The next day.
Tsukimi Heshu woke up feeling refreshed, only to see Naruto looking like he'd had the life drained out of him.
Heshu looked at Hanzo. "What happened to him?"
Hanzo, looking equally exhausted, replied, "He spent the entire night chatting with the Nine-Tails."
Heshu: "…"
He walked over and patted Hanzo's shoulder. "You've worked hard."
Hanzo: "…"
This continued for the next two months.
And the one suffering from exhaustion was no longer Naruto, but the Nine-Tails.
The Nine-Tails had never wanted to sleep so badly in its life.
It had begun to dread the arrival of each night. It felt like psychological torture.
It couldn't understand. Just how many questions were crammed inside that kid's head?
The questions started off normal enough. But later on, Naruto actually started asking ridiculous things like whether tailed beasts needed to get married.
The Nine-Tails felt it was utterly unqualified to answer such profound philosophical questions.
Two months passed in this 'deep exchange' between Naruto and the Nine-Tails.
Heshu, meanwhile, received a new assignment.
The Chunin Exams were about to start again.
This time, the exam wasn't just for the Five Great Nations, but for the entire shinobi world.
Thanks to the huge success of Konoha's previous Chunin Exams years ago, a worldwide vote had unanimously decided to hold them in the Leaf Village once more.
Heshu would never turn down an event that boosted the local economy. But this time, the list of participating villages included Amegakure.
Amegakure.
A constant, drizzling rain.
Inside a dark spire, the Deva Path sat at the head of the table. Before him lay the notification for the Chunin Exams.
"Konoha is hosting the Chunin Exams," the Deva Path said, his gaze sweeping the room. "Amegakure will also send participants."
Hanataki smiled. "Isn't this a perfect opportunity?"
All eyes turned to him.
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is still a Genin. He'll likely participate," Hanataki explained. "Even if we can't find a chance to extract the Nine-Tails, we can still gather intelligence on the other villages."
Konan frowned. "Our village's Genin… they aren't strong enough for a mission like that."
Hanataki shook his head, his smile widening. "They don't have to go. We can go."
Konan blinked, confused. "But…"
But Hanataki didn't look anything like a Genin! And if he revealed his true face, his identical resemblance to the Hokage would be impossible to hide.
Hanataki knew exactly what she was thinking. Golden light enveloped his entire body. When it faded, the person standing before them was completely different.
His silver-white hair was now short and pure black. His delicate features had shifted to a more masculine cast. His eyes were dark pools. His height had shrunk to that of a twelve-year-old boy. Not a trace of his previous appearance remained.
"Problem solved," the new Hanataki said with a grin.
The Gauss Ultraman's ability to alter cells and genes worked just fine for changing appearances. This new body was a replica of his look from his previous life.
Konan was startled, but remembering Hanataki's myriad of bizarre abilities, she let her surprise fade.
"Good," the Deva Path nodded. "Hanataki will lead the Amegakure team to Konoha for the exams." Entrusting this to Hanataki put his mind at ease.
"Understood," Hanataki agreed, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
He was really looking forward to the trip to Konoha.
Besides Hanataki, six others from Amegakure were sent to participate: Shigure, Baiu, Shūu, Oburo, Muka, and Kagero.
The Pain regime had replaced Hanzo's, ushering in a new era of development for the village. Pain's status in Amegakure was supreme.
When the Deva Path introduced Hanataki to the six, he concealed Hanataki's true status as a village elder, presenting him instead as his personal disciple.
Once the Deva Path left, the six introduced themselves.
"Shigure." The first wore a bamboo hat and carried two umbrellas on his back. He studied Hanataki with a single cold eye, sizing him up.
"I'm Baiu." Baiu, also hatted and carrying two umbrellas, was a plump, pale figure.
"Shūu," the third said coldly. Same hat, same umbrellas, but he was skeletally thin—a living pole.
Hanataki felt his own handsomeness and striking presence were magnified tenfold in their company. He was quite pleased.
"I'm Oburo." This one looked considerably older. His talent seemed limited. He sported a wild, spiky haircut.
"Muka." Muka wore a rubber bodysuit. A true fashion pioneer.
"Kagero." Kagero was… impressive. He combined the best of his two teammates: a wild, spiky haircut and a rubber bodysuit.
Beyond their unique fashion sense, their hostility toward Hanataki was palpable. In Amegakure, strength was everything. The title of 'Deva Path's disciple' meant nothing if he didn't prove his power. Their first order from the Deva Path had been to follow Hanataki's lead completely during the exams in Konoha. They weren't happy about it.
