**The Next Day**
The next morning, Naruto sat alone in the kitchen of the Senju Compound eating breakfast. A plate of eggs, toast, and several strips of bacon sat in front of him along with a glass of orange juice. For the first time in nearly a week, he was able to eat without worrying about another team jumping out of the trees or Orochimaru suddenly appearing.
After leaving the tower the previous night, Naruto had met briefly with Yamato before the two went their separate ways. They discussed the month leading up to the final stage of the Chunin Exams and what Naruto planned to do with the time. Yamato suggested that Naruto continue training on his own for the most part. There wasn't much more he could teach Naruto when it came to Wood Release, and after spending the last few months training together almost every afternoon, Yamato wanted Naruto to decide for himself what he needed to work on before the finals.
Naruto already had several ideas, though he had no intention of starting any of them today. Between the first stage, five days inside the Forest of Death, and the preliminary matches immediately afterward, Naruto felt like he had earned at least one day where he didn't have to worry about training. His body wasn't badly injured, especially compared to some of the other genin who had competed, but that didn't mean it couldn't use the rest. Tomorrow he planned on diving headfirst back into training.
That didn't mean nothing was getting done around the compound. Several Shadow Clones were spread throughout the main house and surrounding grounds doing some basic cleaning that had been neglected while Naruto was away. One clone was dusting the hallway outside the kitchen while another was cleaning one of the nearby rooms. More were outside sweeping the walkways, checking the gardens, and handling whatever other small jobs needed to be done.
Naruto finished the last of his breakfast before leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. He picked up his glass, finished the remaining orange juice, and stood before carrying everything over to the sink.
"I'm going out," Naruto called as he headed towards the kitchen door.
"Have fun," one of Naruto's clones called back from somewhere in the hallway.
Naruto shook his head with a small smile before leaving the kitchen and making his way through the main house. He stepped outside a short time later and was greeted by the morning sun shining down across the Senju Compound. Several of his clones were already busy around the property. One was sweeping one of the stone paths while another was cleaning near the entrance to the training grounds. Two more were carrying supplies towards one of the storage buildings.
Naruto continued towards the main gate without stopping them. The compound was in considerably better condition than when he had first returned to the Leaf. After months of repairs, cleaning, and construction, it finally looked like someone actually lived there again.
Once outside the compound, Naruto slipped his hands into his pockets and started walking. He didn't have anywhere in particular he wanted to go. After spending the last five days cooped up inside the Forest of Death, he simply wanted to take a stroll through the village without having to constantly search for other teams, poisonous plants, giant animals, or anything else that wanted to kill him.
The Leaf was already busy despite how early it was. Civilians moved through the streets carrying bags and baskets while shinobi jumped between rooftops above them. Store owners stood outside their businesses preparing for another busy day, and the smell of food from several nearby restaurants drifted through the streets.
"Good morning, Lord Senju!" one of the nearby shopkeepers called.
"Morning," Naruto replied with a smile and a wave.
Another shopkeeper greeted him as he passed, followed by an older woman carrying a basket. Naruto politely returned each greeting as he continued towards the commercial district. He had grown used to the attention over the last few months, though there were still times when he found it strange just how quickly the villagers had accepted having a Senju walking around again.
The attention increased considerably when Naruto reached the commercial district. The streets were packed with people moving between stores and restaurants while merchants shouted from stalls lining portions of the street. Several restaurants were already beginning to fill despite how early it was, and Naruto could hear conversations coming from nearly every direction.
Mixed throughout the usual crowds were far more foreigners than Naruto remembered seeing before entering the exams. Merchants and travelers from outside the Land of Fire moved between the stores, while Naruto occasionally spotted foreign shinobi among them. There had already been more visitors entering the Leaf before the exams began, but nowhere near this many. With the final stage taking place in another month, Naruto figured plenty of people had decided to arrive early.
