The first knockout round had ended.
Twenty-four Genin advanced.
Konoha: 14
Sunagakure: 3
Iwagakure: 2
Kirigakure: 2
Kumogakure: 3
Otogakure: 0
Naruto scanned the results displayed on the big screen and smiled knowingly.
"Sakura passed the first round. That's about her limit, though.
Ino lost—expected. Her family's jutsu is too restrictive for one-on-one matches.
Chōji did well. Kiba's improving. Lee's already in the final bracket… the rest? Hard to say."
He leaned back with his arms crossed. As the architect behind Konoha's current training programs, he already knew how the matches would go. The electronic match system looked random, but Naruto had designed it — and a few "adjustments" ensured Konoha's strongest weren't forced to face each other too early.
It wasn't cheating. It was called strategy.
"Second knockout round: First match — Akimichi Chōji of Konoha vs. Azui of the Cloud Village! Begin!"
As the next round kicked off, Naruto stretched and stood up.
"You're leaving?" Tsunade asked, brow raised.
"Yeah," he said casually. "I've seen enough. The rest, I can already predict."
She gave him a suspicious look, but he just smiled faintly.
He hadn't come to watch kids fight. He came to see the results of his training camp — and those results were solid. Beyond that, these scuffles between Genin didn't interest him anymore. Every flaw in their stance, every delay in their reflexes, was glaring to his eyes.
"Hinata," he said gently, turning to her, "do you want to stay and watch?"
She nodded. "Yes, Naruto-kun. You can go. I'll be fine."
"Alright. Once you're done, head home. I've already reported our return to the Third Hokage. You're officially on vacation." His tone grew serious. "But don't leave the village without using a transformation. My return stays secret for now."
"I understand."
Naruto gave her a reassuring smile and strode out of the Central Tower.
Tsunade watched him go, muttering under her breath. "That kid's got a hundred things going on at once. Honestly, he's worse than Jiraiya."
She turned to Shizune with a grin. "C'mon. I'm done watching kiddie matches. Let's visit the casino. I haven't seen my favorite tables in ages."
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the tower, the Sound Village Jōnin leaned against the wall, pretending to watch the arena below.
His expression was calm, but his eyes flickered.
For a while now, he'd felt it — a suffocating pressure, like a monster's presence nearby.
But now… it was gone.
He exhaled slowly. So, the beast has left.
His gaze dropped to his left arm, where a faint pain throbbed. The memory of an earlier encounter made his expression tighten.
He turned and left silently. His team of three Sound Genin had been eliminated in the first round — utter failures. As their Jōnin leader, it was time for him to withdraw from Konoha.
"Three useless fools," he muttered coldly. "All that preparation wasted."
Outside the Forest of Death, Naruto stopped in a secluded clearing.
The Bedrock Armor spread across his body, reshaping into the imposing form of Kira, the president of the Red Sun Society. His aura changed instantly — colder, heavier, commanding.
He opened a glowing portal in the air and stepped through.
Inside the Red Sun Society headquarters, he was greeted by a chorus of voices.
"President!"
"Good day, President!"
Naruto nodded curtly. "Status report, Shisui."
Uchiha Shisui straightened, his expression sharp.
"Most of the enemy spies in Konoha have been identified. We've also located several hideouts outside the village. More enemy ninjas are gathering by the day."
He paused, then continued.
"The third round of the Chūnin Exam is set for one month from now. That gives them a month to prepare — and us a month to get ready. When they move, we'll crush them all in one strike."
Naruto's eyes gleamed. "Good. But make sure Konoha's civilians aren't caught in the crossfire."
Shisui frowned slightly. "That's the problem, sir. If we protect the villagers and eliminate all enemies, we're short on manpower."
"What about the Qinghai City operatives?"
"They're already counted in. Still not enough."
Naruto fell silent, thinking. The Red Sun Society was strong but still small — mostly made up of Uchiha loyalists and handpicked fighters. They could guarantee victory, yes, but a clean operation with zero collateral damage? That was harder.
Finally, he looked up.
"Then here's what we'll do. The Red Sun Society handles external operations — we'll wipe out every outside force attacking the village. I'll handle the internal crisis personally."
Shisui's eyes widened. "Alone?"
Naruto smirked. "Konoha isn't defenseless. I'll inform the right people. With cooperation, we can keep things stable inside the walls."
Shisui nodded, relieved.
"Good. Then I'll assign a few experienced operatives and the planning team to run simulations and draft backup plans. No mistakes this time."
"Perfect."
After finalizing the orders, Naruto exhaled slowly. The tension in his shoulders eased a little.
Still… one thought kept tugging at him.
"There are too few capable people," he murmured. "Once this is over, I'll need to recruit the Nara clan. Their brains are perfect for administration. They can form a cabinet, handle logistics, and deal with all the political nonsense."
He sighed, half amused, half exhausted.
"Being in charge isn't human work. I'm running one organization and it's already a nightmare. If I ever become Hokage… I'll never sleep again."
The thought made him chuckle.
"If I ever unify the ninja world, I'll have to find a way to delegate everything. Maybe invent a lazy Hokage system…"
Still smiling, he left the meeting room and headed toward the Red Sun TV Headquarters.
The building was buzzing with activity — editors, cameramen, reporters all rushing around.
"President!"
"Good morning, President!"
"Looking sharp, sir!"
Naruto waved absently. "Where's the director?"
"In the editing room, sir. But, um… could you talk to Lady Karin? She's been working nonstop for days. She hasn't slept in three nights!"
Naruto frowned. "Three nights?"
He stormed toward the editing suite and pushed the door open.
Inside, Karin spun around, smiling brightly. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair messy, but her expression was full of pride.
"President! The new broadcast is almost done! We can air it tomorrow—"
"Stop."
Naruto's tone was sharp. "That's an order. Rest. Now."
"But—"
"No 'buts.' You're overworked, Karin. You're not a machine. Take a break, or I'll personally pull the show off the schedule."
Her face fell, guilt and exhaustion mixing in her eyes.
"The body is the foundation of everything," Naruto said, softer this time. "If you collapse, how will you create anything great? Go get some sleep. When you wake up, tomorrow will be waiting."
Karin blinked, then smiled weakly. "Yes, President…"
She lay down on the small cot in the corner of the room.
Within seconds, her breathing steadied.
Naruto watched her for a moment, then quietly adjusted the blanket over her shoulders.
"Good work, Karin," he said under his breath. "You've earned your rest."
Outside the window, the Red Sun insignia gleamed — a bright crimson sun rising over Konoha's horizon.
-------------------------
For advanced chapters, visit patreon.com/Varnok