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While discussions among the Sand shinobi grew heated, the Third Kazekage was observing the silent Uzumaki Rubiro, who stood calmly behind the counter.
He felt that this young man was not merely a merchant as he claimed, but rather an observer watching a global chessboard.
"You know a lot, don't you?"
Shazan muttered to himself as he returned to the volume, where events in Konoha were accelerating.
[— Manga Scene —]
"You've been assembled for only one reason," said the Third Hokage to the shinobi gathered before his office.
"It should be obvious from the members present."
The Hokage smoked his pipe calmly as he spoke.
"It's already that time…" Kakashi sighed.
"It's already been reported to the other countries. I saw them in the village."
"So when is it?" another shinobi asked.
"In a week," replied the Hokage.
"Wow, that soon?" another Konoha shinobi exclaimed.
The Hokage exhaled smoke before calmly announcing:
"Well, I'll state it clearly. Seven days from now…"
"On the first day of the seventh moon… the Chunin Selection Exam will commence!!"
[— End Scene —]
The moment the Third Hokage's announcement appeared in the manga, the expressions of readers inside Konoha's Art Store changed.
The Chunin Exam was not merely a promotion test. At its core, it was a military showcase before rival villages, at least, that was how Konoha's shinobi understood it.
Hiruzen removed his pipe from his mouth and narrowed his eyes at his manga counterpart.
"Seven days…"
"In the future, you decided to hold the exam in Konoha. That means you were confident in the new generation's strength… or there were political pressures that forced your hand?" thought Hiruzen about his counterpart.
Beside him, Danzo instinctively tightened his grip on the manga.
'An international gathering in the heart of Konoha?' he thought grimly.
'Hiruzen, you're opening our gates to spies and assassins from every direction. This isn't an exam, this is inviting disaster.'
"Heh~ It seems your counterpart's end is approaching. Can you sense it, Hiruzen?"
After thinking silently, Danzo finally spoke aloud while staring at the man sitting in the seat he desired.
'If Hiruzen dies… then without a doubt, my counterpart will become the Fifth Hokage…'
Hearing that, Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.
"Are you cursing me to my face?"
"It's just a promotion exam for genin. What could happen that would lead to my death?"
"A covert infiltration incident, perhaps?"
'Not impossible… but in front of the Five Great Powers? Impossible!'
Hiruzen thought inwardly.
"Tsk… fine. Just watch, and remember my words."
Danzo then glanced toward Orochimaru. He had long felt that this snake would eventually do something. Perhaps the manga had come to confirm his suspicions.
"Oh… is that Asuma!?"
Hiruzen's exclamation drew Danzo's attention immediately, especially once he understood why.
"Sarutobi Asuma…"
Danzo narrowed his eyes as he looked at the face that overlapped with Hiruzen's own in his youth.
...
[— Manga Scene —]
"I don't need to tell you this, but… after a genin has completed at least eight missions, they may take the exam if nominated by their sensei."
"Of course, completing more missions than that is the norm," said the Third Hokage.
'He doesn't need to ask. They aren't ready,' Iruka thought.
"Now, starting with Kakashi…"
"The Kakashi-led Team 7, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura…"
"Under the name of Hatake Kakashi, I nominate them to take the Chunin Selection Exam," Kakashi spoke calmly.
"What!?" Iruka was shocked.
"The Kurenai-led Team 8, Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino… Under the name of Yuuhi Kurenai, the same as to my left." Kurenai spoke in the same composed manner.
"The Asuma-led Team 10, Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji… Under the name of Sarutobi Asuma, the same as to my left." Asuma declared in the same way.
"Hmm… all of them… how rare…" said the Third Hokage.
[— End Scene —]
Young Asuma's eyes widened as he saw the scene.
"That… that's me!? I thought it was you, big brother!"
"Hahaha! From the first moment I saw him, I knew it was you."
Hajime Sarutobi laughed while repeatedly patting his younger brother's back.
…
In another corner of the Art Store, where unaffiliated shinobi gathered to read and discuss the manga, families aspiring to gain status similar to the great clans, one shinobi's eyes widened as he shouted:
"Yuuhi Kurenai?! Isn't that your daughter, Shinku?!"
Yuuhi Shinku, a Konoha jonin, did not hear his colleague at first. He was nearly frozen in place.
The red eyes. The black hair. The confident aura.
He couldn't believe he was looking at his daughter's future counterpart.
"Kurenai…"
With a trembling hand, Shinku touched her face in the manga.
"So… you'll grow up healthy and become a jonin leading a team of talented genin."
He smiled softly. Then he closed the volume and hugged it to his chest before suddenly turning to run outside.
"Sorry, everyone, my little daughter at home needs to see this…"
…
Meanwhile, young Kakashi read the following events eagerly, only to feel a pang of sadness at Chapter 35.
"It's fine. He didn't say that to fight with him, but to make him understand a certain truth."
Sakumo noticed his son's discomfort; Kakashi did not like seeing his future counterpart speak so coldly to Iruka-sensei and tried to ease his feelings.
Indeed, after Kakashi nominated Team 7 for the Chunin Exam, Iruka strongly opposed the decision. He believed Naruto and the others still desperately needed more experience before taking such a test.
But Kakashi replied coldly that they were no longer Iruka's students; they were his soldiers now.
Iruka felt as though he had been slapped in the face.
'Sigh… I hope their relationship doesn't deteriorate,' young Kakashi muttered.
…
Sunagakure:
Meanwhile, inside Suna's Art Store, the atmosphere was even more intense.
The Third Kazekage, Shazan, was less interested in the exam's schedule than in its purpose.
"So, a Chunin Exam? Our village will send representatives to Konoha for this reason," Shazan said, turning toward Chiyo.
"This confirms the alliance hypothesis. But look at the jonin in Konoha, they're uneasy."
"Perhaps their village may be targeted using the exam as cover. They might already have intelligence reports about such a possibility. In that case, concern is justified," Chiyo replied seriously.
"Elder sister is right. Since the next arc will revolve around the Chunin Exam, I'm definitely looking forward to it!"
Ebizo smiled as he said that.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 115: Only One Chapter Remains Until the Finale.
Chapter 116: The Flame of Youth and the Bonds of the Future.
Chapter 117: Quiet Villages and Worldwide Fame.
Chapter 118: Natural Restoration, The Shock of the Shinobi World!
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