The Third Exam Preliminaries Begin (Please Vote)

Naruto pulled himself together. While Sasuke was unconscious from the beating he had given him, Naruto swaggered out and returned with a Heaven Scroll in his hand.

Sakura and Sasuke, once he woke, assumed Naruto had taken the scroll from another team on his own. Neither realized one of his disguised clones had obtained it earlier.

With both the Earth and Heaven Scrolls in hand, they headed straight for the Central Tower.

Before long, they ran into Yakushi Kabuto along the way.

Unfortunately for Yakushi Kabuto, he never found a chance to observe Sasuke in battle. Naruto's clones had already taken out too many of the other minor teams.

Team 7 soon reached the Central Tower. They pushed open the door, entered, and opened both scrolls at once, summoning Iruka, who had been waiting for them.

Iruka offered them some encouragement, then explained the Third Hokage's words of warning to newly promoted Chunin written on the wall.

After that, Naruto and the others entered the Combat Hall.

Meanwhile, Yakushi Kabuto went through another door and asked Orochimaru, who was waiting for him, in confusion:

"Lord Orochimaru, something unusual seems to have happened in the Forest of Death. Many Genin teams were wiped out for no apparent reason, but the scrolls they carried weren't taken."

Orochimaru nodded, his face dark. "I noticed that too, but I haven't found the culprit. It seems our Konoha Crush Plan will be quite interesting this time."

As in the original story, Mitaraishi Anko had already discovered Orochimaru and lost to him. She had then reported that terrifying news to the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage had arrived at the Central Tower and sent a large number of Anbu Ninja into the Forest of Death to search for Orochimaru.

They had not found Orochimaru, but they had discovered that many Genin teams had been wiped out under suspicious circumstances.

When the Third Hokage received the report, he thought it over. At first, he assumed Orochimaru was responsible, but he could not make sense of Orochimaru's purpose.

"A storm is coming for Konoha," the Third Hokage sighed. He turned to the Anbu Ninja beside him. "Any word from Jiraiya?"

"We've found Lord Jiraiya and are trying to persuade him to return to Konoha," the Anbu Ninja answered, kneeling on one knee.

"I hope Jiraiya makes it back in time." The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe, his eyes clouded with worry.

"Lord Hokage, the only person still in the Forest of Death is a red-haired girl from Kusagakure. Every other team has entered the Central Tower. Should we start the Third Exam early?"

Mitaraishi Anko stood beside him as she asked.

The Third Hokage considered it, then nodded.

"Start it early. The sooner we finish here, the more time and energy we'll have to find Orochimaru and prepare."

Team 7 and the other teams that had reached the Central Tower gathered in the Combat Hall.

Naruto counted the people around him. Including his own, there were four teams made up of the 12 Konoha Rookies, along with Team Gaara and Team Yakushi Kabuto. Six teams and eighteen Genin stood in the hall.

The Jonin leading each team stood nearby as well.

Might Guy looked at Naruto and the other eight newcomers and said with absolute confidence:

"You're pretty good! You were lucky enough to make it here, but from now on, you'll need real skill. As long as my team is here, you can forget about passing."

"After all, youth can be bittersweet one moment and harsh the next! Isn't that right, Kakashi?"

Might Guy turned to Kakashi beside him.

Kakashi stared back with drooping, fish-like eyes. "Huh? What were you saying?"

Might Guy immediately fell apart.

Apart from Might Guy and Kakashi's antics, the other Jonin and examiners in the hall were also studying the Genin teams.

"Next, Lord Hokage will explain the Third Exam!" Mitaraishi Anko told the Genin.

The Third Hokage stepped forward and stood with his hands behind his back. He looked at the Genin and spoke gravely.

"The Third Exam will begin shortly. But first, I need to make one thing clear: the true purpose of this exam."

"We hold this joint examination with the Allied Nations to maintain friendly relations and improve together. But if you think that's all there is to it, you're gravely mistaken."

"In truth, this exam is a miniature war between the Allied Nations!"

"Historically, the nations now allied with us were neighboring countries that often went to war. To avoid such frequent conflicts, we eventually chose this method instead."

