Seven days had passed since Obito and Black Zetsu plotted the destruction of Konoha.
And today, the final match of the Chunin Exams was about to begin.
Hundreds of nobles and wealthy figures from across the ninja world poured through the newly rebuilt gates of Konoha, eager to witness firsthand the strength of the next generation of shinobi.
To them, this wasn't just a spectacle—it was a way to determine future clients and investments. After all, the power of a village's young ninja often reflected the strength of its future.
But what they didn't know was that once this Chunin Exam ended, the era where the five great ninja villages operated independently and competed for mission commissions would come to an end.
All of that would soon become history.
Inside Ichiraku Ramen, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura sat together, waiting for their meals to arrive.
Sasuke stood with his arms crossed, a smug expression on his face—he practically broadcasted I've mastered a new jutsu across his forehead.
Naruto, sitting to his left, grinned foolishly now and then, stealing glances at Sasuke.
Hehe… Sasuke would never guess I've learned such a weird move. If we end up fighting in the exams, he's gonna be in for a real shock!
Sakura sat beside them, helplessly watching the antics of her two teammates. She had no idea what they were competing over. Honestly, it was childish.
Besides, with Maruboshi Kosuke voluntarily withdrawing from the competition, there were still 25 genin remaining. What were the odds that the two of them would get matched in the first round?
She didn't understand what they were thinking.
...But Sasuke did look really cool today.
"Thanks for waiting~!"
"Here comes the super deluxe pork bone char siu ramen for you three little ones~!"
Old Man Teuchi wore his signature white chef's uniform and a hood over his head. He carried two massive bowls of ramen—one for Naruto, one for Sasuke—and carefully handed Sakura hers with both hands.
Naruto stared at the steaming bowl in front of him. A lobster roughly 30 centimeters long sat atop a mountain of char siu pork, with half a marinated soft-boiled egg nestled beside it.
The rich, milky broth shimmered with a light golden-brown hue.
Mouth watering, Naruto clapped his hands together.
"Itadakimasu!"
He broke apart his chopsticks, grabbed a slice of pork, and popped it into his mouth. A moment later, he slurped the noodles, then drank a spoonful of the soup.
And instantly, he felt reborn.
After a week of training deep in the forest with that pervy sage, he'd survived on nothing but grilled river fish and whatever edible greens he could scavenge. He'd been starving.
But now—this bite of Ichiraku Ramen made all that suffering worth it.
He dug deep into the bowl and scooped up the bean sprouts underneath. Their crisp texture and savory flavor sent his appetite into overdrive.
He began devouring the bowl like a wild beast.
Sasuke, by contrast, ate slowly and politely—not because he was particularly mannered, but because he didn't want indigestion before the exam.
What if he had to fight Naruto right after eating? A stomachache could throw off his entire performance.
He thought about the immense power within Naruto… and the strength of the other Jinchūriki. Just the thought of that pressure made the Uchiha blood in his veins burn with anticipation.
He craved the battle ahead.
Meanwhile, Sakura sat calmly beside them, slowly eating her ramen while holding an open book in her right hand.
It was a detailed medical text she'd borrowed from the Konoha Hospital. To become a true medical ninja, she needed to master anatomy and human biology.
For the past few days, she'd spent nearly ten hours a day memorizing this kind of material.
It reminded her of her school days at the Ninja Academy. Exhausting, yes—but also fulfilling.
Before long, Naruto finished every drop of broth in his bowl and let out a massive belch.
"Thanks for the meal, Old Man Teuchi!"
He reached into his pocket for his frog-shaped wallet to pay.
But Teuchi looked at Naruto's bowl, sparkling clean from the soup being completely drained, and smiled warmly.
"No charge today—and the same goes for you two," he said, gesturing to Sasuke and Sakura. "You've all got a big match ahead. Eat well, fight hard, and show the world what Konoha's ninja are made of!"
"Give it your all!"
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, flexing the noodle-pulling muscles in his arms. His teeth even seemed to gleam.
Naruto flashed him a wide grin and mirrored the same pose.
"OSU! Don't worry, Old Man!"
"I'm gonna be Hokage someday!"
"I'll definitely take first place!"
Sasuke finished his soup, set down the bowl, grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, and said confidently:
"Hmph. As an Uchiha, I won't lose—not until I'm standing at the top."
The two locked eyes, sparks flying between them. Their fighting spirit ignited the air.
Teuchi watched them quietly and sighed with admiration.
Ah… youth. With ninja like these, Konoha's future will be just fine.
At that moment, Kakashi leaned against the entrance to Ichiraku Ramen, snapping his orange book shut. He glanced inside and called out:
"Hey, Naruto. Sasuke. Time to move."
"The exam starts in two hours. We draw lots to determine matchups in one."
Naruto jumped to his feet and bounded outside.
"A-no-sa! A-no-sa! Kakashi-sensei, this time, I've learned an insanely strong jutsu!"
"I'm gonna blow your mind with it!"
He stretched out his arms dramatically as he spoke, flailing around in excitement.
Sasuke squinted skeptically at the gesture.
What the hell is that even supposed to mean? He drew a big circle in the air… That's not a jutsu. Is it?
Still bouncing around like an idiot.
No way… It can't be a tailed beast move, can it?
No… In the Forest of Death, he only pulled that off with the help of multiple Jinchūriki chakras. There's no way he could've mastered that kind of power in just a week...
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully watching Naruto's exaggerated motions.
What's that big and jumps around?
He's been training with Jiraiya—one of the Legendary Sannin…
Wait… could it be a summoning jutsu?
Is he talking about summoning the Toad Boss?
That's unlikely. With Naruto's chakra levels, he shouldn't be able to summon something that huge. Unless… he's already managed to connect with the Nine-Tails and learned how to draw out its power…
Minato-sensei…
Your son's come a long way.
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