The Only Team to Advance

"Five minutes remaining!"

The Sarutobi Clan ninja standing atop the Lighthouse stared at the clock hanging there, drenched in sweat.

Not a single ninja team had arrived to submit their Heaven and Earth Scrolls yet. Could that Uchiha kid really have done it?

"Why isn't Yufeng back yet...?"

Kurenai stood on the Lighthouse railing, gazing at the tranquil, lush forest below. A trace of worry flashed through her eyes.

"Kurenai, don't worry."

Uzuki Yugao stepped forward, took Kurenai's hand, and softly reassured her.

"Think about it. If Yufeng had really been defeated, how could there be no one here to submit their scrolls? Not a single team has arrived. Looking at it another way, Yufeng must be safe. And besides..."

Uzuki Yugao swallowed, her voice trembling slightly with excitement.

"He may really have stopped every ninja trying to come here and submit their scrolls..."

Kurenai kept looking worriedly at the forest below. Though she knew Uzuki Yugao was right and that Uchiha Yufeng should be fine, she simply could not stop worrying.

"One minute remaining!"

Suddenly, a figure vaulted up over the railing.

"Kurenai, you can submit the scrolls now!"

Uchiha Yufeng appeared, and Kurenai hurried over to the Chunin examiner.

"These are the Heaven and Earth Scrolls!"

She handed over the scrolls, which she had clutched so tightly that her palm was slick with sweat.

The examiner gave Uchiha Yufeng a complicated look.

Then he registered the names and team information for the Heaven and Earth Scrolls.

"Yufeng-kun, you truly are impressive."

A cold voice sounded from the shadows nearby.

Orochimaru stared straight at Uchiha Yufeng, delight and excitement appearing in his golden slit pupils.

"Ding, Yakushi Kabuto (Shippuden) Fragment +2."

"Ding, Uchiha Sasuke (Mangekyō Sharingan) Fragment +1."

"Thank you for the praise, Lord Orochimaru!"

Uchiha Yufeng replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

When he had jumped down from the Lighthouse, Orochimaru had sent one of his little pets to follow him.

Orochimaru had watched the entire time as Uchiha Yufeng stopped every team from entering the Lighthouse in the forest.

Uchiha Yufeng did not bother playing any games with Orochimaru either. He openly admitted everything.

As long as Orochimaru did not provoke him, he would not go against him.

"Time's up!"

As Orochimaru's voice rang out.

The Jonin leading the teams, the Chunin examiners, and several Anbu appeared at the scene one after another.

Everyone was shocked to see that only three Genin had made it here.

"In the second stage of these Chunin Exams, Uchiha Yufeng, Yuhi Kurenai, and Uzuki Yugao have passed. All other participants have failed!"

The Chunin examiners behind Orochimaru exchanged looks upon hearing the results.

A full thirty or forty Genin had participated in the second stage, yet only three had passed...

They had even worried earlier that too many people would pass, so they had prepared a team battle for the Third Exam.

Now only one team remained. Was there even a need to compete?

Would the team battle become an individual battle?

"Alright, the Chunin Selection Exams are over for today. The list of those promoted to Chunin will be posted the day after tomorrow."

Orochimaru made the final decision and looked toward the Chunin examiners and Anbu.

"You handle the rest!"

By "the rest," he meant the cleanup work, such as searching the forest for surviving Genin.

After saying that, Orochimaru glanced at Uchiha Yufeng and left.

What status did Orochimaru have? He was one of the famed Sannin of the Ninja World, a direct disciple of Konoha's Third Hokage, and the chief instructor of the Chunin Exams.

With all those titles on one man, the Chunin examiners could only obediently carry out his orders.

"Yufeng, the way Lord Orochimaru looked at you just now seemed a little strange!"

Uzuki Yugao walked over to Uchiha Yufeng and reminded him quietly.

"Yeah, it's nothing. Orochimaru just appreciates me very much."

Kurenai, who had been worried about Uchiha Yufeng, burst out laughing at his smug words.

She rolled her eyes at him, then spat out a remark.

"You've only just taken the Chunin Exams, yet you're already saying something so arrogant. Lord Orochimaru is a ninja who fought in the Second Shinobi World War and made a tremendous name for himself!"