People continued greeting him as he made his way through the crowded street, and Naruto returned each greeting while occasionally stopping long enough to exchange a few words with someone he recognized. Eventually, he passed a familiar building and slowed slightly.
Senju Shipping.
Naruto glanced through the front windows as he walked by and noticed several customers inside speaking with the employees. There weren't enough people to call it crowded, but it was certainly busier than normal for this early in the morning. Naruto smiled before continuing along his way. Not much had changed while he was taking part in the exams. The business had been running smoothly before he entered the Forest, and the people he had hired were more than capable of handling things without him standing over their shoulders. The biggest change appeared to be all the new customers entering the village.
Naruto had only made it a little farther down the street when he noticed a familiar woman approaching from the opposite direction. Yoru strode confidently through the commercial district, earning more than a few looks from the men she passed, though she either didn't notice the attention or simply didn't care.
"Good morning, Lord Senju," Yoru said politely as they passed one another.
"Good morning," Naruto replied with a friendly smile.
Neither of them stopped, with Yoru continuing down the street while Naruto kept walking in the opposite direction. A few seconds later, Naruto's smile widened. She had absolutely no idea that the young Senju clan head she had just passed was the same person she knew as Mr. Black.
Seeing Yoru reminded Naruto that he needed to check on how things were progressing in the Red-Light District. He hadn't received an update since entering the exams five days ago, and with the number of foreigners now entering the village, he was curious to see if anything useful had turned up. Most of his plans had been progressing nicely before the exams, so he would have to contact Yoru as Mr. Black sometime soon and see what had changed while he was away.
Naruto spent another twenty minutes wandering through the commercial district without any real destination. He stopped briefly to buy a drink, spoke with several villagers he recognized, and continued watching the crowds as they moved through the streets. Eventually, he found himself standing in front of another familiar business.
The Yamanaka Flower Shop.
Naruto looked at the sign above the entrance before a small smile appeared on his face. He hadn't planned on coming here, but now that he was standing outside, he figured he might as well check on Ino.
The last time he had really spoken to her had been during the preliminaries. Her match against Sakura hadn't gone the way either of them expected, and Naruto still remembered the look she had given him after regaining consciousness. She had known he was disappointed even though he hadn't said anything.
Naruto pushed open the door, causing the small bell above it to chime as he stepped inside.
"Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop," Inoichi called from behind the counter.
Naruto immediately stopped. He had expected Ino or her mother to be behind the counter, but instead Inoichi Yamanaka was standing there. The older blonde looked up from what he was doing and blinked when he saw who had entered.
"Naruto?" Inoichi asked in surprise.
"Good morning," Naruto said with a smile.
"Good morning," Inoichi replied as he placed what he was holding down on the counter. "Wasn't expecting to see you here."
"I could say the same thing," Naruto replied.
"It's my family's shop," Inoichi said.
"Fair point," Naruto replied.
Inoichi chuckled before leaning slightly against the counter.
"So what brings you to the flower shop?" Inoichi asked.
"I was looking for Ino," Naruto answered.
Inoichi's eyebrow slowly rose.
Naruto noticed immediately.
"I just wanted to see how she was doing after her match with Sakura," Naruto quickly added.
Inoichi continued staring at him suspiciously, causing Naruto to chuckle nervously.
"What?" Naruto asked.
"Nothing," Inoichi replied, though the look on his face said otherwise.
Naruto sighed.
"Is she here or not?" Naruto asked.
"Unfortunately for you, no," Inoichi replied with a chuckle. "She went with her mother to pick up a new shipment of flower seeds. They should be back later."
"Alright. I'll catch her another time," Naruto replied.
Naruto was about to turn towards the door when a sudden movement from above caught both his and Inoichi's attention. An ANBU operative wearing an eagle mask dropped down between them, causing Naruto to instinctively take half a step back while Inoichi straightened behind the counter.
"Lord Senju. Lord Yamanaka," the ANBU said respectfully.
