On the day of the Continental Unified Chūnin Exams, countless shinobi gathered at a massive, fortress-like guild hall steeped in ancient history.
Three hundred genin examinees from across the empire stood within the vast examination hall. They varied greatly in age—some barely in their early teens, others already in their twenties or even thirties.
Most of the younger participants came from the original Five Great Ninja Villages, forming the largest group present. The older examinees were usually from remote regions or newly established villages.
Although the ninja world had long been unified, the disparity between regions remained stark.
In terms of legacy, training systems, and accumulated resources, the former Five Great Nations far surpassed other areas. Their foundations were deeper, their resources richer, and the likelihood of producing elite shinobi naturally much higher.
Above the hall stood a towering platform where the leaders observed the candidates below.
A woman with striking blonde hair and a voluptuous figure stepped forward.
As Ryoma's current spokesperson, Tsunade had been handling most official affairs on his behalf. After all, Ryoma despised formalities, leaving her to manage public matters far more often than not.
Now, she stood before the examinees to announce the rules of the Chūnin Exams.
"This Chūnin Examination will consist of four stages."
Her voice echoed clearly through the hall.
"The first stage is a written examination, testing your knowledge, judgment, and observational skills."
"The second stage is a Survival Test. Through a Space Gate, you will be sent to extreme environments across the world for a seven-day trial. You may act alone or in teams, but you must seize a complete set of Heaven and Earth Scrolls from your opponents and reach the designated location to pass."
"The third and fourth stages are individual combat matches—the preliminary rounds and the finals."
Below the platform, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin whispered among themselves.
"Kakashi," Obito said with a grin, cracking his knuckles, "you'd better pray you don't run into me during the preliminaries or finals."
"I'll have you know," he added proudly, "my Sharingan has awakened to three tomoe."
Rin immediately noticed several sharp glances coming from shinobi of Iwagakure nearby. She sighed helplessly.
"Obito, don't announce that so loudly."
"Don't bother telling him," Kakashi said flatly. "He's an idiot."
"Kakashi! What do you mean by that—!"
Before Obito could finish, the world abruptly went dark.
Absolute darkness swallowed the hall.
This wasn't merely poor visibility—it was complete blindness, as though sight itself had been erased. Nothing could be perceived, not even vague outlines.
Chaos instantly erupted.
Kakashi, Rin, Obito, and more than a dozen shinobi sprang to their feet. Chakra surged through their bodies as hand seals formed instinctively, each of them cautiously sensing their surroundings.
In the next instant, Kakashi's body stiffened.
He turned sharply toward the platform.
Despite the darkness still clouding his vision, surprise flickered across his face.
All around them, reactions varied wildly—some panicked, others fled blindly, some activated defensive ninjutsu, while a few attempted light-release techniques to illuminate the hall.
Then—after a single breath—the darkness vanished.
Light returned.
Standing upon the platform was a handsome man with black hair and black eyes, having appeared without warning.
The moment Ryoma revealed himself, gasps swept through the hall.
Tsunade stepped aside, while leaders such as the Mizukage and Raikage immediately rose to their feet and bowed. They all knew exactly who stood before them.
The Lord of the Continent.
The Emperor of the Shadow Empire.
The legendary god of the ninja world—Ryoma.
Over the past year alone, the changes he had brought to the world were nothing short of unprecedented. His accomplishments were so vast that people had begun worshipping him in subtle, almost religious ways.
His prestige had reached an almost terrifying level.
Nearly every shinobi present erupted into cheers, their excitement barely contained.
"I didn't expect Teacher to come in person…"
Kakashi stared at the platform in disbelief.
He knew better than anyone that Ryoma usually cared only for cultivation, combat, and research. Formal occasions like this were rarely enough to draw his attention.
Yet today—he had come.
"Lord Ryoma is still as handsome as ever."
Mei Terumī rested her chin in her hands, her cheeks faintly flushed as she stared at the man on the platform with a dazed expression. The kunoichi around her nodded in agreement, their eyes shining like girls lost in springtime fantasies.
Nearby, a young man with short black hair—half of his head wrapped in bandages—looked at the girls from his village with clear disdain. He shook his head helplessly before shifting his gaze to the stage, his eyes filled with pure admiration as he stared at the legendary God of Shinobi.
Seeing the various reactions below, Ryoma did not allow the atmosphere to continue fermenting.
He spoke.
His voice was calm and unhurried, yet it carried chakra fluctuations so precise and overwhelming that it instantly suppressed every sound in the hall.
"What you just experienced can be considered a greeting."
Ryoma's gaze swept across the assembled shinobi.
"I used a small Darkness Technique, simply to observe your reactions."
As soon as he said this, the hall fell completely silent.
Several genin who had panicked and fled earlier—and a few who had immediately used Earth Release to burrow underground—returned to their positions with awkward expressions.
Ryoma did not even glance at them.
Instead, his eyes briefly swept over a handful of individuals scattered throughout the crowd. The corners of his lips lifted slightly.
"But unfortunately," he continued calmly,
"within those three seconds, fewer than ten out of three hundred people managed to locate me."
"To be honest," he added, "I was somewhat disappointed."
At his words, most of the genin lowered their heads in shame. Some clenched their fists, while others showed faint resentment, clearly thinking they had simply been unprepared.
"Do not assume that just because the war is over, you can afford to lower your guard."
"As the first generation of candidates in the Continental Unified Chūnin Exams, and more importantly, as shinobi—"
"You must always remain vigilant. Only then can you protect yourselves when true danger arrives."
After finishing, Ryoma nodded briefly toward Tsunade and the other leaders, signaling that the proceedings could continue.
Then, escorted by several special-jōnin, he slowly turned and departed.
The shinobi below erupted into spontaneous applause, their gazes following him until he disappeared from sight.
Many quickly pulled out communication devices, eagerly snapping photos of Ryoma's retreating figure—as though afraid that missing this moment would become a lifelong regret.
...
TN:
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