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In the examination hall, everyone else was diligently thinking and answering questions.
Only Kazuki chose to cheat!
Those capable of participating in the Jonin exams usually have decent academic scores.
Kazuki was the sole exception.
Since his transmigration, he hadn't touched any relevant books.
Given the circumstances, he was too busy with pressing matters to care about academic performance.
At that time, the Uchiha clan was under intense scrutiny, and any misstep could lead to severe consequences.
The entire clan was teetering on the brink of annihilation, so it was no surprise that Kazuki couldn't focus on studying.
As time passed, not only the proctors but also people from other villages noticed Kazuki's suspicious behavior.
Shisui and Kakashi pretended not to notice and continued with their exams.
They didn't worry about how Kazuki was cheating; they believed he could handle it.
For two hours, the proctors tried to catch Kazuki in the act.
Unfortunately, they wasted two hours knowing Kazuki was cheating but couldn't catch him.
It was infuriating!!!
When time was up and everyone handed in their papers, the proctors were so angry they slapped their thighs.
If they had caught Kazuki, they could have publicly exposed Konoha's candidate for cheating, which would have been a blow to Konoha's reputation.
But the opportunity slipped through their fingers.
The incident in the exam hall was reported to the Raikage's office. After hearing the report, A simply nodded without much reaction.
If someone can cheat, it's their skill. If you can catch them, you can counter them.
If you can't catch them, knowing they're cheating is useless.
Fortunately, the first exam was just a warm-up; the real tests were in the second and third rounds.
"The exams will proceed as scheduled."
Over time, even though the tech tree in the ninja world was a bit skewed, some necessary devices were gradually developed.
For example, surveillance cameras.
In this regard, Kumogakure was ahead of the five great ninja villages.
Their surveillance footage for the audience was in full color and high definition.
In contrast, Konoha's monitors for surveilling the Uchiha were still in black and white.
It must be said that the Third Hokage was wise and mighty. Under his leadership, Konoha seemed to have made no progress over the years.
Not only was their strength declining, but their development in various aspects also lagged behind other villages.
The second exam would take place the next day, and the third exam would follow on the third day.
After leaving the exam hall, the trio returned to their lodgings, coincidentally walking alongside some Sunagakure ninjas.
However, the Sunagakure ninjas' gazes were unfriendly.
"Maaki's attitude is off. Given the current state of the ninja world, Sunagakure shouldn't harbor such hostility towards Konoha."
Although Konoha and Sunagakure were old rivals, having fought in several wars, after the wars ended, Konoha offered Sunagakure many favorable conditions, even waiving war reparations. The two villages had formed an alliance on the surface.
Given this alliance, Sunagakure ninjas shouldn't have such strong animosity towards them.
"Heh~~~"
Kazuki gave a faint, insincere smile and glanced at them, not taking Sunagakure seriously:
"Because they believe Konoha is responsible for Sunagakure's dire situation. Unfortunately, it's all our Third Hokage's wishful thinking. Sunagakure isn't a loyal dog but a wolf that can bite back."
Why did the Third Hokage always give in to Sunagakure?
Wasn't it to gain a reliable ally, a follower?
To be precise, he treated them like a dog.
Unfortunately, Sunagakure is a wolf, a wild wolf that can turn and bite you at any moment.
"....."
Kazuki's analogy left Shisui and Kakashi speechless.
In all of Konoha, only Kazuki would compare Sunagakure to a dog.
He was also the only one brave enough to say it out loud.
If anyone else said it, it would be seen as an insult to Sunagakure and a challenge to the Third Hokage.
After all, Konoha's leniency towards Sunagakure was all under the Third Hokage's leadership.
Looking at the original story, we can see what Sunagakure did in the subsequent timeline.
They teamed up with Orochimaru for the Konoha Crush Plan, but before they even reached Konoha, Orochimaru and Kimimaro killed them.
It wasn't until Rasa died and Gaara became the Kazekage that Sunagakure stabilized for a while.
In other parts of the ninja world, the sky was brightening, but in Amegakure, which was perpetually shrouded in dark clouds and rain, the sky remained gloomy.
Under the cover of night, several agile figures infiltrated Amegakure.
On the high tower, the Deva Path, resembling a statue, slightly lowered its head to look in the direction of the intruders.
After Orochimaru's capture, Konoha ninjas infiltrating Amegakure, and Kakuzu and others encountering Konoha's team heading to Kumogakure for the Jonin exams, Nagato knew things wouldn't end easily.
If Shinnosuke's infiltration was just a probe, then with Koharu's death, Konoha's probing would escalate into direct action against the Akatsuki.
Nagato wasn't concerned about Konoha's actions; he was confident in handling the trouble they brought.
But the situation seemed to be spiraling out of control.
Because the intruders in Amegakure weren't from Konoha but from Kumogakure.
Kumogakure and the Akatsuki had little connection, even though the Akatsuki had taken on assassination missions targeting important figures in the Land of Lightning.
After a moment of silence, the Deva Path disappeared from the tower.
The Kumogakure Jonin team had infiltrated Amegakure, which meant other villages' teams would soon arrive.
The fate of a Jonin team facing the Deva Path needs no explanation.
When the Deva Path returned to the tower, it brought back several corpses that could reveal many secrets.
"The organization's intel has been leaked by Konoha. Now all five great villages know about the Akatsuki's existence and even crucial information, including my eyes."
At the Akatsuki base, an emergency meeting was convened at the shortest notice.
Konoha having some intel on the Akatsuki wasn't a big deal.
The terrifying part was that Konoha didn't keep the intel secret but instead publicized it.
As for the legendary Sage's Eyes, this intel was sold for a whopping 200 million ryo.
The root cause of Konoha's actions was the assassination of their advisor.
The Akatsuki had crossed Konoha's bottom line.
In the base, Kakuzu felt a bit guilty.
Despite his usual bravado, acting like he feared nothing and saw everyone as walking bounties, in the Akatsuki, the Deva Path could easily control him.