The daimyo might suspect Konoha of negligence and reduce funding.
"Should I volunteer to be an examiner for fun?"
Jiraiya stroked his chin.
He was tall, with long red markings on his face and white hair reaching his waist—like a hedgehog covered in white spikes.
He wore a red haori and wooden geta.
There seemed to be more participants this time than previous years.
That meant more beautiful women to… observe… no, gather inspiration for his masterpiece.
It was still just a concept—he hadn't even started writing yet.
"Idiot."
Tsunade punched him on the head.
Seeing his lecherous expression, she knew he wasn't thinking anything good.
"Ouch, Tsunade!"
Jiraiya immediately dropped his lewd grin and rubbed the spot she hit.
Tsunade's monstrous strength hurt even in her normal state.
The other jōnin were used to this and ignored it.
The Third's three students were all powerful, but two of them had problematic personalities.
One was perpetually unserious and had been peeping since childhood.
The other was a compulsive gambler who lost far more than she won.
Only Orochimaru was relatively normal.
"Lord Sarutobi is looking over."
Orochimaru said with a faint smile, licking the corner of his mouth.
Jiraiya's expression immediately turned serious.
Tsunade continued to look bored while listening to the exchange between the higher-ups and the jōnin.
She rested her hands on her chest, as if supporting their weight.
"Now for the examiner assignments."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was satisfied with Orochimaru's composure, but he was worried about how close Orochimaru had grown to Danzō.
Infants and shinobi had been disappearing from the village lately—hard not to suspect something.
He feared his prized student might go down the same dark path as Danzō.
Then he looked at another young man with a gentle smile.
Namikaze Minato.
This was a shinobi with a pure Will of Fire.
"Orochimaru, you'll be the chief examiner for the first stage. Minato, you'll be the chief examiner for the second stage and assist the other examiners."
Hiruzen gave the orders.
His experienced eyes could see Minato's extraordinary potential.
The S-rank "Flying Thunder God Technique" required immense talent. Almost no one in Konoha could learn it.
Yet it had been opened to Minato, and he mastered it in no time—the technique lost since the Second Hokage's death.
"Understood, Lord Sarutobi."
Orochimaru replied in his hoarse voice.
"Yes, Third Lord."
Minato responded.
This was a good opportunity to see the new generation's "gems."
And also to take a look at… the Uchiha Raizen that Kushina kept mentioning lately.
…
That night.
The Uchiha held a meeting.
In the hidden chamber beneath Naka Shrine, dim fire pits illuminated each face.
"Remember—this Chūnin Exam is different. It could decide the direction of what comes next."
Uchiha Fugaku stood at the front, speaking gravely.
More than forty years had passed since the founding of the village, and two worldwide ninja wars had already occurred.
When would the next war erupt?
Would it be larger or smaller than the previous two?
No one knew.
Everyone was groping in the dark.
Including Fugaku.
Listening to Fugaku passionately declare that they must uphold the Uchiha's honor as always.
Raizen, seated at the very back, remained expressionless.
Using the ending of *Naruto Shippuden* as a reference and working backward, one could see that within less than a hundred years of the village's founding, four world-level wars had already taken place.
All because of resources and money—contradictions that couldn't be resolved through production, only through war and plunder.
Hashirama had distributed the tailed beasts to maintain balance, but it was only false peace.
Once he died, war erupted. The great nations constantly clashed and used the tailed beasts Hashirama had distributed as weapons of war.
"This time, I hope you all give it your all."
Fugaku named several participants in this Chūnin Exam—including Raizen.
"Yes, Lord Fugaku! I'll show the Uchiha's might!"
Uchiha Tekka was also on the list.
Fugaku nodded slightly and looked at Raizen.
Raizen had completed a C-rank mission recently and reportedly performed exceptionally.
The client was very satisfied with the Uchiha-named shinobi.
"Raizen, I hope in a few days I'll see you wearing the chūnin uniform."
Fugaku said.
"Yes."
Raizen nodded.
Even if he became chūnin, he wouldn't wear the green flak jacket.
It was too bulky.
Raizen preferred wearing light, breathable chainmail underneath.
Thinking of this, his gaze drifted to a certain spot among the clansmen.
Uchiha Uzuki felt his stare like needles on her back.
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