Chunin Exams Proposal (Seeking Collections, Recommendations, Monthly Votes)

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued reading.

"Iwa Elite Ambush Squad: eight Jonin and twenty-four Chunin total. Seven Jonin killed, one severely wounded; twenty Chunin killed, three severely wounded."

At this, the expressions in the room eased slightly.

Though Konoha had suffered heavy losses, Iwa's losses were clearly greater. They had severely underestimated Orochimaru's strength.

A flawed assessment, combined with a failure to anticipate Konoha's resolve, had cost Iwa dearly in this probing attack. Ōnoki would likely be licking his wounds for a long time before recovering.

"Orochimaru did well." Danzo finally spoke after a long silence, acknowledging Orochimaru's capability.

This crippling blow to Iwa had bought Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan a significant reprieve.

But the mission summary wasn't fully read yet.

"Suspected Iwa Jonin, during a diversionary feint, ambushed Tori Mori Outpost, resulting in the deaths of two Konoha Chunin and severe injury to Corpse Collector Maruyama Qifeng. The Iwa Jonin's whereabouts are unknown?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi finished reading and glanced at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's snake-like pupils gleamed with interest. He licked his lips and rasped, "According to Maruyama Qifeng himself, that's what happened."

Others might not know, but Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru did.

This wasn't the first time something like this had occurred.

Last time in the Land of Hot Water, Mist Jonin Kaguya Senjin had crossed Konoha's defenses to ambush Kakashi's Squad, and Maruyama Qifeng had been the one to encounter him then, too.

But the outcome was identical both times.

Two enemy Jonin vanished without a trace, while Konoha Genin Maruyama Qifeng survived despite severe injuries.

If once was coincidence, then twice...

Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed his suspicions and gave Orochimaru a look. Confirming the other understood, he continued the meeting.

Such an important conference would not be derailed by a mere Genin.

Though the conclusion of the matter was abrupt, the clan heads and Elite Jonin were also somewhat surprised.

After all, a Genin surviving an encounter with a Jonin was an extraordinary stroke of luck.

Everyone present was at least Jonin rank and understood the vast gap between a Genin and a Jonin.

But seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of probing further, no one pressed the issue. They simply filed the name "Maruyama Qifeng" away in their minds.

They hadn't missed the look Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Orochimaru.

"Ahem, back to the main topic. Shikaku, continue."

Nara Shikaku nodded expressionlessly, showing no emotion at the interruption. He had used the time to refine his plan.

Scanning the room, he spoke in a low voice: "I propose that Konoha hold the Chunin Exams ahead of schedule."

Chunin Exams!

The moment the words left his mouth, eyes widened around the room. The proposal from Nara Shikaku caught everyone off guard.

But after a moment's thought, the deeper implications quickly became clear.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression shifted to understanding. He tapped his pipe, pondered briefly, then gestured for Shikaku to continue.

"We can invite the Kumo-nin, the Mist Nin, and the Suna-nin." Nara Shikaku spoke with confidence, laying out his reasoning.

The deliberate exclusion of the Iwa-nin carried its own message.

"Kumo-nin are our nominal allies. Though time has passed, as long as that treaty remains unbroken, they are still allies. We can use this to test their leanings. Kumo is also a faction we might win over—the grudge between Kumogakure and Iwagakure runs deep.

"The Mist Village in the Land of Water has always kept to itself. Shielded by the sea and their advantage in water combat, they can defend but struggle to project force. Showing them Konoha's strength should make them reconsider expanding the war."

"As for Sunagakure, their internal conflicts have never ceased. Resources are scarce, their stance wavers. If we open further dialogue and relax some terms from the Second Great Ninja War, there may be a chance to win them over.

"We just need to watch out for Suna's elder Chiyo. She is the most steadfast member of the 'Fire Extinguishing Faction.'

"At the same time, we invite the surrounding minor Hidden Villages to determine their positions and apply a degree of deterrence."

He laid out the potential effects of the Chunin Exams with perfect clarity, explaining the pros and cons in detail.

In short: win over some, intimidate some, and keep others neutral.

With this approach, Konoha's pressure might ease considerably.

"Excellent!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi made the final decision.

In truth, he had already discussed this plan with Nara Shikaku. They just needed the right occasion to present it.

After that, tasks were divided and assigned to the various clans and departments.

