"The bloodline limit of Ice Release has appeared in Konoha!"
"That child… could he truly have no connection to the Hidden Mist Village?"
Kakashi lifted his head, startled at the voice.
Asuma.
Kakashi let out a faint scoff, though his gaze carried a hint of strangeness.
"Asuma, why would you think that?"
"Because of Ice Release! Isn't that a kekkei genkai of Kirigakure?"
Asuma's brow furrowed, unsure if Kakashi was mocking him.
Might Guy and Kurenai, standing to the side, also showed flickers of doubt in their eyes.
With a small sigh, Kakashi straightened his posture and said calmly,
"Shigure isn't from the Hidden Mist. Don't you know? He belongs to the Moonlight Clan."
The reunion with old comrades ended there.
Kakashi couldn't reveal that he and the Third Hokage had personally witnessed Shigure awaken and develop Ice Release on his own. That secret could not leave their circle.
But just as he turned to leave, a thought struck him.
Why were even Asuma, Guy, and Kurenai doubting Shigure? Ice Release was unusual, yes, but still only a bloodline limit. Their curiosity seemed… excessive.
Kakashi shook his head, deciding to think no further on it. He was on his way home when an Anbu operative suddenly appeared.
"Kakashi-senpai, the Hokage requests your presence."
"…Understood."
When Kakashi entered the Hokage's office, his eyes narrowed at once—Danzo was walking out. A frown tugged at his face.
"Come in, Kakashi."
The familiar voice of the Third Hokage called to him. Kakashi stepped forward.
"The finals of the Chūnin Exams begin tomorrow," said Hiruzen, his tone deliberate. "But I need you to leave the village tonight."
"…Leave the village? Now?"
The timing made no sense. Why would the Hokage send him away on the eve of the finals?
"There is a special guest attending the exams. I want you to greet them on my behalf."
A guest worthy of being greeted in the Hokage's stead? Could it be the Fire Daimyō? But wasn't the Daimyō scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning?
Kakashi hesitated. "…Who exactly?"
Hiruzen's lips curved in a faint smile.
"You'll understand when the time comes."
Kakashi gave a small nod. "Third-sama, there's something I discovered—"
But the Hokage cut him off with a raised hand.
"I'm pressed for time. Leave quickly, and return as soon as possible. At this hour, you'll likely be traveling all night."
Realizing the matter was not open for discussion, Kakashi swallowed his words and gave a respectful bow. For now, he would obey.
At the Third Hokage's urging, Kakashi set off to the meeting place given to him.
…
The Chūnin Exams were more than just a promotion test—they were a stage for the villages to display their strength. Held twice a year, they served as a demonstration of power and prestige.
That was why Konoha had invited shinobi from smaller villages such as Sunagakure, Takigakure, Amegakure, and Kusagakure. The message was clear: witness Konoha's strength, and remember your place.
And today marked the finals.
The lineup itself made one fact evident: the Five Great Shinobi Nations stood far above the smaller ones.
In the finals, there were six Konoha genin and two from Sunagakure. The numbers alone reflected Konoha's dominance.
Inside the lounge, Shigure sat quietly, listening to the roar of cheers echoing from the stadium.
Naruto fidgeted with excitement, unable to sit still. Sasuke, though composed, had a subtle glint in his eyes that betrayed his own anticipation.
When the Third Hokage's voice boomed through the arena, the countdown to the finals officially began.
At that moment, Shigure noticed something unusual.
From the VIP viewing room, where the daimyō sat, he could sense not just the aura of the Fire Daimyō and the Wind Daimyō—but a third presence.
It wasn't a shinobi's chakra, but the faint aura of an ordinary person. Still, to be seated alongside two great daimyō, this figure could only be a daimyō as well.
"Another daimyō? From a smaller nation?" Shigure wondered.
But that didn't make sense. A minor country's daimyō wouldn't be permitted to sit on equal footing with the Fire and Wind daimyō.
Just as confusion gripped him, his gaze shifted—Kakashi had appeared beside the Hokage.
Kakashi gave a small bow.
"Lord Hokage, the Kage-sama has arrived."
"Good," Hiruzen replied with a nod.
Then Gekkō Hayate, the proctor of the finals, stepped forward to address the crowd.
This time, he was alive and well. Thanks to Shigure's quiet intervention, Hayate hadn't fallen to Baki in the shadows last night. As such, he remained the announcer of the finals.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Hayate's voice carried across the stadium. "Today, the Chūnin Exam finals welcome a most distinguished guest!"
"The Fifth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village—one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations!"
Gasps rippled through the audience.
From the Hokage's viewing platform, Mei Terumī appeared gracefully at Hiruzen's right side, followed by Ao, who gave Kakashi a polite nod.
"It is my honor that Mizukage-dono has accepted our invitation to witness these finals," Hiruzen said warmly.
Mei smiled lightly. "Third Hokage, you flatter me. Kirigakure has shut itself away for too long. For us, this invitation from Konoha is an honor as well."
Even as she spoke, her eyes lingered subtly on the genin lounge.
Shigure's expression darkened. This wasn't how things were supposed to unfold…
The Mizukage appearing here? And Kirigakure genin joining Konoha's Chūnin Exams? That was unheard of.
If events strayed this far from the expected path, then Orochimaru's carefully laid plan might face serious disruption.
Shigure smirked faintly. "Now this… is getting interesting."
Naruto turned to him, puzzled. "Huh? What's interesting, Shigure?"
Beside them, Sasuke frowned, muttering, "The Fifth Mizukage… Kirigakure itself."
Hayate continued, raising his voice:
"This time, we have also invited a genin from the Hidden Mist Village to participate in the finals—Chōjūrō!"
"Nine genin in total will compete!"
Shigure blinked in surprise. Chōjūrō? The man destined to become the Sixth Mizukage… already here, in this exam? And directly advanced to the finals?
The situation grew stranger by the moment.
How had the Third Hokage managed to invite the Mizukage herself? If Kirigakure had wished to participate, they should have joined from the start—not entered midway.
So why was Mei Terumī here, bringing Chōjūrō into Konoha's Chūnin Exams?
To reconnect after years of Kirigakure's isolation? Possibly.
But Shigure couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't so simple.
Collusion with Orochimaru? Unlikely. Mei Terumī and Orochimaru had nothing to gain from each other.
His thoughts were cut short when Hayate's voice echoed again.
"The first match of the finals—Uzumaki Naruto versus Uchiha Sasuke!"
...
TN:
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