How could Kurenai Yūhi not recognize the voice she'd yearned for day and night? She spun around immediately.
Black hair, tall lean frame, a face carved to perfection—and those eyes. Ordinary at first glance, but utterly mesmerizing once you met them directly.
"Kai!" Unable to contain her emotions, Kurenai rushed forward and threw her arms around him, tears streaming down her face.
Even with Kai's thick skin, he felt a pang of embarrassment. Patting her back gently, he said, "Alright, Kurenai. We've got an audience here."
Only then did Kurenai notice the stares around them. Flustered, she quickly stepped back and lowered her head.
"Kai, you're back," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with visible relief. Over the past few years, Konoha had steadily declined compared to other villages. Only he and Shishio remained as Kage-level shinobi.
Without the deterrent of Kai's fearsome reputation, the other villages would have already launched another war. This Chūnin Exam being held in Konoha was undoubtedly a test—a probe of the village's current strength.
But now Kai had returned, and everything would fall into place. As long as Kai existed, Konoha's position as the premier ninja village remained unshakeable.
Looking at the Third Hokage seated behind his desk, wearing the ceremonial hat, Kai's expression grew complex before settling into melancholy. "Lord Third... you've grown old."
The hunched posture, the deeply lined face—though still technically Kage-level, Hiruzen could no longer unleash a Kage's true power. It was tragic, really. Time was the most devastating jutsu of all.
Hiruzen didn't seem bothered by the observation. Instead, he chuckled warmly. "It's good to have you back."
Turning to Iruka Umino, the Third Hokage continued, "Iruka, don't worry. Kai will serve as chief examiner for this Chūnin Exam. Naruto and the others will have more than adequate protection."
"What?!" Kai's face went blank as he stared at Hiruzen. What the hell was happening here?!
But seeing Iruka's hopeful expression, Kai considered it. He didn't have anything pressing to do anyway, so he nodded reluctantly.
"That's wonderful! With Kai-sama overseeing things, Naruto and the others will definitely be safe," Iruka said with profound relief. To Konoha's ninja, Kai was practically a deity—Iruka was no exception. With Kai's protection, nothing could go wrong. That was Iruka's unwavering belief.
"Good. Teams from the other villages have been arriving steadily. Everyone stay alert and maintain village security. Dismissed," Hiruzen concluded.
As the meeting ended, everyone dispersed. Kai and Kurenai walked out of the Hokage's office side by side.
Kurenai remained silent, fixing Kai with a reproachful stare that made his skin crawl. Scratching his head awkwardly, Kai ventured, "Uh... Kurenai, I really didn't expect to be gone for so long."
Still, she said nothing—just kept staring. Within moments, Kai was drenched in cold sweat. He'd rather face ten Six Paths Madara Uchiha than endure Kurenai's silent treatment. This was terrifying!
Kai silently prayed: Please, someone save me from this nightmare!
"Ah!"
As if the heavens had heard his plea, a sharp cry rang out nearby.
Kurenai, who'd been boring holes into Kai with her stare, frowned at the sound. "That's Hinata's voice."
Hinata? Hinata Hyūga?
Following the sound, Kai spotted a quiet girl with short black hair and pale Byakugan eyes confronting a Sand ninja dressed in black robes with garish red face paint.
Her forehead protector was tied around her neck. Though she appeared fragile, her eyes blazed with determination. It was definitely Hinata Hyūga.
As for the Sand ninja, Kai recognized him immediately—Kankurō, the Fourth Kazekage's eldest son and Sunagakure's most gifted puppeteer of this generation.
Glaring at Hinata with malice, Kankurō snarled, "I hate you pretentious Leaf ninja. Makes me want to kill every last one of you."
Hinata's eyes flashed with steely resolve as she replied timidly, "You're not allowed to insult Konoha!"
"Oh really?" Kankurō's grin turned vicious. "Not only will I insult Konoha—I'm gonna beat the crap out of you, Leaf ninja!" He reached for the puppet strapped to his back and released it.
A wooden humanoid puppet with three eyes and four arms materialized before Hinata.
The puppet—Crow.
Kai remembered it well from the Third Great Ninja War, when he'd encountered it on the Wind Country battlefield. Back then, it had been wielded by a Sunagakure elite jōnin and had proven quite formidable in skilled hands.
"Hinata's in danger," Kurenai said anxiously, moving to intervene.
Kai stopped her with a gentle hand. "Don't worry. Hinata will be fine."
Kurenai trusted Kai completely and halted her steps. Still, concern flickered in her eyes as she watched her student. She knew Hinata's current abilities all too well.
Under Kankurō's control, Crow's four arms extended rapidly, rushing toward Hinata as she assumed her Gentle Fist stance. At her current level, Hinata could only manage Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms at best—nowhere near enough to counter the puppet's assault.
Kai's eyes flashed with disdain as he observed Crow.
His golden Tenseigan flickered briefly, sending a trace of its power into Hinata's Byakugan. Years ago, after the Nine-Tails attack, Kai had stormed the Hyūga compound and marked the infant Hinata's Byakugan with his Tenseigan's seal. Transmitting some power to her now was child's play.
Seeing Crow rushing toward her, Hinata's eyes showed a flash of nervousness, but she didn't retreat. Gritting her teeth, she ignited her chakra and launched into Gentle Fist technique.
Two palms! Four palms! Eight palms!! Sixteen palms!!
Thirty-two palms!!!
Hinata felt something strange—her Gentle Fist seemed different than usual.
The next moment, something absolutely shocking happened!
Hinata's Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms completely obliterated Crow, reducing it to fine powder! It was utterly destroyed!
"Impossible!" Kankurō's eyes bulged in disbelief. His prized puppet had been annihilated by some frail-looking girl.
To destroy Crow so thoroughly—even elite jōnin would struggle to achieve such devastation!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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