Naruto and the others were no longer just students in Iruka's classroom—they were now Kakashi's subordinates.
Kakashi stared at Iruka without a hint of expression and said coldly:
"It was fine before...
But now, Naruto and the others are my team.
Please don't interfere.
Chūnin Iruka."
He didn't bother to hide the condescension in his voice.
With that final sentence, Kakashi made sure to emphasize Iruka's rank—just a Chūnin instructor from the Academy.
It was already unusual that Iruka had been allowed to attend a high-level strategy meeting between jōnin. He should have been honored just to be present.
But now? He was trying to question the decision of a jōnin.
And Kakashi knew all too well—Iruka had never been kind to Naruto when he was in the Academy. Just like the rest of the village, Iruka had once treated Naruto as nothing more than the Nine-Tails' vessel.
That was something Kakashi had always resented.
And now Iruka wanted to challenge his judgment?
Kakashi nearly told him to get lost.
In the room full of experienced jōnin, Iruka stood out awkwardly—he was the only Chūnin there.
Facing Kakashi's harsh words, Iruka was left speechless.
His face turned pale, then flushed blue with embarrassment.
He didn't know what Kakashi or the other elite shinobi were thinking.
They were seriously considering letting Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—fresh Genin who had only just graduated from the Academy—participate in the Chūnin Exams?
Did they not understand how difficult and dangerous the Chūnin Exams truly were?
This year's Chūnin Exams were particularly significant—it was a joint event between the Hidden Leaf Village and the Hidden Sand Village of the Wind Country.
The purpose wasn't just to evaluate Genin. The real goal was political: to showcase strength and cooperation, to act as a deterrent to neighboring nations, and to ease rising tensions.
To that end, the Sand Village, along with several other smaller allied villages, sent their most elite Genin to participate.
These weren't ordinary rookies—they were the best of the best.
Only by displaying strength through such competition could the alliance hope to project unity and power.
And yet, even with that in mind...
Kakashi and the other high-ranking jōnin had submitted the names of their own fresh Genin—like Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura—for the exams.
To Iruka, it felt like they were sending these kids into a death trap.
Still...
Looking around the room, he realized not a single jōnin, not even the Third Hokage himself, objected to the plan.
Faced with the cold reality, Iruka could only bow his head and leave the meeting hall in frustration and shame.
Back in Konoha.
Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and the rest of the rookie 11 had gathered at their usual meeting spot.
Kakashi had sent word to all of them, asking them to assemble—he said he had something important to announce.
But even before he arrived, most of them already had an idea what it would be about.
As they waited...
Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared.
It was Konohamaru, the Third Hokage's grandson, accompanied by his usual tagalongs, Udon and Moegi.
Ever since Naruto had harshly scolded him in the past, Konohamaru had viewed him as a rival.
He was always looking for an opportunity to beat Naruto and prove himself.
But Naruto had been busy lately—either out on missions or in training—and Konohamaru hadn't had a chance to confront him.
Until now.
Seeing Naruto relaxed and not on duty, Konohamaru decided it was the perfect moment to launch a sneak attack.
Unfortunately for him, his "disguise" was laughably poor.
He didn't even get close before Naruto spotted him.
Without even looking directly, Naruto casually kicked a small stone from the ground. It flew like a bullet—striking Konohamaru right in the forehead.
"OW!"
Konohamaru yelped and collapsed.
His two followers panicked.
"Run, Boss!"
"The demon fox noticed us!"
"Boss, I don't wanna die!"
Konohamaru didn't have time to respond. He grabbed his two friends and bolted in fear.
Sasuke and Sakura watched the scene with a mix of confusion and annoyance.
"…Who are those kids again?" Sakura muttered.
Naruto, of course, remained completely unfazed.
However—
Just as Konohamaru and his gang fled, they ran straight into someone's back.
"Oof!"
Konohamaru hit the ground hard, rubbing his sore backside in pain.
He looked up—and froze.
The man he had bumped into turned around slowly, revealing painted markings on his face and a scowl that could kill.
But what drew the most attention was his headband—it wasn't from the Hidden Leaf.
"H-He's not from our village…!"
"Enemy ninja!?"
Konohamaru's friends turned pale with fear.
Before Konohamaru could even react, the stranger grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground.
"Tch. Brat… That hurt."
"I hate little punks who get in my way."
The tone was hostile, and the grip on Konohamaru's shirt was tight.
Beside the man stood a girl with a giant fan on her back. She frowned at her companion and tried to calm him down.
"Kankuro, enough. Don't cause a scene."
At that moment, Team 7 took notice.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Ninjas from another village?"
He spotted their headbands and instantly recognized the symbol.
"…The Hidden Sand?"
Sakura recalled the symbols from their Academy textbooks.
Naruto squinted, recognizing the faces.
"Yeah," he said, nodding. "That's Kankuro and Temari. They're from Sunagakure."
It seemed that the participating Genin from other villages had begun to arrive in the Hidden Leaf.
Naruto took note of it quietly.
No surprise there, he thought.