"What is it?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"A council session has been called," the ANBU replied. "Your attendance is required."
Naruto stared at him for several seconds before closing his eyes and releasing a deep sigh.
"So much for a relaxing day," Naruto muttered.
**Inside the Council Chambers**
Naruto sat in the seat reserved for the Senju Clan inside the council chambers, his arms resting on the table in front of him. Despite the sudden summons, he had been one of the first clan heads to arrive. At the moment, only Shikaku Nara, Hiashi Hyuga, and the Hokage's two advisors, Homura and Koharu, were present with him.
What Naruto found strange was the complete absence of the civilian side of the council. He had seen several members of the civilian council inside the building when he arrived, so he knew they were here. They simply hadn't entered the chambers yet. The Hokage had yet to arrive either, so Naruto figured there was probably a reason for it.
No one spoke as they waited. Over the next five minutes, the remaining members of the shinobi council gradually entered the chambers and took their seats. Inoichi Yamanaka arrived not long after Naruto since the two had left the flower shop at nearly the same time, followed by Choza Akimichi, Tsume Inuzuka, Asuma Sarutobi and Shibi Aburame. Before long, every clan head and representative who held a seat on the shinobi council was present, while the civilian side of the chamber remained completely empty.
Naruto looked around the chamber once everyone had settled. With every shinobi representative present and none of the civilian council members being allowed inside, he was now certain that whatever the Hokage had called them here to discuss involved village security.
The doors at the side of the chambers opened a moment later. Everyone stood as Hiruzen entered, offering a respectful bow as the Hokage made his way towards the seat at the head of the council. Naruto was about to sit back down when he noticed someone walking through the doors behind him. The man was tall, with waist-length spiky white hair and a massive scroll tied across his back.
Naruto's eyes widened as he immediately recognized his godfather.
"Pervy Sage!" Naruto shouted in surprise.
Jiraiya stopped in the middle of the chamber as his eyebrow twitched.
"You little brat!" Jiraiya shouted as he pointed at Naruto. "Show your godfather some respect!"
"Maybe when you earn some," Naruto replied as he folded his arms and huffed.
Hiruzen chuckled as he continued towards his seat, clearly finding the exchange far more amusing than Jiraiya did. Several members of the council had initially been surprised by the sudden appearance of one of the Three Legendary Sannin, but that surprise quickly gave way to amusement as they watched the two argue.
"I see nothing has changed between you two," Hiruzen commented as he took his seat.
"He started it," Jiraiya complained.
"You're over fifty," Naruto pointed out.
"And?" Jiraiya questioned.
Naruto simply grinned at his godfather.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at him before walking towards the empty civilian side of the chamber and pulling out one of the chairs. Naruto continued grinning as Jiraiya sat down and glared across the room at him.
Once Hiruzen was seated, everyone else followed.
"Thank you all for responding to the summons on such short notice," Hiruzen said after allowing the room to settle.
"Are the civilian representatives not joining us?" Naruto asked as he glanced towards the empty half of the chamber.
"They will be joining us later," Hiruzen replied. "For now, there are several shinobi matters that need to be discussed. The information you are about to hear is not something they are currently privy to."
Naruto nodded before leaning back in his chair.
"Jiraiya returned to the village this morning with information that I believe requires the immediate attention of this council," Hiruzen stated as his expression became more serious.
The atmosphere inside the chamber changed almost immediately. Naruto's earlier amusement disappeared as he turned his attention towards his godfather. The other clan heads did the same.
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen said with a small gesture for him to begin.
Jiraiya leaned forward slightly in his chair. The playful expression he had worn while arguing with Naruto was gone.
"For the last several years, I've been keeping track of Orochimaru's movements whenever possible," Jiraiya began. "He's good at disappearing when he wants to, but over the last few months he's been getting more active. I started looking into some of the people and resources moving around him, and eventually that led me somewhere interesting."
Jiraiya paused for a moment as everyone waited.
