Konoha.
As time passed, the arrival of the Five Kage in Konoha caused the entire village to erupt in excitement.
"Wow, the Five Kage are here! As expected of Lord Hokage!"
"The tickets for the Chunin Exams are so expensive!"
Inside the massive arena, the crowd was buzzing with excitement, and the entire village of Konoha was brimming with liveliness.
Bright sunlight bathed the land as the final showdown of the Chunin Exams approached.
Both inside and outside of Konoha, numerous ninja reinforced security. The busier the time, the stricter the vigilance.
Around the arena, countless Konoha ninjas were also carefully observing and guarding the area.
The noisy arena was filled with dignitaries from various nations, along with some daimyos from smaller countries who had come in person. For those smaller nations protected by Konoha, their daimyos wore smiles of relief.
Although they were essentially puppets, at least their lives were no longer in danger. Things had been far too chaotic before, and the stronger Konoha became, the more stable their lives would be.
The bodyguards of these nobles, due to possessing chakra, were seated in a separate area for safety reasons.
Meanwhile, the daimyos and noble guests were seated in areas protected by specialized barriers to ensure their safety.
The appearance of these barriers gave people a sense of security, but they also served as precautions against any potential troublemakers.
Even before the Chunin Exams began, the massive arena was already filled with a deafening buzz of voices.
Countless eyes turned towards the highest platform in the arena, where five stone chairs symbolizing the strongest ninja villages in the world were still unoccupied.
However, the atmosphere in the Hokage's office, where the Hokage should have been heading to the arena, was heavy and oppressive.
The faces of Konoha's elite jonin were solemn, while Uchiha Shirou, seated at the desk, leaned back with his eyes half-closed, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the table.
"Hokage-sama, as I was leading my team to the Chunin Exam arena, we encountered the squads of the other Four Kage. Hinata saw something…"
Terumi Mei, her expression grave, slowly reported her findings. Behind her, Hyuga Hinata stood straight. Despite the crowd in the room, she showed no hesitation and stared directly at the Hokage.
"So, Hinata, your Byakugan saw something about the Kazekage and Mizukage?"
As the Chunin Exams prepared to begin, Hinata's revelation brought shocking news that not only surprised Shirou but could also have major implications for Konoha. A faint smile of intrigue appeared on his face.
Responding to Shirou's question, Hinata calmed her excitement and solemnly nodded:
"Lord Shirou, my Byakugan seems to be stronger than that of the rest of the Hyuga Clan. I can see things that other Byakugan users cannot…"
The ninjas gathered in the Hokage's office were all trusted confidants of Shirou. Even so, everyone was stunned by the revelation of the Hyuga clan's eldest daughter.
This surpassed the known capabilities of the Byakugan. Could there be something beyond the Byakugan? Something akin to the Mangekyo Sharingan?
As this thought crossed their minds, many instinctively looked towards their Hokage.
"I saw the Fourth Kazekage and the Fourth Mizukage. It was them, yet… not them. I could see two…"
Hinata's explanation was heavy with seriousness, her words carefully chosen. While she was also seeing this phenomenon for the first time, the gathered ninjas were no fools and quickly grasped the hidden meanings in her words.
"Flickering shadows… could it be souls?"
Shirou's calm voice echoed through the room, and Hinata's words were etched into everyone's minds.
The flickering shadows of the Kazekage and Mizukage resembled souls. Their eyes were vacant, yet their appearances were unmistakable. Strangely, their souls seemed to inhabit unfamiliar bodies.
"Unfamiliar bodies, yet the souls resemble the Kazekage and Mizukage!"
The most knowledgeable person present, Tsunade, furrowed her brow and coldly remarked:
"To my knowledge, manipulating the souls of the dead is only possible through the forbidden jutsu outlined in the Scroll of Seals—Reanimation Jutsu. Currently, the only person in Konoha capable of using this technique is Orochimaru.
Aside from him, the only other suspects would be the fugitive criminal Danzo Shimura or the S-ranked rogue ninja Asuma Sarutobi. After all, no one can guarantee that the Third Hokage's son hasn't read the Scroll of Seals."
Tsunade's cold and cutting words dredged up the shadowy past of the Third Hokage's era.
The Scroll of Seals was no longer a closely guarded treasure of the Hokage and the upper echelons but had become a pawn in power struggles among clans.
Shirou, however, responded with an indifferent smile.
"No wonder Jiraiya mentioned seeing several elite Mist ninjas infiltrating the Land of Fire. Even Sand ninjas have been sighted. It seems someone's been orchestrating a little show."
