As time passed, delegations from Hidden Rain Village and Takigakure also successively arrived at Konoha.
When the Hidden Rain Village group arrived, Shuji happened to pass by the reception area. His gaze swept across those unfamiliar faces wearing Rain forehead protectors, most with restrained expressions. Finding no one worth noting, he paid them no further attention.
Hidden Cloud's team arrived ten days before the exam began. The leading jōnin was Dodai.
Among several genin, Shuji only had a vague impression of the boy named C, with pale yellow hair and keen sensory abilities. He seemed to be the future Fourth Raikage's capable assistant.
It appeared that for this first joint exam with Konoha, Hidden Cloud also harbored exploratory intentions. They had not dispatched all their elite, merely using C as their showcase.
The earliest arrivals, Sunagakure, fielded an even more unremarkable genin lineup, as though merely going through the motions.
The days of maneuvering with Chiyo, though mentally prepared in advance, still brought a trace of fatigue from sustained mental tension.
Taking advantage of a brief respite during negotiation intervals, Shuji decided to temporarily set aside those complicated affairs and wander casually through the village, allowing his mind some relaxation.
His steps unconsciously drew near the Uchiha clan grounds. Remembering he had not seen Itachi for some time, he changed direction and naturally entered.
Perhaps because he had visited many times, or perhaps Fugaku had indeed given instructions, the Uchiha clan members cast no excessive scrutiny toward his appearance. Most merely glanced indifferently before paying him no further mind.
The atmosphere within the clan grounds seemed slightly more relaxed than before, yet that bone-deep pride and sense of boundaries remained.
Before Shuji's diplomatic mission to Sunagakure, the village had already been arranging Uchiha entry into ANBU. That matter had been implemented.
Regarding Uchiha members entering ANBU, the village had begun pushing this before his Sunagakure mission. Now it seemed to have taken preliminary effect. According to Tsunade's mention, the positions vacated in the Police Force would only be filled after the Chūnin Exam concluded.
Not far into the Uchiha clan grounds, Shuji spotted two familiar figures at a street corner.
Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Izumi were emerging from a household.
Izumi bowed toward someone inside the door, softly bidding farewell. Itachi stood quietly beside her. After she finished speaking, they turned together.
"Itachi," Shuji called out, then also nodded to the young woman beside him. "Hello, Izumi."
Having been Itachi's captain for so long, and having visited the Uchiha clan grounds several times, he had also met Uchiha Izumi.
Seeing Shuji, a trace of surprise crossed Izumi's face before she displayed a bright smile. "Ah, Shuji-senpai."
"Senpai, why did you come?" Itachi asked.
"I happened to be free, so I came to check on you," Shuji said. His gaze swept across the two before finally settling on the door that had just closed. "Seems you were busy with something?"
Izumi smiled somewhat embarrassedly and explained, "Just visiting Aunt Misa. She has been feeling unwell recently. We came to deliver some things."
Itachi nodded lightly, confirming Izumi's words, then turned to her. "Izumi, let us stop here for today."
"All right." Izumi knew the two might have things to discuss. "Then Itachi-kun, Shuji-senpai, I will head back first!" She waved to them both and turned to leave with light steps.
Only after Izumi's figure disappeared at the street's end did Shuji begin walking. Itachi quietly followed at half a step behind his side.
"How are your preparations?" Shuji asked, tone casual.
"For the Chūnin Exam, there are no problems, senpai," Itachi answered. He then added a statement, explaining the earlier situation. "Izumi came to visit Aunt Misa. Her husband is a member of the Police Force's logistics team. I accompanied her, which also facilitates understanding the situation."
Using Izumi's natural interpersonal connections as cover for lateral investigation proved indeed more covert than deliberate inquiries, less likely to arouse suspicion.
Shuji understood and followed up naturally. "How do you feel?"
Itachi fell silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts. When he spoke again, his voice carried a trace of barely perceptible emotion. "Previously, I never noticed. Not all clan members are immersed in the clan's narrative. Many people care more about practical life."
"Whether work is stable, whether mission compensation can support the household, children's future development opportunities in the village... these seem to be topics they discuss more frequently."
"They seem no different from other village people."
The youth raised his head, gazing toward the azure sky carved into segments by eaves above the clan grounds' streets. He said softly, "Senpai, it seems I am also quite narrow-minded and arrogant."
Shuji did not answer. He merely extended his hand and lightly patted the top of his head.
"Anko-senpai came by a few days ago," Itachi suddenly changed topics, his tone recovering some of its usual calm. "She said that during your diplomatic mission to Kusagakure, senpai, you seemed to have done something remarkable."
