush Plan Begins
The Hokage's announcement of the test's postponement sent a ripple of relief and anxiety through the assembled genin. As the crowd began to disperse, Kakashi swiftly moved to Sasuke's side, his single visible eye narrowed in concern. With a series of precise hand seals and a low incantation, he placed a temporary but potent suppression seal over the cursed mark on Sasuke's neck. The violent, foreign chakra receded, its malevolent presence fading to a dull, throbbing ache.
"Stay in the hospital for observation, Sasuke," Kakashi instructed, his voice leaving no room for argument. "That mark is dangerous. We need to monitor it."
Sasuke gave a terse, barely perceptible nod, but the rebellious fire in his eyes was unmistakable. The moment Kakashi's back was turned, he had already made his decision. He would not be coddled. He would not be weak. By nightfall, he had slipped out of the hospital and returned to the Uchiha compound, cloaked in silence and shame.
Back in his own room, Ren pondered the day's events. *The preliminary matches must be over. I wonder how it went?* He couldn't bring himself to ask Sasuke, whose dark mood was a palpable force emanating from the room next door. Their dinner was a silent, tense affair, after which both brothers retreated to their rooms without a word.
Ren's sleep was fractured, torn by a low, guttural sound of pain from the adjacent room. It was a raw, strained gasp, the sound of someone trying desperately to stifle their agony. Instantly alert, Ren threw off his covers and padded quietly to Sasuke's door.
"Sasuke? You're making enough noise to wake the dead. What's going on in there?" he asked, pushing the door open while feigning a yawn.
The scene that greeted him made the pretense vanish. Sasuke was on his knees on the tatami mats, his body trembling violently. He clutched at the left side of his neck, his knuckles white with strain. His pajamas were damp with sweat, and his face was contorted in a silent scream of torment.
"Sasuke! What's wrong?" Ren's voice was sharp with genuine alarm as he rushed forward.
"Shut up!" Sasuke's head snapped up, his eyes wild and unfocused, blazing with a pain-fueled rage. "Who told you to come in here? Get out!"
Ren ignored the command, reaching out to help his brother up. "Let me help—"
"Idiot! I said don't touch me!" Sasuke roared. With a surge of adrenaline, he lashed out, his hand snapping forward to grab a fistful of Ren's shirt. Before Ren could react, Sasuke hurled him backward with surprising strength. Ren stumbled out into the hallway just as the door was slammed shut in his face, the lock clicking firmly into place.
Lying on the cool wooden floor, Ren's mind raced. In that brief moment of contact, he had seen it clearly: the black, tri-pronged pattern seared into Sasuke's neck, pulsing with dark energy.
*The Cursed Seal of Heaven,* he realized, his blood running cold. *Orochimaru branded him today. That means the preliminaries are over. The finals are in one month.*
The timeline was locking into place. In that month, Sasuke would train with Kakashi and learn Chidori. Naruto would meet Jiraiya and master the Toad Summoning. And at the end of it all...
*The Konoha Crush Plan. It happens on the same day as the finals. One month. I can't wait.*
A grim smile touched his lips. The waiting was almost over.
***
The next morning, Sasuke was gone before dawn, undoubtedly seeking out Kakashi for the intense training that would consume the next month. Ren continued his own solitary regimen, the image of his brother's suffering a constant motivator. He pushed his body harder, honed the Finger Gun technique, and felt his chakra reserves grow day by day. The system's points ticked upward slowly, a constant reminder of the power just out of reach.
***
One month later, the day of the Chunin Exam Finals arrived. Konoha was electric with energy. The streets were packed with visitors from every corner of the continent. Nobles, merchants, and shinobi from allied and rival villages alike flooded into the village, their eyes eager for the spectacle. The air itself hummed with anticipation.
In the central arena, the atmosphere was tense. Seven of the eight finalists stood ready on the sand-strewn floor. Only one was missing: Uchiha Sasuke.
High in the Kage's booth, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, frowned. "Has there been any sign of Uchiha Sasuke?" he asked the ANBU operative stationed behind him, his voice low.
"None, Hokage-sama. Multiple search teams have found nothing. It is... possible he has fallen into Orochimaru's hands. If that is the case, finding him will be impossible."
"I see," Hiruzen murmured, his aged eyes scanning the crowd. A deep foreboding settled in his gut.
The Fourth Kazekage, flanked by his two stoic guards, chose that moment to arrive. "Lord Kazekage! A rare honor. Please, be seated," Hiruzen said, his diplomatic mask sliding perfectly into place.
"The honor is mine," the Kazekage replied, his voice a dry, rasping thing. "The journey was not long. It is fortunate the exams are held here in Konoha. At your age, Lord Hokage, a long trip might have been... taxing. I trust you have already considered a candidate for the Fifth Hokage?" The subtle barb was delivered with a cold smile.
