Chapter 204: The Vanishing Girl
Konoha Main Gate.
"That boy... is terrifying..."
Izumo Kamizuki finished the registration and watched the departing group from the Hidden Sand. His gaze lingered on a boy with the kanji for "Love" tattooed on his forehead. Just now, with a single glance, he had felt a killing intent so searing it made his skin crawl. Even as a veteran of the Great War, he had never felt anything quite that intense.
Kotetsu Hagane nodded. "A bit. So that's a ninja from the Sand? To think they produced such a monstrous genius. I wonder if our genius, Neji, could win if he went up against him?"
Hyuga Neji was currently the most famous genius among the Konoha shinobi. The other was Sasuke, who had just graduated this year, but most felt a rookie who had only been out of the Academy for six months hadn't fully matured yet.
Tonbo Tobitake chimed in, "Eh, the Chunin Exams are ultimately just a show for the Daimyos to see our capabilities. If things look bad, I can always go up as a proctor and show off a few tricks. That'll show them Konoha's true depth."
The Daimyos from various countries came to watch specifically to see which village had the most "heritage" and was best suited for high-level missions, which in turn aided their own national development. Tonbo figured that repeating his performance from the last exams wouldn't be a bad idea.
"...Forget it," Izumo said. "The reason Lord Hokage didn't make you the Chief Proctor this time is precisely because he's afraid you'll steal the spotlight from the juniors. If the Daimyos think our village has no rising stars and only relies on the older generation, our mission resources will be snatched away by other villages."
That was the reality. If you needed the old guard to step in just to make an impression, you might as well just have the Hokage do a solo performance. Kotetsu nodded in agreement.
Tonbo didn't argue. He was just a "salaryman" after all. He just wanted to live his life. He planned to retire after the Fourth Great Ninja War, step back from the front lines, and become a relaxed commoner—maybe even a teacher. Who knew? Strength gave him the power to choose.
He cast his sensory perception toward the departing Sand group. No sign of the Kazekage. Is he arriving later? Or is Orochimaru so incompetent that he has to wait for the Sound Village to stabilize before showing up?
Tonbo almost laughed. It was likely due to some logistical delay.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Master Tonbo. High-level meeting. Please gather in the conference room." A figure wearing a cat-faced mask landed before him.
"I'm off. You two keep it steady," Tonbo said to the two "gate gods" before vanishing with the ANBU.
Sigh. "When will we get to sit in on those high-level meetings?" Kotetsu lamented.
"Maybe in a few years. Just stack up more mission records and improve our skills," Izumo replied, being the more optimistic of the two. High-level meetings were reserved for those with Jonin rank or those specially promoted.
Conference Room.
Tonbo walked in to find the room already bustling with officials. Aside from those necessary to guard vital departments, most of the high-ranking staff were present, including the two Elders.
"Tonbo has arrived. Let the meeting begin," Hiruzen Sarutobi announced.
The meeting primarily focused on Konoha's defense—protecting key locations and ensuring that the visiting ninjas didn't use the opportunity to gather intelligence. They also discussed the public order regarding the influx of foreign ninjas; this fell under the jurisdiction of the newly established Konoha Police Force.
The second point was the discussion of Genin participating in the exams. Because it was a joint exam with various Daimyos present, Konoha took it very seriously.
"Does anyone have subordinates they believe possess the qualifications for Chunin?" Hiruzen asked.
Guy immediately raised his hand. "I recommend my subordinates: Tenten, Hyuga Neji, and Rock Lee. They all possess the capabilities of a Chunin." He was dead serious today, lacking his usual goofiness.
"Mhm. I believe they are ready. Anyone else?" Hiruzen paid close attention to the youth; he knew their general data. Guy's team was indeed qualified.
"I recommend my team: Tenma Matsukaze, Takuto Shindou, Kyousuke Tsurugi..." Other Jonin also recommended their squads. Tonbo wasn't surprised; as the village with the most resources, Konoha had plenty of ninjas beyond just the famous "Twelve Guardians," such as Kabuto Yakushi's team. They just weren't the focus and would likely be eliminated early.
Soon, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai recommended their respective students, causing the Third to frown.
Guy was equally concerned. "Kakashi, they're just kids who graduated recently. Isn't it a bit inappropriate to let them take the Chunin Exams?" He knew exactly how much strength a fresh Genin had. In a joint exam, that was suicide.
Iruka agreed. "Yes! Even if their skills are decent, they lack experience. It's better to wait until next year."
Asuma laughed. "Haha, don't worry, Guy. Their strength is quite high. Don't look down on my students."
Kurenai added, "Mhm. Kiba, Shino, and the others have the strength of a Chunin. Even if they fail, consider it a training exercise."
Being a ninja was always dangerous, but these mentors believed in their students' ability to handle the combat.
"Guy, I'm letting them participate because I've confirmed their strength. Rest easy," Kakashi said.
Guy frowned, wanting to say more, but Hiruzen cut him off. "Guy, trust the judgment of the other Jonin. However, we cannot decide this rashly. Since they've graduated for less than a year, I want you all to conduct a specific test on your subordinates to check their readiness."
Everything was proceeding as usual, though Tonbo noticed Iruka wasn't reacting as explosively as he did in the original story. Tonbo's "butterfly effect" had likely shown Iruka that while Naruto and the others were deficient in some areas, raw power wasn't one of them.
"I support it. I'm also quite optimistic about their strength," Tonbo smiled. "I just hope they don't die."
"Mhm. The tests will be today; there are only a few days left," Hiruzen ordered.
Guy and the others had nothing left to say. If there was a test involved, it was acceptable.
As the meeting drew to a close and Tonbo was listening to the proceedings as if they were gossip, the phantom jutsu within him—Heartsteel—suddenly surged. A flood of memories poured into his brain.
Sigh. Yakumo Kurama... has she finally disappeared?
That memory told Tonbo that in the past few days, Yakumo Kurama had vanished from his conscious memory. Like a puzzle piece being snapped out and the edges seamlessly joined back together, he had forgotten her. It was only today, triggered by a pre-set timer in his Heartsteel, that he remembered the girl existed.
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