Must Be Purified!

Root Underground Base.

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

When he opened it, there was only a list inside, cataloging all sorts of rare and expensive materials. Every line exuded the cold message: "I'm expensive, and you can't afford me."

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

[Micro power gear assemblies, forty sets, requiring meshing precision errors below one ten-thousandth.]

[Diamond polishing powder, five hundred grams.]

[...]

Zero's mouth twitched. This new master of his was certainly not holding back. If he submitted this list directly, Danzo would probably think he was trying to embezzle funds and flee.

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

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 Anti-Defense Armament for Countering High-Threat Rogue Ninja Such as Orochimaru and Potential Jinchūriki Rampages."

In the report, Zero used impassioned, fiercely loyal language to package Naruto's list of materials as a grand project meant to increase Root's deterrence and consolidate Lord Danzo's absolute authority.

"...Orochimaru is adept at forbidden techniques, and his subordinates have undergone bodily modifications, making ordinary ninja tools ineffective. This 'Root's Fang' is intended to tear through all defenses through sheer physical force. Not only can it destroy the enemy's body, it can utterly crush their will to resist, making them understand that before the absolute Order constructed by Lord Danzo, all struggle is futile..."

Danzo could naturally see the thick flattery woven throughout. Zero's recent "ambition" was practically overflowing from the page. But this bootlicking... did feel rather pleasant.

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

"Who proposed this project?" Danzo asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"It was... White Crow," Zero immediately replied. "He believes there are uncontrollable high-threat targets in the Chunin Ninja Exams and that a weapon surpassing conventional ninja tools is needed to ensure nothing goes wrong. This subordinate believes the idea is highly 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 expect to see the finished product soon."

"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 requested" from Root's warehouses were neatly arranged on shelves, giving off a cold metallic gleam.

Naruto did not light a lamp. He merely used the moonlight as he began his "forging."

There was no spark-spewing forge, no deafening hammer blows.

The room contained only the faint clinks of metal components being precisely picked up and set down, as well as the teeth-grindingly precise meshing sounds 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 minute runes into every core component, runes imbued with iron-blooded resolve and the meaning of Order.

This was not so much weapon-making as the performance of a sacred ritual.

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

Bzz—

A faint hum, as though from another universe, rose up. The savage weapon trembled slightly in his hands, its fanged chain slowly turning as though yearning for something.

The Chainsword was complete.

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

The three members of Team 7 moved through the crowd, their presence seeming somewhat out of place.

Sasuke had his hands in his pockets, and his handsome face looked even grimmer than usual. With every step, it felt as though every muscle in his body was protesting. He gritted his teeth and shot Naruto a sidelong glance.

Every sharp ache in his muscles reminded him of just how miserable these past days had been. The training itself was harsh enough, but the psychological pressure had been even more deranged.

"You still want revenge like this?"

"If Itachi sees how weak you are, he'll sleep very peacefully."

"Forget it. For you, perhaps letting go of your hatred would be a kind of relief."

Enough already.

Sakura followed behind them, her gait somewhat stiff, as though she were trying to tame her own limbs.

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

A booming voice rang out. A thick-browed boy in a green bodysuit blocked their path.

Rock Lee was pointing his fist, blazing with the flames of youth, straight at Sasuke.

"I heard you're the strongest rookie of this class. Then before the exam, fight me!"

Sasuke had already been filled with frustration after Naruto repeatedly crushed him. Seeing a punching bag voluntarily present itself, he barely hesitated.

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

"Denied."

Naruto calmly inserted himself between the two.

"Your muscle fibers have not fully recovered, and your core muscle groups remain in a fatigued state. 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 back. In the end, he merely clicked his tongue unhappily and retreated half a step.

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

That arrogant Sasuke Uchiha actually... actually obeyed that dead last without question? Was there something wrong with the world?

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

"A challenge must be assessed for value." Naruto did not make a move. He merely swept Lee from head to toe with those blue eyes devoid of any emotion. He had researched Lee's information before the exam.

A few seconds later, he gave his conclusion.

"An excellent taijutsu-specialized unit. Strengths: powerful bursts and high attack frequency. Weaknesses are equally obvious: a single energy output pattern, weak joint protection, and a clear deficiency in sustained combat capability. Your attack paths are too straightforward, and you are easily injured. However, your will allows you to ignore the effects of pain."

"Overall assessment: a warrior worthy of respect, but easily countered."

"..."

The corridor fell silent.

Lee, whose blood had been fired up, and Guy behind him, equally fired up, were both frozen in place.

Had that really been Naruto speaking just now?

Passing through the dumbfounded Team Guy, Team 7 continued toward the exam classroom.

Another bottleneck had formed outside the classroom door.

"Move aside. Don't block the way."

A Sunagakure ninja with purple face paint and a huge scroll strapped to his back was impatiently shoving the examinees ahead of him.

Kankuro.

His movement happened to ram into Sasuke's shoulder.

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

"Oh? Konoha's Genin are all this arrogant?" Kankuro sneered, one hand already reaching toward the puppet Crow on his back.

The atmosphere became taut with hostility.

Yet Naruto acted as if he had not seen the conflict and walked past them.

Then his steps stopped.

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

His gaze pierced through the crowded throng and locked tightly onto the red-haired boy in the corner holding a gourd.

In that instant, Naruto's world changed.

In his perception, everything around him lost its color and became gray and white. Only the boy named Gaara radiated a dense, inescapable, nauseating aura of 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.

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 seeming to be forced through clenched teeth.

"Must be purified."