Kirigakure Genin Squad

As night deepened, Hidden Leaf Village shed the clamor of day, and pinpricks of lamplight scattered like stars among the orderly clusters of buildings, outlining the village's tranquil silhouette.

Above Hokage Rock, the Observation Deck offered a broad view. The night wind was biting, carrying up both the village's breath below and the freshness of the distant forest.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Asura stood shoulder to shoulder, appearing peaceful, while undercurrents churned beneath the surface.

The Third Hokage wore a white Hokage Cloak that stirred faintly in the night wind, the pipe in his hand glowing and dimming by turns.

Asura, standing beside him, was still dressed in a black robe, his face covered by that cold, hard white Three-Eyed Fox Mask, silently overlooking the Hidden Leaf beneath his feet.

In the shadows behind them, Anbu Captain Yamato personally led the team. Several elite Anbu directly under the Hokage lurked soundlessly in the darkness like crouching panthers.

Their gazes were locked firmly on that black-robed figure, chakra flowing faintly within their bodies, their frames taut and ready to respond to any possible emergency at a moment's notice.

Even though Asura held a formal diplomatic invitation, and even though the Third Hokage seemed to be calmly conversing with him, not a single Hidden Leaf ninja dared lower their guard against this dangerous figure who had once attacked the Hyuga, severely wounded Cloud Village, and single-handedly established the Land of Stars.

Every wisp of wind in the air seemed to be held taut like a drawn string.

The specific procedures for the Chunin Joint Exams, the quotas for each nation's participating teams, venue arrangements, security coordination, and other tedious matters had already been largely settled earlier in the brightly lit Hokage's office.

Their move here now was clearly not for the sake of