Murasame stood on the rooftop of a building in the Hidden Leaf Village, gazing around with a telescope she had just purchased nearby.
Ninja from the Leaf Village, as well as from Rain, Waterfall, Grass, and Sand Villages, could be seen here and there.
With the Chūnin Exams drawing near, Genin from allied villages were gathering in the Leaf. This moment, where ninja tools from every village converged, was a joyous occasion for her, a time she relished with a spring in her step.
A short while ago, a man from the Rain Village entered the village, carrying several umbrellas on his back. These weren't ordinary umbrellas; they exuded the distinct scent of quality senbon.
They were likely rigged to release a barrage of needles all at once. Judging from the scent, the senbon were high quality—capable of piercing even steel plates a few millimeters thick.
---
"...Still, there aren't as many ninja bringing tools as I thought."
Only a handful carried kunai or shuriken, and the majority seemed unarmed.
Perhaps it was difficult for Genin to obtain well-crafted weapons. She thought of observing the Jōnin escorting the participants, but true to their rank, they were alert and elusive, even among allies.
"...No sword scents either…"
She sighed from a lack of mental nourishment.
She had expected to see more ninja tools, especially after hearing about the upcoming convergence of ninja from various villages. Perhaps even a replica of the Grasscutter Sword mentioned in her recent chat with Asuma.
---
Lost in thought, she suddenly caught the scent of a master-crafted blade. How convenient—could it be the Grasscutter Sword?
---
"…No, it's not."
Looking toward the source, her gaze landed on a trio of ninja from the Waterfall Village.
The man in the center carried a blade emitting the familiar scent of one of her creations—a sword she had once sold in the Mist Village: *Murasame's Blade – Seiun (Blue Cloud)*.
She remembered selling it to a fellow Chūnin, only to later hear that the buyer had perished on a mission, their belongings looted. It seemed the sword had eventually fallen into the hands of this Waterfall ninja, who was now participating in the exams.
Knowing her craftsmanship was valued by ninja from other villages warmed her heart. As she basked in this satisfaction, another familiar scent caught her attention.
This time, it was unmistakably from a blade she had crafted recently. She followed the scent and saw a familiar face—Kankurō of the Sand Village—arguing with some Leaf Genin she recognized as Kakashi's students.
---
Seeing this brewing conflict, she leapt down from her vantage point, pulling out two swords from a scroll and hurling them between the arguing ninja.
The sudden appearance of swords embedded in the ground startled them, halting their dispute.
---
"Listen up, both of you... The one with the better weapon wins the fight. Both swords are priced at 5,000 ryō—"
"What the hell are you doing, you sword lunatic?!"
Kankurō, now holding one of the swords, threw it back at her.
She dodged, hearing the satisfying clink of metal against stone as it hit the ground.
---
"Kankurō, that long sword, *Tekikiri*, is mid-tier among my creations. It's dangerous to throw it."
"Do you even hear yourself right now?!"
---
Despite her genuine attempt to showcase her swords' performance, her efforts to sell them seemed to have failed again.
Her musings were interrupted when Kankurō tightened his grip on a young boy he had been holding by the collar, causing the boy to gasp for air. Before she could intervene, a pebble flew from a nearby tree, striking Kankurō's hand and forcing him to release the boy.
The source of the pebble was a black-haired boy perched on a branch—Sasuke Uchiha.
---
Kankurō, provoked, readied his puppet, *Karasu*, escalating the situation. However, just as a real fight seemed imminent, a voice rang out from above.
"Stop, Kankurō… You're a disgrace to our village."
The speaker was Gaara, Kankurō's younger brother, whose mere presence silenced the argument.
After a brief exchange, the Sand siblings left, revealing their identities to the Leaf Genin as they departed.
---
Murasame observed all of this, quietly impressed by Gaara's demeanor and his apparent connection with Sasuke.
Her musings about their unexpected camaraderie were short-lived, as Kankurō grabbed her collar, dragging her away.
"Stop wandering around on your own! Who knows what kind of trouble you'll cause!"
---
Meanwhile, in a room within the Leaf Village, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, addressed a gathering of Jōnin and special Jōnin.
"Now, this is unrelated to the Chūnin Exams, but… we've received reports that the *Blade Maiden of the Mist* has entered our village."
---
The room fell silent.
Murasame, unaware of this meeting, eagerly awaited the Chūnin Exams, oblivious to the watchful eyes and discussions surrounding her presence.