"Orochimaru founded his own hidden village," Jiraiya revealed.
Surprised murmurs immediately spread throughout the chamber.
"What village?" Choza asked.
"The Sound Village," Jiraiya answered.
The chamber went quiet. Naruto immediately thought back to the preliminaries. Dosu, Zaku and Kin had all represented the Sound Village, and now Dosu's declaration during his fight with Naruto suddenly made considerably more sense.
"So Dosu wasn't simply working for Orochimaru," Inoichi commented. "His entire team came from Orochimaru's village."
"That's what it looks like," Jiraiya replied.
"That doesn't sound like Orochimaru," Shikaku said thoughtfully as he leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "He never struck me as someone interested in becoming the leader of a village."
"He isn't," Jiraiya replied.
"Then the village is probably a means to an end," Shikaku stated as his eyes narrowed slightly.
Naruto had remained silent as he watched his godfather, but something about the meeting still bothered him.
"There's more," Naruto stated.
Everyone looked towards him, though Naruto kept his attention on Jiraiya.
"Lord Hokage wouldn't call the council into session like this just to tell us Orochimaru created his own village," Naruto continued. "Especially if the Sound Village is still small. There's something else."
A grin slowly appeared on Jiraiya's face.
"My little student has grown up so much," Jiraiya said as he wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm so proud."
"Don't make me regret saying anything," Naruto replied as his eyebrow twitched.
Jiraiya chuckled.
"Naruto is correct," Hiashi stated calmly. "Orochimaru establishing a hidden village is concerning, but not enough to justify an emergency session of the shinobi council. The Sound Village is still in its infancy and, from what little we know, could only be considered a minor village. On its own, it poses little threat to the Leaf."
"On its own," Jiraiya repeated.
Hiashi's eyes narrowed.
"Would you consider it a threat if it had one of the Five Great Nations supporting it?" Jiraiya asked as he leaned back slightly.
Silence filled the chamber for a moment before several council members immediately began speaking at once.
"Which one?" Tsume questioned.
"Stone?" Choza asked.
"Cloud?" Inoichi added.
"Enough," Hiruzen said firmly, causing the chamber to quiet. "Let him finish."
"I've received several reports placing Orochimaru near the Sand Village not long before the Chunin Exams began," Jiraiya revealed.
For several seconds, nobody responded. Naruto stared at his godfather in surprise. Of all the villages Jiraiya could have named, Sand wasn't the one he had expected. The Leaf and Sand had been allies for years. There had been no indication that the two villages were preparing for open conflict, and Sand had willingly sent teams to participate in the Chunin Exams. Naruto's mind immediately went to Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro.
"Why the hell would Sand betray us now?" Tsume growled as she slammed one hand against the table.
"Finances," Hiruzen answered.
"The relationship between the Sand Village and the Land of Wind's feudal lord has been deteriorating for some time," Hiruzen explained as Tsume looked towards him. "The Land of Wind has increasingly been sending missions outside its own village. The Leaf has received a portion of those missions."
"So while we're making money from their own country, Sand is losing it," Shikaku commented with a frown.
"Correct," Hiruzen replied before folding his hands in front of him. "A little over a month ago, Asuma and his team completed a mission that took them to the Sand Village. When they returned, Asuma reported that there appeared to be some hostility towards the Leaf."
"There was," Asuma confirmed as everyone turned towards him. "Nothing happened, but you could feel it. We weren't exactly welcome."
The chamber became quiet again as everyone processed the information. Orochimaru creating the Sound Village was one thing. Orochimaru working with Sand was something else entirely.
"Do you believe Sand and Sound intend to attack the Leaf?" Hiashi asked.
"I do," Jiraiya answered after remaining silent for several seconds. "Orochimaru infiltrated the second stage of the Chunin Exams personally. He attacked Naruto and Sasuke inside the Forest of Death and placed that cursed seal on Sasuke. Orochimaru doesn't take risks like that without having something planned."