With the broad strategy set, Hiruzen Sarutobi entrusted all the finer details to Nara Shikaku.

The meeting adjourned.

Afterward, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru, master and student, walked along a river in Konoha.

"How long has it been since we took a walk like this, Orochimaru?" Hiruzen Sarutobi mused.

The older a man grew, the more he tended to look back on the past—on the good things.

"Heh heh."

"..."

The veins on Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead twitched. He was helpless against Orochimaru's cold demeanor.

Looking at Orochimaru beside him, now fully capable of standing on his own, Hiruzen felt a deep sense of relief.

Yet beneath that relief, hidden in the depths of his eyes, lay a trace of worry.

And that worry, under the current harmony of their teacher-student relationship, he had chosen to forget.

"Tell me your thoughts, Orochimaru."

Hiruzen stopped walking, standing by the river, smiling as he watched the children playing in the distance.

"War?" Orochimaru stood beside him, licking his lips.

He didn't particularly reject war.

"What's coming will come. No one can stop it. Just like those who are meant to die will die one day—the Shinigami shows no mercy," Orochimaru said flatly.

Hiruzen knew his disciple was obsessed with life and death.

But he hadn't expected that this unrealistic fixation wouldn't fade with age—instead, it had only deepened.

Hiruzen frowned, pondered for a moment, then spoke again. "Tell me about Qifeng."

At the mention of Qifeng, Orochimaru's interest immediately perked up.

"Two possibilities. One: he's hiding his strength. Two: someone's helping him in the shadows—maybe a Konoha Ninja, maybe a ninja from another village, or maybe a rogue ninja," Orochimaru said bluntly.

"Hiding his strength?"

Hiruzen thought it over, then quickly shook his head.

Impossible.

Konoha was a place that bred geniuses. He'd seen all kinds—Clan Ninja geniuses, civilian geniuses.

But Qifeng? No way.

He hadn't failed to send people to observe him. From the moment Qifeng first came into contact with Asuma, all the way to the recent Mist Ninja incident.

The Anbu Ninja monitoring him had all reported almost identical findings: a ninja who couldn't be more well-behaved.

On top of that, he wasn't a Clan Ninja. He had a thin foundation, no Kekkei Genkai, and no clan backing.

Even the most gifted civilian geniuses Hiruzen had ever seen—like Orochimaru or Namikaze Minato—couldn't have killed a jonin at age thirteen without guidance from a strong teacher.

"Maybe he has some unknown secret?" Orochimaru added with a joking tone.

"Can you find out if someone's hiding behind him?" Hiruzen ignored the joke and asked directly.

"No," Orochimaru replied quickly, then continued, "Not that I can't—it's that I haven't found anything."

If Orochimaru said he hadn't found anything, then there really was nothing.

Hiruzen frowned, took a puff from his pipe, and said, "Maybe it really is just luck, like he said."

Because from several observations, Qifeng was genuine toward Konoha, toward his comrades, and especially toward the bodies of his fallen comrades.

That kind of sincerity couldn't be faked. Hiruzen didn't believe anyone could fool him and Orochimaru so effortlessly.

So he was a Konoha Ninja, and his heart was with Konoha—that was beyond doubt.

Orochimaru shrugged. "Luck. Maybe."

There really wasn't any other explanation.

Lucky ninjas weren't unheard of. Hiruzen had even seen more extreme cases.

In battles where hundreds or thousands of ninjas clashed, where casualties reached the thousands, where even jonin suffered heavy losses, a Konoha Genin at the center of the fighting had survived unscathed, almost without a scratch.

What was luck?

That was luck.

But luck was also part of strength.

"Whatever the reason, he's a Konoha Ninja. That's enough."

Indeed, he was a Konoha Ninja, and one who was gradually earning recognition through his behavior of protecting bodies. That was enough.

He didn't dwell on Qifeng.

A lucky genin wasn't worth Hiruzen spending so much energy on at this time.

But in his eyes, Qifeng had been tagged with a label: a lucky ninja!

Far away in the Morgue, Qifeng had no idea he'd been brought up again and again in the conversation between Hiruzen and Orochimaru.

And because of his diligent attitude toward handling bodies, he'd earned Hiruzen's approval.

If he knew, he'd probably treat every corpse with even more care.

The kind of care you'd give to protecting your own property!