At this moment, Shirou's smile turned sardonic. What was this supposed to be? Another version of the Chunin Exam destruction plan?
The shadow of a schemer hidden in the darkness loomed in everyone's minds.
"Danzo!"
Such a conspiracy could only lead them to one suspect. The name surfaced in the minds of everyone present.
"Husband, if Danzo is behind this, we must be prepared."
Shirou slowly rose from his seat, a confident smile spreading across his face.
"I was worried about the external implications of our planned strike on the Land of Water. But now? It's perfect timing. And this time, two at once."
"Relay my orders! Advance the Blitz Plan. Begin preparations for operations targeting the Sand Village in the Land of Wind as well."
"Assign Uchiha Itachi to oversee the Chunin Exam arena. Kakashi Hatake will handle the Sand Village. Uchiha Shisui will deal with the Mist. Anbu, Root, and the Konoha Police Force are to go on maximum alert.
Once the Chunin Exams begin, issue evacuation orders within the village. All Konoha ninjas are to enter battle readiness. Should a conflict arise, Konoha will enter a temporary lockdown—no one in or out without clearance."
As Shirou issued decisive commands, the Hokage's office became a flurry of activity. Shadows from the Anbu units departed rapidly to disseminate orders, while the Jonin present steeled themselves for battle.
"All preparations must be completed within thirty minutes!"
"Yes, sir!"
With the strategy finalized, Shirou stood and turned his gaze toward Hinata, who had done a tremendous service. He offered her a satisfied smile.
"Now, it's time to see what tricks these clowns have up their sleeves."
As he placed a hand on Hinata's head, Shirou's gaze shifted toward the bustling Chunin Exam arena outside the window. His eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
"Let's go!"
At his command, the assembled ninjas shouted in unison and prepared to head to the Chunin Exam arena. Among them, Hinata's white eyes sparkled with admiration and excitement, her heart pounding.
No woman could resist a man wielding immense power and commanding respect, especially when that man was someone she admired deeply!
...
Chunin Exam Arena.
With the arrival of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, Fourth Mizukage Yagura, Fourth Raikage A, and Third Tsuchikage Onoki, the atmosphere in the arena reached its peak.
Amid the roaring cheers of the crowd, excitement swept over the audience.
"Welcome."
Wood-style user Yamato and Kakashi Hatake, both smiling warmly, personally escorted the Kage from the Four Great Nations to their seats.
The group of companions discreetly sized up the legendary Wood-Style ninja, whose reserved demeanor made him seem as stiff as a wooden log.
"Lord Hokage, I never imagined that in just over ten years, you would develop Konoha to such an extent. I am truly impressed," A said to Uchiha Shirou, who arrived flanked by his four Hokage guards: Konan, Mabui, Yugito, and Samui.
When the Five Kage gathered—a scene akin to an epic tale—it sent the entire Chūnin Exam stadium into an uproar.
"Look, it's our village's Third Tsuchikage!"
"The most handsome one must be the Hokage, right!?"
"Hail Lord Hokage!"
Amid the countless cheers, the Five Kage each took their respective stone chairs. For the Five Great Shinobi Nations to gather their leaders in public was nothing short of a grand event.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, was accompanied by his Hokage guards, Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi. The Fourth Raikage, A, had Darui and an unknown kumo ninja as his guards. As for the Kazekage Rasa and the Mizukage Yagura, their two guards were masked, making them difficult to identify.
As the Five Kage settled into their seats, the Fourth Raikage A's rugged expression turned heavy when he saw Shirou again, though no trace of hatred appeared on his face. It was clear that this seemingly brash and impulsive Raikage was no mere fool.
"I must say, Hokage, you're enviable—so young, and yet you have Princess Tsunade, Princess Kushina, and even the Uchiha clan's leader supporting you. Even your guards are so young and beautiful," Ōnoki remarked with a sly smile as soon as they met. His eyes briefly glanced at Shirou's four Hokage guards, his tone full of teasing.
Though delivered as a jest, everyone understood the underlying meaning: he was mocking Uchiha Shirou, suggesting that he had seized power through a coup and indulged in beauty.
However, Shirou remained calm and smiled as he replied openly to the cunning Ōnoki:
"Not all of us are like the Third Tsuchikage, who, despite his age, still hasn't chosen a successor. Your standards are rather high."
As the saying goes, insults shouldn't hit a person's sore spot, but Shirou's words did exactly that.