Jiraiya briefly glanced towards Naruto, who met his gaze before looking back towards the table.
"If you're right, then we need to determine when they would attack," Shikaku stated as he straightened in his seat, the lazy expression he normally carried completely gone.
"I already have a pretty good idea," Jiraiya replied.
"When?" Shikaku asked.
"The finals," Jiraiya answered. "The village will be packed. Civilians, merchants, foreign shinobi, nobles, and feudal lords will all be here. A large portion of our forces will be focused on security and crowd control. If Orochimaru wants to cause as much damage and confusion as possible, the finals give him the perfect opportunity."
Naruto's thoughts immediately went to Gaara and the other members of the Sand team. He already knew what Gaara was. The Nine-Tails had identified Shukaku the moment Naruto first encountered him, and if Sand really intended to attack the Leaf, bringing their Jinchuriki into the middle of the village made far more sense.
Naruto considered saying something, but quickly thought better of it. Explaining how he knew what Gaara carried would raise questions about his own status that he had no intention of answering in front of the council.
"There's something else you need to know about the Sand team," Jiraiya stated.
"All three Sand genin who advanced to the finals are the children of the Fourth Kazekage," Jiraiya revealed.
"All three?" Choza asked in surprise.
"That's right," Jiraiya replied with a nod. "Temari is his daughter. Kankuro and Gaara are his sons."
"They sent three of the Kazekage's children into the Leaf at the same time?" Shikaku questioned as his eyes narrowed.
"That's right," Jiraiya replied. "And Gaara isn't just the Kazekage's youngest son."
Jiraiya's expression hardened.
"He's Sand's Jinchuriki," Jiraiya revealed.
The reaction was immediate. Tsume cursed under her breath while several of the clan heads exchanged concerned looks. Even Homura and Koharu leaned forward slightly. Naruto remained silent, though he noticed both Hiruzen and Jiraiya briefly glance towards him. Neither said anything.
"How stable?" Shikaku asked.
"Not very," Jiraiya replied. "From what I've been able to gather, Gaara has had serious problems controlling his Tailed Beast for years."
"Then they brought a potentially unstable Jinchuriki into the middle of the Leaf while possibly planning an attack," Inoichi stated.
"Looks that way," Jiraiya replied.
"I'll take care of Gaara," Naruto stated as he leaned forward.
Several people turned towards him.
"You sound pretty confident," Tsume commented with a raised eyebrow.
"I am," Naruto replied. "The First Hokage was able to subdue the Tailed Beasts using his Wood Release. If Gaara loses control, I should be able to do the same."
"Should?" Homura questioned.
"I've never tried restraining a Tailed Beast before," Naruto replied honestly. "So I'm not going to sit here and promise it'll be easy. But if anyone in the village has the best chance of stopping him without killing him, it's probably me."
Hiruzen studied Naruto for several seconds before nodding.
"Naruto will be our primary contingency for Gaara, but you will not face him alone if the situation comes to that," Hiruzen stated.
"Understood," Naruto replied with a nod.
"There is also another complication," Hiruzen continued. "I received confirmation this morning regarding several of the guests who will be attending the finals. The feudal lords of the Lands of Wind, Lightning, and Earth have all announced their intention to attend."
The room went silent again. Three Great Nation feudal lords attending the same Chunin Exam was already significant, but Hiruzen wasn't finished.
"Because of their attendance, each will be accompanied by the leader of their respective hidden village," Hiruzen continued.
"The Kazekage," Shikaku stated as his expression immediately darkened.
"The Kazekage, Raikage, and Tsuchikage," Hiruzen confirmed.
Even Naruto couldn't hide his surprise.
"You're telling me we might have Sand and Sound preparing to attack us while three foreign Kage and their feudal lords are sitting inside the village?" Tsume asked as she leaned back in her chair.
"Yes," Hiruzen replied.
"Wonderful," Tsume muttered.