Compared to her earlier worried state, Kurenai was much more relaxed now.

After all, no matter what, the Chunin Exams were over.

"Come on, let's eat. We'll rest here for the night, then return to Konoha tomorrow!"

Uchiha Yufeng rubbed Kurenai's head. Though Kurenai pouted, she unconsciously leaned a little closer to him, seemingly enjoying his touch.

After the three left, the Chunin examiners scattered into the forest to search for the surviving Genin participants.

It was not until that evening that they finally gained a complete understanding of the situation.

They recorded the day's events, made them into a scroll, tied it to a Ninja Hawk's leg, and sent it toward Konoha.

With a piercing cry, the Ninja Hawk turned into a streak of light and vanished from the Lighthouse.

"Caw!"

A shrill cry rang out as an Anbu delivered the message from the Lighthouse to the Hokage's Office.

Shimura Danzō happened to push the door open at that moment.

"News from the Chunin Exams?"

Shimura Danzō's gaze fell upon a scroll on the Hokage's Office desk.

The Third Hokage did not think much of it and opened the scroll.

"I wonder how many teams passed the Chunin Exams this time..."

The moment he opened it, the Third Hokage froze.

This made Shimura Danzō beside him rather anxious.

What happened? Say something already!

"Hiruzen, how many teams passed this time?"

"There's no need for the Third Exam. The Chunin Exams are already over!"

After saying that, the Third Hokage handed the scroll to Shimura Danzō.

Shimura Danzō hurriedly took it and read the information on it.

"Only one team passed, and it was Team 1, the team Uchiha Yufeng is on—the one who hasn't awakened the Sharingan?"

The Third Hokage stood up and let out a long breath.

"I never expected Yufeng to give me such a huge surprise. The casualty count is still acceptable. Among the Konoha Ninja participating in the exams, fewer died than in any previous year."

"Uchiha Yufeng has already become this strong? And he can use Water Release too?"

Shimura Danzō's voice had changed, and he looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen with utter disbelief before a fiery gleam appeared in his eyes.

"Hiruzen, I think Uchiha Yufeng is a talent. The border has been somewhat unstable lately. Hand him over to me, and I guarantee I'll cultivate him into a Water Release master for Konoha!"

Shimura Danzō patted his chest as he made the promise.

At those words, the Third Hokage turned and stared directly at him.

"You want Uchiha Yufeng to join your Root Organization?"

"Joining my Root Organization is exactly when he, as an Uchiha, can put his remaining value to use!"

The Third Hokage took two puffs from his pipe.

"No!"

"Uchiha Yufeng is already a member of my Anbu. Since he has rendered merit this time, it is the perfect opportunity to make him official!"

Hearing "make him official," Shimura Danzō immediately slammed the table.

"Hiruzen, have you lost your mind?"

Shimura Danzō's face flushed red.

Faced with his former companion, he immediately began berating him.

"That's an Uchiha! You're actually letting a member of the Uchiha Clan enter the official Anbu ranks?!

The Uchiha Clan already has a complete security system and holds enormous power in Konoha.

And now you want to let a member of the Uchiha Clan meddle in the Anbu too!

What are you thinking? Do you really believe they have no designs on Konoha? Do you want to hand the position of Hokage over to those Uchiha people?

Hiruzen, you're too kind-hearted. Uchiha Yufeng is still just a child, and at his age, his sense of family loyalty is especially strong.

When the time comes, if his clan merely does a few things for Yufeng, that Uchiha brat might become a spy for the Uchiha Clan.

Then, once they gain control over our crucial intelligence, the Uchiha can use it to launch a rebellion!

That would deal a devastating blow to Konoha!"

This time, the Third Hokage had no response. Clearly, Danzō's words had swayed him. After all, the village's interests came before everything else!

The Third Hokage fell silent.

"Let me think about it."

After a long while.

The Third Hokage looked at Shimura Danzō.

"He cannot become an official member of my Anbu, and naturally, he cannot join your Root either.

Didn't he pass the Chunin Exams? Let him be promoted to Chunin first. As for the rest... we'll discuss it later!"