The afternoon sun over Konoha blazed fiercely, its heat pressing down like a heavy curtain over the village.
The air shimmered faintly, and even the breeze carried a dry warmth that clung to the skin.
After finishing a quick meal at a nearby stall, Aoki Yoru and his teammates made their way toward the bulletin board where the results of the first stage of the Chunin Exams had been posted.
A small crowd had already gathered.
Voices overlapped.
Some anxious.
Some excited.
Some filled with quiet dread.
Aoki stepped forward, his gaze scanning the list calmly.
As expected—
All three of them had passed without issue.
There was no surprise there.
What caught his attention, however, was something else.
Every participant from Konoha's major ninja clans had passed.
Not a single one had been eliminated.
But—
Among the outsiders, only three candidates had made it through.
All of them—
From Kumogakure.
Aoki's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…They really cut everyone else out."
He muttered under his breath.
Candidates from smaller nations—
Not a single one had survived the first stage.
The decision was… decisive.
And ruthless.
Around them, the atmosphere began to shift.
Those eliminated candidates from smaller nations gathered together, their expressions dark and dissatisfied.
Some clenched their fists.
Others argued loudly.
"This is unfair!"
"You're targeting us!"
"If this continues, our villages won't stay silent!"
The murmurs grew louder.
More agitated.
For a moment—
It felt as if the situation might spiral into chaos.
But just as tensions reached their peak—
The accompanying leaders of those candidates stepped in.
Their presence alone was enough to suppress the unrest.
The complaints didn't disappear.
But they quieted.
Barely.
Aoki watched silently.
This… is politics.
Strength determined everything.
Fairness was secondary.
Before he could dwell on it further—
A messenger arrived.
A brief exchange.
And then—
The three of them headed toward the gate bridge.
Kakashi was already there, leaning lazily against the railing as usual.
He didn't waste time on pleasantries.
"Since too few people passed the first stage," he said casually, "the second stage has been canceled."
"We'll proceed directly to the third stage."
Aoki didn't hesitate.
"It's because of the Cloud ninja, isn't it?"
Kakashi glanced at him.
Surprise flickered briefly in his eye.
"…Correct."
He straightened slightly.
"If we continued with the Forest of Death, those rookies wouldn't stand a chance."
"There wouldn't be time for rescue."
His tone grew a bit more serious.
"If you encounter the Cloud ninja…"
"Be careful."
He paused.
"According to the intel extracted from the ninja you killed earlier…"
"That man grew up alongside the Fourth Raikage."
Aoki's expression hardened slightly.
So it's personal.
"They're not just here for the exam," Kakashi continued.
"They're here for revenge."
Meanwhile—
Inside the Cloud ninja's quarters—
Clang!
A teacup shattered against the wall.
Fragments scattered across the floor.
Omoi stood there, his expression dark as he crushed a lollipop between his teeth.
"Tch… Konoha cowards."
"They canceled the second stage?"
"I was planning to wipe them all out in the Forest of Death."
His tone was filled with frustration.
Darui, standing nearby, placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down."
"Don't forget why we're here."
Compared to Omoi's temper, Darui remained composed.
His gaze shifted toward the elder seated nearby.
"Advisor Tutai."
"Have you identified the one who killed Senior?"
Tutai lifted his teacup slowly, taking a measured sip before responding.
"Our spies have confirmed it."
"Mount Katsuragi was wiped out by Team 6."
"Led by Kakashi Hatake."
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
"The Copy Ninja…"
Darui's eyes darkened.
Then—
A faint smile appeared.
"His students are participating, right?"
"Good."
He clenched his fist lightly.
"We'll start by collecting some interest."
The Forest of Death tower—
Originally the venue for the second stage—
Had now become the arena for the final battles.
By the time Aoki and the others arrived, the area was already filled with people.
Candidates.
Proctors.
Jonin.
Even off-duty ninja had come to observe.
The stands overlooked the arena below.
Aoki glanced upward.
Notably—
There were no civilians.
The absence was deliberate.
