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**Chapter 31: The Chunin Exams Begin**
**Konoha Hidden Village - Chunin Selection Exam Venue Periphery**
The Chunin Exams were finally underway, and the entire Konoha Village buzzed with tension. At the massive entrance to the exam venue, crowds surged with genin from various ninja villages, clad in wildly diverse outfits—some brimming with confidence, others visibly anxious.
"Whoa—! It's starting at last!"
Uzumaki Naruto led the charge, his orange figure standing out vividly in the throng. He pumped his fist, blue eyes blazing with unyielding determination:
"Watch me, Uzumaki Naruto, sweep the whole field! Get ready to get crushed!"
"Loser, save the big talk," Uchiha Sasuke shot back, hands in his pockets, coolly striding alongside. His sharp gaze scanned the competitors, lingering especially on the Sand ninjas:
"Don't get knocked out in the first round."
"Naruto-kun! Sasuke-kun! Do your best!"
Haruno Sakura trailed right behind, her face lit with excitement, though her eyes stuck mostly to Sasuke. She silently psyched herself up too.
Hatake Kakashi ambled along at the rear, still buried in *Icha Icha Paradise*, as if the surrounding hustle meant nothing to him. Only his visible eye occasionally swept the crowd, alert for any dangerous vibes.
In stark contrast to these eager genin charging toward the exam hall stood Rubik, perched alone atop a towering tree. Arms crossed, he leaned against the trunk, overlooking the restless crowd below.
*'Chunin Exams, huh? Finally kicking off!'*
Rubik thought to himself. His current target was the venomous snake lurking beneath this prosperous facade—Orochimaru. The guy was like a ticking time bomb, ready to blow at any moment. He couldn't let that interfere with his plans to investigate Danzo.
Once he confirmed Naruto and the others had entered the venue smoothly, Rubik took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.
"Mind's eye of kagura!"
Silently, a vast and intricate sensory power radiated from him like an invisible tidal wave, surging outward! It blanketed over half of Konoha Village in an instant. In his sensory "vision," countless chakra signatures—strong and weak alike—lit up like stars, mapping out the village's lifeblood.
He deliberately skirted the dense clusters of weaker genin chakra inside the venue, extending his sensory "tendrils" like the most precise radar toward shadowy corners, remote woodlands, and... the direction of the Forest of Death.
He was hunting that cold, slimy chakra signature—reeking of ominous, forbidden menace, like a venomous serpent.
As Rubik focused intently on his search, a team of Konoha ninjas approached on the nearby road below. Leading them was Sarutobi Asuma, cigarette dangling from his lips, exuding mature composure. Trailing him was his Team 10: the lazy Nara Shikamaru, who seemed disinterested in everything; the stocky Akimichi Choji, munching chips with crisp *crunch-crunch* sounds; and the pretty blonde Yamanaka Ino.
Asuma had clearly spotted Rubik up in the tree. He halted, tilting his chin toward the canopy as he introduced him to his students:
"See that kid in the tree? That's Uzumaki Rubik, disciple of Jiraiya. He's got real strength."
Asuma's tone was casual.
"He's your age. You all should pick his brain—might learn something unexpected."
"One of the Sannin's students?" Shikamaru lazily lifted an eyelid, glancing at the vague figure above. "Sounds like a hassle..."
Choji just curiously peeked up before returning to his chips: "Oh."
But when Ino heard "Uzumaki Rubik," her cheeks flushed bright red. She fidgeted, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her gaze darting away.
Rubik, naturally sensing Asuma's team's chakra and their conversation, slowly opened his eyes. When his gaze landed on Ino's flushed cheeks, his own eyes lit up.
"Yo! Asuma-sensei! And Team 10!"
Rubik's voice rang out clear and enthusiastic as he waved. His body blurred, drifting down from the canopy like a falling leaf, landing gracefully before Asuma's team with fluid ease.
Grinning, he fixed his eyes on Ino:
"Miss Yamanaka, we meet again. That bouquet you arranged at the flower shop last time was beautiful."
This made Ino's face redden even more. She mumbled a soft "Thanks."
