"The date for the Chūnin Exams has been finalized," one of the advisors reported respectfully. "Invitations have already been sent to the major Hidden Villages."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded slightly, pipe in hand. "Good. What of the responses?"
"Kirigakure has rejoined the international stage after years of isolation," the messenger continued. "They seem eager to reestablish ties and will be sending representatives."
"Cloud has also accepted and plans to attend," another added.
"The only one we haven't heard back from yet," a third ninja said cautiously, "is Iwagakure."
Hiruzen exhaled a long plume of smoke, eyes narrowing in thought.
Sunagakure had already confirmed early—they were allies, after all. Kirigakure's participation was significant; it marked their first appearance in the public arena since the chaos caused by the Red Sun Society.
And now, even Kumogakure had joined in.
If Iwagakure also accepted, then for the first time in history, all five great villages would be taking part in the same Chūnin Exams.
A true Five-Village Joint Event.
That made it both an incredible opportunity—and an enormous risk.
The old Hokage knew it too well. One spark during such a gathering could ignite a full-scale conflict.
"Fortunately," he said at last, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "our village has grown strong again. The younger generation has matured, and the veterans continue to refine their skills. Even if all five nations gather, Konoha will not falter."
He puffed his pipe again, the smoke swirling like clouds over a mountain.
After all, Konoha had a new pillar now—Uzumaki Naruto.
Just his presence alone was enough to make the Leaf stand firm against the world.
"By the way," Hiruzen asked suddenly, "how goes the training under Uzumaki Jōnin?"
"Lord Hokage," an Anbu replied immediately, "the results are… astonishing. Even several Chūnin have voluntarily joined the camp to train under his guidance."
"Oh?" The old man's eyes brightened. "Then perhaps I should see for myself."
He rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, and set out quietly with a small Anbu escort toward the Seventh Training Ground.
"Lord Demon King! I was wrong! Let me out!"
"Uzumaki Naruto—no, the Devil of Konoha! He's not human!"
"Ahhh! That fireball melted my vest again! This is hell!"
"I swear, every day feels like a new circle of torment!"
Hiruzen and his guards froze the moment they stepped near the grounds.
A massive Four Purple Flame Barrier enclosed the entire field. Inside, a chaotic battle raged—dozens of Genin and even Chūnin clashing with Naruto's clones, all while dodging bursts of fire, lightning, and wind.
The ground glowed red-hot. Pools of bubbling magma simmered beneath their feet.
The screams of training echoed like music through the air.
Hiruzen's jaw went slack.
"This… this is his training?"
An Anbu beside him nodded earnestly. "Yes, Lord Hokage. Yesterday it was a snowfield. Today, it's a magma zone. Uzumaki Jōnin changes the environment daily."
Hiruzen's eyes widened behind his glasses.
It was complete madness—yet perfectly controlled chaos.
From a distance, it looked like pure mayhem. But when he focused, he saw the truth: Naruto's clones maintained absolute command of the battlefield. No attack went too far. No student was pushed beyond breaking. It was carefully balanced—just on the edge of danger.
Every movement forced the trainees to think, react, and survive.
Even the Genin who could barely hold their own weeks ago now moved like real shinobi—alert, adaptive, and sharp.
Hiruzen found himself smiling. "Naruto… you're extraordinary."
"Shall we see the others, Lord Hokage?" the Anbu asked.
"Mm. Let's."
They left the barrier and followed the sound of shouting to another training ground.
"What are you doing, Shino? Don't space out!"
Naruto's clone barked from across the field.
"You can't even withstand a sound wave! You're Aburame! Your bugs are your life—if they're weak, you're weak! Make your chakra circulate faster—strengthen your symbiosis with them! If they fall, you fall!"
He clapped his hands sharply. "Again!"
Thousands of insects swarmed the air like a living cloud.
Naruto's clone stood still, eyes narrowing.
"One…" he counted softly.
At once, a pulse of chakra burst from his throat. The sound wave hit the swarm like a gale—hundreds of bugs dropped instantly.
"Two…"
Another pulse—more fell.
By the time he reached "Seven," only a few hundred insects remained, twitching weakly midair.
Shino grimaced, his face pale, and called the survivors back, using chakra to comfort and heal them while staring in distress at the fallen.
Elsewhere—
"Chōji, your family's strength lies in chakra volume. The more you have, the stronger your body expansion gets! Now, hit me again—Thirty times this round!"
"Ya! Akamaru's got more fight than you today! What's wrong, pup got your pride?!"
"Woof!"
"See? Even he agrees! Come on, Inuzuka, sharpen those instincts!"
"And Tenten…"
Naruto's clone sighed heavily, dodging a hail of thrown kunai.
"I know your family's rich, but that doesn't mean you can just throw money—and ninja tools—without thinking! You need precision! Aim and strategy! Neji and Lee both trained under the same roof—how'd you turn out so soft?"
Tenten's face went red as she hurled another scroll.
All around, Naruto's clones barked orders, corrected stances, and occasionally delivered a well-timed smack to reinforce a lesson. The air rang with shouts, explosions, and the clatter of weapons.
And through it all, Hiruzen just stood there, silently watching.
The chaotic, brutal energy reminded him of the battlefields of old—but he could see the growth happening before his eyes.
Each Genin, though battered, now carried themselves differently—stronger posture, sharper focus, a real sense of purpose.
"…He's doing it right," Hiruzen murmured, a genuine smile forming beneath his pipe. "Absolutely right."
He exhaled and turned to leave, more confident than ever.
The upcoming Chūnin Exams would be a global spectacle—a gathering of power from every corner of the ninja world.
But Konoha…
Konoha would be ready.
As the Third Hokage walked away, he caught sight of Naruto sparring with Hinata in the corner. The two were smiling, laughing even, between strikes.
The old man chuckled softly. "Still a child after all," he said, shaking his head fondly.
And with that, Sarutobi Hiruzen—The Hokage, the old guardian of the Leaf—left the training ground with a heart finally at ease.
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