Hiruzen chuckled, a warm, practiced sound. "Please, don't write me off as an old man just yet. I believe I can serve for another five years. Now, if you'll excuse me, it is time to begin."
He stepped to the front of the balcony, raising his hands to quiet the roaring crowd. "Honored guests! I thank you for coming to Konoha to witness the culmination of our Chunin Exams! The shinobi you see before you represent the brightest hopes of our future. I promise you a display of spectacular skill! Let the matches begin!"
Below, the proctor, Genma Shiranui, explained the rules with a senbon needle clenched between his teeth. "The rules are simple. The fight continues until one combatant is dead, incapacitated, or concedes. However, I will stop the match the instant I determine a winner has been decided. Understood?"
He announced the matchups. The first bout was a stunning upset: Naruto Uzumaki, against all odds, defeated the prodigious Hyuga Neji, tapping into the immense power of the Nine-Tails to break through the Hyuga's flawless defense. The crowd erupted.
The next match, between Kankuro of the Sand and Shino Aburame, ended before it began. Kankuro, his mind on the coming operation, immediately forfeited to conserve his strength.
Then came Shikamaru Nara versus Temari of the Sand. What seemed like a lazy, half-hearted effort from Shikamaru revealed itself to be a masterclass in tactical genius. He manipulated the entire battlefield, herding Temari into a perfect position for his Shadow Possession Jutsu, using a hole Naruto had created in a previous match. Just as victory seemed assured, he shocked everyone by surrendering, citing exhaustion and a distaste for hurting women. His brilliant strategy, however, did not go unnoticed by the judges.
One by one, the matches concluded. The arena was repaired. The sun climbed higher.
And still, Sasuke did not come.
Genma prepared to declare a forfeit. But in a flash of movement and a swirl of leaves, Kakashi appeared on the arena wall, a perfectly cool and collected Sasuke standing beside him. "Sorry we're late," Kakashi said, his eye smiling. "We got lost on the road of life."
The crowd went wild.
What followed was a breathtaking display of speed and power. Sasuke, trained by Kakashi, moved faster than any genin had a right to. He countered Gaara's Absolute Defense with sheer velocity, finally piercing the shell of sand with a screeching, lightning-coated thrust—the Chidori.
The sound of a thousand birds crying out echoed through the stadium, followed by a moment of stunned silence. Then, Gaara's scream of pain and rage shattered the air. The wound on his shoulder wasn't deep, but the psychological blow was immense. His sand trembled, his composure cracked.
And as Gaara began to unravel, a single, white feather drifted down from the sky.
Then another. And another.
The genjutsu, *Temple of Nirvana*, washed over the stadium like a gentle wave. Spectators, genin, and chunin alike slumped in their seats, falling into a deep, enchanted sleep. Within seconds, the roar of the crowd was replaced by an eerie, profound silence. Only a handful of jounin—Kakashi, Might Guy, Kurenai—and a few specially trained individuals remained conscious.
From the Kage's box, one of the Kazekage's guards raised his hand and fired a single, red flare into the sky.
It was the signal.
The Konoha Crush Plan had begun.
On the stadium roof, the scene unfolded with nightmarish speed. The Fourth Kazekage's form shimmered and melted away, revealing the true figure beneath: Orochimaru, his pale face stretched into a horrifying grin. He held a kunai to Hiruzen's throat.
Simultaneously, four Sound ninja erupted from the shadows at the corners of the roof, slamming their hands onto the wooden beams. "Barrier Method: Four Purple Flame Formation!" they chanted in unison. A shimmering, violet cube of energy erupted around them, sealing the Third Hokage and his former student inside.
ANBU operatives lunged forward to intervene, but the moment they touched the glowing wall, their bodies were instantly incinerated, leaving behind nothing but ash.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't struggle. He looked at the man holding him, his eyes filled with a deep, profound sadness. "I see. The Sand Village has betrayed us."
"Treaties are merely tools to lull an enemy into complacency," Orochimaru hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "This boring game is over. From today, history will be rewritten."
"You would start a war?" Hiruzen's voice was steady, though his heart was breaking. "It is not too late. We can still solve this with words, not force."
Orochimaru leaned close, his breath cold on Hiruzen's ear. "Hehehe~ You've grown soft in your old age... Sarutobi-sensei."
The disguise fell away completely. There was no Kazekage. Only the serpentine eyes of his greatest failure staring back at him.
"Orochimaru..." The name was a whisper on Hiruzen's lips, a sigh of utter defeat and sorrow.
Below, the silence of the stadium was broken by the sounds of explosions, screaming, and the clash of steel as Sound and Sand shinobi poured into the village. The battle for Konoha had begun.