Ambush the Otsutsuki

Naruto's fingers tightened against his chin, his brows knotted tightly together.

"Take away Ninjutsu, and most ninja can't even bring out ten percent of their strength."

"This move is devastating to the entire Shinobi World."

Sasuke pushed the Kusanagi Sword back into its sheath one-handed. Metal scraped against the scabbard's mouth with a cold sound.

"Now that we know his trump card, we just don't feed him any Ninjutsu."

Sasuke's gaze shifted. His single eye swept over the scroll as his finger tapped the words "palm."

"Find a way to get close and gouge out the eye in his palm. This so-called 'god' is just an empty shell that can take a beating."

Naruto did not hesitate.

He braced both hands on the table and stood, immediately pulling out a stack of top-secret blank scrolls from the hidden compartment beneath the table and his Ninja Tools pouch. He uncapped a pen and began writing furiously.

"Notify ANBU Headquarters."

Once the scrolls were rolled up, Naruto bit his thumb, poured Chakra into the seals, and pressed the Hokage Seal down hard.

Four messenger Ninja Hawks flapped out through the window, disappearing into the night in the directions of the Cloud, Mist, Stone, and Sand.

Naruto raised his head and looked straight at Sasuke.

"The original ambush plan is completely void. Send this tactical intelligence to the desks of the other Four Kage through encrypted channels, with utmost urgency."

Before long, a massive net aimed specifically at the Otsutsuki quietly spread beneath Konoha.

Half a month later.

The Joint Chunin Exams officially began.

The Konoha main venue boiled with noise, the roar of tens of thousands of spectators rolling together like waves.

The five-colored banners of the Five Great Ninja Villages snapped in the wind at the highest point, stretched taut.

The