"Jin, what exactly happened?"
Uchiha Kenichi's scarlet eyes flicked toward Hyuga Xiangning, who was using her Byakugan to survey the surroundings. He furrowed his brow and asked, sounding somewhat disappointed.
Inuzuka Jin and the Blue Giant Dog exchanged a glance. They both twitched their noses a few times, sniffing the air for a moment, then looked at each other again. With a grave expression, Inuzuka Jin said, "There are indeed three unfamiliar scents approaching. They don't smell like the group of examinees from earlier!"
"Tch, they got here so fast. What a letdown." Uchiha Kenichi snorted and turned to Sato Hideaka. "Kid, you'd better not get eliminated in the first round. I'm looking forward to finishing our fight!"
With that, Uchiha Kenichi leaped onto a tree. Inuzuka Jin called, "Aomaru!" and then jumped onto another tree with his wolf-like giant dog. The two men and the dog bounded through the forest, speeding off in the direction of three o'clock...
But as Uchiha Kenichi left, he glanced back for an instant. Sato Hideaka could clearly feel the killing intent in those scarlet eyes. It wasn't the Sharingan's own ominous, cold, and chilling aura, but the killing intent in Kenichi's heart!
That guy definitely isn't as simple as he seems. Maybe I was his target from the start!
Sato Hideaka watched the retreating figures for a long moment, then greeted Yuhi Kurenai and Hyuga Xiangning. The three of them left together in the direction of four o'clock...
The man Yuhi Kurenai had frightened with the Hell Viewing Technique had already taken advantage of the fight between Sato Hideaka and Uchiha Kenichi to escape with his team's scroll. In other words, they had collected only one scroll so far...
Three minutes later, three shadows appeared with a series of swishes near the pockmarked ground corroded by Lava Release. They wore Konoha Forehead Protectors and Chunin uniforms. The middle-aged ninja on the left surveyed the surroundings, crouched down, and placed the index and middle fingers of his right hand on the ground. After closing his eyes and sensing the area, he said:
"It seems the other side has a sensory ninja. They've already fled far from here. They split up and went in the directions of three o'clock and four o'clock. Captain, should we pursue them?"
The captain, standing in the middle of the group, closed his eyes as if pondering for a moment. Then he suddenly opened them and said, "If they have a sensory ninja, there's no point chasing them. Look for another team! Notify the Cleanup Squad to take these five away. They've already lost their qualification..."
"Yes..."
The ninja on the right took a flare from his pouch and set it off in the air, where it burst into red smoke. Then, led by the captain in the middle, the three headed in the direction of ten o'clock and vanished from the battlefield, which had been left in ruins by the fighting!
At their much-anticipated destination, in a dark room inside the legendary Tower of Death, a dozen or so people in different outfits stood gathered.
A large crystal ball stood in the room. It showed scenes of the various examinees in the Forest of Death. One of the images showed the three Chunin who had just returned from the battlefield. They had arrived in time to stop Sato Hideaka and Uchiha Kenichi from continuing their fight, then left.
A man who looked to be in his forties had bandages wrapped around his head, leaving only one eye exposed. A cross-shaped scar marked his chin. Watching everything that had just happened in the crystal ball, he said coldly, "Hmph. It seems the Uchiha, Konoha's foremost clan, already think of the village as their own territory. They can't even tolerate a new bloodline clan emerging in the village. What a pack of damned fools!"
Nearby, a young man with a blond ponytail, wearing a green ninja flak jacket, sat in a corner. A strange device covering his eyes was strapped to his head, and he held a hand seal as he said:
"The target is heading in the direction of four o'clock. They're expected to reach Area 4 within ten minutes. I've notified the Chunin in charge of that area to put this team on the protection list!"
"Inoichi, thanks for your hard work! The rules for this Chunin Exam are stricter than ever, and this is also the largest exam in recent years. It includes not only the talents secretly cultivated by the various clans, but also many clan members... So do your best to keep them safe!"
The lean old man seated in the central seat wore a red-and-white Hokage Cloak. He took a deep puff from his pipe and spoke in a grave tone.
"Hiruzen, are you blaming me for changing the rules of this Genin Exam?" the bandaged, one-eyed middle-aged man asked, displeased.
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "Danzo, that's not what I mean. Kumogakure has quietly moved its forces into the Land of Hot Water, Sunagakure has moved into the Land of Rain, and Iwagakure has moved into the Land of Grass. More than half of the covert Anbu spies stationed in those three countries have been lost. The fighting will probably break out before long... And the fact that Konoha's clans can contribute at all is thanks to you!"
"The Senju Clan's contribution to our victory in the Second Shinobi World War is undeniable. While the Senju Clan bore the burden of the war alone, our clans secretly recuperated. We took the opportunity to claim battle merit and build up enough strength and prestige. Now those clans are still trying to use this method to avoid the changes in relations between the nations..."
The only eye visible beneath Danzo's bandages glinted with disdain. "Hmph. Uchiha, Hyuga, Inuzuka, Aburame, Mito, Utatane... No matter which clan they belong to, they can't escape the fact that they drove the Senju Clan away. Now that war is about to break out, with the Senju Clan gone, do they still intend to keep their strength hidden?"
"It's not just your Sarutobi Clan. My Shimura Clan, too, and all the other major clans in Konoha—those who seized the greatest spoils of victory must bear the responsibility and pressure that come with them!"
"Cough, cough..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to have choked on his smoke and coughed twice. He spoke with difficulty. "Danzo, Nonō's Medical Ninja System plan has already been put into practice in the Medical Department, and the department supports it. As the acting head of the Medical Department, Nonō is no longer suited to work as a Root spy. I think you should..."
"Hmph. Whether Nonō's plan will succeed is still a big question. Let's talk about it after it does..."
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen change the subject again, a trace of contempt flashed in the only eye visible beneath Shimura Danzo's bandages. If he couldn't bear the blame for driving the Senju Clan away, if he couldn't accept the fact that he had acted against his own conscience, then why had he made that decision in the first place? How could someone as small-minded as Hiruzen have earned their teacher's approval?
Thinking of the time when the Raikage summit had gone awry, and how he had hesitated for just a moment over who would stay behind during the retreat, thereby losing his chance to become Hokage forever, Shimura Danzo was overcome with fury. He wasn't angry with his teacher or Hiruzen, but with his own cowardly self back then...
"Also, Hiruzen. Bring me a copy of the Genin Exam records. Root needs more people now, to strengthen its infiltration efforts in the Land of Hot Water, the Land of Rain, and the Land of Grass. If we lose control of those countries, the fighting could very well break out inside the Land of Fire, causing enormous losses..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. "You can choose thirty people from among this year's examinees, but you must get their clans' consent. Otherwise, you'll turn those clans against the village, which would hurt our current situation..."
"You don't need to tell me. I know all that...!"
Shimura Danzo replied coldly and left the dark room with the two men.