Naruto and Sasuke, still standing in the middle of the now-quiet street, exchanged awkward glances.
"Well… what just happened?" Naruto muttered, scratching the back of his head. "Is this good or bad?"
"Good," Sasuke said after a pause, his tone oddly relaxed. "At least we don't have to deal with my second brother's antics anymore. And seeing him chased around all day was… satisfying."
Naruto frowned, crossing his arms. "But what about our special training? Wasn't this whole day supposed to be about getting stronger?"
Sasuke hesitated, glancing in the direction everyone had run. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. Could this have been part of Satoru's plan? To ditch us? His brows furrowed in realization. If so, he just succeeded.
For a moment, Sasuke stood silently, his tribal uniform swaying lightly in the breeze. Naruto watched him, confused.
"Uh… Sasuke?"
"Never mind," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head. "Let's just move on."
By the time the chaos subsided, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Satoru had all come to a halt. Satoru leaned against a tree, panting slightly, his black robe rustling in the wind.
"What a hassle," he murmured. His pale blue eyes flicked toward Kakashi, who was still holding that ridiculously large broadsword. "Why did I even start this mess in the first place?"
For the first time, Satoru felt a twinge of regret. "And Kakashi… what's with the crazy stamina? He chased me the entire afternoon!"
On a nearby tree trunk, Jiraiya let out an exhausted sigh, wiping sweat from his brow. "Those ninjas were relentless. Who fights for hours over a hot spring?"
"Apparently, they do," Kakashi replied, stepping closer. His demeanor had returned to its usual calm, but his sharp gaze remained fixed on Jiraiya.
"Senior Jiraiya," Kakashi began, his tone measured, "there's something important we need to discuss."
Jiraiya waved him off with a tired chuckle. "If this is about me sticking around Konoha, save your breath. I'm just a wandering novelist. No time for village politics."
Kakashi shook his head. "It's not that. It's about Naruto."
Jiraiya paused, his expression shifting slightly. "Naruto, huh?"
Kakashi nodded, gesturing for them to move out of earshot. Together, they stepped into a dense part of the forest, leaving Satoru behind.
Satoru, still leaning against the tree, watched them leave with a knowing smirk. "They're probably discussing Jiraiya training Naruto," he muttered. "That makes sense. Naruto's father was Jiraiya's student, after all."
Satoru glanced up at the setting sun, a rare sense of peace washing over him. At least this means I'm off the hook for their special training. Finally, some time to myself.
As days passed, the preliminaries faded into memory, and the final stage of the Chunin Exams approached.
Konoha, Hokage's Office
In a somber meeting, the Third Hokage addressed a group of gathered ninjas. His face was grave as he delivered the news.
"Some of you may have already heard," he began. "The body of Moonlight Hayate was discovered near Kikyo Castle."
The room fell silent. Gasps of shock broke through the stillness as the realization sank in.
"Hayate?!"
"That's impossible!"
"How could he…?"
Mitarashi Anko stepped forward, her expression dark. "Was it Orochimaru?"
Kakashi shook his head. "Unlikely. This doesn't match Orochimaru's typical methods."
Another ninja with a scarred face added, "But Hayate was tailing someone suspicious—a man named Kabuto Yakushi. It's still connected to Orochimaru."
The Third Hokage raised a hand, silencing the room. "That may be true, but Orochimaru left a message through Mitarashi Anko. He explicitly warned us not to cancel the Chunin Exams, even as allied nations gather here."
An elder frowned. "Why not suspend the exams and focus on capturing Orochimaru?"
The Third Hokage's gaze turned sharp. "Because it's a trap."
The room grew heavy with tension as the Hokage explained. "Orochimaru is no ordinary rogue ninja. He has the power to destabilize small nations. His defection from Konoha has already drawn the attention of other countries. If we act recklessly, we risk turning this into an international conflict."
The elder's face tightened. "Do you mean to say the allied nations may even side with Orochimaru?"
Kakashi nodded grimly. "The treaties between nations are tenuous at best. History has shown us how easily such alliances can crumble into war."
A heavy silence fell over the room as the weight of Kakashi's words sunk in. The Third Hokage finally broke the silence.
"We've sent agents to gather intelligence, but for now, we must proceed with caution. The enemy is cunning, and we cannot afford to fall into his trap."
The Hokage's kind yet resolute gaze swept over the room. "But I trust each of you. Konoha's strength has always been its people. Together, we will protect our village."
His words stirred a quiet determination among the gathered ninjas. Asuma nodded subtly, the senbon in his mouth shifting. Even the scarred ninja seemed to relax slightly, his distrust giving way to focus.
As the meeting concluded, the Hokage leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. If worse comes to worst, we'll have to gather all of Konoha's forces for a decisive stand.
With the final stage of the Chunin Exams looming, tensions in Konoha continued to simmer. All eyes now turned toward the coming battles, where rivalries, alliances, and the shadow of Orochimaru would collide.