Time flew by, and the Chunin Exam Finals had finally arrived.
Konoha - Chunin Exam Arena
The arena buzzed with excitement as candidates gathered in the center, surrounded by a sea of spectators. The circular layout of the stadium allowed a clear view of the action, with ninjas, dignitaries, and villagers eagerly awaiting the matches.
Satoru stood among the participants, lazily scanning the crowd. His pale blue eyes gleamed with quiet amusement as he took in the sheer number of people. The diverse mix of ninja from various villages was an impressive sight.
Next to him, Naruto looked around anxiously. "Where's Sasuke? Why hasn't he shown up yet?"
Satoru yawned, smirking as he leaned toward Naruto. "What's this? Missing him already? Such devotion, Naruto."
"Shut up, Mr. Bandage!" Naruto retorted, his golden hair bristling as he shot Satoru an annoyed glare. "It's not like that!"
Satoru chuckled, holding his chin thoughtfully. "Got it, got it. Not friends at all. My mistake."
Naruto scowled but fell silent, turning his attention back to the arena.
Satoru's smile faded as his gaze shifted subtly to the far corner of the stands. His eyes lingered briefly on a figure he had spotted earlier—a man whose presence was shrouded in an aura of unease. Orochimaru, he thought. The man, disguised as the Kazekage, was seated beside the Third Hokage.
Satoru sighed inwardly. If things play out like the original story, his plan should be starting soon.
The Hokage's Stand
The Third Hokage stood near the edge, gazing over the arena. His expression was calm, though his eyes betrayed a hint of concern.
"Any word on Sasuke?" he asked.
A scar-faced ninja shook his head. "We've sent several teams to search for him, but there's been no sign. It's possible he's already fallen into Orochimaru's hands."
The Hokage's expression darkened. The possibility weighed heavily on him.
Just then, footsteps approached. The disguised Orochimaru entered, donning the robes of the Wind Shadow.
"Ah, Wind Shadow," the Hokage greeted, masking his unease with a smile. "It's good to see you. The journey must have been tiring."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed behind his mask. "Not at all, Lord Hokage. It's an honor to attend this prestigious event."
Their polite exchange was tinged with an undercurrent of tension, each watching the other carefully.
The Arena - Participants' Platform
Satoru tuned out the Hokage's long-winded speech, only snapping back to attention when Naruto nudged him.
"Hey, pay attention! They're explaining the rules!"
"Rules?" Satoru blinked, feigning ignorance. "What rules?"
Naruto groaned, rubbing his temples. "The fight rules, Mr. Bandage! Keep up!"
The examiner, Genma Shiranui, stood at the center, a senbon in his mouth. "The rules are simple," he announced. "There are no restrictions. You fight until one of you is unable to continue or forfeits. I'll intervene if necessary, and when I do, you are to stop immediately. Clear?"
The candidates nodded as Genma pulled out a roster. "There have been some changes to the matchups. Please take a look."
The crowd murmured as the updated battle list was revealed.
"Someone quit?"
"It's the and the one Hozuki Hanaru named Shiro. Why would they drop out?"
The remaining candidates glanced at Satoru, who stood unbothered, his hands in his pockets.
Why didn't he quit, too? they wondered. Is he even as strong as his companions?
Genma called the first match: "The first round will be Satoru from Sweet Ninja Village versus Hyuga Neji."
The crowd immediately began buzzing with anticipation.
"Neji? The Hyuga genius?"
"Poor guy. He's going up against Neji. This'll be over fast."
"Yeah, Satoru hasn't shown anything impressive so far."
Neji stepped forward, his cold gaze locking on Satoru. The air around him seemed to hum with tension. Satoru, on the other hand, remained relaxed, offering a small smile as he lazily moved to the center of the arena.
The Arena - Combatants
As Satoru and Neji faced off, the audience grew silent, their attention fully focused on the two.
On the viewing platform, Gaara's eyes narrowed as he watched Satoru. His earlier disappointment at not being matched with him was tempered by curiosity. If he survives this, I'll fight him later.
Naruto leaned over the railing, shouting encouragement. "Hey, Mr. Bandage, don't lose too fast!"
Satoru looked up and waved lazily. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Naruto."
Neji, unimpressed, took a defensive stance. "You don't look like much," he said coolly. "This will be over quickly."
Satoru tilted his head, his pale blue eyes gleaming under the bandages. "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, Hyuga. I'm full of surprises."
The tension in the arena reached its peak. The examiner raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The match between Satoru and Neji was underway.