As Naruto observed Kankurō and Temari, it was only natural that they noticed him, Sasuke, and Sakura as well.
"Konoha shinobi?"
Kankurō narrowed his eyes at them.
Temari stood beside him, arms crossed, her gaze calmly sweeping over the trio from Team 7. Despite her composed demeanor, she was clearly sizing them up.
Meanwhile, Sasuke had his attention fixed on the earlier commotion.
He didn't particularly like Konohamaru or his friends—especially with how they had treated Naruto just moments ago.
But that didn't mean he would tolerate someone from another village acting arrogantly in his village either.
He bent down, picked up a small stone, and rolled it across his fingers. His eyes locked onto Kankurō as he spoke.
"Hey… You're getting a little full of yourself in someone else's village."
"I don't like that."
The instant he finished his sentence—
He flicked the stone.
Fast. Precise. Like a shuriken.
Even though Kankurō had anticipated an attack the moment Sasuke picked up the stone, he didn't expect the Genin to throw it so quickly.
Too fast.
Even with his guard up, he couldn't block it in time.
"Tch—!"
Kankurō winced as the stone hit his forearm—the same one he was using to hold Konohamaru.
Reflexively, he let go.
Konohamaru didn't wait for a second chance. He grabbed Moegi and Udon and ran off as fast as he could.
Not that anyone really cared about them at this point.
Neither Team 7 nor the Suna shinobi were paying attention to the kids anymore.
Kankurō's glare turned icy as he locked eyes with Sasuke.
"Tch."
"Is that all a Konoha ninja can do? Toss pebbles?"
His words were laced with sarcasm, but even he had to admit—Sasuke was fast.
Temari, who had been observing quietly, furrowed her brow.
She hadn't expected such skill from someone so young.
From the look of them, she had assumed Naruto and his team were still just kids…
But now, she wasn't so sure.
They're different.
We're supposed to be the elite—the ones handpicked and trained by the Sand Village.
Each of them had Chūnin-level strength, at the very least.
And yet—
Sasuke's precision and speed just now had shaken her assumptions.
Sakura, meanwhile, stared at Sasuke with admiration sparkling in her eyes. Her heart fluttered with pride.
Sasuke, unfazed by the attention, gave a cold snort.
"If that's all it takes to shut you up, then maybe you're not even worth a simple trick."
The air grew heavy.
Kankurō's smirk faded. He was momentarily speechless, his pride stung by Sasuke's arrogance and that mocking expression.
His temper flared.
With a growl, he reached behind his back and started to unseal his puppet—Crow.
"Kankurō, don't!"
Temari's voice cut through the tension, sharp and urgent.
She looked tense, clearly alarmed by what he was about to do.
If he unleashed Crow here, in the middle of Konoha, someone might actually die.
More than that, it could blow their cover.
Their true mission in Konoha wasn't just to take the Chūnin Exams.
They were part of something far darker.
Naruto stood quietly, watching the situation unfold.
Of course he knew. He'd read the script—he knew the truth behind the Sand's alliance with the Sound.
This so-called Chūnin Exam…
It was just a pretext.
The Sand had come to destroy the Hidden Leaf.
Sure, Orochimaru was manipulating things behind the scenes, but that didn't change the fact:
Kankurō and the others came here to burn the village down.
They weren't here to make friends.
In the original timeline, Naruto had treated some of them as comrades after the chaos ended.
But now, seeing it from this angle…
He felt nothing of the sort.
If Konoha had any sense, it wouldn't have let the Sand Village off so lightly after the invasion.
Then again, back then the Third Hokage had died.
The village had been left without a Kage-level protector, too battered to even consider retaliation.
But Naruto wasn't going to let that happen again.
This Chūnin Exam would mark the end of the Third Hokage's era—
And the beginning of his own.
With that transition, he'd not only claim the Hokage title, but take full control of the Sand Village as well—with legitimate justification.
His gaze sharpened as he stared at Kankurō's movements.
"I'd think twice about that," Naruto said, his tone calm but firm.
He didn't want this fool to disrupt everything he had planned.
The moment those words left Naruto's mouth, both Kankurō and Temari turned to him.
Kankurō opened his mouth to retort—
But then their eyes met.
"H-Hhss—!"
Kankurō instantly broke eye contact.
His throat tightened.
Panic surged through him as he staggered back a step.
He couldn't explain it. But when he looked into Naruto's bright, sky-blue eyes—
He saw something worse than Gaara.
Something colder. Deeper. More dangerous.
What… what is that?!
Why is this guy more terrifying than Gaara?!
I'll die.
If he moves, I'm dead.
The thoughts hit him in waves, each one more paralyzing than the last.
His fingers twitched. Even his hands began to tremble.
Temari hadn't seen Naruto's eyes herself.
But watching her brother suddenly lose all aggression, she was stunned.
What just happened?
Why did he stop so suddenly?
She glanced between Kankurō and Naruto.
And for the first time, she realized something.
This blonde Genin… wasn't normal.
