"Ninja Heroes is on! I'm going home to watch!"
"Man, you're lucky. I don't even have a TV at home."
"Then ask your parents to buy one!"
"They don't have the money…"
Every evening at exactly six o'clock, countless children across the ninja world sprinted home as if their lives depended on it. They planted themselves in front of their TVs, eyes wide and shining, completely absorbed.
Those without TVs could only watch their friends rush off with envy written all over their faces, left behind in misery and regret.
"Ninja Heroes", a children's drama produced by Red Sun TV, had taken the world by storm.
It told the story of a young boy's journey to become a ninja—how he trained, faced challenges, and grew stronger while helping others.
To Naruto, the show was a complete mess. The pacing was off, the costumes were ridiculous, and the logic was barely hanging together.
But to the children of the ninja world?
It was everything.
It was hope, adventure, and fun all rolled into one.
Alongside the hit series were Red Sun TV's three other programs:
The Past and Present of the Ninja World (Documentary)
Red Sun News (Daily Broadcast)
The Sound of Music (Variety and Songs)
Only four shows in total—replayed endlessly throughout the day. Yet people never got tired of them. Some even watched reruns over and over, fascinated every single time.
Red Sun TV wasn't just a channel anymore. It had become part of daily life across the ninja world.
Even the major villages had held meetings about it.
In the end, none found any real threat—just a powerful new form of entertainment. So they let it be.
Meanwhile, the real buzz across the shinobi world was the upcoming Chūnin Exams.
Konoha was swelling with visitors—tourists, merchants, and, of course, wandering ninja eager to see the spectacle firsthand.
Security tightened, patrols doubled, and manpower stretched thin.
At the training grounds, Naruto stood before a crowd of exhausted Genin—the same group he had molded over the past month.
"Alright," he said, clapping his hands once. "That's the end of this month's training."
He looked over the group, his tone firm but casual.
"There's not enough manpower in the village right now, so stop slacking off and help out where you're needed. You've all gotten stronger—prove it."
The Genin nodded quickly, but Naruto wasn't finished.
"Before you go," he continued, his voice lowering, "I'll say this once—from the heart."
He paused, letting the silence stretch.
"You all know why this training camp was created. I don't need to explain it. The Chūnin Exams are being held here, in Konoha. That means all eyes from every village will be on us."
He walked slowly in front of them, hands in pockets.
"If our Genin perform poorly… if we embarrass ourselves… it won't just be your reputation on the line—it'll be the village's."
He gave a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"The Third Hokage asked me to train you because he's worried. Worried that when the others arrive, they'll laugh and say, 'Is this all Konoha has?'"
A faint chill passed through the group.
"So," Naruto said, his voice calm but sharp, "go into this exam like you're stepping into a field of blades and fire. Don't hold back. Don't lose. Konoha's pride depends on it."
His gaze swept over each of them, the smile returning—bright, yet terrifying.
Every Genin stood straighter, hearts pounding.
No one dared to speak.
"Alright then," Naruto said finally, lifting his hand. "Dismissed."
With a puff of smoke, he vanished—revealed to be a clone.
The field was silent for a long moment before someone exhaled shakily.
Then, relief flooded through the group like a wave.
"He's gone… thank Kami he's gone!"
"The Great Demon King finally left us alone! I thought he'd train us until we dropped dead!"
"Keep your voice down! What if he's still nearby, spying on us?"
"Don't scare me like that!"
"Oh, come on, he's not petty. Uzumaki Jōnin's like the sun—bright, bold, inspiring! He's the lighthouse of Konoha, the next Hokage, our guiding—"
"Alright, alright, save the flattery."
"Flattery? I'm serious! Look how much we've improved this month! We owe it all to him!"
Laughter and chatter filled the field as the Genin headed home, finally relaxed for the first time in weeks.
But one thing was clear—none of them saw Naruto as a peer anymore.
He wasn't just another ninja their age. He was something else entirely.
Meanwhile, in the busy streets of Konoha Village, three small figures snuck around suspiciously.
"Hey, Konohamaru, are you sure this is okay?"
"Shh!" the boy hissed, peeking around a corner. "Look at the emblem on their clothes! That's the Red Sun TV logo! I bet they're plotting something! I, Konohamaru, will expose their evil plan!"
"Wow, really? Let me see—oh! That lady's really pretty!"
"Konohamaru, your eyes are amazing!"
Across the street, Karin—wearing a sharp black suit, red-rimmed glasses, and holding a microphone—was pacing nervously.
Behind her, a tired young cameraman slumped with the heavy recording gear.
"Director, do we have to keep walking? We've been at this all day and haven't filmed a single person!"
"Stop whining! Have some backbone!" she snapped.
"Look, the questions are already written down," he muttered. "You just have to pick someone and start talking…"
"Shut up!" Karin barked, blushing. "I know that!"
In Red Sun Town, she was confident, commanding, and untouchable—a fierce director no one dared defy.
But here, surrounded by strangers, all that bravado melted away. Her mind went blank, her voice froze, and her confidence vanished.
Her memories of that terrifying time in Cao Ninth Village crept back, tightening around her like chains.
She wanted to be brave, but every step in this foreign crowd made her heart pound harder.
Then—
"Hey, kid! Watch where you're going!"
Karin turned sharply.
A loud, confident voice—one that carried naturally through the crowd.
She blinked, and her ruby eyes suddenly lit up.
Finally, she'd found him.
A perfect interview subject.
-------------------------
For advanced chapters, visit patreon.com/Varnok