Must Be Purified!

Root Underground Base.

An encrypted scroll was delivered to Zero through a dedicated line.

When he opened the scroll, there was only a list of rare and expensive materials, every word radiating the cold air of "I'm expensive, and you can't afford me."

[High-strength chakra-conductive alloy, fifteen kilograms.]

[Miniature power gear assemblies, forty sets, with meshing precision error below one ten-thousandth.]

[Diamond polishing powder, five hundred grams.]

[...]

Zero's mouth twitched. This new master of his really didn't hold back. If he submitted this list directly, Danzo would probably think he was trying to embezzle funds and run.

He took a deep breath, pulled out a fresh scroll, and began his "artistic processing."

Half an hour later, a brand-new report sat on Danzo's stone desk.

Title: "Feasibility Report on the 'Root's Fang' Project: A New Armor-Piercing Armament for Countering High-Threat Rogue Ninja Such as Orochimaru and Potential Jinchuriki Rampages."

In the report, Zero used impassioned, fiercely loyal language to package Naruto's materials list as a grand project intended to strengthen Root's deterrent power and consolidate Lord Danzo's absolute authority.

"...Orochimaru is skilled in forbidden techniques, and his subordinates have undergone bodily modification. Ordinary ninja tools are difficult to use effectively against them. This 'Root's Fang' is designed to tear through all defenses with pure physical force. Not only can it destroy the enemy's body, it can thoroughly shatter their will to resist, making them understand that before the absolute order built by Lord Danzo, all struggle is futile..."

Danzo could naturally see the thick flattery in it. Zero's recent "ambition" was practically spilling off the page. But this bootlicking... did feel quite satisfying.

A tool that craved power and yearned to prove itself was the most useful kind of tool.

"Who proposed this project?" Danzo knowingly asked.

"It was... White Crow," Zero immediately replied. "He believes there are uncontrollable high-threat targets within the Chunin Ninja Exams, and that a weapon beyond conventional ninja tools is needed to ensure nothing goes wrong. This subordinate believes the idea is extremely forward-looking and can be expanded into an armament upgrade plan for all of Root, so I organized it into a report and submitted it to you!"

See? Give the credit to the newcomer first, elevate it to the organizational level next, and finally offer up the decision-making power and ultimate honor.

Perfect.

"Approved." Danzo tapped the armrest. "Withdraw the materials from the special-grade warehouse. I want to see the finished product as soon as possible."

"Yes! All for Lord Danzo's order!" Zero respectfully withdrew.

That night, in a basement Naruto had rented.

He had converted it into a temporary workshop. Rows of materials and tools "reasonably requisitioned" from Root's warehouse were neatly arranged on shelves, gleaming with cold metallic light.

Naruto did not light a lamp. He simply began his "forging" by moonlight.

There was no blazing furnace, no deafening hammer strikes.

The room held only the faint clinks of metal components being precisely picked up and set down, along with the teeth-grindingly precise sound of tiny gears being fitted into grooves one by one.

His fingers were as steady as industrial robotic arms as he cut and polished pieces of chakra alloy according to the measurements on the blueprint. Then, using a special engraving knife, he carved tiny, nearly invisible runes into every core component, runes filled with the iron-blooded spirit of order.

This was less like crafting a weapon and more like conducting a sacred ritual.

Once the final gear was installed, he connected a chakra wire to the core miniature power unit.

Bzzzz—

A faint hum, as though it came from another universe, rang out. The savage weapon trembled slightly in his hands, its fanged chain slowly beginning to turn, as if yearning for something.

The Chainsword was complete.

On the day of registration for the Chunin Ninja Exams, the Ninja Academy corridor was packed with Genin from every village.

The three members of Team 7 stood out among them.

Sasuke had his hands in his pockets, his handsome face even sourer than usual. With every step, he felt the muscles all over his body protesting. He gritted his teeth and shot Naruto a sidelong glare.

