Kabuto Yakushi had originally planned to do just that. After all, he still hadn't accomplished the objective Orochimaru had sent him in for, and he hadn't achieved anything in the first two exams either, so he had intended to keep blending in through the Third Match.
But during the Preliminaries, his occupational habits kicked in. Ever sensitive to intelligence, Kabuto Yakushi keenly detected something amiss.
The skill levels of these genin about to enter the Third Match were far too strange.
Others might not know the truth, but Kabuto Yakushi knew it all too well.
The only reason this joint Chunin Ninja Exams selection between three villages had become such a major event was that Lord Orochimaru was determined to stir up trouble. Whatever conditions Konoha put forward, he agreed to them all in the Kazekage's name.
Lord Orochimaru had originally intended to carry out the "Konoha Crush Plan" using Otogakure and Sunagakure. Now, however, Otogakure had been completely wiped out, and Orochimaru himself hadn't even come here as planned.
On the surface, Konoha had indeed proposed measures such as an alliance between the three villages, but ordinarily, neither Sunagakure nor Kirigakure would have agreed to an alliance led by Konoha.
Thus, assuming Kirigakure would certainly refuse, Lord Orochimaru, posing as the Fourth Kazekage, had casually agreed. He had also taken the opportunity to request that the powers surrounding the Land of Wind be invited to Konoha to watch—
His intention had simply been to make as big a scene as possible that day. Once the various powers of the Land of Wind were dragged into it, Konoha would surely hesitate.
But unexpectedly, Kirigakure... for whatever reason, had actually agreed as well. As a result, before the exam had even reached that stage, the alliance between the three ninja villages