"Finally! I'm done with this shit," Akuma muttered, tossing the broom into the janitor's closet with a loud clatter. "From prince to janitor… how pathetic."
He stepped into the hallway, face cold and unreadable. Today marked the fifth day—the conclusion of the Chūnin Exams. All the genin who passed were to gather at the tower. Without wasting another thought, Akuma began walking toward the battleground.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing here, you bastard?!"
Naruto's voice rang out from behind, his finger pointed straight at Akuma like an accusation.
"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura snapped, voice tight with panic. Her feet trembled slightly as she stood protectively between Akuma and Sasuke—who leaned against her for support.
Akuma turned, his gaze locking onto the trio. The moment Sasuke met his eyes, the Sharingan flared—but almost instantly, Sasuke winced and dropped to the ground, clutching his shoulder. The black curse mark on his skin pulsed, spreading like wildfire.
"Sasuke-kun!""Sasuke!"
Both Naruto and Sakura dropped beside him, but Sasuke swatted them away.
"I don't need anyone's help."
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke pushed himself back up. The curse mark slowly receded, slithering back into his shoulder like a defeated snake.
Akuma stood silently, arms folded across his chest.
"So, you three passed. Congratulations," he said flatly, his voice devoid of warmth.
"Answer me! What are you—mmph!"
Naruto started, but Sakura slapped her hand over his mouth and hissed in his ear:
"Listen, moron! He's stronger than us. Kakashi-sensei told us not to mess with him."
Naruto yanked her hand away, eyes blazing.
"I won't let this bastard get away with what he did to Sasuke!"
"Back off," Sasuke muttered, stepping forward with effort. "I don't need a loser like you fighting my battles."
He stood face-to-face with Akuma, glaring up at him with bloodshot eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
Akuma studied him in silence.
Sasuke was afraid—Akuma could see it. But beneath the fear burned something deeper: hatred. Determination. Vengeance. A fire that refused to die out. And Akuma had to give it to him—he respected that. His plan to break Sasuke had only sharpened him.
Of course. He's a protagonist.The more you beat people like him and Naruto down, the stronger they get.
That… is a problem.
Next time, I won't hold back.Next time, I'll kill them. No mercy. No hesitation. Their youth won't save them again.
"I work here," Akuma replied coolly. Then, with a smirk:"As for you… you don't look so good. That curse mark on your shoulder—it's dangerous, isn't it?" He tilted his head."Did you get it because you were too weak? If so, you're more of a loser than this loudmouth over here."
He casually gestured toward Naruto.
"Because even with that cursed power, he surpasses you—in strength and in will. And you're calling him the loser? Isn't that funny?"
"AAAHHH!!"
Sasuke let out a scream as the curse mark suddenly surged again, dark flames racing across his body. He fell to the ground once more, writhing in agony.
Naruto and Sakura rushed to his side, panic etched on their faces.
Akuma stood there a moment, watching.
'Good. Let his focus shift to Naruto. That'll give me more time… Let them fight each other to the death.'
Without another glance, Akuma turned and walked calmly toward the battleground.
==
"How was the harvest, Kabuto?" Orochimaru asked, leaning casually against the wall, not even glancing at Kabuto or the two shinobi standing beside him.
"Above expectations," Kabuto replied, adjusting his glasses with a faint smile. "I've recorded all of Sasuke's data from the second test. However, when it comes to Akuma… I still haven't been able to gather anything new. It would've been much easier if he had taken the exam."
Orochimaru extended a pale hand without a word.
"So you're that interested, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto said, handing over a small data card filled with his notes.
Orochimaru silently flipped through the information, then spoke without looking up."What's your opinion on Sasuke?"
Kabuto hesitated for a second before replying."Lord Orochimaru… wouldn't it be wiser to take Akuma's body instead? He's only eight years old and already strong enough to fight Itachi."
A faint smile curled on Orochimaru's lips."Yes… that boy is remarkably powerful for his age." He flipped the card once more between his fingers. "But you're forgetting something important. He doesn't possess chakra. My goal is to master all jutsu. Without chakra, he's useless to me in that regard."
His tone darkened, voice low and curious."Still… his body is a mystery. When I examined his DNA, it was completely normal—no mutations, no kekkei genkai, nothing to explain his strength. It's as if he's hiding something from nature itself."
He licked his lips, a gleam of twisted fascination in his eyes."That boy will make an excellent research subject for my immortality experiments. Keep watching him."
And with that, Orochimaru vanished into the smoke.
==
All the students who passed the second exam were now gathered in the center of the battleground, surrounded by the towering stone statues of two hands locked in a jutsu seal. It was a grand, symbolic place—one that echoed with the history of countless battles.
Up on the observation deck, Akuma stood alone, leaning against the railing as he gazed down at the crowd. His expression was unreadable.
Below, the Third Hokage stood before the genin, addressing them with a calm and steady voice. He spoke about the true purpose of the Chūnin Exams—not just to promote individual ninja, but to showcase the strength of each village, to maintain the balance of power, and to let nations evaluate one another through their shinobi.
Akuma barely listened. The old man's speech felt like dull noise to him—politics, pride, and ideals that didn't matter. He wasn't here for that.
After a while, the Third Hokage finally fell silent.
A moment later, a sickly-looking man stepped forward. With heavy bags under his eyes and a raspy voice, he introduced himself as Gekkō Hayate. He bowed before the Hokage and respectfully requested to serve as the referee for the upcoming matches.
The Hokage nodded his approval.
Gekkō turned to face the 21 students standing on the arena floor."Because so many of you have passed, we'll be holding preliminary matches," he announced. "Only those who win their matches will advance to the final round of the Chūnin Exams."
A wave of tension passed through the crowd. For some, this was the beginning of glory. For others, it would be the end of their dreams.
Akuma remained silent, still watching from above, his eyes sharp and unreadable.