If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't died at Orochimaru's hands in the original story, Sasuke would surely have come knocking once he learned the truth behind the clan massacre, just as he had killed Danzo.
After all, Hiruzen had too many enemies and plenty of blood on his hands.
The Konoha Crush Plan was basically dead.
Orochimaru had absolutely no reason to pull something like that now. Even if he wanted to, he lacked both the guts and the ability.
But the mention of the Chunin Ninja Exams reminded Xuan Zhe of something else.
The real big players behind the Akatsuki-
Nagato, Obito, and Zetsu.
Those three were the key.
The one Xuan Zhe cared about most was Nagato. The Rinnegan in that kid's eye sockets was far too important.
Destroy those eyes, and he could spare himself a whole load of trouble down the road.
So after Itachi joined the Akatsuki, Xuan Zhe gave him just one mission.
Find out where Nagato was hiding.
But there was a problem.
Orochimaru was right.
Whether it was Obito or Nagato, who controlled Pain, ever since Xuan Zhe and the others had reclaimed Kirigakure four years ago...
Neither of them had ever shown his real face to the other members again.
They used the Magic Lantern Body Technique for every meeting.
Itachi had been in the Akatsuki for over three years, yet he still hadn't found its new headquarters.
That was also why he still hadn't asked Shisui to come kill him.
He wanted to finish his last mission before he died, at least.
The large lecture hall at the Konoha Ninja Academy.
There were twice as many examinees as in the original story, packing the entire room.
The first exam was a written test that required cheating to assess reconnaissance and