Hidden among the participants of the exam were shinobi from Kumogakure. Disguised as genin, they had infiltrated the trials with one purpose—to ensure Sasuke advanced into the final ten.
Up in the stands, in an inconspicuous corner, several figures blended in as ordinary spectators. Their eyes, however, were locked firmly on the arena below.
They had watched Gaara defeat Sasori, seen every moment of it. Yet there was no grief or sympathy among them. Their only concern was whether Gaara's power might interfere when the time came to secure Sasuke's success.
"Tch," Deidara scoffed, clicking his tongue. "To think Sasori, who once defeated me, would die so easily at the hands of some brat. Pathetic."
"Hah. Then doesn't that make you even more pathetic?" Hidan sneered at him, eyes flashing with disdain.
"You?" Deidara shot back angrily. "You're nothing but a lunatic who has to kill yourself just to kill others. Who are you to talk?"
"What was that?" Hidan growled, temper flaring.
The tension between the two was palpable, sparks flying as their words grew sharper.
"Enough. Shut your mouths." Kakuzu's cold voice cut through the air.
At once, both fell silent. Even if Deidara despised him, no one could ignore Kakuzu, the oldest among them, with his grotesque body of stitched hearts.
Kisame remained silent, his shark-like grin hidden as his eyes tracked only one figure—Sasuke.
Itachi had spoken of his younger brother many times, repeating the same phrase: "Sasuke has more talent than I do." Kisame had grown tired of hearing it. In his mind, Itachi was already a monster beyond reason. If not for Kaede, Itachi would have been the most terrifying wielder of the Sharingan he had ever seen.
He had witnessed it himself countless times during their missions together. The black flames of Amaterasu—inescapable, unquenchable, feared by all.
Yet now, Itachi's gaze never left the boy below. Though perfectly hidden from the crowd, Kisame could still sense his intent.
Sasuke stood in the shadows, his eyes fixed on Naruto. What he saw shook him.
Naruto, cloaked in the chakra of the Nine-Tails, four tails manifesting behind him. His face bore the fox's markings, his eyes merged with the beast's feral gaze. He fought with reckless courage, his Shadow Clones flooding the battlefield in relentless waves.
In Sasuke's memory, Naruto had always been the dead last—ignored, mocked, treated as worthless. He remembered when his mother, kind-hearted as always, would secretly send him with buns to give Naruto, when no one else would spare him a glance.
That kindness… that warmth…
Why had such a gentle soul been taken from him? Why had fate chosen to strip him of everything?
Sasuke's thoughts shattered, leaving only one thing behind—hatred.
Hatred for Kaede.
Hatred that burned so deep it drowned out everything else.
(End of Chapter)
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