One month later.
Today was the first day of Chunin exam and first round, and all of Konoha buzzed with excitement.
The reason was simple:
large television screens had been placed across the most popular districts, allowing civilians to watch the Chūnin Exam live.
For the first time, many villagers felt that they were truly a part of something usually reserved for ninjas. This alone stirred huge anticipation throughout the village.
Screens had also been set up in the villas where the visiting ninja villages were staying. The jōnin teachers, guards, and staff could also watch the exam in real time. Many praised Konoha for this feature, and the village gained a wave of positive reputation.
Konoha Auditorium Hall.
This massive hall had been built with funds provided by Akira—money obtained from Gato and the Uchiha clan. The village had also invested in it. Since the idea came from Akira, the entire architecture followed his design. The auditorium resembled a stadium, except it was enclosed rather than open-air. There was a large stage at the front, and the seats rose upward in a mountain-like formation starting a few meters away.
Eight enormous screens were installed inside so even the person sitting at the very top could see clearly. Countless speakers lined the hall as well. Akira himself had once entered the empty auditorium and held a three-hour "concert" alone, so he had grown very fond of the place.
The first exam of the Chūnin Exam would be held here.
Now, the auditorium was completely packed. The seats were filled, and people talked excitedly about the changes that had taken place in Konoha over the past year.
For the exam participants, this was the largest Chūnin Exam ever held, with nearly 1,000 candidates. The combined noise of thousands of voices filled the hall with an overwhelming buzz of anticipation.
Among the participants were many future powerhouses of the world—Naruto and his team, Gaara and his siblings, and the Two-Tails Jinchūriki Yugito from the Hidden Cloud, now sixteen years old. Many other talents were present as well.
Just as people were wondering when the first exam would begin, the speakers suddenly echoed with the sound of footsteps.
The entire auditorium fell silent.
Everyone knew the examiner for the first round was arriving, and they were eager to see who it would be.
---
Finally, Akira entered the auditorium.
The moment he stepped onto the middle of the stage, every light in the hall shifted. All spotlights gathered on him, while every other light aimed at the audience slowly dimmed. It was as if Akira were the only star in the entire auditorium.
Akira stood confidently, his ever-handsome smile shining under the lights.
He spoke:
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"Hello everyone.
My name is Akira Uchiha, from the Uchiha Clan
The head of the committee organising this Joint Chunin Exam.
First of all, I want to thank all of you for being here today. I can feel the excitement in this hall, and I know every participant has been preparing and waiting for this moment.
The Chūnin Exam is not just a test—it is an event that brings our villages together, and I'm glad to see such enthusiasm from all of you.
Today's Chūnin Exam brings together not only the Five Great Ninja Villages, but also many of the small Ninja villages. Having all of you participate is truly an honor for Konoha.
This exam is more than a competition. It is a chance to show your growth, your discipline, your teamwork, and your spirit. No matter what happens, I hope each of you competes with respect and good ninjamanship. Winning is important, but character is equally important.
Now, regarding the schedule:
One round will be held today.
One round will be held tomorrow.
One round will take place seven days from now.
And finally, the last round will be held one month later.
Each round will test a different aspect of your abilities—mental focus, physical strength, strategy, and cooperation. Give your best, not just for your village, but for yourselves.
Thank you all for coming, and I wish every participant the best of luck."
---
While Akira continued his speech, his eyes were changing rapidly—first one tomoe, then two, then three, and finally into his Mangekyō Sharingan. However, none of this was visible to the audience, because he had layered a light-based illusion over his eyes, hiding the transformation completely.
As for chakra fluctuations, Akira kept them tightly controlled within a few meters of his body, preventing anyone else from sensing them.
Then, with the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan, Akira cast a genjutsu over all the participants.
Every single one of them was caught off guard—some were staring directly at him, others were watching him through the giant screens. Either way, they all fell into the illusion instantly.
After Akira finished saying everything he wanted to say, he gave the audience one more confident smile. Then, without any dramatic pause or extra movement, he simply turned around and left the auditorium stage.
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Shinji – Hidden Grass Village Candidate POV
Shinji was excited for the Joint Chūnin Exam. After traveling from the Hidden Grass Village, he had been looking forward to the first round more than anyone. He waited patiently for the examiner to arrive.
But ten minutes passed.
And no one came.
Shinji frowned and asked his teammate, Takemaro, in a low voice:
"Why isn't the teacher coming for the first round? Didn't that Akira guy say the first round would be held today?"
Hearing Shinji's whisper, his teammate replied in an even quieter tone:
"Do you really not understand? The first round has already begun. Maybe the exam is a test of perseverance. All those who can endure till the end will pass. Just like in the book Jiraiya-sama wrote—he said a ninja's main quality is perseverance. Maybe it's that."
Shinji thought about it.
It actually made sense.
So he also started waiting calmly.
Half an hour passed.
Still no examiner appeared.
Most of the candidates around him were also sitting quietly, not questioning anything. Seeing this, Shinji became even more convinced: this must be a perseverance test.
One hour passed.
Shinji closed his eyes and waited patiently, thinking the exam would surely end soon.
Three hours passed.
Shinji was getting irritated. He opened his eyes to complain to his teammate—
but his teammate was gone.
The seat beside him was empty.
Shinji didn't even know when Takemaro had left. He hadn't felt or heard anything. Only now did it register that his teammate must have given up and walked away because he couldn't endure it.
Looking around, Shinji noticed that more than half the candidates had already left.
This strangely boosted his confidence.
He thought:
This really is the first round. They're reducing the numbers. So the exam will end soon.
Six hours passed.
Shinji was going borderline mad with frustration—
when suddenly, a voice echoed through the hall.
Akira Uchiha's voice.
But it wasn't the announcement Shinji had expected.
A sharp snapping sound rang out.
The world around him shattered—like broken glass—and dissolved into pieces.
When Shinji came back to his senses, he was sitting in the real auditorium. It was completely full again. The people who had "left" were back in their original seats, and more than half the candidates looked just like him—shocked, confused, and wide-eyed.
The other half, the ones who had left, were looking at him and others with mocking expressions.
Seeing those looks, Shinji felt deeply embarrassed.
But Akira continued speaking calmly:
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"Hello everyone. We meet again.
The first round of our Chūnin Exam has concluded.
A total of 734 candidates failed to break out of the illusion within the required time."
He paused, letting the number sink in.
"As for the content of this exam: during my speech earlier, I cast a small illusion on all of you."
As he spoke, Akira's eyes shifted visibly—one tomoe, two tomoe, three tomoe, and then Mangekyō Sharingan. This time, he did not hide it.
"How were all of you caught in it?
This was simply a light enhancement of my Mangekyō Sharingan.
Don't worry—it was a non-harming genjutsu.
It placed you in a hall identical to this one.
All you had to do was break out of it within six hours."
He glanced at the large screens.
"I am sorry to say that many of you failed.
But I wish you luck in your next Chūnin Exam."
Akira then smiled.
"Congratulations to all those who broke it quickly—
with the fastest being the son of the Fourth Kazekage, Gaara of the Sand."
He straightened up.
"We will meet again tomorrow on Training Ground Number One.
Thank you for your participation."
And with that, Akira left the stage.
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