Naruto's thoughts immediately went towards Stone. Only days ago, he had killed three Stone shinobi sent into the Forest specifically to gather information on him. The orders had apparently come from Onoki himself, and now the Tsuchikage was coming to the Leaf. Naruto wasn't sure whether that was good or bad, though considering his experience with Stone so far, he was leaning towards bad.
"If Sand is involved, we can't move openly without evidence," Shikaku stated. "If we're wrong and begin treating an allied village like an enemy before the finals, we could create the conflict we're trying to prevent."
"Exactly," Hiruzen replied.
"We'll need additional security without making it look like additional security," Inoichi added.
"And surveillance on the Sand delegation," Tsume stated.
"Discreet surveillance," Hiashi corrected. "If the Kazekage is involved, he will expect to be watched."
"Which is why we can't tip our hand," Jiraiya added with a nod.
The discussion continued for some time as the council began going through the possible implications. Patrols would need to be increased without alarming the civilians or foreign visitors. ANBU would monitor the village walls and important locations. The remaining Sound genin would continue to be watched. Sand shinobi already inside the village would be observed without being openly confronted, while intelligence teams attempted to confirm Jiraiya's suspicions.
Shikaku took the lead through much of the discussion, immediately beginning to outline possible defensive responses if an attack occurred during the finals. Hiashi brought up the importance of protecting the village's civilian population, while Inoichi discussed communication between units if the village came under attack. Tsume wanted additional trackers stationed near the walls in case enemy shinobi attempted to enter or leave during the confusion.
Naruto mostly listened. This was different from the other council sessions he had attended. There were no arguments over businesses, clan property, or village spending. Everyone in the room understood exactly what was at stake, and Naruto found himself paying close attention as the more experienced clan heads discussed how the Leaf would respond to a possible invasion.
"That will be enough for today," Hiruzen eventually stated as he raised one hand.
The conversation stopped.
"This will not be our final meeting on the matter," Hiruzen continued. "As we gather more intelligence, there will be additional sessions to finalize our preparations. Until then, everything discussed here is classified. Do not speak of a possible attack outside those who need to know."
Everyone nodded.
"The civilian council has been waiting long enough," Hiruzen stated as he glanced towards the empty civilian side of the chamber. "We still have the regularly scheduled matters to address."
Naruto barely managed to stop himself from sighing. So much for the meeting being over.
"I'll leave you all to the exciting part," Jiraiya stated as he stood from his chair.
"You're leaving?" Naruto asked as he narrowed his eyes at his godfather.
"My job is done here," Jiraiya replied.
"Convenient," Naruto commented.
"I'll find you afterward, brat," Jiraiya said with a grin as he started towards the doors. "We need to talk."
"About what?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll find out," Jiraiya replied.
Before Naruto could ask anything else, Jiraiya disappeared through the doors. Naruto stared after him for a moment before leaning back in his chair. A few seconds later, the doors on the opposite side of the chamber began opening as the civilian members of the council were finally allowed inside.
Naruto released a quiet sigh. His relaxing day was officially gone.
A few minutes after Jiraiya left the council chambers, the doors leading into the hallway opened, and the civilian members of the council began filing inside. Several exchanged greetings with the clan heads as they made their way towards their seats, while others offered respectful greetings towards Hiruzen before sitting down. Naruto returned a few greetings of his own as the previously empty half of the chamber slowly filled.
None of the shinobi council members mentioned what had been discussed before their arrival. The possibility of Sand and Sound attacking the village during the finals would remain classified for the time being.
"Now that everyone is present, we can begin the full council session," Hiruzen stated once the doors were closed. "There are several matters regarding the Chunin Exams that require our attention, though I expect this meeting to be considerably shorter than some of our previous sessions."
"That's good to hear," Naruto said.
A few people around the chamber chuckled.
"The first matter is the final stage of the Chunin Exams," Hiruzen continued. "As everyone here is aware, the preliminary round concluded yesterday. Nine genin have advanced to the finals, which will take place one month from now."
