The second stage of the Chūnin Exams was clearly far too easy for them.
That outcome was completely expected by one of the proctors Uchiha Chinatsu.
At the current stage, among all the genin participating in the exams, only Rock Lee, after opening the Five Gates of the Eight Inner Gates, and Gaara, while maintaining full control of Shukaku's power without losing his sanity, possessed the qualifications to briefly contend against Naruto and Sasuke.
And even then…
Only briefly.
Chinatsu, acting as one of the proctors, appeared to be carefully observing every team's performance across the battlefield.
In reality, however, she only paid attention to three groups.
Naruto's team.
Gaara's team.
And Hinata Hyūga's team.
"Excellent, all passed~"
Chinatsu stretched lazily with satisfaction.
The surrounding proctors instantly stiffened in terror, instinctively taking half a step backward as if afraid she might suddenly create another mushroom cloud.
Chinatsu's face twitched.
"Wait… exactly what kind of person do you think I am?"
Everyone silently answered in their hearts:
A devil.
Chinatsu sighed helplessly.
Not needing to maintain her fake "good girl" persona anymore really was liberating, but now everyone feared her so much that it had started becoming annoying.
Back in her previous life before transmigrating, she had been an undisputed school tyrant during her student years. People feared her, yes but they also respected and admired her.
Now?
These people looked at her like she might explode at any second.
"That won't do…" Chinatsu muttered while crossing her arms thoughtfully. "Maybe I should improve my public image a bit. Should I just seize the Hokage position directly? …Nah, too troublesome. Maybe I should build something like an Uchiha underground organization instead. Like those mafia dramas from my previous life…"
As she muttered nonsense to herself, Hiruzen Sarutobi who was secretly observing from nearby immediately broke out into cold sweat after hearing the words "Hokage" and "seize."
Only after hearing her say "forget it" did the Third Hokage finally breathe again.
While the other villages feared Konoha because of its so-called "ultimate weapon," Hiruzen wanted to scream that he feared it too!
If that "World Peace Technique" landed inside Konoha itself, the village wouldn't merely suffer heavy damage.
They would need to rebuild the entire village from scratch.
The second stage of the Chūnin Exams ended smoothly.
Too smoothly.
So smoothly that it was honestly boring.
After the round concluded, Chinatsu stood up lazily and prepared to head home.
Then
Her expression suddenly changed slightly.
She sensed a strange yet familiar chakra signature.
No.
Two chakra signatures.
After pausing for a brief moment, Chinatsu clasped her hands together.
"Sage Mode."
The markings of Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode spread across her face as her sensory abilities expanded explosively throughout the surrounding area.
Within seconds, two figures entered her perception range.
The corners of Chinatsu's mouth slowly curved upward into a crooked, dangerous smile that resembled an evil dragon king from a fantasy story.
She casually reached into her waist pouch
Then froze.
Empty.
Her kunai were gone.
Without hesitation, she turned and walked directly toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The Third Hokage nearly jumped out of his skin.
Cold sweat poured down his forehead as he stared nervously at Chinatsu approaching him with that terrifying smile.
"You… what are you trying to do now?" Hiruzen asked cautiously.
Chinatsu extended her hand expressionlessly.
"Lend me some kunai."
"…Huh?"
"I suddenly want to stab someone."
Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..."
Outside Konoha Village.
Two figures wearing black cloaks decorated with red clouds slowly advanced through the forest while wearing straw hats fitted with hanging white tassels.
One of them lifted his hat slightly, revealing blue skin and shark-like facial features.
"Are we seriously doing this?" Kisame Hoshigaki muttered. "This is the middle of Konoha's Chūnin Exams. Not only are Konoha's elite ninja gathered here, but shinobi from every major village are present too. The danger level is way higher than normal."
The man beside him remained calm.
"What? Are you scared?"
Kisame immediately grinned.
"Scared? Don't joke around. In the entire shinobi world, there are only a handful of people who can actually kill me. Even if all of Konoha's forces gather here, if I want to escape, nobody can stop me."
As he spoke, Kisame adjusted Samehada on his back.
The silent man beside him finally replied calmly.
"Relax. We aren't here to attack Konoha."
Uchiha Itachi lowered his eyes beneath the brim of his straw hat.
"I only came… to see Sasuke."
Just like in the original timeline, Itachi and Kisame had returned to Konoha shortly after the Chūnin Exams began.
Partly for Akatsuki reconnaissance.
Partly…
To personally remind Sasuke of the gap between them.
However, because of Chinatsu's interference, the Chūnin Exams were still ongoing.
The two Akatsuki members quietly moved toward a less-guarded section of the village perimeter.
Then suddenly
Itachi stopped walking.
Kisame instantly narrowed his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Itachi slowly frowned.
"…Something is watching us."
A dangerous feeling crawled across his nerves.
It felt as though invisible eyes had locked directly onto both of them.
His Sharingan activated instantly.
Three tomoe rotated rapidly as Itachi scanned the surrounding forest with terrifying visual perception.
Nothing.
No movement.
No chakra fluctuations.
Yet the feeling only intensified.
Kisame also became serious.
"You sure it's not your imagination? Even you can't stay perfectly sharp forever."
Despite saying that, Kisame had already gripped Samehada carefully.
Anyone else making such a mistake would be normal.
But Uchiha Itachi?
That was abnormal.
Seconds passed.
Then
Itachi's pupils suddenly contracted violently.
"They're here."
This time, even Kisame clearly sensed it.
An overwhelming presence was rapidly approaching them at horrifying speed.
The forest branches shook violently.
Leaves scattered everywhere.
A figure burst through the woods.
Disheveled long hair.
A crazed smile.
A kunai in each hand.
And eyes filled with terrifying excitement.
"Susanoo!"
Without hesitation, Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan instantly.
Boom!!!
A crimson skeletal ribcage erupted around his body at incredible speed.
Yet
Chinatsu did not slow down.
On the contrary, her speed increased even further.
No one could stop Uchiha Chinatsu from taking revenge for that waist stab years ago.
Not even Susanoo.
Sage Chakra wrapped around her kunai with terrifying sharpness.
Then
With the precision of a surgeon and the madness of a psychopath
She stabbed directly toward Uchiha Itachi's kidney.
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