The Genin erupted in surprise. War had never been part of their worldview. They had thought the Chunin Ninja Exams were a chance to demonstrate their strength, never imagining they had anything to do with wars between nations.

"These Chunin Ninja Exams aren't just about selecting Chunin. They're also a chance for you, the Ninja who carry your nations' prestige, to fight one another."

"And at the Third Exam, many potential clients will be present. Daimyo and other prominent figures will come to watch you fight."

"Villages that display great strength will receive more mission requests. Weaker villages will receive fewer."

"At the same time, each village will be declaring its strength and potential to the other nations."

The Genin grew uneasy at his words.

Kiba Inuzuka spoke up. "Then why do we have to risk our lives?"

The Third Hokage continued in a solemn voice:

"Because a nation's strength is its Ninja village's strength, and a Ninja village's strength is the strength of its Ninja. Only when you fight for your lives will your true abilities emerge."

"Put plainly, these Chunin Ninja Exams are a stage where each village displays its strength for others to see! They mean something only if you put your lives on the line!"

When the Third Hokage finished, silence fell over the hall.

Only Gaara spoke, impatient. "Then hurry up and start this exam where we risk our lives."

The Third Hokage frowned. "Very well. I'll explain what comes next. Ahem."

The Third Hokage gave a deliberate cough. Gekko Hayate appeared at once and knelt before him.

"Forgive me, Lord Hokage. As the referee, I'll take it from here."

The Third Hokage nodded in satisfaction. "Go ahead."

Gekko Hayate rose. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and he looked sickly as he turned to the Genin, coughing between words.

"There are still too many candidates, so we'll hold Preliminaries to reduce the number entering the Third Exam. The Daimyo who've come to watch have valuable time. We can't drag the matches out, so there has to be a time limit."

Some of the Genin were unhappy to hear it. They had worked hard to get this far, only to be told they still had to compete in Preliminaries.

Gekko Hayate ignored their complaints. "Cough, cough. Is anyone feeling unwell and wishing to withdraw early? Cough, cough."

Everyone's expression darkened. You're the one who looks unwell, Referee Gekko Hayate.

Naruto was speechless too. Doesn't Konoha have anyone else? Did they have to pick this sickly guy who can't stop coughing to be the referee?

What does someone as beautiful as Uzuki Yugao see in him? He isn't handsome, he's frail, and he isn't particularly strong.

As soon as Gekko Hayate finished, Yakushi Kabuto raised his hand. "I'm withdrawing. I'm not feeling well, and I don't think I can continue fighting."

With that, he turned and left without hesitation.

The Third Hokage watched Yakushi Kabuto with a dark expression and said quietly, "I've seen him here many times before."

Mitaraishi Anko quickly looked through Yakushi Kabuto's records beside him.

Yakushi Kabuto had entered the Chunin Ninja Exams six times, but had withdrawn partway through every time. His performance at the Ninja Academy and on missions after graduation had been thoroughly unremarkable.

After hearing this, the Third Hokage watched Yakushi Kabuto's retreating back for a while, then gave a noncommittal nod.

Naruto knew what Yakushi Kabuto was thinking. He had finished gathering intelligence and would soon defect from Konoha, so he no longer cared what the village might uncover about him.

Seeing Yakushi Kabuto withdraw, Sakura repeatedly pleaded with Sasuke to leave the exam too, worried about the strange Cursed Seal on him.

Anko, up on the Platform, also wanted to force Sasuke to withdraw and put him under protection. She did not believe he could hold out with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal on him as well.

But Kakashi and the Third Hokage rejected the suggestion.

Sasuke's face darkened. He glanced at Naruto standing in front of him, gritted his teeth, and cut off Sakura's pleas.

He had thought Orochimaru's power would make him stronger until he could take revenge on Itachi. Instead, he still could not even beat Naruto.

Frustration and anger churned inside him. He said coldly to Sakura:

"Mind your own business! I've told you, I'm an avenger. What matters most to me in this exam is fighting other Ninja to prove my strength!"

Disappointment showed on Sakura's face.

"Cough, cough. Does anyone else want to withdraw? If not, the Preliminaries will begin at once!"

Gekko Hayate waited for an answer.