Where Is Lord Danzo?

"Huh? I lost?"

Obito stared at the mask before him in dissatisfaction. That blond hair and that voice made him understand at once... this was Teacher Minato.

But.

"How did I lose?"

Let me tell you!

Even if you're Teacher Minato, you can't just make things up~

With my Explosive Tag kunai move, I could blow up even the Nine-Tails for you to see!

I refuse to believe some mere girl could withstand it!

Uchiha Obito proudly raised his chin. "Teacher Minato, I can win!"

"..."

Was this really about whether he could win?

Explosive Tags and kunai, and she was a girl too... Obito, what would the other girls think of you afterward?

Hadn't he seen Rin's face had gone pale down there?

Minato gave an awkward laugh and was about to say something when...

"Pah! You shameless bastard! You say you won, so you won!" Yugito Nii seemed to have realized something as well. Her face went pale. She took a deep breath, patted her youthful, swelling chest, and glared at Obito through gritted teeth. "You bastard! You actually did that to me, to me... to that part of me... Bastard! Konoha ninja are lewd and shameless!"

"..."

The three jonin who had come up to intervene wore awkward smiles.

Little girl, why were you dragging an entire region into this for no reason?

The pineapple-haired man chewing a toothpick said helplessly, "Little girl, don't talk nonsense. You should remember, if we hadn't come up here..."

He paused there and did not continue, instead changing the subject.

"Besides, there's nothing wrong with a ninja using every advantage available to secure victory."

It was just that this was the Forest of Death... and he had gone too far. On top of that, this was the third round of the Chunin Ninja Exams, with everyone watching, and he had used that method on a girl.

Any other kind of shameless trickery, like throwing shit or spitting, would have been one thing. But Explosive Tags and kunai... that Uchiha brat was far too ruthless!

"I..." Yugito Nii froze, her face immediately flushing red. She glared furiously at that smug fellow. "Shameless! Despicable! Lewd! Bastard! Pervert!"

"Hey, hey! If you've got guts, let's continue!"

"Pervert! Bastard! Lewd! Despicable! Shameless!"

"Is that all you know how to say..."

"I..." Yugito Nii bit her tongue indignantly. "Bastard! I don't need you to let me win! Pervert!" She flung her hand down in frustration. "I lost!" Then she glared at Obito once more and jumped down from the arena. "Next time! I'll definitely kill you, you lewd bastard! Uchiha pervert!"

"Who are you calling a pervert?!"

"You! Lewd bastard!"

Amid their noisy bickering, the battle came to an end. Minato and the other two exchanged wry smiles and shook their heads helplessly, though they also felt relieved.

At least... they had stopped it in time.

Meanwhile.

The baffled audience in the stands continued watching the scene in confusion.

All they remembered was this.

That Uchiha genius had formed hand seals, circled behind the Cloud Shinobi, and, before she could react, held a kunai in his hand as if he was about to do something. Yet before he could, Konoha's three jonin had rushed up to stop him.

Then.

The Konoha ninja announced that the Cloud Shinobi had won. After that, the Uchiha genius and the Cloud Shinobi began arguing. In the end, it seemed like the Uchiha genius had won?

What was going on?

Was it a staged fight?

And why was that girl, who had voluntarily admitted defeat, so angry?

Why did the ninja from Kumogakure and Kirigakure who were watching the match also look furious, as though they wanted to devour that boy?

It was utterly incomprehensible!

They looked toward the Uchiha genius who had already stepped off the stage. Sure enough... geniuses were arrogant. With his head held high, chest puffed out, and that cocky expression that made him look rather punchable, he walked like a complete idiot.

But although that Uchiha genius looked very happy, his companions seemed... not particularly pleased.

Their gazes toward him were extremely complicated.

Was he being ostracized?

The cradle of geniuses was actually beginning to reject a genius?

Could it be that, just as they had heard from other ninja villages... Konoha was beginning to fall?

