Chapter 150: Speedrunning the Second Round

In the Hokage's office.

Tsunade reached up and rubbed her temples, staring out the window with a long sigh.

More people meant more problems.

With Shinobi from various villages gathered, friction was inevitable. 

And as the host village, Konoha was responsible for mediating conflicts. A misstep could damage not only relations between villages but also Konoha's own reputation.

On top of that, the villagers were dealing with minor thefts and disturbances. However, such matters were managed by Konoha's Police Department.

The Uchiha clan, under the advice of Shinho Aburame, had split the police department into two branches, with immediate apparent results.

The department handling Shinobi remained the Konoha Police Department, while a separate branch for handling villagers' issues, now called the Konoha Service Agency, was created. 

The Service Agency, with its more approachable name and gentler penalties, handled civilian complaints without the intimidating presence of the police. With the comparison to its predecessor, the Konoha Service Agency quickly gained popularity.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Tsunade commanded, her expression transforming to one of authority.

"Hokage-sama." Kakashi Hatake entered, going straight to the point, "We've spotted Orochimaru in the Forest of Death."

Orochimaru?

Tsunade instinctively sat up straight, surprised.

Konoha had lost track of Orochimaru's whereabouts years ago. The most recent intelligence had come from Itachi Uchiha, who informed them that Orochimaru had once been part of the Akatsuki. But that information was from five years ago.

"If he's suddenly returned to Konoha, he must be up to something."

Tsunade's face showed doubt. "Did you find out what he's after? The Forest of Death… could it be related to the Chūnin Exams?"

"According to Anko, he's here for Shinho and Sasuke."

"Shinho?" Tsunade's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of dread crept in.

She recalled the bet she had made with Shinho. Could this really be the time she would win? 

While she lost every bet, the rare times she did win, she regretted it. She suddenly found it hard to breathe.

No way—she couldn't lose Shinho.

"It's probably due to their talents," Kakashi speculated.

He glanced up, noticing a strange look on her face. 

Hokage-sama, flustered?

This was unlike Tsunade. Though Orochimaru was powerful, she, as one of the Three Legendary Sannin, was no weaker. There was no reason for her to react like this… or was there?

"Have Team 7 withdraw from the Chūnin Exams immediately," Tsunade said, her voice firm.

Talent? What nonsense—he was here to poach them! She clenched her fist. 

Trying to poach her student from her? Orochimaru must be tired of living if he thought he could do that.

Tsunade was ready to make snake wine out of Orochimaru if it ever came to that. Sentiments of being former classmates and fellow apprentices be damned.

"Shinho refused," Kakashi relayed Shinho's reasoning.

"Ridiculous!" Tsunade scoffed. "Go bring that brat here right now!"

"Yes, ma'am." Kakashi exited the Hokage's office, his thoughts spinning. Was Tsunade being unreasonable? Or was it because her student was involved?

….

In the tower within the Forest of Death…

Shinho Aburame opened the Heaven and Earth scrolls.

With a puff of smoke, Iruka Umino appeared.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto beamed, delighted. "It's you?"

"You're all my students," Iruka said with pride. "Of course, I had to see if you'd make it through the exam."

"Don't worry!" Naruto thumped his chest. "We're sure to become Chūnin!"

"I don't doubt it," Iruka replied, smiling. "Congratulations—you're the first team to reach the tower."

"Awesome!" Naruto said smugly. "I knew we'd be first!"

Sasuke, however, was far less carefree, he was troubled by their fight with Orochimaru. 

The earlier fight had proven he was no match for the legendary Sannin, who had overpowered him in both ninjutsu and taijutsu.

Sasuke felt bitter. After all his years of effort, was he still this weak?

Shinho glanced at Sasuke, guessing his thoughts from the look on his face. The boy's standards were just set way too high.

After all, Sasuke was only thirteen, yet he had already exchanged moves with Orochimaru—a feat that was extraordinary in itself. 

Itachi Uchiha was a special case; at thirteen, he already possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan and defeated Orochimaru in an instant using genjutsu.

Orochimaru wasn't weak in genjutsu; he was a master of it. The only explanation was that the Mangekyō Sharingan's power was just outrageous.

As for Shinho, he had managed to make Orochimaru flee, but it had only been possible thanks to his Strength Gu. 

Most Shinobi had low endurance, which was helpful, though Orochimaru had numerous ways to save himself. 

Shinho figured they could have gone three days and three nights, and even then, Orochimaru could have resurrected himself with a curse mark.

On reflection, the best methods from the original story to deal with him were the Reaper Death Seal and the Totsuka Blade.

Suddenly, a notification appeared in Shinho's mind:

[Achievement Unlocked: "Orochimaru Screams and Twists Away into the Darkness." Reward: Rainbow Light Gu.]

[Rainbow Light Gu: Rank 3 Gu insect, enables the Gu master to flee by turning themselves into light, reputed as the fastest among all Rank 3 mobility Gu.]

