As the Chunin Exams, drawing the Ninja World's attention and gradually converging upon Konoha, slowly began.
Within the Land of Rain.
At the edge of an open forest, a massive chasm, like the entrance to hell, split open across the earth.
Its cliff walls, as though carved by a single slash from an unimaginably huge blade, were remarkably smooth.
At the bottom of the cliff, in a place impossible for anyone to discover, stood a vast, pale palace.
Shrouded in the immense shadow cast by one side of the cliff, like a residence where gods dwelled, this was the location of Las Noches.
"Tap!" "Tap!" "Tap!"...
At that moment, crisp footsteps slowly echoed through the mottled, desolate halls. Upon the smooth, bone-white floor tiles was reflected the figure of the newcomer.
Walking along the intersecting corridors of the grand hall was a blindfolded man.
His skin was dark bronze, his hair bound behind his head in dreadlock-like braids, and a white haori draped over his body. His face was utterly expressionless.
Though blind, the man seemed intimately familiar with his surroundings, and there was not the slightest hesitation in his steps.
As he proceeded slowly forward, however, his expression suddenly stiffened, and he stopped.
He lightly turned his head toward a shadowed corner at the bend in the corridor and said calmly.
"Gin Ichimaru, come out..."
As his words echoed through the palace corridor, a frivolous chuckle slowly rose from the shadows in the corner.
"Hehe, as expected of Tosen. Even though I hid myself so well, you still found me."
"Looks like your strength has recovered quite well..."
Amid the softly spoken chuckle, a tall figure dressed somewhat similarly to him slowly stepped out from the corner.
Those narrowed eyes, paired with a fox-like smile, made his identity obvious—Gin