The Third Hokage clearly didn't want unnecessary risks.
Or witnesses.
Even he's uncertain about how this will unfold…
"Yo, Kakashi!"
A loud, energetic voice broke through Aoki's thoughts.
Might Guy approached from a distance, radiating enthusiasm.
Beside him were Asuma and Kurenai.
"Your students made it this far!"
"Youth truly burns on the battlefield!"
Aoki resisted the urge to sigh.
Kurenai looked slightly surprised.
"I didn't expect you to keep them, Kakashi."
"I thought you'd send them back to the Academy."
Kakashi shrugged.
"They passed."
Simple.
Asuma chuckled lightly.
"Looks like you found some interesting kids."
On the high platform—
Tutai approached the Third Hokage.
"Hokage-sama."
"The Raikage sends his regards."
The Third nodded calmly.
"I hope this exam strengthens the bond between our villages."
"Peace is not easily achieved."
Tutai gave a neutral nod.
But said nothing further.
Swish—
A figure appeared in the arena.
"My name is Shikaku Nara."
"I will be the chief proctor."
His calm, authoritative voice silenced the crowd.
"There are fifteen candidates."
"The rules are simple."
"One-on-one matches."
"Winners advance."
"Losers are eliminated."
"The final four will be promoted to Chunin."
A screen behind him began to scroll.
Names flashed rapidly.
The tension in the air thickened.
Then—
It stopped.
Hyuga Teru vs. Darui
Aoki's lips twitched slightly.
There's no way this wasn't arranged…
The three of them stepped back toward Kakashi, watching quietly.
"Begin!"
The match started.
Hyuga Teru stepped forward confidently.
Veins bulged around his eyes as the Byakugan activated.
He assumed the stance of the Gentle Fist.
"Let me see what the Cloud ninja can do."
His tone carried the pride of a noble clan.
Darui didn't respond.
He simply—
Vanished.
Lightning surged around his body.
In an instant, he became a blur.
Hyuga barely reacted.
He raised his arm to block—
Boom!
The impact was overwhelming.
"So heavy—!"
It felt like being struck by a falling mountain.
Crack.
He was sent flying.
The ground shattered as he crashed.
Silence filled the arena.
Too fast.
Too powerful.
Many spectators realized—
They wouldn't have fared any better.
On the platform, the Third Hokage's expression darkened.
"…So it begins."
Darui's strength—
Was already at the level of a Special Jonin.
And if his teammates were similar—
Konoha's candidates stood little chance.
Back in the arena—
Hyuga struggled to stand.
His arm hung at an unnatural angle.
But his eyes remained determined.
"I won't… lose…"
He charged again.
Gentle Fist aimed precisely—
But—
Clang.
His fingers stopped mid-air.
They couldn't penetrate.
Darui stood unmoved.
"Oh?"
"The Gentle Fist… is this weak?"
A faint smirk appeared.
"It can't even break my chakra armor."
Boom!
A punch to the abdomen.
Hyuga flew again.
This time—
He didn't get up.
"The winner: Darui."
The next match—
Izumo vs. Omoi
Aoki crossed his arms.
This won't end well.
Omoi's movements were erratic—
But deadly.
Every strike aimed to kill.
Izumo struggled.
Barely keeping up.
In the end—
He was completely overwhelmed.
If not for Shikaku's intervention—
He would have died.
Then—
Kotetsu vs. Karui
The result—
Was the same.
Karui's sword flashed relentlessly.
Kotetsu couldn't defend.
Couldn't counter.
Couldn't survive.
Another defeat.
Silence spread across the stands.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Three consecutive losses.
Complete domination.
The Konoha jonin remained quiet.
Their expressions grim.
These weren't random candidates.
They were carefully chosen.
And yet—
They had been crushed.
Aoki leaned against the railing.
His gaze calm.
But sharp.
This wasn't just an exam anymore.
It was a statement.
A challenge.
And perhaps—
A warning.
Behind him, Kakashi stood quietly.
His expression unreadable.
But his eyes—
Had already turned toward Aoki.