After the start of the second Chunin Exam, nearly all eyes in the shinobi world turned toward it.
Many teams displayed impressive performance, and if not for the looming war between the Four-Nation Alliance and the Sand Federation, the Daimyō of each country would have been completely engrossed in watching.
In the vast Land of Fire, teams needed to collect three scrolls to pass. With fifty-five squads starting from three separate routes, even the strongest team could hardly guarantee success—especially within Fire Country's massive territory.
They also had to avoid harming civilians; anyone who did would not only be disqualified but also hunted jointly by the Five Great Nations.
Such an act meant imprisonment for decades—or execution.
Because of the sheer size of the Land of Fire, teams with scouting or sensory ninjutsu held a huge advantage. Once they reached the latter stages, they could use those abilities to intercept other teams.
No matter how scattered they were, the destination was one—every team had to pass through the same routes to finish.
"Can't reach Roshi and Han?"
Ōnoki's eyes widened at the ANBU's report. Losing contact with Iwagakure's Jinchūriki at this moment was a terrible sign.
"Have you searched everywhere?"
The kneeling ANBU replied quickly, "We've searched all surrounding areas and beyond. We found two sites showing signs of battle—both bearing traces of Lava Release and Steam Release. Lord Roshi and Lord Han must have fought someone before disappearing..."
"Captured, then?" Ōnoki muttered bitterly. Though he and Roshi had their differences, the man would still fight for Iwagakure when it mattered. Han was the same.
Now both were missing, and Iwagakure's power had dropped sharply.
"There's a slight chance they defeated their enemies and are recovering," the ANBU added, though he clearly didn't believe it himself. It was unlikely to escape their detection if that were the case.
Ōnoki nodded. "I understand. Continue searching. Report immediately if you find anything."
"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage."
Once the ANBU left, Ōnoki prepared to move as well. Two of Iwagakure's most vital forces were gone. He had to inform the other three Kage before the war began.
But he didn't yet know that Kumogakure and Kirigakure's Jinchūriki had also vanished—earlier, in fact, than Iwagakure's.
The disappearance of the Eight-Tails host enraged Raikage A. He blamed himself for letting his guard down. Things had been peaceful for years, and after the first Chunin Exam, Killer Bee insisted on performing a rap concert in the Valley of Clouds and Lightning for the newly qualified Genin.
A had reluctantly agreed, no longer worrying about secrecy.
But soon after, Killer Bee and Yugito Nii were ambushed and vanished.
The same fate befell Yagura's successor, the Six-Tails host Utakata of the Hidden Mist. Just after earning full recognition from Kirigakure, he was ambushed and taken.
This time, Akatsuki had mobilized almost all its forces to capture the tailed beasts. Nagato and Konan personally handled the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails.
Though Killer Bee was powerful, he stood no chance against Nagato's true body. The Valley of Clouds and Lightning's remote location only made it easier. Before Bee could even use a Tailed Beast Bomb or transform fully, the Six Paths of Pain had subdued him.
Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails host, was also captured by Nagato himself, while Konan eliminated Kumogakure's scouts using her Paper Jutsu.
Under the direction of White Zetsu clones, Akatsuki's operation lasted less than seven days. They captured six tailed beasts, including the Seven-Tails host from Takigakure.
That capture was carried out personally by Obito Uchiha, who used Kamui to infiltrate the Chunin Exam grounds in the Land of Fire.
Kamui's infiltration ability was nearly unstoppable—unless one had exceptional sensory prowess, Obito could appear right beside someone without notice. Even Namikaze Minato had once fallen prey to this technique.
Against such stealth, Fū, the Seven-Tails host, never stood a chance. Without using her beast's chakra, she was merely a capable Chunin.
Obito swiftly pulled her into Kamui's space, broke the necks of her two Taki teammates, and vanished.
No one witnessed it—except for Unit 18's surveillance feed.
"So decisive and clean... Lord Mirai, few in this world could counter his Kamui," said Ayaka Uzumaki as she peeled a grape and placed it gently into Hyuga Mirai's mouth.
Ever since learning that Hyuga Mirai had agreed to their wedding date, Ayaka had been in constant high spirits—sometimes walking into walls, sometimes breaking cups, her excitement uncontrollable.
