Ground-floor hall, Central Tower, Forest of Death.
As the final deadline arrived, squads that had gathered both Heaven and Earth scrolls were led in one after another.
Excluding the special-case Uzumaki Karin, eight squads—twenty-four Genin in all—made it.
That number already surpassed the historical average, proof this year's candidates were of unusually high caliber.
Yet the hall was far from festive; instead, a strange tension hung in the air.
Every gaze kept drifting toward two focal points—
Tejima Shinichi and Gaara!
The colossal wooden golem that had towered days earlier, the battle that had seemed to remake the very landscape, was seared into every candidate's mind.
Dosu, Zaku, and Kin of Otogakure instinctively shrank, trying to make themselves invisible.
Yakushi Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his smile as mild as ever, though a closer look showed it stiffer than usual.
If anyone present still looked and felt relatively "normal", it was Konoha's Team 7.
Back then Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto had both been ambushed by Orochimaru and knocked out; Haruno Sakura alone had dragged them to safety.
Of the earth-shaking clash that had swept half the forest, only Sakura had sensed the terrifying chakra surge and quaking ground; afterwards she learned one side was Tejima Shinichi and the other Sunagakure's Gaara—but the scale and the frightening power Shinichi had shown remained hard to imagine.
What you haven't lived through is difficult to picture, no matter how vividly others describe it.
Naruto ignored the oppressive mood, strode forward and yelled cheerfully,
"Yo—! Shinichi! You made it too! Knew you'd be fine! Hahaha!"
Those who knew Naruto merely sighed; those who didn't twitched at the corners of their mouths, speechless.
Tejima Shinichi simply nodded at Naruto's carefree greeting and said nothing more.
His gaze swept across the assembled Genin.
Konoha's twelve rising stars, Sunagakure's Gaara squad, Otogakure's trio, Yakushi Kabuto… 'As expected,' Shinichi mused, 'even after Shukaku's rampage these promising Genin still overcame the odds and passed.'
Just then he felt a complicated stare; turning, he met Gaara's eyes.
Gone was the savage, frenzied look of days ago; though still silent, Gaara no longer seemed ready to explode at any moment.
What struck Shinichi most was the boy's mental state—calm… even unprecedentedly serene.
'Looks like the Wood Dragon drained Shukaku's chakra; he has actually benefited from the disaster and finally slept a few decent nights!'
As the jinchuriki of Shukaku, Gaara had long suffered its chakra erosion; now, with Shukaku's power temporarily spent, he had gained rare peace.
While thoughts ran wild, footsteps echoed.
Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen entered the hall flanked by Konoha ninja.
Smiling, he congratulated the twenty-four who had cleared the second exam.
He then delivered a lengthy speech on the Chunin Exams' history and purpose, explaining why the third stage would be held before daimyo and nobles.
The speech finally over, just as some candidates grew restless a figure stepped into the arena accompanied by stifled coughs.
"Ahem…"
Gekko Hayate, pale, covered his mouth and coughed before speaking:
"I, Gekko Hayate, will preside over the Preliminary Round for the third exam."
"Preliminary?"
"What does that mean?"
"Aren't we already qualified for the third exam?"
Murmurs of confusion rippled through the candidates.
Many looked stunned; after surviving the forest they thought promotion secure, only to face another screening.
Hayate, expecting the reaction, explained:
"As the Hokage just said, the third exam must be compact and spectacular before the daimyo. With too many finalists the tournament would drag, so one-on-one matches start here and now. No restrictions—fight until your opponent falls or yields. Winners earn the right to compete in the official third exam one month from now."
"Starting right now?"
"One-on-one… till someone drops or gives up?"
Unease spread rapidly.
Fresh from the brutal survival test, many still bore injuries and depleted chakra; immediate combat darkened several faces.
Hayate offered little time to digest: "Anyone who wishes to withdraw for physical or other reasons, raise your hand now. Otherwise the preliminaries begin at once."
A brief hush of hesitation followed his words.
Haruno Sakura immediately glanced worriedly at Uchiha Sasuke; she knew how badly that mysterious ninja had hurt him, and the eerie seal on his neck terrified her.
Her lips parted as if to urge him to quit.
But Sasuke sensed her gaze, met her eyes with stubborn resolve, and she swallowed her plea, anxiety churning inside.
Tejima Shinichi glanced over in time to see Sakura's unspoken worry and Sasuke's obstinate look.
His gaze settled on the boy's instinctively pressed neck. "Can you still hold out—with that Curse Seal?"
Sasuke and Sakura both started.
Sasuke spun toward Shinichi, suspicion flashing: "You know about—"
"Gah—!"
Pain erupted from the Three-Tomoe Seal on his neck; he doubled over, spasming, clutching the mark.
The scene was caught by the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitarashi Anko and the Jonin on the platform above; their faces turned grave.
Though Anko had not met Orochimaru face-to-face this time, Konoha's higher-ups had already learned through Anbu investigation that the S-rank rogue ninja had infiltrated the Village and branded the Uchiha orphan with an unknown curse.
Seeing Sasuke's agony, they realised the seal was even more troublesome than feared.
Hayate noted the disturbance but, as a proctor, he merely recorded it and waited for the Genin's own decision—withdraw or endure.
When the fit passed Sasuke exhaled, met Shinichi's gaze and tugged a proud smirk: "I'm fine… If I dropped out over a little pain I wouldn't deserve to be your bodyguard, Shinichi!"
"Bodyguard?"
"What's Sasuke-kun saying?"
"Some deal between you and Tejima Shinichi?"
Nearby candidates—Naruto, Sakura and others—caught the remark and stared in surprise.
From the cryptic words they sensed an unknown agreement linking the two.
Shinichi's lips curved faintly; he said nothing more.
Sasuke gave a proud snort and offered no explanation.