With the Joint Chunin Exams now confirmed, Konoha Ninja Village began preparing in earnest as the host. The event carried tremendous significance, and everyone, from the Hokage down to ordinary ninja, was working toward its success.
From the outset, they had wanted the public to witness the performances at the Joint Chunin Exams. News had spread beyond the Capital through traveling merchants, reaching towns large and small. Those who could afford the journey flocked to Konoha Ninja Village, hoping to see this grand event jointly organized by the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Konoha Ninja Village took this very seriously. Nothing could be allowed to happen to the visitors, whether they were nobles or ordinary citizens, or the village's reputation would suffer a severe blow. As a result, the Konoha Military Police Force faced a heavy burden, as did the Anbu.
Tobirama held a high-level meeting every day to inquire about conditions throughout the village. Whenever a problem arose, everyone discussed a solution on the spot and put it into practice. If the results proved unsatisfactory, they discussed it again. Konoha High Command now consisted almost entirely of the younger generation, with Tobirama the only ninja of the older generation remaining. The others had either died in the war that swept the shinobi world or retired, like the former head of the Hyuga Main Family, no longer concerning themselves with worldly affairs.
The leadership was young and full of energy, but its members lacked composure and sometimes grew impulsive during discussions. Fortunately, under Tobirama's guidance, most problems were resolved. Their main concern now was the growing influx of outsiders into Konoha Ninja Village. Identifying spies and people with malicious intentions alone took an enormous amount of effort, never mind everything else.
"The current situation is all because of those merchants. If