Someone with reflexes faster than the Raikage's shouldn't be clumsy—but Ayaka was simply too happy. At times, she would burst into giggles for no reason, until Mirai tapped her lightly on the head to calm her down.
Since then, she had become even more attentive—dressing beautifully and caring for him with an elegance he didn't know she possessed.
"As long as your reflexes are fast enough, Kamui isn't unbeatable. Besides, there's a certain bloodline tool that renders Obito's ability harmless," Mirai said.
They weren't the only ones watching. Kushina and Nohara Rin had seen the footage too, their expressions distant. Seeing Obito—once the boy who aspired to be Hokage—reduced to such madness left them silent.
"I just hope they don't go after Naruto... But both of you should stay cautious; there are outsiders here," Kushina said softly.
Naruto, Gaara, and Sasuke each wore specially designed bloodline tools controlled remotely by Unit 18 for protection. Knowing this allowed her some peace of mind.
Obito had to materialize to use Kamui's space transfer—at that moment, the bloodline tools could strike. Even if he managed to seize someone, the tools could still retaliate.
Still, watching Ayaka's radiant happiness stirred a trace of envy in Kushina's heart. She, too, wanted someone to lean on—but the one she found wasn't someone she could rely on completely.
"Counting the Seven-Tails, Akatsuki has already captured six beasts. They've worked hard," Hyuga Mirai remarked.
This planet could only sustain two God Trees at most. The one cultivated by Otsutsuki Isshiki wasn't even a complete Ten-Tails—its size was smaller than Mirai's version, though free from Isshiki's will.
As for the beasts Akatsuki gathered, they could still combine to form a Ten-Tails. Mirai could even extract the Nine-Tails from Rin, Gaara, and Ayaka temporarily. With his power, they wouldn't even weaken.
Once the second exam began, the Five Nations could no longer watch full broadcasts.
This stage spanned almost the entire Land of Fire. With Genin moving unpredictably, they placed more cameras in the latter half to catch fragments of footage.
The early zones were left to chance—perhaps a few lucky recordings of exciting battles. The entire shinobi world was enthralled, especially after years of ninja-themed games had made such events wildly popular.
Now they could witness a real ninja exam; even civilians were obsessed. Casinos opened bets, and upon hearing this, Tsunade watched the matches carefully—then transformed herself and wagered all her money on Uchiha Sasuke.
Three-tomoe Sharingan and flawless skill made him the safest bet. Even if the payout was small, the win was nearly guaranteed. For once, Tsunade felt confident she could break her gambling curse.
After the second exam began, Ōnoki, A, and Mei Terumi quietly arrived in Konoha with small guards.
Kumo's forces had split in two: fifteen hundred stationed along the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Hot Water, sneaking into Fire Country with Konoha's help; the other fifteen hundred sailed to join the Hidden Mist.
That front would be led by Samui as commander and Ao as vice commander.
Kumo's military was the strongest among the four nations. Supported heavily by the Daimyō, they could field three thousand ninja without strain—something Iwa, Konoha, or Kiri could never do so easily.
Their main army, together with the four Kage, would draw the Sand Federation's attention toward the Kawa-Suna front. Once that happened, Kumo and Kiri's sea forces would strike from the flank.
When the four Kage met, Tsunade noticed their grim expressions and asked directly, "Raikage, Mizukage, Tsuchikage—what's wrong? Has something happened?"
"There's been an incident. Our village's Jinchūriki were taken," Ōnoki said darkly.
Raikage A slammed the table. "Kumo too—Killer Bee and Yugito were abducted right inside our borders!"
"So we've all suffered the same fate," Mei Terumi sighed. She'd received the news on her way here, never expecting Iwa and Kumo to face the same disaster.
"Damn it, who did this? If I find them, I'll crush them myself!" Raikage A roared. Had this been his village, the walls and table would already be rubble.
Nara Shikaku spoke after a moment's thought. "If all three villages lost their Jinchūriki around the same time, it's likely the same group behind it. Lady Tsunade, I recall that Takigakure and the Sand Federation's Jinchūriki also joined this exam. I'll go check on their situation."
Tsunade nodded. "Go quickly, Shikaku."
(End of Chapter)