The Third Round of Assessment

Orochimaru disposing of Raiga Kurosuki so inexplicably was like dropping a giant boulder into a calm lake.

The atmosphere within the exam arena, after a brief moment of dead silence, became even more complex.

There was shock, confusion, and a subtle wariness toward the unfathomable strength of Konoha.

The subsequent matches, while not as clean and swift as Orochimaru's, each had their own highlights.

From the Kumogakure side, that tall ninja with hair half snow-white and half grass-green, a fellow named Blue B, displayed astonishing power.

His entire body was covered in crackling blue electricity; it was clearly the Lightning Style Chakra Mode.

This was a powerful Nintaijutsu passed down through the line of the Raikage, capable of significantly boosting the user's speed, strength, and defense, making it difficult for ordinary ninjas to resist.

His opponent was an Iwagakure ninja who, despite putting up a stubborn resistance, was ultimately crushed by Blue B's overwhelming speed and power.

"Lightning Style Chakra Mode..."

Orochimaru stroked his chin, lost in thought.

This Blue B was not a character he remembered from his memories.

However, his strength was beyond doubt.

Another eye-catching battle came from Iwagakure of the Land of Earth.

A blonde Iwagakure youth suddenly performed hand seals during the fight, erupting with a violent explosion.

If he wasn't mistaken, this should also be a Kekkei Genkai, an Explosion Style created by combining Earth Style and Fire Style.

Relying on the immense destructive power of Explosion Style, that Iwagakure youth forcibly blasted his opponent out of the arena.

Orochimaru watched quietly, recording all this intelligence.

Just like that, the second round of the brutal elimination tournament slowly drew to a close amidst various gasps and discussions.

"The second round of the selection exams ends here!"

"A total of forty candidates have passed this assessment!"

The proctoring jonin on the high platform cleared his throat, his voice once again echoing throughout the arena.

This number caused many of those who failed to let out sighs of frustration once more.

Meanwhile, those who passed mostly wore calm expressions; after all, they were the elites of their respective villages, and passing was only natural.

"The third round of assessments will take place in one month, and further notice will be provided at that time.

During this period, everyone can take a good rest, adjust your condition, and prepare for the final showdown!"

The proctoring jonin paused before continuing.

Hearing this, Orochimaru nodded; his teacher had already told him about this in advance.

The format of the third round of assessments was different from this round; rather than an assessment, it was more like a martial arts spectacle aimed at the outside world.

By then, dignitaries and wealthy merchants from the Five Great Nations and even the surrounding smaller countries would be invited to observe.

For these people, this was a rare opportunity to intuitively understand the strength of the younger generation from each ninja village.

After all, as clients, everyone hoped to hire stronger and more reliable ninjas.

Orochimaru listened, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint arc.

He had to admit, his teacher was truly calculating.

Agreeing to host these Joint Chunin Exams was likely the plan from the very beginning.

As the host, Konoha possessed a natural first-mover advantage.

Just like the written test in the first round, that Tobirama Code question directly widened the gap for the Konoha ninjas.

Of the forty who ultimately advanced, Konoha ninjas occupied nearly half the seats.

When those big shots came to observe a month later and saw the overwhelming numerical advantage of Konoha's new generation of ninjas, they would naturally understand which village was stronger, and Konoha would undoubtedly become their first choice when issuing missions in the future.

That plan was calculated down to the last detail.

This month of time was not just for the candidates to prepare, but also for those "big shots" to make their journey.

At the same time, for the other four major ninja villages, this was also a precious window of time to carry out various "activities."

In the past, the perimeter of Konoha was protected by powerful barriers, along with patrols from the Anbu and the Konoha Military Police Force of the Uchiha Clan, making it impossible for ordinary petty criminals to infiltrate easily.

But now, due to the Joint Chunin Exams, a large number of outsiders had flooded into Konoha.

Merchants, tourists, support staff from various villages... it was a mixed bag.

Konoha's reception capacity and security forces were stretched to their limits for a time.

Even the Konoha Military Police Force, responsible for the Uchiha Clan, had to set aside their usual aloofness and conduct joint patrols with personnel from the Inuzuka Clan and the Hyuga Clan to maintain order within the village.

Even so, they were still spread thin.

And the spies from various ninja villages lurking in the undercurrents would naturally not let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by.

Their goals were all different.

