Iruka knew the squad he had been assigned to was unusual. Very unusual.
Neither Hayate nor Yūgao made any effort to conceal the fact that they were on a mission—nor could they, even if they wanted to.
Both were exceptional ninja, having successfully advanced to Chūnin barely a year after graduating from the Academy. As members of the same graduating class, Iruka was keenly aware of this fact. Compared to them, his own circumstances stood in stark contrast: he had remained a Genin for several years. The disparity was impossible to forget.
The presence of two Chūnin embedded within teams officially labeled as "Genin participants" made one thing clear—the village had its own plans. Iruka might not have stood out in terms of raw combat strength, but no one questioned his discipline or reliability as a ninja.
If the village had made arrangements, then his duty was simple: obey orders. When the matter involved interactions between two hidden villages, caution was not just prudent—it was mandatory.
The written exam phase hosted by Kumo began on the third day after the Konoha teams' arrival.
To Iruka's surprise, the exam itself posed little difficulty. The questions were straightforward, and the Kumo proctors displayed a noticeably more lenient attitude toward cheating than what Konoha had enforced in the past. Subtle glances, quiet movements, and shared signals were largely ignored.
For the nine carefully selected teams from Konoha, this relaxed test presented no obstacle at all. As expected, every single team passed with ease.
Konoha wasn't alone. The teams from Yugakure and the Land of Frost also cleared the written exam without incident.
Ironically, the only participants eliminated in this round were several of Kumogakure's own Genin.
To an outsider, this phase might have seemed like nothing more than a formality. Some competitors even breathed a quiet sigh of relief. But for the two Anbu already operating under a special assignment, there was no such luxury.
In a low voice, Hayate murmured, "We're tools—meant to display their strength. Actors on their stage. That's why they can't allow us to be eliminated in the written exam."
Yūgao gave a small nod, her expression grim. "If Kumo is being this lenient in the first phase," she replied softly, "then the later rounds will be brutal."
Iruka, the only true Genin among them, felt a heavy weight settle in his chest as he listened.
That sense of unease was soon shared by Roshi as well. After receiving the roster for the main competition, he immediately understood the message Kumo was sending.
Darui's name was on the list.
Roshi had already expected C to participate—but Darui's inclusion changed everything. Kumogakure wasn't merely hosting this event. They intended to dominate it.
Darui was no ordinary ninja. During the era of the Third Raikage, he alone had been granted permission to tattoo the character for "Lightning" onto his arm—a rare honor bestowed only upon those who had mastered Kumogakure's forbidden Black Lightning.
Given his strength and battlefield experience, if Kumogakure truly wished to keep him inconspicuous, his rank should have been no lower than Chūnin. And if evaluated under the village's own standards for prodigies, Darui was more than qualified to stand among the Jōnin.
Now, letting him participate in the Chūnin Exams as a Genin—and with the main venue set in Kumo of all places—was no different from allowing a fourteen-year-old Kakashi to compete in a joint Chūnin Exam hosted by his own village.
Couldn't they at least have bothered to change his name?
With Darui's participation now confirmed, it was painfully clear that the contingency Tsunade had arranged—sending Hayate and Yūgao was likely no longer sufficient to deal with the situation.
Whether Konoha's teams were matched directly against Darui's squad during the team phase, or ran into him early in the individual rounds, neither outcome would bode well for them.
Konoha needed decorum.
Kumogakure wanted victory—and face.
That meant it was time for communication that could never be written down or spoken aloud, yet would be perfectly understood by both sides.
In other words, it was time for some dirty dealings.
With that thought in mind, Roshi once again sought out Samui.
"Roshi-san," Samui asked coolly, "do you have questions?"
"Not exactly," Roshi replied calmly. "This concerns the exam itself. There are certain matters I hope to discuss with your village."
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone unhurried. "I've just reviewed the official list of candidates who passed the written exam. It appears to include a few names that—by common sense—should not appear in an examination of this level."
Samui's eyes sharpened instantly. "Who are you referring to?"
Roshi did not answer right away. He simply met her gaze, unflinching.
After a moment, he spoke again. "Konoha understands the innovations your village has introduced to host such a grand event. Naturally, we also understand the objectives behind those changes."
"Last year, C met Itachi in the final stage."
"When both sides benefit, such exchanges can continue in the future."
He added evenly, "Your village has invested heavily in building a large-scale venue specifically for this exam. I doubt you intend for it to be used only once."
Samui listened in silence, her expression taut as she studied Roshi's unnervingly calm face, as though trying to peel back layers of intent.
"Please wait," she finally said.
She turned and left without another word.
Roshi didn't wait long before receiving another summons—to the Raikage's office.
The Fourth Raikage, A, sat heavily in his chair, thick arms crossed over his chest. His expression held barely restrained anger, mixed with a trace of confusion.
"Has Konoha's intelligence network really reached this level?" he demanded.
Roshi had never mentioned names, yet Kumogakure knew exactly whom he was referring to. C's appearance last year had been tacitly accepted, and Konoha had raised no objections.
But this year, with Darui added to the roster, Konoha's leadership had immediately come knocking.
That could only mean one thing: Konoha had obtained intelligence on Darui—his identity, and at least a rough estimate of his strength.
And yet, Darui was rarely active beyond the Land of Lightning. He took few external missions and almost never left the country. By all logic, Konoha shouldn't have known this much.
Roshi did not answer the Raikage's question directly. Instead, he said evenly, "Lord Raikage, the Joint Chūnin Exams have never been a simple evaluation of Genin. This is a consensus shared by all the major villages."
"Each village has the right to determine its final participants based on its own standards and circumstances. After all, the criteria for ninja ranks are not entirely uniform across villages."
He paused, then continued smoothly.
"However, to ensure that this grand event—watched by many parties—can proceed without incident and ultimately conclude with results that are satisfactory, impressive, and beneficial to everyone involved… including your honored guests…"
Roshi slightly raised his eyes, meeting the Raikage's scrutinizing gaze head-on.
"Could we perhaps consider making some appropriate, mutually beneficial… minor adjustments to the match schedule?"
With Samui's earlier report in mind, A immediately grasped Roshi's implication.
Konoha likely possessed a powerful hidden card of its own—but in Roshi's assessment, it wasn't enough to clash directly with Darui.
They didn't want Darui disqualified. That would be an outright insult to Kumogakure. What they wanted was simpler: a manipulated draw, or adjusted scheduling, ensuring their seeded team wouldn't encounter Darui too early.
Judging from Roshi's confidence, Konoha clearly believed that if they could avoid Darui in the initial rounds, they could still advance far enough to earn face.
"Hmph," the Raikage snorted. "So Konoha has made preparations as well."
Roshi inclined his head slightly, neither confirming nor denying it. "Konoha has no intention of overshadowing the host. We only hope that this grand event, led by your village, will unfold in a way that aligns with everyone's expectations."
After a long silence, the Raikage finally spoke.
"The official matchups will be drawn and announced before the competition begins."
He fixed Roshi with a sharp look. "But once the exams start, the outcome will depend entirely on the participants' strength and performance."
"We will not interfere during the competition."
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