"You all seem… dissatisfied," Hanataki said. The new body felt wonderfully light and free. His mood was excellent.
The six exchanged glances. Their silence was answer enough.
"Then I'll just have to convince you," Hanataki said warmly.
One minute later.
Their attitudes toward him had done a complete one-eighty.
They'd expected the Deva Path's disciple to be strong. They hadn't expected this level of strength.
And this person was going to take the Chunin Exam with them?
The Six: "…"
They felt the exam was now beneath him.
Amegakure wasn't sending a Jonin-sensei to lead them. Their leader was another 'Genin' taking the test. But none of the six complained.
What was the point? With power like that, who needed a Jonin?
Hanataki was brimming with anticipation for the journey to Konoha.
"It's because you're back in a male body, isn't it?" the System cut in, sharp as a knife.
Hanataki: "…"
No need to say it out loud.
Konoha was bustling once more. The crowds this time dwarfed those of the previous exam.
Heshu had Yamato build numerous temporary lodges on the village outskirts well in advance. The inns and guesthouses inside the walls alone couldn't handle the massive influx.
Yamato's architectural skills had soared. No longer limited to basic three-room layouts, he could now craft intricate new designs and detailed furniture. Heshu was very satisfied.
Naruto and the others were buzzing with excitement over the exams.
All twelve of Konoha's rookie powerhouses were participating.
Heshu had originally thought Neji would dominate this exam. But with Hanataki joining in… he just fell silent.
This year's Chunin Exams were going to be interesting. And using Hanataki's body to give the rookies a little… gentle correction? Perfect.
This time, besides the Five Kage, several Kage from other villages also attended. While some couldn't make it, the number of attending leaders was still impressive. This exam was truly a shinobi world spectacle.
Heshu, accompanied by Itachi, welcomed the arriving Kage.
The Raikage was as energetic as ever.
The Mizukage grew more stunningly beautiful by the day.
The Tsuchikage still loved zipping around on his flight.
The Kazekage maintained his air of silent solemnity.
Itachi handled the reception for the Kage of the smaller nations. Heshu's arrangement made it clear to most who the Sixth Hokage of Konoha would be.
The streets of Konoha teemed with people. Decorations hung everywhere.
Qing, the giant snake, remained coiled around the village's central monument, keeping watch over the crowds. A throng of people gathered at its base, snapping photos.
Killer Bee struck a pose. "Yo! Little Qing's popularity is still sky-high, yeah!"
Gyuki:It is.
Gyuki:I'm not jealous at all.
Killer Bee: "…"
Yeah, right.
Sasuke observed the kunoichi from various villages, his gaze thoughtful.
Among Konoha's girls his age, aside from Sakura, he'd pretty much 'handled' them all using the methods he'd learned from Tsukimi Heshu. Now, he was setting his sights on foreign kunoichi to truly cement his legendary status.
Itachi, while greeting the various Kage, glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye. Sasuke had somehow already struck up a conversation with a kunoichi from Sunagakure.
A vein throbbed uneasily at Itachi's temple.
Why? Ever since that day Sasuke returned from his teacher's house, he'd undergone a massive change. Young girls from the Uchiha clan suddenly started visiting their home frequently, asking Sasuke out.
Itachi sighed inwardly. Some things were slipping beyond his control.
"Welcome to Konoha, representatives of Amegakure."
Itachi greeted the new arrivals with a formal smile. His eyes swept over them. The leader was clearly the boy who looked about Sasuke's age—a Genin. The older ninja followed behind him.
"First time in Konoha," Hanataki said cheerfully. "It lives up to its reputation as one of the Five Great Villages!"
Itachi offered a few modest words and instructed a nearby ninja to escort Hanataki's group to Amegakure's designated lodging area, where participants from all over the world were gathering.
"What's up with those guys? They look kinda weird," Naruto said, standing within the Konoha group and eyeing Hanataki's team. Aside from Hanataki, the Rain ninjas' attire was… unusual.
"They're from Amegakure," Sakura said.
"How'd you know?" Naruto asked.
Sakura: "…"
"Anyone with eyes can tell," Neji remarked dryly, munching on a potato chip. The Amegakure forehead protector was right there on their heads. Everyone except Naruto could see it.
Naruto: "…"
"Where's Sasuke?" Naruto asked, noticing his best friend's absence.
Shikamaru pointed.
Naruto looked.
In the Sunagakure section, Sasuke was seated gracefully beside a blushing kunoichi, chatting smoothly and making her gaze at him with obvious affection.
Naruto: "…"
That's Sasuke for you.
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