At dawn, as the first ray of sunlight broke over the land, a new day began, and people once again busied themselves.
For Konoha, today was a special day—the first round of the Chunin Exams would be held today.
For the village's ninja, this was a rare occasion, especially for those who had been carrying out missions for years. It reminded them of the hardships they had endured when they themselves had taken the Chunin Exams.
Amid the bustling streets, a figure clad in a black cloak patterned with red clouds passed by most people. Some noticed him because of his unusual clothing, but Konoha had a large population and no shortage of oddballs. After a few glances, they soon forgot about him as he disappeared into the distance.
"So this is Konoha? There's nothing special about it. Tch!" Deidara looked at the crowds constantly passing by and scoffed inwardly.
He was not with Sasori, because Sasori had accepted Orochimaru's invitation to ambush the Fourth Kazekage.
Deidara clearly had no interest in that. After Pain issued the order, he had decided to come to Konoha alone.
Deidara was a genius, and also a powerful fighter. Young powerhouses always possessed a kind of arrogant contempt for everyone else.
And once someone became arrogant, they tended to do irrational things. Just like Deidara right now.
He believed that mobilizing everyone just to capture the Nine-Tails was making a mountain out of a molehill. He alone would be more than enough.
He did not merely think so—he acted on it. That was why he had appeared in Konoha today.
"According to the intelligence gathered earlier, the second round of the Chunin Exams will take place in the Forest of Death. That seems like a good place to make a move. Heh heh, it's