Suddenly, a voice called out clearly through the murmur, slicing through the tension like a kunai through mist.
"Hey, you guys!"
All nine rookies turned their heads toward the source.
Naruto narrowed his eyes instantly.
A young man with pale violet-gray hair walked calmly through the crowd. He was dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and gray trousers, a Hidden Leaf forehead protector proudly fastened to his head. His round, tinted glasses reflected the room's dim light as he stopped in front of the group.
Naruto's expression didn't change, but something sharp and calculating flickered deep in his eyes.
'Hmm… so Orochimaru and Kabuto… Both of them are already here, huh?' Naruto thought, keeping his face unreadable. 'Not bad... They're making their moves early.'
The pale-haired shinobi gave Naruto the faintest of glances, and in that instant, their eyes met.
Just for a moment.
Then, as casually as flipping a page, Kabuto adjusted his glasses with one hand, the subtle gesture hiding a silent message.
A signal that only Naruto caught and it was a greeting from Kabuto.
"You should be a little quieter," Kabuto said politely, his voice mild and easygoing as he addressed the nine young genin in front of him.
The group blinked, taken off guard by his sudden approach and oddly friendly tone.
"You guys are the 'Rookie Nine,' right? Fresh out of the Academy?" He asked, pushing up his glasses with his index finger.
Kabuto looked over their faces from Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, to Chōji, with a strange smile, one that hovered somewhere between amused and pitying.
"Carrying on like that with cute faces… Man," He added with a small shake of his head. "This isn't a field trip, you know."
He let the words hang in the air, firm but not unkind. Still, there was an edge in his voice—one that didn't match his smile.
"Who're you?" Ino snapped, her tone sharp and annoyed. "Acting all haughty all of a sudden."
The stranger turned to her, unfazed.
"I'm Yakushi Kabuto," He replied calmly.
"Anyway," Kabuto continued, his voice lowering slightly, "take a good look around you."
He nodded toward the back of the group. "Behind you… those guys are from the Hidden Rain Village. They're not exactly known for their patience."
The rookies glanced back quickly. Sure enough, a trio of stern-faced Rain shinobi were watching them with narrowed eyes, arms crossed and posture tense. Their expressions made it clear—they didn't appreciate the noise.
"You see?" Kabuto went on, turning his gaze back to the group. "Everyone's on edge before the exam starts."
He crossed his arms and looked at them a little more seriously now.
"I figured I'd give you all a heads-up before you end up getting your butts handed to you…"
He gave a small, helpless shrug.
"But I guess it can't be helped. You rookies, fresh out of the Academy... Don't know your left from your right. You all remind me of my old self."
There was something about the way he said something distant. Almost like he was speaking through a mirror into a past only he could see.
His smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
Sakura stepped forward hesitantly. "You said your name was Kabuto, right?"
He glanced at her, smiling faintly again. "That's right."
Sakura raised an eyebrow, curious. "Is this your second time taking the exam?"
Kabuto laughed softly.
"Nope," He said with an easy tone, like it was no big deal. "This is my seventh time."
Instantly, the whole group went still.
"S-Seventh?!" Sakura's voice caught in her throat.
Naruto could not help but feel his lips twitching.
Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly as he tilted his head, the words barely leaving his lips.
"Huh…?"
Chōji blinked. "Seven times…?"
Even Sasuke's eyes narrowed in thought, studying Kabuto anew.
There was a moment of silence, a heavy pause as everyone took in what he just said. The idea of failing not once, not twice, but six times before this… it was unimaginable.
Kabuto's smile remained in place, calm and polite. But something about it was beginning to feel off.
Kabuto continued speaking, completely ignoring their stunned reactions.
"This exam…" He said, adjusting his glasses again, "is only held twice a year. So, it's now my fourth year taking it."
The quiet that followed was broken instantly by Sakura, who perked up like a curious cat. "Then that means… you must know a lot about these exams, right?!"
Her voice was filled with eager interest. She'd just found a guide who could shed some light on this nerve-wracking battlefield they were stepping into.
But from beside her, Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
"Yeah but… you haven't passed yet?" He asked, frowning.
The question was blunt, just one expected from Shikamaru.
Kabuto scratched the back of his head awkwardly, laughing in a light, self-deprecating way.
"Yeah, well... That is the case, yes," He admitted with a sheepish grin.
"Is the Chūnin Exam really that high a hurdle…?" Shikamaru muttered, dragging out his words with a tired sigh. "Man, this is even more troublesome than I thought…"
His shoulders slumped as if he was already regretting showing up.
Naruto, meanwhile, kept his arms crossed and smirked quietly to himself.
'Heh… It doesn't really matter to me anyway,' He thought. 'I didn't even need to take this exam. If I wanted to, I could skip straight to becoming a Jōnin. This is just for the sake of keeping up appearances... and having fun.'
His eyes sparkled with excitement for a second, though his expression didn't betray the thoughts running beneath.
Then Kabuto clapped his hands together once, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Well then," He said, his voice warming up. "Maybe I'll share a little information with my cute juniors…"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, neatly tied bundle. When he unwrapped it, the group saw a stack of rectangular white cards, bound together like a deck.
"What are those?" Kiba asked, tilting his head curiously.
Kabuto smiled and replied. "Chakra info cards,"
"I've been gathering intel over the years on all kinds of genin, missions, and village stats. If you want, I can give you a sneak peek at the competition."
Sakura's eyes sparkled. "Really? That's amazing!"
Kabuto began flipping through the cards and started rattling off a few general statistics about the number of participants from various villages, how many from the Leaf, Sand, Rain, Grass, and Mist.
He spoke fluidly, like someone who had done this a thousand times.
As he did, Naruto yawned a little. This kind of stuff bored him.
But then Sakura leaned in with a serious look in her eyes.
"I want information on Gaara of the Sand… and his teammates," She said.
Sasuke, who had been watching silently from the side, stepped forward.
"And I want intel on Hyūga Neji," He added in a flat voice.
---- ✦ ✦ ✦ ----
Spoilers for the next three chapters!
Chapter 181: Ibiki Morino
Chapter 182: The First Exam
Chapter 183: The Real Test
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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