Temari, being Kankurō's older sister, quickly noticed the subtle changes in his expression and posture.
She could see it clearly—
He was afraid.
And not just normal fear.
This was worse than what she'd seen when he stood before Gaara.
What the hell just happened?
Temari's mind raced. She looked at Naruto again.
Sasuke and Sakura also noticed the shift.
Both Kankurō and Temari had suddenly gone quiet—like someone had flipped a switch.
Their eyes briefly flicked toward Naruto.
They didn't know exactly what he'd done, but they were used to this kind of thing from him by now.
Neither Sasuke nor Sakura was surprised.
Just then—
A cold, distant voice echoed from above.
"Trash. Don't embarrass me here."
Everyone turned their heads sharply.
High in the tree branches above the roadside, a figure dangled upside down.
He wore a sand-colored outfit, had no eyebrows, and carried a massive gourd on his back.
His pale green eyes were rimmed with heavy black rings.
He was staring down at them like a predator.
"Gaara," Temari whispered, sweat beading at her brow.
Kankurō stiffened the moment Gaara appeared, his earlier tension returning tenfold.
He didn't say a word.
Sasuke and Sakura immediately noticed something about the new arrival.
That same suffocating pressure they'd felt from Naruto…
It was faintly echoing off this boy.
Not nearly as overwhelming, but enough to make them wary.
Even so—
Sasuke knew one thing.
The aura coming from Naruto when he got serious was far more intense.
But Gaara wasn't just some Genin.
And right now, he was clearly furious.
Kankurō had just been shut down by a single look from a Konoha Genin.
If word of that spread, it wouldn't just be an embarrassment to their squad—it would disgrace Sunagakure itself.
And Gaara wouldn't tolerate that.
With a graceful flip, Gaara landed silently in front of them.
His expression remained flat, emotionless.
But when his eyes locked onto Naruto—
He froze.
That look—
For a brief instant, Gaara's pupils dilated. His breathing caught.
And then—
"Damn it! It's him! The Nine-Tails!"
The voice of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast sealed inside Gaara, screamed in his mind.
"It's that damn fox! That's the Nine-Tails kid!!"
"RUN, brat! Don't fight him!"
"You'll DIE!!"
Panic erupted inside Gaara's mind as Shukaku continued to rant.
The tanuki spirit was trembling—he'd felt it clearly.
The chakra signature inside Naruto…
It was the Kyūbi no Yōko—the Nine-Tailed Fox.
But that wasn't all.
Why can I sense it so clearly?
Why isn't it sealed?
Isn't it supposed to be suppressed?
Shukaku didn't understand how or why, but one thing was certain:
The seal on Naruto's body wasn't holding the Nine-Tails back.
If that boy wanted to—
He could unleash the Kyūbi's power at any time.
And among all the tailed beasts, the Nine-Tails stood at the top.
The strongest of them all.
One by one… the Tailed Beasts had fallen.
But this one—
This one would kill them.
"Calm down… It's just a small thing."
That was the last thing Shukaku said before falling silent again.
After issuing his warning, the One-Tailed Beast completely withdrew its presence—
concealing its chakra, as if afraid of being noticed.
He had done his part.
Whether his host lived or died no longer mattered to him.
After all, if a Jinchūriki died, the tailed beast sealed inside would perish along with them.
But they would always come back—
Tailed beasts were reborn over time.
They had the luxury of patience.
Now, however, Gaara was left standing alone in silence.
Naruto's eyes had shaken him to his core.
And it wasn't just those eyes…
It was Shukaku's reaction that truly unsettled him.
What is inside that guy?
Could he be… like me?
Gaara narrowed his gaze.
There was something else sealed inside that blond Genin.
But it felt... different.
So different, in fact, that Gaara couldn't even sense the presence of hatred, rejection, or isolation—
all things he himself carried like a second skin.
He stared at Naruto.
Why doesn't he feel like me?
Why does he seem... complete?
He didn't know how to describe it. But there was a distinct absence in Naruto.
An absence of pain—of discrimination.
That emptiness where suffering should've been...
It disturbed him.
And more than that—
It made him feel small.
A moment later, Gaara clenched his fists and made a decision.
Whatever he is… it's not worth the risk.
He turned away.
"We're leaving."
His voice was cold, emotionless.
Temari and Kankurō didn't protest. They didn't dare.
They simply fell into step behind him.
But inside, both of them were reeling with the same realization:
Gaara is scared.
He's scared of that Konoha Genin.
They had followed Gaara for years.
They knew the kind of pressure he gave off—the fear he inspired.
To feel that same fear from him now...
To see him afraid of someone else...
It was unthinkable.
And yet—it had happened.
The blond Genin from Konoha...
He had frightened Gaara.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood quietly as they watched the three Sand shinobi walk away.
"...They're going to be our opponents in the Chūnin Exams," Sasuke said at last, his voice low but firm.
His gaze lingered on Gaara's back.
And in his eyes—
There was interest.
Serious interest.
...
TN:
Support me on P-com/LordMerlin