A few easy sentences, and the counselors' leverage was gone.
Hiruzen was in an excellent mood, pipe between his teeth as he watched the two sit there, deflated. Tobirama's advisor system had once helped him. Now it was dead weight. Finally—snipped clean. No more hands on his sleeves.
He puffed contentedly. "Since three villages will participate, the format can't stay the same. We'll reform it—and we'll let them see Konoha's depth."
"In other words, innovation with real teeth," Shikaku said smoothly, finishing the thought for him.
"Exactly." Hiruzen smiled. A subordinate who voiced his mind for him—what was better than that?
The way you're trying to out-perform everyone for bonus points… Sogetsu's mouth twitched. The scene was too familiar to be anything but funny.
"Hmm? Sogetsu, that face says you've got ideas." Hiruzen twirled his beard, benevolent. "Go on—speak freely. Even a wrong answer is better than none."
Caught in the spotlight, Sogetsu lifted his hand to the bridge of his glasses and let a small smile settle in. "I do have a proposal, Hokage-sama. I'm just not sure… if it's appropriate."
"Let's hear it."
"Per your intent—to use a joint Chūnin Exams to showcase Konoha's strength and reform the old system—I suggest we build the exam around genjutsu."
"Genjutsu?" Hiruzen's brow creased, unimpressed.
"Hmph. That's your proposal, Uchiha Sogetsu?" Koharu pounced, grateful for a target. "A Chūnin must be measured broadly: ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, plus leadership and organization. You can't decide readiness with genjutsu alone."
"Indeed, Hiruzen—your pick is too green." Homura added with relish, side-eyeing the Hokage. "Your genjutsu is formidable, I grant you, but Sogetsu's overestimating our edge. What happens when the genjutsu is broken? Do we embarrass ourselves before two villages?"
The pair traded sneers. Hiruzen kept his face neutral and lifted a hand. "Sogetsu's suggestion is worthy—just a bit immature."
"Please, one moment, Hokage-sama," Shikaku cut in. He had a hunch this wasn't the whole pitch. "Let him finish. There might be something new here."
"…Very well. Continue, Sogetsu."
"Thank you." Sogetsu inclined his head. "I have considered those risks. That's why I'd combine my genjutsu with the Yamanaka clan's techniques to construct a large-scale, multi-user genjutsu dreamscape."
A collective beat—then even Orochimaru glanced over, interest kindled.
"Go on," Hiruzen said, eyes brightening.
"We create a shared, near-real dream," Sogetsu said, voice mild, suggestion threaded through tone and pacing, his words brushing minds like rain. "You know my Genjutsu: Wish-Fulfillment can build almost tangible dreams. Few even notice they've crossed over."
"If the Yamanaka link participants together, we can host all candidates in one dreamspace."
"The advantage is obvious: in a dream, we don't care about 'mortality rates.' With that fear erased, we can test whatever we want, however we want—thoroughly—to see who merits promotion."
Hiruzen nodded, then nodded harder. The more he pictured it, the more he liked it.
"A sound method," Shikaku agreed. "No body count means freedom to raise the ceiling."
"Wouldn't that make the exam… too hard?" Minato finally spoke, carefully. Obito had been bouncing to take this exam; of course it had to be this year they changed everything. "If we can 'kill' candidates freely—"
"As long as we tune the dials," Shikaku said, neatly blocking. "And raising difficulty is good. Chūnin selection shouldn't be easy."
Minato sighed inwardly. He'd tried.
"Counselors—any further questions?" Sogetsu's smile was pleasant, almost innocent.
Both swallowed their pride and kept silent.
"Inoichi?" Hiruzen asked.
Yamanaka Inoichi flicked Shikaku a glance; Shikaku answered with a subtle nod. Inoichi faced the Hokage. "Feasible, Hokage-sama. With Sogetsu's genjutsu as the core, linking every candidate is within our capacity."
"Excellent." Hiruzen stood, energized. His gaze swept Sogetsu, Shikaku, Inoichi. "Then it's decided."
"Since you proposed genjutsu, I assume you've ideas for the content?" Shikaku said, smiling sidelong. "While the Hokage is here, let's hear them—and we can help refine."
"I do," Sogetsu said. He nudged his frames and let the smile sharpen. "I'm thinking a horror-survival escape—a battle royale."
"'Battle… royale'?"
"'Escape'? 'Horror'?"
"'Survival'?"
Faces around the table showed varying degrees of bafflement.
"Simple version?" Sogetsu said kindly. "They run. We hunt."
A few people shivered. Minato pressed a palm over his eyes.
A devil. He's a devil. Even imagining it hurt—and he hadn't even told them the details yet.
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