Ōnoki's face stiffened at once. The remark hit the nail on the head, and though he was filled with frustration, he had to force a carefree smile and laugh. "This old body of mine can easily last another ten years."
Shirou, as if suddenly recalling something, nodded and said:
"The Third Tsuchikage reminds me of one of Konoha's former Hokage, who also refused to step down despite his age. In the end, his declining judgment led to a grave mistake. Fortunately, Konoha is strong and prosperous, or things could've turned out much worse."
Shirou's reflective tone nearly made Ōnoki burst into anger. On the side, the young Kurotsuchi struggled to suppress her laughter, knowing full well that her grandfather wasn't refusing to step down out of stubbornness—he simply had no one suitable to take his place.
Ōnoki, red-faced and fuming, thought to himself. That sly remark about my age and Iwagakure's lack of resources was a direct hit!
Meanwhile, the Fourth Raikage A, watching Ōnoki's embarrassment, wore an unpleasant expression as he rumbled:
"Unlike the Hokage, who has recruited ninjas from outside villages to join Konoha over the years. I hear even the Kaguya clan and the Yuki clan have become part of Konoha…"
Who said the Raikage was impulsive? That one statement not only backed Ōnoki but also dragged the Mist Village into the fray—a calculated move.
The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, let out a cold snort, his face shadowed by the brim of his hat. He remained silent, clearly displeased. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, wore a similarly grim expression.
"Recruited?" Shirou's smile turned peculiar. He glanced back at his Hokage guards and teasingly asked:
"Did I recruit any of you by force?"
His four Hokage guards—each a striking presence—smiled in unison.
"I was born in the Land of Rain. Without Lord Shirou, I would've starved to death on the streets," said Konan, her face softening into a smile that carried immense chakra pressure, causing the other Kage to narrow their eyes in shock.
Is she really from another village? That chakra level exceeds an average jōnin!
Mabui, Samui, and Yugito standing behind Shirou, exchanged disdainful glances with the Raikage's guard before sneering.
"Fourth Raikage, we should thank you. Back when we eagerly wanted to enroll in the Hidden Cloud's ninja academy, we were met with unfair discrimination… bullying. Then we were sold by the granddaughter of a ninja—into slavery…"
Their self-deprecating tone made Ōnoki's eyes widen as he turned to look at the Fourth Raikage. Good grief! Is this how the Hidden Cloud operates?
No wonder things turned out this way! With such talent, I would've treated them like treasures in Iwagakure. But not only did the Hidden Cloud fail to value them, they even sold them into slavery!
The Fourth Raikage A's veins bulged on his forehead, his eyes blazing with suppressed fury.
Shirou sighed, glancing at Ōnoki and A. "I must say, we owe a lot to the discrimination in the Land of Lightning. Without it, Konoha wouldn't have so many geniuses."
His sarcastic tone was maddening. Yeah, yeah, we get it—you have lots of geniuses. No need to rub it in!
The Fourth Raikage A kept a stiff smile despite his growing frustration, while Konan signaled her companions to restrain themselves. Mabui stepped forward, knelt respectfully, and softly said:
"Lord Hokage, the exam venue is ready."
With her short silver hair and composed demeanor, Mabui exuded the aura of a capable secretary, making Shirou nod in approval.
"In that case, I'll leave the first exam to Samui."
Samui's eyes flickered with gratitude, knowing this was Shirou's way of letting her vent her frustrations.
"Yes, Lord Shirou!"
Samui, now clad in her professional attire, channeled her chakra. Lightning flashed around her, and before anyone could react, she appeared in the center of the stadium.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!"
Ōnoki exclaimed in surprise, immediately recognizing the technique. "That's the Lightning Armor!"
A's face darkened like a thundercloud. Damn you, Ōnoki, you're doing this on purpose!
Shirou chuckled, adding fuel to the fire. "You're mistaken, Third Tsuchikage. This is my improved version: the Thunder God Armor."
"Though Samui was once sold by slavers, her talent is undeniable. Especially her mastery of Lightning Release Taijutsu…"
His words were laced with mockery, clearly intended to provoke.
Everyone present had their hidden agendas, but the Fourth Raikage A was genuinely furious. This wasn't just salt in the wound—it was a full-on insult. These three talented individuals, who were almost Hidden Cloud ninjas, were now Konoha's pride. It was infuriating!
If A was seething with rage, Ōnoki was filled with regret. If only I had acted sooner to recruit them from the Land of Lightning! Now Konoha has reaped all the benefits.