Take Sunagakure, for example.

They were practically salivating over the formula for that skincare product Orochimaru had made a hit among the socialite circles.

The desert environment was harsh and resources were scarce; even the most basic food supplies had to be imported, which made Sunagakure quite poor.

In their eyes, this business was nothing short of an inexhaustible gold mine...

As for a village like Iwagakure in the Land of Earth, their medical standards were relatively backward, so even if they obtained the skincare formula, they would struggle to achieve large-scale production in the short term.

What they were more concerned about was the increase in Konoha's war potential after acquiring such a massive influx of capital.

For several days in a row, the lights in the office of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had burned almost all night.

The Anbu were severely understaffed, and various potential threats were popping up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, leaving the Hokage exhausted and causing him to smoke several extra cigarettes every day.

When Orochimaru was summoned, this was what he saw: Hiruzen Sarutobi with heavy dark circles under his eyes, looking weary as he reviewed a mountain of paperwork.

"Teacher, you don't look very well."

Orochimaru spoke calmly.

"Ah, Orochimaru, you've come at just the right time.

You can see the state of the village right now; it's a complete mess."

"Those guys are like sharks that have caught the scent of blood, all trying to tear a piece of meat off Konoha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his brush, rubbed his temples, and gave a bitter smile.

"As expected... After all, the 'muscle' Konoha has displayed this time is indeed quite startling."

Orochimaru nodded slightly. This was easy to understand; since there was only a limited number of missions, if you ate more, others would inevitably eat less.

After this Joint Chunin Exams, it was foreseeable that Konoha's mission volume would increase significantly, and the other ninja villages would naturally be unhappy about it.

"Indeed... The Anbu have been fully deployed, but it's still impossible to guard against everything."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. This was the first time Konoha had hosted such an event, and they had absolutely no experience.

He had thought it would be simpler than this...

"Teacher, blind defense is not the best strategy. As the saying goes, it is better to guide than to block."

Orochimaru pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Oh? Do you have an idea?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up, his interest piqued.

"Since they want to know, then let them know some things they 'can' know."

"Instead of letting them run around like headless flies and potentially stumbling upon our true core secrets, it would be better for us to proactively filter some intelligence and 'inadvertently' leak it."

"This way, we can satisfy part of their prying curiosity while diverting their attention away from what is truly important. At the same time, we can use this to convey some 'information' we want them to have. With a mix of truth and falsehood, it will only make them more wary."

Orochimaru said thoughtfully.

"Good idea! Orochimaru, this method of yours... is brilliant!"

As Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to Orochimaru's analysis, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Rather than passive defense, it was better to take the initiative and control the flow of intelligence!

This would not only reduce the pressure on the Anbu but also allow them to turn the tables and use these spies to achieve their own goals.

"The specific execution will need careful consideration."

"Which intelligence can be leaked, to whom it should be leaked, and in what manner—all of this requires a meticulous plan."

Orochimaru added.

"Hmm, I will leave it to you to assist the Anbu in handling a portion of this."

Hiruzen Sarutobi made the decision immediately, looking at Orochimaru with growing satisfaction.

This disciple of his could always surprise him at critical moments.

Having resolved the urgent matter for Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru began to prepare for his own third round of examinations a month later.

During the second round, he had recorded the fighting styles and ability characteristics of all the noteworthy opponents, such as Blue B from Kumogakure, the Explosion Style ninja from Iwagakure, as well as that little red-haired puppet user and the Magnet Style ninja from Sunagakure.

Next, it was time to formulate targeted countermeasures.

He had originally been pondering how to find a suitable opportunity to demonstrate his value and strength to that old man Shimura Danzō, paving the way for future cooperation.

He hadn't expected this Joint Chunin Exams to arrive just like that; it was like being handed a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.

The martial demonstration in the third round would be a stage under the eyes of the world.

He didn't just want to win; he wanted to win beautifully and in a way that shocked everyone.

Fame, like strength, was sometimes a powerful weapon.

The greater his fame, the more leverage he would have in his future "gray dealings" with Shimura Danzō, and the higher his own security would be.

After all, as a rising star hailed as Konoha's signature genius, even a man as unscrupulous as Shimura Danzō would have to weigh the consequences before trying to move against him in the shadows.

And so, with undercurrents surging within Konoha, a month passed quietly.

The day of the third round of exams had arrived...