Shinho's thoughts brightened. This was definitely a good prize! Light-speed movement, faster than his current Body Flicker Technique, though with a drawback. 

The incredible speed often made it difficult for users to react in time. For instance, intending to stop at 100 meters could easily take them 200 meters instead.

Generally, Rainbow Light Gu was paired with Gu like " Lightning thoughts" or "Flash insight." Still, even used alone, this kind of speed was perfect for retreat or pursuit and would only get easier to handle with practice.

All in all, a win.

"You weren't just first," Iruka said proudly. "This second stage was meant to last five days, and you've completed it in less than half a day."

"Does that mean we set a record?" Naruto's eyes shone.

"Not quite." Iruka shook his head, slightly disappointed. "You missed it by just a few minutes."

"Arrgh!" Naruto clutched his head, frustrated. "It's all Orochimaru's fault!"

Because of Orochimaru, they had lost at least twenty minutes.

"Wait!" Iruka's expression changed. "Orochimaru? As in, the Orochimaru?"

"Who else would it be?" Naruto pouted. "The one and only, Orochimaru of the Sannin."

"And you still finished this quickly?" Iruka was astounded.

"We made him run away!" Naruto proclaimed.

"…?" Iruka's face was full of questions, but seeing all three of them unharmed, he couldn't argue.

Could they really be that strong?

After a long moment, Iruka asked, "Did you report this to the Hokage?"

"Kakashi-sensei went to see her," Naruto replied.

Iruka looked thoughtful. He figured Kakashi must have driven Orochimaru away. Or had he? Could Kakashi really scare Orochimaru off? 

Unable to work it out, Iruka gave up pondering it. After all, he was only a Chūnin, and Orochimaru was far beyond his reach, as were the three students before him. Their abilities and potential would soon leave him in the dust.

But he accepted that—he didn't feel envious at all.

"You have four and a half days remaining," Iruka said with a smile. "According to the rules, you can't leave the testing grounds, so I'll take you to the resting area."

The four of them arrived at a resting room, which was really a dormitory with three beds.

"Iruka-sensei, is the third round of the Chūnin Exams next?" Naruto asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"Not necessarily." Iruka shook his head. "If too many Genin pass, there'll be a preliminary round."

"What's a preliminary round?" Naruto asked, puzzled.

"As is tradition, it's usually one-on-one matches," Iruka explained. "Participants are matched by drawing lots, with the winner advancing and the loser eliminated."

"That sounds awesome!"

Naruto perked up with excitement. He still hadn't had a real fight where he could give it his all. Being on a team with such strong teammates had its downsides.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

"Shinho," Kakashi stood in the doorway, calling to him, "come with me."

"Kakashi-sensei." Shinho walked over to him with a nod.

"The Hokage wants to see you."

Shinho raised an eyebrow. In the original storyline, Orochimaru's appearance didn't put Konoha on high alert. 

To Sarutobi Hiruzen, the mere fact that Orochimaru had entered the village alone only seemed like a foolhardy move. And under normal circumstances, Tsunade wouldn't be rattled by him either—she didn't yet know about the Reanimation Jutsu.

As he entered the Hokage's office, Kakashi remained outside, nodding as Shinho closed the door behind him.

"Sensei." Shinho greeted her politely, noting her unusually stern expression.

"Did Orochimaru bite you or Sasuke?" Tsunade couldn't help but glance at him in concern.

"No, he didn't." Shinho grinned, "He couldn't even break through my defenses."

"Orochimaru has a habit of marking geniuses with his curse seal," Tsunade explained, "like Anko. She still carries one on her shoulder."

Shinho suddenly understood. So that's how Tsunade knew about the curse seal.

"The curse seal is a double-edged sword. It can temporarily boost power, but over time it causes irreversible harm to the body," Tsunade said gravely. "And I suspect that anyone marked by the seal falls under Orochimaru's control."

Shinho nodded, impressed by Tsunade's insight. 

The curse seal originated from Jūgo, who was born with the ability to enter Sage Mode. Essentially, it was a rough, weaker version of the true Sage Mode.

"In my opinion," Shinho paused, "assembling an elite curse-seal squad could be advantageous for ordinary shinobi, as long as we can raise the success rate."

In the original story, only Sasuke and Anko had the Heaven Curse Seal. The others, including Kimimaro, had the Earth Curse Seal.

"...What?" Tsunade blinked, surprised by the quick shift in topic. 

Yet, his idea held potential. A curse seal could grant shinobi a sudden burst of power, which was useful in life-or-death situations, where the side effects wouldn't matter.

"So, you want to lure him out and capture him?" Tsunade asked, frowning. "Orochimaru is slippery. The chances of catching him are slim."

"If we can't catch him, we can still capture some of his marked shinobi," Shinho said, genuinely unconvinced they could corner Orochimaru. Still, he appreciated Tsunade's thinking along those lines.

