Inside the Central Tower's massive dojo, two enormous stone hands stood at the far end, locked in the Seal of Confrontation.
Beneath the giant hands stood the Jōnin leaders of the Five Great Ninja Villages — and the examiner from the Hidden Sound — all wearing serious, dignified expressions.
At the front, puffing his pipe with the calm of an emperor addressing his court, stood Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Facing them were the forty-eight Genin who had survived the first two rounds.
At the side, Mitarashi Anko, the second-exam proctor, addressed the crowd.
"The explanation for the third exam will now be given by Lord Third Hokage himself. Everyone, pay attention."
She bowed respectfully and stepped aside.
Hiruzen took a few steps forward, surveying the young faces before him. Seeing that most of them wore Konoha headbands, a proud smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
The old man's chest swelled with quiet satisfaction. Looks like the future of the world really belongs to Konoha.
He cleared his throat.
"Before we begin the third test, I want to make one thing clear — the true purpose of this exam."
The room quieted instantly.
"Why do all the great nations gather to hold the Chūnin Exams? To promote friendship? Peace? Mutual growth?"
He chuckled softly.
"Don't misunderstand. The real meaning of this exam… is war."
The Genin looked stunned. Hiruzen continued, voice steady and commanding.
"Throughout history, the great nations of the ninja world have been enemies — constantly fighting. To avoid wasting troops and mutual destruction, we created this battleground — the Chūnin Exam. A controlled conflict."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Many of these Genin had grown up in peacetime, born after the Third Great Ninja War. This was their first glimpse of the brutal truth beneath their so-called 'peaceful era.'
"Yes, the exam measures your strength," Hiruzen said. "But it's also a contest of nations — a chance to display power. During the final stage, the elite from every country will be watching your battles."
"The stronger the showing, the greater the prestige your village earns — and the more missions it receives. A weak village loses both income and influence. The Chūnin Exam is not just a test — it's diplomacy through combat."
On the upper balcony, Naruto yawned loudly.
"This speech could put me in a coma," he muttered.
Tsunade shot him a look. "You don't agree with the Third?"
Naruto crossed his arms, eyes sharp.
"'Maintaining balance through killing'? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Every village talks about peace, but when it's time to 'prove their strength,' they throw kids into an arena to bleed for politics."
He scoffed.
"They preach peace while training the next generation to be executioners. How's that supposed to end the cycle of war?"
Tsunade blinked. His words hit harder than she expected. The boy's tone carried no arrogance — just conviction.
This kid who had once declared, without hesitation, "I'll be the Fifth Hokage!" — his blood burned with something entirely different from the rest of the ninja world.
Ambition. Defiance. Vision.
He wasn't aiming to inherit the system. He wanted to rewrite it.
Tsunade studied him, her expression softening. He's dangerous… and fascinating.
"Weird kid," she murmured. "But maybe exactly the kind this world needs."
Down below, a voice suddenly cut through the tension.
"Enough talk. What's the third test?!"
It was Gaara of the Sand, his face blank but his tone sharp.
Even though Naruto's beatdown had mellowed him a little, his patience was still paper-thin. Long speeches weren't his style.
"Alright, alright," Hiruzen said with a chuckle. "Gekkō Hayate — the floor's yours."
A thin man in a flak vest appeared in a flash, landing gracefully and bowing to the Hokage.
"Lord Hokage."
"Proceed," Hiruzen said.
Hayate turned toward the Genin, coughing into his fist.
"Cough, cough — listen up, everyone. Before we begin the official third test, there's one thing left — the preliminaries."
Murmurs filled the hall again.
Hayate continued between wheezes.
"This time, too many of you passed the second stage. To maintain the schedule — and because the final will be observed by dignitaries — we'll conduct elimination rounds to narrow the field."
Forty-eight Genin. Only twelve spots for the finals.
That meant thirty-six would be cut right here.
Grumbling broke out immediately, but no one dared refuse.
"Two rounds," Hayate said. "Win twice, and you'll qualify for the final stage. Lose, and you're out. The rest of the world will be watching — so give it everything."
The word fame spread like fire among the Genin. For many, this was their first real chance to make a name for themselves — to step into the light of the ninja world.
As the Genin moved to the observation deck, tech-nin finished adjusting the new equipment: a large electronic board for match selection and results.
Naruto's eyes caught a logo on the corner.
Xinghai Works — Yakushi Kabuto's Company.
Naruto smirked. "Tch. Kabuto's business empire is booming."
Tsunade wasn't paying attention to the board. Her brow furrowed as she watched the coughing proctor.
"Moonlight Hayate, huh?" she muttered. "Chronic cough, pale face, weak lungs… probably advanced tuberculosis."
Naruto blinked. "Wait, you're diagnosing him right now?"
Tsunade didn't answer — she was already thinking about treatment methods.
He sighed. "Only you would focus on the referee's health in the middle of a combat tournament."
As the screen flickered to life and names began to shuffle for the first match, the Genin's chatter rose to a roar.
Everyone was fired up — nerves, ambition, and bloodlust mixing in the air.
And up above, Naruto leaned on the railing, his expression calm, unreadable.
Tsunade glanced at him again — this time with something like awe.
He doesn't look like a ninja watching an exam, she thought. He looks like a leader watching the birth of a new era.
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