The following matches were nowhere near as intense or exciting as Obito's battle with the Cloud Shinobi girl. They proceeded peacefully, and after several rounds, this Chunin Ninja Exams concluded successfully.

"Welcome to the joint Chunin Ninja Exams, sponsored by the leading brand Fuyou Milk Tea! Drink milk tea, watch the matches! Cheer for the ninja!!"

"This joint Chunin Ninja Exams has successfully concluded. Let us give our ninja a round of warm applause!"

"Fuyou Milk Tea! Add taro balls for an even better taste~"

Following the host ninja's announcement, the audience gradually departed. Especially after another wave of advertisements at the end, and after seeing the names Fuyou Milk Tea and Fuyou Grill everywhere over the past few days, quite a few people were curious enough to try them before leaving.

And Minato... truly let out a sigh of relief!

The final match had gone unexpectedly smoothly, without causing anything irreparable, so he happily invited everyone out for barbecue.

On the way.

Obito walked with his head high and chest out, swinging both arms as he swaggered along in an exceptionally punchable manner. Before long, he spotted Rin behind him and happily ran over. "Rin, I..."

Before he could finish.

"Sorry." Rin bowed in apology, then hid behind Kakashi. She looked at Obito with a complicated expression. "Please let me calm down."

Right now, I... didn't know how to look at you anymore.

Then she ducked her head back behind Kakashi.

Immediately.

Obito stood there in a daze, reaching out toward Rin. He felt his eyes... hurting again!

At the same time.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Konoha's current Hokage, wore his Hokage robes as he cheerfully looked at the leaders from each ninja village. "Thank you all for coming to participate in these joint Chunin Ninja Exams! Every village is truly brimming with talent! The future is full of hope!"

However.

His kindly appearance did not earn smiles from the Cloud Shinobi or Mist ninja. The leaders of the two villages snorted coldly. "Konoha! You have no ninja ethics! You should reflect on yourselves!"

After throwing out that mockery, they immediately flicked their sleeves and led their ninja away.

Hiruzen Sarutobi froze for a moment, narrowing his eyes as a glint seemed to flash through them. He took another puff of his pipe and sighed slowly. Was it already unavoidable?

"Hokage-sama, there is no need to be angry." The Stone Shinobi leader, a fat man, said cheerfully. "It is understandable that Kumogakure and Kirigakure suffered such a heavy blow this time."

"This old man understands. Sigh, this old man never expected that boy to learn such a ninjutsu. Actually, that child used to be quite kind." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded with feeling, appearing somewhat self-reproachful. "He's a good child!"

"..."

Yeah, right.

If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, Iwagakure would never have known Explosive Tags and kunai could be used like that!

Using that thing on a girl at such a young age—did he look like a good child?

But while cursing inwardly, the Stone Shinobi leader maintained a beaming smile. "He certainly is an outstanding child. By the way, I have something I would like to ask Hokage-sama."

"Oh? What is it you wish to ask?"

"Why has Lord Danzo not appeared this time?"

"Oh, Danzo~" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, took another puff of his pipe, and pondered for a moment. "He has other matters to attend to and is quite busy, so he did not come this time. Why are you looking for him?"

"It's nothing. It's just that... I have long admired Lord Danzo's reputation." The Stone Shinobi leader scratched his head with a cheerful smile. "I came here this time hoping to pay my respects to the Darkness of the Ninja World, but I never expected not to see him." After a disappointed sigh, his plump face broke into a pleasant smile again. "Then... thank you, Konoha, for your hospitality. We shall take our leave as well."

"Travel safely." Hiruzen Sarutobi waved kindly. Once they had gone far away, his expression turned serious again. Frowning, he muttered, "Pay respects? You think you can fool this old man with that?"

He sighed and shook his head.

Didn't they know Danzo was my... sworn brother?

They actually dared to covet my brother?

Pah!

Shameless!

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