"Don't set too high expectations on the curse seal," Tsunade cautioned after a moment. Reverse engineering Orochimaru's work wasn't something Konoha could easily manage in a short period of time.

"It's still worth a try," Shinho replied with a smile.

Tsunade crossed her arms and studied him in silence. When Kakashi had reported the situation, she'd instinctively opposed Shinho's stance out of worry. 

But now, after cooling down, she realized he was right. 

Continuing with the Chūnin Exams would keep Team 7 in public view. If Orochimaru made a move, it would be noticed, and with Team 7's strength, they wouldn't be simple easy targets.

"You can back to the exam site," Tsunade said, waving him off.

"Got it." Seeing his objective met, Shinho left without delay. After all, leaving the testing grounds was already against the rules.

Once Shinho was gone, Tsunade slumped back into her chair, staring up at the ceiling and reflecting on her unusual behavior today. That kid had truly become someone she cared deeply about.

"Yūgao," she called, sitting up.

"Hokage-sama." Uzuki Yūgao entered from outside.

"Get word to Jiraiya by the quickest means. Tell him Orochimaru has returned to Konoha."

Jiraiya wandered the land as the "Wandering Toad Sage," tracking down prophecies and, of course, Orochimaru.

"Yes, ma'am," Yūgao replied and left the room.

Thinking further, Tsunade realized Jiraiya alone might not be enough; she'd better pay a visit to her old teacher.

At the Sarutobi clan compound, she found Hiruzen fishing by a lake.

"Did you catch anything?" she asked, approaching him directly.

"I just started," Hiruzen coughed, shifting slightly.

Tsunade eyed the sky—past noon. She chose not to call him out on it.

"What brings you here?" Hiruzen deflected the topic, "Shouldn't you be busy with the Chūnin Exams?"

"Orochimaru appeared in the Forest of Death," Tsunade said gravely.

"What?" Hiruzen's gaze sharpened, and he gripped his fishing rod reflexively. "He actually dares to come back?"

"It seems he's after Sasuke and Shinho," she explained. "He ambushed them in the Forest of Death, but failed."

"He's not one to easily give up once he sets his sights on something," Hiruzen said, letting out a short, exasperated breath. "If that's the case, we can't allow him to escape again."

Years ago, Hiruzen had discovered Orochimaru's human experimentation and nearly killed him but relented at the last moment, allowing him to escape.

"I'll need your help if he does return," Tsunade said, stating her plan.

"It seems you really care about this student of yours," Hiruzen chuckled. "It's rare to hear you call me teacher."

In reality, Hiruzen felt little apprehension toward Orochimaru. Though his former student had exceptional talent, he didn't possess any bloodline limits. 

To Hiruzen, Orochimaru was almost like a reflection of his younger self.

"Shinho is exceptional," Tsunade said earnestly. "Losing him would be a loss to the entire village."

"That's true," Hiruzen agreed, nodding.

…

Five days passed swiftly, and the second stage of the Chūnin Exams officially came to an end. Teams who hadn't reached the tower were all eliminated, leaving only thirty participants. Even so, it was too many, so a preliminary round was announced.

Early morning.

After breakfast, Shinho met with Tsunade once more. They walked together through a long hallway inside the tower.

The preliminary round would begin at nine o'clock. In the meantime, the Genin waited in the resting room, checking their weapons and making other preparations.

Only Tsunade and Shinho were in the hallway.

"Orochimaru used the Vanishing Facial Copy Jutsu," Tsunade said, rubbing her head as if she had a headache. "We've checked everyone over the past five days, but we found nothing."

"Don't worry," Shinho reassured her, "He'll reveal himself, soon enough."

"You're being quite calm about it, youre life could be in danger, you know," Tsunade said with a sideways glance at Shinho.

Of course, she knew Orochimaru would resurface. But if they could expose him first, she wouldn't need to be constantly on guard.

"I've always been lucky," Shinho replied with a grin. 

Well, better luck than yours, at least.

"Get back to your quarters," Tsunade said, trying to keep calm as she waved him off.

With that, Shinho left the hallway.

Soon, it was nine o'clock.

The surviving Genin gathered at the inner plaza within the tower, which resembled a Roman coliseum, complete with tiered seating, though without actual seats.

Dressed in the Hokage's ceremonial robes, Tsunade stood on the raised platform. 

Kakashi, Asuma, Yamato, Kurenai, and other Jōnin stood by her side, while a representative from the Sand Village, Baki, was also present—Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari's teacher, and a shinobi of equal status to Konoha's Sannin.

Shinho scanned the crowd, taking note of a few unfamiliar faces. According to the original plot, one of these disguised figures was actually Orochimaru.

"Congratulations to all of you who passed the second stage of the exam," Tsunade announced, stepping forward with a small smile. "Next, you'll face the preliminary round before the third stage. Only those who win will make it to the final stage."

The third stage was also a one-on-one match, but it would be held in an arena with an audience, including daimyos and nobles from various nations. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, would also attend.

In short, it would be a grand event.

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