The examination room grew quieter as Yakushi Kabuto carefully examined the cards in his hand.
His calm, collected demeanor contrasted sharply with the rising tension in the room, as curious candidates leaned in to hear the information.
"Who are you, and why do you sound so remarkable?" Ino interjected, her tone a mix of annoyance and intrigue.
"I'm Yakushi Kabuto," the white-haired boy replied with an easy smile, his glasses glinting in the light. "Just someone trying to help ease the nerves of my juniors before the exam."
He looked around the room, his tone becoming nostalgic.
"Back when I first participated, I was just like all of you—confused, anxious, trying to figure things out. I've been through it seven times now, so I thought I'd share a little knowledge."
"Seven times?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Kabuto nodded. "Yes, this is my seventh time. The Chūnin Exam only happens twice a year, so it's been four years since I started taking it."
"You must know a lot about the exams then!" Sakura said, her expression brightening.
Kabuto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I've picked up a thing or two."
Naruto, who had been quietly listening, suddenly blurted out, "Wow, you're amazing, Senior Kabuto!"
"Not really," Kabuto replied humbly. "I've failed every time so far."
Shikamaru glanced at Kabuto with a raised eyebrow. "If it's that hard, then why bother trying again?"
Kabuto gave a sheepish smile, pulling out a stack of blank cards. "It's not about failing—it's about learning. That's why I started collecting these."
He placed the cards on the ground, holding up one for everyone to see.
"These are what I call Shinobi Info Cards. Over the years, I've gathered information on the exams, the participants, and the villages involved. Each of these cards holds valuable intel, recorded and encrypted with my chakra."
He infused one of the cards with his chakra, revealing a set of detailed statistics and notes.
"Whoa, that's so cool!" Sakura exclaimed, leaning in for a closer look.
Kabuto explained patiently, "These cards have information on everything—mission counts, skill levels, even special techniques of certain participants."
"Do you have any info on the other candidates?" Sasuke asked, his voice calm but firm.
Kabuto's eyes glinted slightly, his smile remaining steady. "Of course. Is there anyone in particular you're curious about?"
Sasuke's gaze flicked briefly toward Satoru before returning to Kabuto. "Yes. I want to know about Gaara from the Sand and… Satoru."
The room fell into a hushed silence as Kabuto's smile widened almost imperceptibly.
Interesting, he thought. Why is Uchiha Sasuke curious about that bandaged ninja?
Kabuto followed Sasuke's gaze to Satoru, who stood nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets, looking utterly unfazed by the attention.
"Alright, let's see," Kabuto said, pulling two cards from the stack. He placed the first one on the ground, activating it with his chakra.
"This is Gaara of the Sand," Kabuto began, his voice taking on a more professional tone.
"Mission experience: 8 C-rank missions, 1 B-rank mission. All completed without a single scratch. He's known for his combat prowess and is considered a rising star in Sunagakure."
Gasps rippled through the room.
"A B-rank mission as a genin? And unscathed?" someone whispered.
"That's insane!"
Sasuke, however, seemed unfazed. His focus remained on the second card in Kabuto's hand.
"And the other one?" he prompted.
Kabuto activated the second card, his brow furrowing slightly as he read the data.
"Satoru, a ninja from Sweet Ninja Village," Kabuto said, his tone shifting subtly.
"Sweet Ninja Village?" Sakura echoed, confused. "What kind of name is that?"
Naruto, however, lit up. "So that's your village, Mr. Bandage? Sweet Ninja Village! That's adorable!"
All eyes turned to Satoru, who grinned and gave a casual wave.
"Yep, that's me," he said cheerfully. "Sweet and mysterious."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, continuing. "The information on this individual is… peculiar. Sweet Ninja Village is a recently established minor village with a reputation for harboring rogue ninjas. They're known for their unconventional methods, and there are rumors about their involvement in… less-than-reputable activities."
"What kind of activities?" Sasuke pressed, his voice sharp.
Kabuto's smile grew tighter. "Abductions, sabotage, high-risk assassinations… even black-market dealings. Satoru, in particular, has a bounty on the black market. His methods are said to be highly unpredictable."
The room fell silent again, the weight of Kabuto's words sinking in.
Satoru tilted his head, scratching his chin. "Wow, I didn't know I was so famous."
Naruto looked between Kabuto and Satoru, his brow furrowing. "But he doesn't seem that bad! Right, Mr. Bandage?"
Satoru gave Naruto a wink. "Don't worry, kid. I'm all about peace and sweets."
Sasuke, however, remained skeptical. His sharp gaze stayed fixed on his brother.
Kabuto noticed the tension and decided to fan the flames just a little.
"It's rare to see someone with such a shadowy reputation openly walking into Konoha. Perhaps there's more to this ninja than meets the eye."
Sakura's eyes narrowed. Could Kakashi-sensei be right? Are these three hiding something dangerous?
Satoru finally broke the silence, clapping his hands together.
"Well, that was fun! I didn't realize I was such a big deal. But you know, Kabuto, you shouldn't believe everything you hear. Rumors can be exaggerated."
Kabuto chuckled. "Of course. It's just information, after all. What matters is what you do with it."
The proctor's voice suddenly boomed through the room, cutting through the tension.
"Alright, candidates! Take your seats. The first exam is about to begin!"
The room shifted into action, the air thick with anticipation.
As Satoru moved toward his seat, he leaned down to whisper to Sasuke.
"Don't believe everything you hear, little brother," he said, his voice low and teasing.
Sasuke's eyes widened briefly before narrowing.
What's he hiding? Sasuke thought.
From the corner of the room, Kabuto adjusted his glasses once more, his smile remaining steady.
Things just got a lot more interesting.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 160 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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