After Sarutobi Hiruzen announced the Chūnin Exam through the world loudspeaker, the ninja world was in an uproar.
The Land of Wind.
Rasa was handling official business when suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice echoed in his mind, startling him.
> "The Chūnin Exams jointly organized by the Wind and Fire Nations will be held in the Hidden Leaf Village in two months. All Genin who are planning to participate, please prepare yourselves!"
Rasa's body trembled slightly, not knowing what had just happened.
Looking at the surrounding Anbu, they were also glancing at each other in confusion.
"Was that… the Hokage's voice just now?!" Rasa asked, frowning.
"Yes, Lord Kazekage. That was indeed the Hokage's voice," an Anbu nodded.
"But there are no Fire Country ninjas nearby!"
"Hmph, are they trying to display their strength to the Land of Wind?" Rasa snorted coldly.
Judging by the Hokage's voice, he should still be in Konoha, yet his voice reached all the way here. This was clearly a provocation.
"Find out how the Hokage's voice was heard in the Land of Wind," Rasa ordered coldly.
"Yes, Lord Kazekage!" Several Anbu received the order and departed immediately.
"What kind of technique is this?" Rasa muttered.
"I heard the Yamanaka clan from the Fire Country has a secret technique to transmit messages mentally, but as far as I know, its range isn't nearly this far."
"Bring Baki here to see me," Rasa commanded.
"Yes, Kazekage-sama!"
The Land of Lightning.
Bang!
A large hole appeared in the Raikage's desk.
"Hokage, what are you doing?! Showing off?!"
The Raikage was furious, smashing his desk with a single punch.
"It's just a Chūnin Exam, and you come promoting it all the way to the Land of Lightning? Do you really think no one here can compare?!"
"Find out where that voice came from!"
Behind him, his secretary Mabui adjusted her glasses and gestured for the Anbu to replace the desk.
Several Anbu appeared instantly, carried off the broken desk, and replaced it with a new one—clearly a routine task by now.
"Lord Raikage, it's likely a technique from the Yamanaka clan, a secretive family from Konoha. They're said to possess a jutsu that transmits messages mentally," Mabui explained.
"Hmph, you think I'm an idiot?!" Raikage barked. "You know how far the Land of Fire is from here. No communication jutsu should reach this far!"
"Yes, Lord Raikage," Mabui replied, now also finding the matter difficult to believe. She turned and ordered the Anbu to begin an investigation.
"If that voice reached our minds directly... just what kind of jutsu was that?" Raikage muttered. "What the hell is going on?!"
The Land of Water.
Yagura, the Mizukage, was reporting to a man with a swirling mask when Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice suddenly rang in both their minds. They immediately drew their kunai and went on high alert.
When they found no enemies nearby, they relaxed slightly.
"Was that Sarutobi Hiruzen just now?" Obito muttered. "Why is his voice reaching here?"
Obito pondered deeply but couldn't come up with a clue. He waved his hand and dismissed Yagura.
"Tobi!" A strange aloe-like creature emerged from the ground—it was Black Zetsu.
"Black Zetsu, what was that just now? Why did Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice reach all the way here?!"
"Haha!" Black Zetsu rasped, "You got scared."
"Hmph!" Obito grunted and said nothing.
No one except Black Zetsu knew he was secretly controlling Mizukage Yagura. The Hokage's voice really had startled him.
"Don't worry," Black Zetsu said. "I've already placed White Zetsu all around the perimeter. No one will find this place."
"That voice was transmitted using an item—probably some kind of artifact."
"An artifact?" Obito asked.
"Yes. Apparently, a strange Golden Egg Shop recently appeared in Konoha. They say it sells anything," Black Zetsu explained. "The item Sarutobi Hiruzen used likely came from there."
"But that shop is protected by some unknown force—I couldn't infiltrate it."
"Hmph!" Obito scoffed. "Just a Golden Egg Shop? Nothing to be concerned about."
"How's progress on your side? Our plan is about to begin. If anything goes wrong, I'll personally kill you," Obito said darkly.
"Haha, don't worry," Black Zetsu replied. "No one can escape my sight."
"Good." Obito nodded, and a swirling space distortion swallowed him up.
Fire Country, Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood before a room of Jōnin leaders. After a long puff from his pipe, he asked, "Which Genin teams will participate in this year's Chūnin Exams?"
The team leaders exchanged glances and nodded slightly.
Kakashi stepped forward first. "Three Genin from Team 7 are registered."
Just as Kakashi finished, Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait!"
"Kakashi-sensei, I'm afraid Naruto isn't qualified for the Chūnin Exam yet."
Iruka knew Naruto very well. Though Naruto worked hard, his talent had always been subpar.
Even though Kakashi was an elite Jōnin, Iruka didn't believe Naruto could have improved enough in such a short time.
If he lacked the strength, the Chūnin Exam could cost him his life.
Iruka considered Naruto his only family and didn't hesitate to speak up—even in front of the Hokage.
"Haha!" Kakashi smiled calmly at Iruka.
"Don't worry. Naruto's strong now."
"You'd be surprised if you saw him," Kakashi added with a grin.
"If the three of them teamed up, even I would struggle to beat them."
"What?!" Iruka was stunned. "That can't be true!"
Kakashi was an elite Jōnin—formidable even among his peers. For him to say that about Genin?
The other Jōnin leaders were equally shocked, exchanging glances in disbelief.
Only Asuma and Kurenai smiled bitterly.
Kakashi could still beat his students—for now. But the two of them? Their students had already surpassed them.
Asuma, in particular, was having trouble just facing Chōji.
Once Chōji drank a bottle of that Happy Fat House Soda and activated Armament Haki, he could beat Asuma into the ground!
Kakashi and the others glanced at each other and shared a helpless expression.
That Golden Egg Shop was truly something else!
End of the Chapter.
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