Deathstone Cave.
At its very center.
This was a towering hill, oddly shaped and indescribable.
At the top of the hill was a hollowed-out space with skylights on all sides. The interior was spacious, containing multiple rooms. In one of those rooms, a number of proctors had gathered, most of them were Special Jonin, intently watching the surveillance feeds that covered the entire area of the Deathstone Cave
Because the second round of the Chunin Exams would last for three days, the proctors were working in shifts. But within this room were also Jonin from Kirigakure and Kumogakure, the squad leaders accompanying their respective genin teams.
"So easily taking out two teams... Is it that this kid is unusually strong, or are the rest of your Konoha genin just too weak?"
The Jonin from Kirigakure was none other than one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kuwashima Hoshigaki. He stood watching one of the monitors, his voice slow and deliberate.
Even the Konoha ninjas were somewhat surprised by Kaede's performance.
Most of them were unaware that Kaede had been personally nominated by Hiruzen Sarutobi to take part in the Chunin Exams. They only knew he was Kakashi's older brother and assumed he must be competent, but they hadn't expected him to take down two genin teams, including Inuzuka Claw's, so quickly.
"My student isn't weak…"
The Jonin supervising Inuzuka Claw was also present in the room. His expression was tense as he watched the screen. Kaede's combat performance had clearly exceeded even his expectations.
Kuwashima Hoshigaki glanced over, grinning to reveal his shark-like teeth. "Is that so? Then this Chunin Exam won't be so boring for Kisame."
"…"
At his words, the expressions of the Konoha ninja in the room turned increasingly grim, many casting sharp sideways glances.
That was way too arrogant!
It was practically an open insult to the abilities of Konoha's genin.
"Just wait and see…"
A nearby Konoha Jonin huffed coldly.
Everyone continued to stare at the monitors.
But as time passed, the Konoha ninjas' expressions gradually shifted, because within just three hours, Kisame Hoshigaki's team had already eliminated two Konoha squads!
The entire process was clean, efficient, and completely one-sided.
Kisame's strength was nothing like that of a typical genin. He was casually using B-rank ninjutsu, and his chakra reserves seemed to rival or even surpass those of many Jonin. He was an outright monster!
"What the hell… with that kind of chakra, is that kid a Jinchuriki?!"
one of the Konoha ninjas stared hard at the monitor and couldn't help shouting out.
Kuwashima let out a snort. "Idiot. You think we'd send a Jinchuriki to your Chunin Exams so easily? Kisame's not a Jinchuriki, he was just born with a monstrous physique."
"…"
The explanation darkened the Konoha ninjas' expressions.
Although Konoha had entered the second round with the most teams, eight in total, four had already been eliminated in just half a day!
Worse still, Kisame and his team, despite already having collected enough scrolls, weren't even headed for the goal. Instead, they were actively hunting other teams within the Deathstone Cave!
It looked like they were planning to eliminate everyone in Round Two!
"Don't look at me like that. our exams in Kirigakure are far more brutal…"
Noticing the unfriendly stares, Kuwashima chuckled darkly and said, "Weaklings who lack power don't deserve to be ninjas."
In his eyes, Konoha's selection system was far too soft. In Kirigakure, graduation from the Academy required students to kill their comrades, only one could survive. The Chunin Exams were no different, blood-soaked and merciless. Every survivor was a hardened elite.
"Ah… The ways of the Kirigakure, huh…"
The Kumogakure Jonin, who had been silent until now, cast a glance at Kuwashima. His eyes flashed for a brief moment before he folded his arms and said coldly, "That won't scare any of our shinobi."
"Then let's keep watching," Kuwashima replied, giving the Cloud Jonin a flat look.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, a full day and night passed.
on the second morning of the Chunin Exams, Hiruzen Sarutobi had just woken up when a shinobi appeared outside his room with an urgent report.
"Lord Hokage, something's happened!"
"Hm?"
Hiruzen's sleepiness vanished in an instant. His eyes lit up as he rose, swiftly donning his Third Hokage cloak while stepping out of the room. "What is it?"
"It's news from the Chunin Exams…"
An Anbu followed closely beside Hiruzen, quickly reporting the situation. What he said made Hiruzen's eyes flicker with a serious glint.
In just one day and one night, six of Konoha's teams had already been eliminated!
only two remained!
The smaller villages' teams had also been nearly wiped out. As it stood, only four teams were left in the entire exam field: one from Kumogakure, one from Kirigakure, Uchiha Hisata's team from Konoha, and Kaede's solo team.
"How could so many teams be eliminated?"
Hiruzen's expression changed as a few suspicions crept into his heart. He moved rapidly toward the exam center and asked Anbu in a low voice, "What exactly happened?"
The Anbu's answer confirmed his worst suspicions.
The teams from Kirigakure and Kumogakure weren't simply aiming to pass the second round. Even after securing enough scrolls, they were actively hunting down other teams!
Whoosh! Whoosh!!
Hiruzen rushed to the exam site and quickly arrived at the central watchtower, stepping into the surveillance room.
"Lord Hokage!"
At his arrival, the Konoha shinobi inside the room immediately saluted.
Hiruzen scanned the room. His eyes landed on one figure, and he said coldly, "When did you get here, Orochimaru?"
Standing right at the center of the room was none other than Orochimaru.
All the nearby Konoha ninjas, Chunin and Jonin alike, looked at him with a mix of reverence and unease. Even Kuwashima and the Cloud Jonin had lost their earlier arrogance, visibly wary of Orochimaru's presence.
"I arrived just a little before you, sensei," Orochimaru said, his voice raspy as he smiled faintly. "I heard there were some... unusual genin in this exam. I couldn't resist coming to take a look."
Hiruzen stepped deeper into the room, his gaze falling on the surveillance monitors. "Don't try anything, Orochimaru. Not at a time like this."
As Orochimaru's former teacher, Hiruzen knew him all too well.
If Orochimaru was interested in "special genin," that usually meant he was planning something sinister. But now was not the time to make a move, any hostile action against Cloud or Mist shinobi would amount to a declaration of war.
"Hehehe… understood, sensei."
Orochimaru replied with a smile, but his words only added pressure to the room. Neither Kuwashima nor the Cloud Jonin could guess his true intentions. All they could do was assume that without Hiruzen's approval, Orochimaru wouldn't make a move.
After all, he was one of the most dangerous individuals in all of Konoha.