Three weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
Today was the day —
the Fourth and Final Round of the Chūnin Exams.
From early morning, Konoha was overflowing with life. Guests from every corner of the shinobi world were arriving in steady waves. Nobles in luxurious robes, daimyō with their elite escorts, high-ranking shinobi, elders, clan leaders, and even the mighty Kage from the great villages had gathered together for this historic moment.
All roads in the village seemed to lead toward one place:
The Konoha Grand Auditorium Hall.
The hall — one of the largest structures in the entire Fire Country — was filled to the brim.
Not a single seat remained empty.
The atmosphere was electric.
Thousands of spectators sat shoulder to shoulder, each cheering for their respective village prodigies.
Excited murmurs rose like a tide.
The sound of anticipation vibrated through the entire structure.
The Grand Auditorium itself was a masterpiece of design.
The circular arena had towering stone walls etched with ancient clan symbols.
Layered balconies spiraled upward, each level brighter and more crowded than the one below.
Soft illumination from floating chakra lamps filled the hall with a warm golden glow, giving the entire space a festival-like aura.
But the most striking sight hovered above the arena:
Twenty-nine massive floating screens.
Suspended by complex Fuinjutsu mechanisms, the screens shimmered with chakra veins running across their edges.
Each screen displayed the face, name, and village symbol of one of the twenty-nine finalists who had survived the previous rounds.
Some faces were calm.
Some were tense.
Some grinned in confidence.
But all of them carried the pride of their villages.
Every spectator stared upward, whispering predictions, debating matchups, and cheering whenever their chosen participant appeared.
The chūnin exam's final stage was about to begin—
And the entire shinobi world was watching.
Just then Akira entered the Auditorium stage.
---
Akira stepped forward, the spotlight gently illuminating his young but commanding figure.
His Mangekyō was sealed, his expression relaxed, his posture confident yet humble —
like a prodigy hosting the greatest festival of the era.
He raised the microphone with a bright, welcoming smile.
"Hello everyone!
It is wonderful to see all of you gathered here today — healthy, safe, and full of energy!"
A warm ripple of applause spread through the auditorium.
"I'm truly glad that Konoha has managed to organize this event smoothly.
It has taken the effort of countless shinobi, staff members, and volunteers working day and night.
And thanks to all of you — our spectators, participants, honored guests, and allies —
the Chūnin Exams have become the grand success you see before you!"
He gestured toward the twenty-nine finalists' displays.
"Before anything else, let us congratulate the participants who have fought through three rounds and reached the Fourth and Final Round!
Their talent, willpower, and determination have brought them to this very stage."
Cheers filled the stadium.
Akira continued, voice full of respectful excitement:
"Next, let us extend our gratitude to our honored leaders!"
He bowed lightly toward the front rows.
"To the Fifth Mizukage,
the fourth Kazekage,
the third Tsuchikage,
and our own Fifth Hokage —
thank you for attending and giving this event the recognition it deserves."
Another wave of respectful applause swelled.
"And of course, we also thank the leaders of the smaller shinobi villages who have traveled great distances to be here.
Your presence makes this gathering truly historic."
Akira's tone then softened.
"Now… before we begin the Fourth Round, we will honor two great shinobi who are no longer with us."
The stadium fell completely silent.
"We will hold three minutes of silence for the late Fourth Raikage, A,
and the missing and presumed fallen Eight-Tails jinchūriki, Killer B,
both of whom were ambushed by the Akatsuki on their journey to attend today's ceremony."
His head lowered.
The entire arena followed.
Three minutes passed like a single breath of wind.
Akira slowly raised his eyes.
"Thank you."
He stood taller, voice firm yet encouraging.
---
"Well then everyone…
let us begin the event you have all been waiting for!"
Excitement surged again.
"The Fourth Round of the Chūnin Exams — a test of strength, strategy, instinct, and survival!"
"The fourth round will be called Treasure Hunt, and the entire round will take place inside a Genjutsu."
Akira spread his hands as if unveiling a world.
"Inside my Mangekyō Genjutsu, I have created a complete environment —
an island large enough to explore, survive, fight, and strategize."
He continued proudly:
"This island contains all four seasons, cycling rapidly.
Every 15 minutes, the season will shift:
spring → summer → autumn → winter
and then repeat.
The entire challenge will last three hours."
The spectators and Kage leaned forward, intrigued.
"Across the island are treasure chests.
Each chest contains a number from 1 to 100.
The higher the number, the stronger the guardian beast protecting it.
To gather treasure, you must:
• evade the guardian,
• outsmart it,
• defeat it,
or eliminate it."
"Now, your final score will be determined like this:"
He held up two fingers.
"Total chest value × number of participants you defeat."
He explained clearly:
"If you defeat one participant, your multiplier stays at 1.
If you defeat two participants and collect treasure worth 30,
your score becomes 30 × 2 = 60.
And so on."
"The island will test every ability required of a Chūnin —
survival, combat, teamwork, betrayal, creativity, and adaptability."
The screens above flickered, ready to track each contender.
"Each participant has their own screen.
If someone is eliminated, their screen will merge with the victor's, creating a larger display."
Akira lowered the microphone slightly, smiling at the cheering crowd.
"Are you all ready?"
The stadium exploded—
"YAAAAAAAY!"
Akira nodded to the Jonin Commander.
"Participants! Surround Akira Uchiha and form a circle with a five-meter radius!"
The twenty-nine finalists took their positions and sat.
Akira sat in the center.
His eyes closed…
…then opened.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Let the Fourth Round begin."
And with a single breath—
Genjutsu: World Creation.
The exam began.
---
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