The council spent the next several minutes discussing the preparations that would be needed before the finals. The number of visitors entering the Leaf was already increasing, and that number was expected to grow considerably over the next month. Merchants would need designated areas to sell their goods, accommodations throughout the village were already beginning to fill, and additional shinobi would be needed to manage the crowds entering the village. Most of the discussion revolved around making sure the thousands of visitors expected over the next month could enter the village without causing unnecessary problems.
"There is something else all of you need to be made aware of," Hiruzen stated, bringing the conversation to a stop. "The list of foreign dignitaries attending the finals has been confirmed."
The civilian council members turned their attention towards him.
"The feudal lords of the Lands of Wind, Lightning and Earth will all be attending the final stage," Hiruzen continued. "Each will be accompanied by the Kage of their respective village."
Several of the civilian council members exchanged surprised looks at the announcement.
"The Kazekage, Raikage, and Tsuchikage are all coming here?" one of the civilian representatives asked.
"Yes," Hiruzen answered. "Along with their entourages and security details."
"That's considerably more than we normally receive for the Chunin Exams," another civilian representative stated.
"It is," Hiruzen replied. "Which is why preparations for their arrival will need to begin immediately. Suitable accommodations will need to be arranged for all three delegations, and the areas surrounding those accommodations will require additional security."
Naruto remained quiet as the civilian council began discussing what would be necessary to accommodate that many important visitors. None of them knew that one of those Kage was suspected of planning an attack on the village while another had already sent a team into the Forest of Death with orders concerning Naruto.
The conversation eventually moved towards the economic effects the exams had already produced.
"The economic reports so far have been extremely positive," one of the civilian representatives stated. "Revenue throughout the commercial district has increased considerably since the exams began."
"That isn't surprising," another civilian council member replied. "There are more foreigners walking through the commercial district every day."
Naruto leaned back in his chair as he listened. He had noticed the same thing during his walk that morning. Senju Shipping had been busier, restaurants were filling earlier, and merchants from outside the Land of Fire were already setting up throughout the village.
"The final stage should increase that even further," Koharu stated. "The Chunin Exam finals traditionally attract far more visitors than the earlier stages."
"Especially this year," Homura added. "The last Uchiha and a Senju capable of wielding the First Hokage's bloodline are both competing in the finals. People from across the continent are going to want to see that for themselves."
Naruto couldn't exactly argue with that. Sasuke was the last surviving member of one of the Leaf's founding clans, while Naruto was the first natural Wood Release user since Hashirama Senju himself. The two of them competing in the same Chunin Exams was bound to attract attention regardless of who else was participating.
"The village should take advantage of the increased traffic while we can," one of the civilian representatives stated. "The exams have already brought considerable money into the Leaf, and the finals could easily surpass everything we've seen so far."
"I don't think you'll hear many shopkeepers complaining about that," Naruto said.
"Especially not you, Lord Senju," one of the civilian representatives replied with a smile. "Senju Shipping has seen a rather noticeable increase in business."
"I noticed," Naruto replied. "I passed by this morning."
There were a few amused looks around the table before the conversation continued. Naruto didn't mind the comment. Senju Shipping was benefiting from the exams just like dozens of other businesses throughout the Leaf. More visitors meant more goods entering the village, and that meant more work for a shipping company.
The discussion moved through several other economic matters before Hiruzen eventually raised a hand to bring everyone's attention back towards him.
"The final matter concerning the exams is the stadium," Hiruzen stated.
Naruto straightened slightly.
"Tazuna and his construction crews are currently adding the finishing touches," Hiruzen continued. "According to his latest report, everything will be completed well before the finals."
Several members of the council nodded in approval. Tazuna and his workers had been busy with the stadium for some time, and with the number of spectators now expected to attend, there was little room for delays.