"Mm? She also came?" Shuji's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Yes. She said you had a mission, senpai, so she came herself to check on my Chūnin Exam preparations."
"She did not tell you what happened?"
"No. Anko-senpai only smiled rather meaningfully but did not tell me specifically what occurred."
The corners of Shuji's mouth curved into an extremely faint, almost imperceptible arc. "Nothing much. I just took some people from Kusagakure."
Itachi's steps halted. He looked up in astonishment, his usually calm black eyes widening slightly. "Took people?"
"Mm." Shuji continued walking forward as though discussing something trivial. "A woman."
Itachi: "...?"
He silently followed, seemingly spending time digesting this excessively concise yet information-laden answer. The air quieted temporarily, leaving only their light footsteps echoing along the street.
"Kusagakure and Konoha's abnormal movements?"
Kakuzu's impending departure from the Hidden Rain Village area brought this reported matter to Uchiha Obito's ears.
The attack on the Hidden Cloud delegation that ultimately produced so little commotion left Uchiha Obito somewhat unable to comprehend.
War had clearly erupted. Aside from Sunagakure, all shinobi villages had mobilized, yet it ended so sloppily.
Unable to find better intervention opportunities momentarily, he could only continue lying low while investigating jinchūriki locations in various nations.
Originally, mere movements from insignificant Kusagakure would not draw his slightest attention. However, Konoha's Root subsequently conducted highly targeted sweeping operations, making him smell something unusual.
"Speaking of which, that little place Kusagakure seems to hide something interesting," Zetsu's voice sounded from the side.
"Oh?" Uchiha Obito's voice came through the spiral mask, emotion undetectable.
"That is the Box of Ultimate Bliss, one of the Sage of Six Paths' ninja tools. The Sage of Six Paths once wanted to use it to absorb all the world's despair, leaving only hope," Black Zetsu's half said in a hoarse voice.
"Heh." Uchiha Obito released a mocking laugh. The Sharingan beneath his mask slowly rotated, filled with derision toward this notion.
Leave hope? Look at this world full of hypocrisy, pain, and incurable suffering. How laughable.
"The result?" he asked carelessly, treating it as hearing a boring story.
"It failed. Excessive accumulated despair instead gave birth to a monster named Satori," Zetsu said.
"Satori? Monster?" Obito repeated quietly. The Sharingan beneath his mask slowly rotated.
It seemed far more interesting than observing a boring Chūnin Exam.
His figure began distorting, slowly merging into the void.
"Anyway, I am bored. Let us take a look."
Within Konoha Village, the Hokage's office.
The clamor outside seemed isolated by heavy curtains. The room filled with mingled scents of tobacco and old paper.
Among all invited and confirmed participating shinobi villages, only Kusagakure's delegation remained conspicuously absent.
Shimura Danzo once again stood before the Hokage's desk.
"How goes the investigation into Kusagakure's situation?" Sarutobi Hiruzen set down his pipe, getting straight to the point.
Danzo's voice was low. "According to the latest intelligence Root transmitted, Kusagakure has been unusually quiet recently."
"Their previous near-frantic large-scale operations capturing rogue ninja and wandering shinobi have completely ceased. The entire village seems to have entered some internal consolidation or dormant state. External passage controls have become unusually strict."
"Currently, Kusagakure has essentially stopped accepting any external commissions, severing most regular contact with the outside world."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's brow slowly furrowed, wrinkles embedding deeply like ravines.
This was no good news. If Kusagakure had merely sensed Konoha's warning and chosen to lay low, the most reasonable action now should be dispatching participating teams as usual, pretending nothing had happened.
Konoha would not deliberately pursue matters either.
The current situation, rather than restraint, suggested preparing for something, especially refusing commissions. They were clearly planning something big.
And at this precise moment...
"Regarding the Box of Ultimate Bliss," Danzo continued reporting, "combining multiple clues for judgment, its most likely hiding location points toward the overseas prison Kusagakure manages, Hozuki Castle."
"I have already dispatched elite personnel most skilled in concealment and reconnaissance to attempt infiltration for investigation. Currently, no breakthrough progress has been achieved. The defenses and seals there are stricter than anticipated."
After hearing Danzo's report, Sarutobi Hiruzen made his decision. "Regardless, we absolutely cannot be careless. We must plan for the worst-case scenario."
"Issue orders. Immediately and comprehensively raise alert levels across all border regions bordering the Land of Grass."
"Deploy double patrol squads. Increase reconnaissance frequency. Activate all highest-level monitoring and sensory barriers!"
"Especially during this sensitive period when shinobi from various villages gather in Konoha, we must ensure any potential risks are completely isolated outside the village."
"We absolutely cannot allow any accidents to interfere with this Chūnin Exam!"
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild