As Konoha received Oniki's letter, other villages across the shinobi world also received his invitations.
…
In Sunagakure, a meeting room filled with high-ranking officials and elite shinobi buzzed with discussion as they analyzed Oniki's intentions.
It didn't take long for the group to fully grasp Oniki's plan to host the Chunin Exams.
"Hmph, Oniki and his schemes! It was because of him that our village suffered so much during the last Shinobi World War!"
An angry voice echoed, blaming Oniki for the heavy losses Sunagakure endured in the previous war.
Though the war had been agreed upon collectively by the four great villages, the defeat meant someone had to take the blame.
And as the one who initiated the meeting, Iwagakure—and by extension, Oniki—had become the scapegoat.
"Even so, we need to seize this opportunity to uncover Konoha's current state and Hui's intentions," someone countered, acknowledging the necessity of Oniki's proposal.
"Yes, it's been eight years. While we've nurtured many elite shinobi, none of them can truly stand against Hui. And after eight years, we still don't know how strong he has become," another added gravely, "If we continue down this path without making any progress, Sunagakure might vanish from the pages of history in seven years."
The weight of those words plunged the meeting room into silence.
Konoha. Mochizuki Hui
Those two names hung heavily over the minds of Sunagakure's leaders, suffocating them with a sense of inevitability.
"Lord Third, what should we do about the Chunin Exams?"
All eyes turned to the Third Kazekage.
"Send a reply to Oniki. Inform him that Sunagakure will participate in the Chunin Exams. Moreover, I will personally lead the delegation," the Third Kazekage declared, he had made his decision.
After eight years of isolation, it was time for the villages to meet and assess one another.
It was time to understand Hui's intentions and decide whether to prepare for war—or for progress.
…
In Kumogakure and Kirigakure, the Third Raikage and the Third Mizukage reached similar conclusions.
Just as Oniki had anticipated, these Kage were unwilling to let their villages perish under their watch.
Regardless of Hui's involvement or the outcome of the exams, they were determined to prepare for whatever lay ahead.
Even smaller villages expressed interest in participating. None of them wanted the ignominious title of "the Kage of a fallen village." If they were destined to fall, they preferred to die fighting alongside their people.
Of course, not all Kage shared this mindset.
Some leaders were ready to align with Konoha, valuing their own lives over the survival of their villages. For them, surrender was a pragmatic choice.
…
Back in Iwagakure, in the Tsuchikage's office, Oniki stared at the response from Konoha with a stormy expression.
Konoha had agreed to participate in the Chunin Exams but left the decision of time and location to the other villages.
"This is both good and bad," Oniki muttered to himself.
On the one hand, this allowed him to fulfill his goal of hosting the Chunin Exams and facilitating discussions among the Kage. But on the other hand, Konoha's reply also carried a clear subtext:
Konoha was participating but had no intention of hosting the exams or letting foreign shinobi probe into their village.
"My subordinates didn't even get a glimpse of Konoha's inner areas. This response confirms it. My plan has largely failed," Oniki sighed bitterly.
Konoha's refusal to reveal anything about itself or Hui suggested two possibilities:
One, Konoha had no intention of making any moves against the shinobi world, rendering the other villages' actions irrelevant.
Two, Konoha and Hui had grown so powerful that they no longer feared the combined might of the four great villages.
Given Konoha's guarded stance, the latter seemed far more likely.
"Hui must already be strong enough to face anything," Oniki muttered, "A god of shinobi, born from the most fortunate village. The heavens truly favor Konoha."
He chuckled bitterly at the unfairness of it all.
"Seven years… I can only hope for a miracle."
With that, Oniki resigned himself to the faint possibility of a turnaround as preparations for the Chunin Exams continued.
When Oniki received confirmation from most villages, he sent out another round of messages, proposing the exams be held in Iwagakure three months later. No one objected, and the time and location were finalized.
"The Chunin Exams: Iwagakure, three months from now."
…
In Konoha, Nawaki read the letter announcing the decision, his lips curling into a grin before he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! The Chunin Exams! A stage to prove my strength, or rather, to cement my legend, has finally appeared!"
His clothes fluttered as though caught in an invisible wind, an aura of confidence radiating from him.
"Soon, the shinobi world will sing of one name—Senju Nawaki, the Emperor of Trees!" he proclaimed dramatically.
Inside Nawaki's body, the Nine-Tails watched its Nawaki's theatrics, its tails swishing lazily. Such a show-off, it mused, though it couldn't help but admire the sheer intensity of Nawaki's pretentiousnes.
The Nine-Tails also felt a twinge of pity for the participants who would face Nawaki in the exams. Surely, they would have to carry the trauma of having encountered him for the rest of their lives.
…
Meanwhile, Minato, who had recently become a genin, received his own mission to participate in the exams.
"The Chunin Exams, huh? There'll definitely be plenty of talented shinobi. I'm excited to face them!" Minato's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
For him, the exams were a rare chance to spar with geniuses from other villages and grow stronger.
But alongside his excitement, Minato felt the weight of representing Konoha.
He was determined to prove that Konoha, in every sense, was the strongest.
…
Nawaki and Minato weren't the only participants. Since the exams required three-man teams, others joined as well. Kushina Uzumaki volunteered eagerly, while Konan, at Hui's insistence, reluctantly agreed.
Nawaki, however, was thrilled. With this lineup, he could aim for the ultimate glory: dominating the exams solo, just as Hui had done years ago.
"A single shinobi defeating all challengers… now that's legendary," Nawaki said, grinning at the thought.
For him, the Chunin Exams were not just a competition, it was the stepping stone of his legacy.
[tl/n: I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but the name Nawaki literally means rope tree. So the tree emperor title is a word play here. ]
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