The chief examiner, Iruka Umino, continued explaining the rules for the second round.
In the audience, the noise surged once more like a rising tide. Spectators excitedly discussed the matches they had just witnessed—Pakura's merciless instant kill, Minato's astonishing speed, Sasori's refined control, and, above all, the name that no one could stop whispering:
Sawada Hiroki.
Along with that name came an unmistakable chill.
Yet amid the lively clamor, two figures stood up almost simultaneously.
Their movements were calm, deliberate, and utterly out of place.
Roshi of Iwagakure, and Rasa of Sunagakure.
Without exchanging a word, they moved through the crowd in the same direction, passed through a side corridor, and entered a damp public restroom beside the venue. A faint stench of urine lingered in the air.
Because the second-round rules were still being announced, almost no one came this way.
It was the most inconspicuous corner of the entire arena—perfect for a private conversation.
Roshi was the first to step up to a urinal and undo his pants.
Rasa did not move closer. He stopped at the next position, turned slightly, and began his own business in silence.
Neither spoke.
Both were waiting for the other to make the first move.
This was not a casual exchange—it was a struggle for control over the Konoha Crush Plan.
For a brief, deeply awkward moment, the only sound in the restroom was the dull whoosh of liquid striking ceramic.
Rasa's eyelid twitched.
He finished first, shook himself off, and pulled up his pants.
Tch…
This guy was strong.
"Shhh—"
A thin, almost imperceptible layer of golden sand rose silently from the ground, spreading across the restroom entrance like frosted glass. In an instant, the noise from outside was completely cut off.
Only their breathing remained.
"Is that really all the strength Sunagakure's Genin can manage?" Roshi spoke first, his voice low and disdainful. He glanced sideways at Rasa as he finished and pulled up his pants. "You lost two puppets and surrendered after a single exchange with a Konoha brat?"
Rasa lowered his head briefly, then lifted it again, his expression unchanged.
"Compared to that," he replied calmly, "I'm more curious whether your Iwagakure ninja skipped breakfast. Or is your village's willpower really so fragile that they collapse from being looked at?"
Roshi's movements stopped.
The air around him seemed to heat up.
Tch—those idiots Ōnoki picked…
Roshi was furious, but he knew the truth. Iwagakure simply did not possess young monsters like Sunagakure or Konoha.
"Hmph." He snorted heavily and dragged the conversation back on track. "Enough nonsense. When does the plan start? That brat—must die."
He was referring, of course, to the Konoha Crush Plan.
"What did your Kazekage say?" Roshi demanded.
Rasa didn't answer immediately.
He walked to the sink, turned on the faucet, and let the clear, cold water wash over his hands.
For someone from Sunagakure, this alone was a luxury worth savoring.
Even as the Kazekage's personal disciple, there were times he had washed his hands with sand back home.
After a moment, Rasa shook the water from his fingers, studied his reflection in the mirror, and finally spoke.
"The Kazekage-sama's intent," he said, meeting Roshi's gaze through the reflection, "aligns with the Tsuchikage's."
He turned off the tap and slowly faced Roshi directly, his eyes sharp in the dim light.
"Hanzō being captured alive allowed Konoha to turn the Land of Rain into a de facto colony almost overnight. That is unacceptable."
"The Land of Wind needs Rain Country's water resources."
"And I doubt Iwagakure has no interest in that land either."
"Spare me the rhetoric," Roshi sneered, stepping closer. "I want specifics. Time. Place. Method. Where do we strike?"
His grin widened, revealing pale teeth as violent, scorching chakra surged around him. The temperature in the restroom rose sharply, the air warping like molten glass.
Rasa's eyes narrowed. Grains of golden sand lifted into the air around him.
"Are you planning to defect to Konoha?"
Roshi froze. "What?"
"It's simple," Rasa said coldly. "If you want to fight Sunagakure, we can do it right now. But afterward—what will Ōnoki think? Are you prepared to abandon Iwagakure?"
Roshi fell silent.
…To be honest, the thought had crossed his mind.
But he couldn't allow Iwagakure to shoulder that kind of pressure—not for his own sake.
He took a deep breath and forced the lava chakra back.
"Then how do we cooperate?" he asked through clenched teeth. "When do we act?"
"When Sawada Hiroki makes his move against the other Genin," Rasa replied without hesitation. "I will act first. The Kazekage-sama will move simultaneously."
"Just you?" Roshi's eyes filled with doubt. "What makes you think you can trap him? That boy was likely involved in capturing Hanzō alive."
The reports from Rain ninja had described a thin, frail-looking youth.
The boy they'd seen today was nothing like that.
"I have my own methods," Rasa said flatly. "You don't need to know them. When the golden sand rises, that is your signal."
"You create chaos and draw Konoha's attention."
"I eliminate the problem."
Roshi immediately recognized the calculation.
He would be the one facing Konoha's ANBU and Jonin head-on, while Rasa targeted Hiroki in the shadows.
"Ha… ha… HA!" Roshi laughed in anger. "So I'm the bait, and you reap the harvest? Do you take me for those two fools who dropped just from being stared at? You think I can't beat that brat?"
"You may refuse," Rasa said evenly. Iron sand rotated slowly in his palm.
"In that case, once Konoha fully absorbs the Land of Rain, who do you think they'll target next? Iwagakure—or Sunagakure?"
"And don't forget," Rasa added coolly, "Sunagakure is not entirely opposed to negotiation."
At worst, they could pay indemnities with gold sand.
Money bought leverage.
The restroom fell silent again.
Roshi stared at Rasa, rage and reason battling fiercely in his eyes.
If the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold.
"…Fine," he said at last. "I'll do it. But if you hold back—"
A bead of molten lava ignited at his fingertip, distorting the air.
"—I'll turn you and that Konoha brat into ash."
"Likewise," Rasa replied, retracting his sand without flinching.
The alliance was formed—not in trust, but in mutual threat.
Roshi splashed cold water over his face, extinguishing the heat of his anger.
The wall of golden sand dissolved into dust.
One after the other, they exited the restroom, expressionless, as though nothing more than a mundane break had occurred.
—
"The above are the rules for the second round!" Iruka Umino's voice rang out across the arena.
"The second round will be a three-person team free-for-all! Victory is achieved by knocking all opposing members unconscious, or by having more members remaining when time expires!"
"Outstanding performance will be rewarded, regardless of victory!"
"You have ten minutes to prepare!"
The Genin quickly regrouped.
Beside Minato, another Konoha Genin whispered nervously, "Minato-senpai… are we really teaming up with Sawada Hiroki?"
Minato glanced at Hiroki, smiled awkwardly, and nodded. "Just do your best."
Across the field, Pakura gave crisp orders while Sasori listened in silence.
In the corner, Hiroki stood alone, calmly watching Konoha's high command argue in hushed voices.
He knew the real exam was only beginning now.
And his "cleanup" mission—
Had already started.