"The seating and main structural work have already been completed," one of the civilian representatives stated. "Once Tazuna finishes the remaining work, we can begin the final inspections."
"We'll still need shinobi stationed throughout the stadium during the finals," Shikaku added. "With that many people gathered in one location, crowd control needs to be considered."
"Agreed," Hiruzen replied. "Jonin and Chunin will be positioned throughout the stadium, along with medical teams and additional security around the entrances."
"I'll head over once Tazuna finishes and start adding the barrier seals to the walls," Naruto stated. "It'll take some time to place all of them, so I'd rather not wait until the last few days."
"That would be best," Hiruzen replied. "You have plenty of time to make sure everything is properly connected."
"The barrier should be strong enough to stop anything from the arena from reaching the spectators," Naruto explained. "Once it's activated, it'll completely separate the stands from what's happening inside. It'll protect everyone outside while also helping contain whatever is happening within the arena."
Naruto shot a quick glance towards Shikaku.
Shikaku met his gaze for a moment before giving Naruto a small nod.
"That should give us another layer of protection if anything unexpected happens during one of the matches," Shikaku stated.
"Exactly," Naruto replied.
"Then proceed as planned," Hiruzen stated. "Coordinate with Tazuna once his work is completed."
"I will," Naruto replied.
The council spent another twenty minutes going over the remaining preparations for the finals. Most of the discussion concerned where the foreign delegations would be housed, which streets would be restricted on the day of the tournament, and how merchants would be handled around the stadium. Naruto contributed when necessary, but for the most part he listened.
By the time Hiruzen finally brought the session to an end, Naruto had been sitting inside the council chambers far longer than he had planned when he left the compound that morning.
"This council session is concluded," Hiruzen stated. "The next scheduled meeting will be announced once the remaining preparations for the finals have progressed further."
Naruto stood along with everyone else as the council members began gathering their things. Conversations quickly broke out throughout the chamber as people headed towards the exits, though Naruto didn't stick around. He had already spent enough of his supposed day off sitting in a meeting.
The walk back to the Senju Compound was considerably quicker than Naruto's earlier stroll through the village. He still returned greetings from the villagers he passed, but he didn't stop to talk with anyone this time. Between Jiraiya's information, the possibility of an invasion, and the work he now needed to do at the stadium, Naruto had plenty to think about.
There was also Jiraiya.
His godfather had said they needed to talk afterward, though Naruto hadn't seen him waiting outside the council building when the meeting ended. Knowing Jiraiya, he had probably gotten distracted somewhere along the way.
Naruto reached the Senju Compound a short time later and passed through the main gate. Several of his clones were still working around the grounds, though considerably more had been accomplished since he left that morning. Naruto nodded towards one carrying cleaning supplies before continuing towards the main house.
He opened the front door and stepped inside.
"I'm back," Naruto called.
Naruto barely made it a few steps into the house before he noticed voices coming from the living room. His eyebrow rose as he made his way towards the room, wondering which of his clones had decided to invite someone inside while he was gone.
Naruto stopped the moment he entered.
Tsunade sat comfortably on one of the couches with a cup of tea in her hand. Shizune sat beside her with another cup while Tonton rested nearby. One of Naruto's clones stood beside the table, serving them tea as if having three unexpected guests inside the Senju Compound was completely normal.
Naruto stared at them in shock.
"Grandma!" Naruto shouted in surprise.
Tsunade looked towards him with a grin.
"Big Sis!" Naruto shouted as his eyes moved towards Shizune.
Shizune smiled at him.
"Tonton!" Naruto called as he looked towards the small pig.
Tonton happily squealed in response.
Before Naruto could say anything else, movement from the doorway leading into another room caught his attention. Jiraiya suddenly appeared and struck an exaggerated kabuki pose, one arm extended dramatically while the other was raised above his head.
"And don't forget about me! The Great Toad Sage, Jiraiya!" Jiraiya shouted dramatically.
Naruto stared at him.
**Chapter End!**