Rubik then smiled at Shikamaru and Choji:
"Nice to meet you two. You're Asuma-sensei's students, right? Good luck in the Chunin Exams!"
Shikamaru blinked at the sudden enthusiasm, scratching his head:
"Uh... thanks."
Choji paused his chipping, flashing a friendly grin:
"Yeah! I'll do my best!"
Asuma chuckled around his cigarette: "You're in a good mood today, kid? Not joining the fun—what're you doing out here?"
He glanced at the tree crown Rubik had vacated.
"Haha, watching the fun beats joining it," Rubik laughed it off, deftly dodging his real purpose. Then he turned serious, his tone warm but his gaze earnest as it swept over Team 10:
"Anyway, don't let me hold up your exam. The first round's about to start, right? Kick some ass!"
"Thanks!" Ino beamed.
"Oh!" Choji nodded vigorously.
Shikamaru managed a rare serious "Got it."
Asuma nodded at his now-slightly-pumped students, appreciating the boost. "Thanks for that. We'll head out."
"Yeah, good luck—win big!" Rubik waved with a smile.
After seeing Asuma lead Team 10 into the venue crowd, Rubik blurred back to his treetop perch. His gaze sharpened like a hawk's, and his massive mind eye kaguya sensory net unfurled again, methodically combing the noisy village for that dangerous "serpent's" trail.
Soon, Rubik grinned:
"Found you!"
The Chunin Exams' lively curtain had risen, and he—the hunter in the shadows—was gearing up too.
"Yo! Rubik, my boy! Long time no see!"
A booming voice approached from afar, accompanied by a green whirlwind of a figure hurtling toward Rubik's tree at breakneck speed.
It was Konoha's Blue Beast, Might Guy. His signature bowl cut, bushy brows, big eyes, and gleaming green spandex suit sparkled in the sunlight. His face radiated 100% enthusiasm as he flashed a thumbs-up at Rubik atop the tree, teeth gleaming like they were lit from within:
"On this pivotal exam day, standing apart from the clamor, surveying the battlefield of youth with your profound gaze? That cool insight—worthy of Jiraiya's disciple! It fires me up!"
"Guy-sensei!"
Rubik laughed back, amping up his own energy:
"Long time no see! How've you been?"
He blurred down again, landing lightly before Guy.
"Where're your students? Little Lee, Tenten, and the Hyuga kid?"
Mentioning his team made Guy's grin widen. He planted hands on hips, booming proudly:
"Haha! My disciples charged into the exam hall ablaze with the flames of youth! They'll shine brightest in this trial—I believe in them!"
"Already inside, huh..." Rubik nodded, his smile fading slightly as his expression grew serious. He lowered his voice a touch, tone grave:
"Guy-senpai, since they're in there, mind passing a message for me?"
Guy noted the shift, his thick brows rising as he dialed back his flair and listened intently:
"Oh? Speak!"
Rubik met Guy's eyes directly:
"Tell them to be extra careful with that Sand ninja kid carrying the gourd and playing with sand. That Gaara... he's extremely dangerous."
He paused, emphasizing:
"His power's probably beyond standard chunin level."
Guy's smile vanished. As a battle-hardened jonin, he grasped the implications instantly.
His eyes sharpened. He nodded firmly, voice low and steady:
"Understood! Thanks for the heads-up, Rubik! I'll relay this critical intel to Lee, Tenten, and Neji word-for-word!"
He flashed another thumbs-up, but without the theatrics—just pure seriousness and a hint of gravity:
"They'll stay on high alert!"
"Yeah, count on you, Guy-senpai."
Rubik nodded back earnestly. "Hope they all make it through safely."
"Ooh—! Youth means charging into danger head-on! But I won't let them get careless!"
Guy thumped his chest resolutely, reigniting his fire.
"Alright, I'm off to the venue to safeguard my disciples' burning youth! Catch you later, Rubik!"
"Later, Guy-senpai!" Rubik waved with a grin.
Like a green bolt of lightning, Guy vanished toward the exam hall, carrying concern for his students and Rubik's warning.
*