Every spasm of pain in his muscles reminded him how miserable these past few days had been. The training itself had been harsh enough, but the mental pressure had been even more inhuman.

"You still want revenge like this?"

"If Itachi saw how weak you are, he'd sleep very soundly."

"Forget it. Maybe letting go of your hatred would be a relief for someone like you."

Enough already.

Sakura followed behind them, walking somewhat stiffly, as if she were trying to tame her own limbs.

"You're Sasuke Uchiha, aren't you?!"

A booming voice rang out. A boy in a green bodysuit with thick eyebrows stepped forward and blocked their path.

Rock Lee pointed a fist burning with the flames of youth directly at Sasuke.

"I hear you're the strongest newcomer of this generation. Then before the exam, fight me!"

Sasuke had been holding in a bellyful of anger after being repeatedly crushed by Naruto. Seeing a punching bag deliver itself to him, he barely hesitated.

"Hmph. You don't know your own limits." He was just about to step forward.

"Denied."

Naruto calmly stepped between them.

"Your muscle fibers have not fully recovered, and your core muscle groups remain fatigued. Engaging in unnecessary combat is a waste of resources and carries the risk of secondary injury."

Sasuke: "..."

He wanted to argue, but every word Naruto said was true. More importantly, the authority Naruto had established over the past few days had conditioned him not to argue. In the end, he merely clicked his tongue irritably and took half a step back.

This scene left the three members of Team Guy collectively petrified.

The aloof Sasuke Uchiha actually... actually obeyed that dead last without question? Was there something wrong with this world?

"Why did you stop him?!" Lee demanded of Naruto in confusion. "A true man never fears any challenge!"

"A challenge must be evaluated for value." Naruto did not move. He merely swept his unfeeling blue eyes over Lee from head to toe. He had studied Lee's information before the exam.

A few seconds later, he delivered his conclusion.

"An excellent taijutsu-specialized unit. Strengths: powerful explosive force and high attack frequency. Weaknesses are equally obvious: a single energy output pattern, weak joint protection, and a clear lack of endurance. Your attack paths are too direct, and you are prone to injury. However, your will allows you to ignore the effects of pain."

"Overall assessment: a warrior worthy of respect, but easy to counter."

"..."

The corridor fell silent.

Lee, whose blood had been boiling, and Guy behind him, who was equally fired up, both froze where they stood.

Had Naruto really just said that?

Passing through the dumbstruck Team Guy, Team 7 continued toward the examination classroom.

Another bottleneck had formed outside the classroom door.

"Move. Don't block the way."

A Sunagakure ninja with purple face paint and a huge scroll strapped to his back impatiently shoved at the examinees in front of him.

Kankuro.

His movement happened to slam into Sasuke's shoulder.

"Hey, you bastard, looking for a fight?" Sasuke was already in a foul mood, and he immediately exploded.

"Oh? Are Konoha's Genin all this arrogant?" Kankuro sneered, his hand already reaching for the puppet Crow behind his back.

The atmosphere became taut with hostility.

Yet Naruto acted as though he had not seen the conflict at all and walked past the two of them.

Then his steps stopped.

He did not look at Kankuro, nor did he look at Sasuke.

His gaze passed through the crowded corridor and locked firmly onto the Kurenai-haired boy hugging a gourd in the corner.

In that instant, Naruto's world changed.

In his perception, everything around him lost its color and turned gray-Haku. Only the boy named Gaara emanated a dense, unbreakable, nauseating filth.

That was not chakra.

It was a chaotic, violent energy field filled with pure malice, like a Warp rift constantly leaking madness and hatred into the world.

To Naruto, what was trapped inside the boy was not merely a tailed beast.

It was a hungry, twisted demonic entity from the depths of Chaos.

Naruto's expression visibly darkened.

He clenched his fists. It was the instinctive reaction of a political commissar, carved into his soul.

"Grade-One Warp Contamination Source."

He muttered under his breath, each word forced through clenched Kiba.

"Must be purified."