Danzo glanced at the Root operative kneeling on one knee before him. Recognizing him as the liaison responsible for communications with the Hidden Leaf, Danzo asked, "Mm. What is the current situation back at the village?"
As a man whose lifelong ambition was to become Hokage, Danzo remained deeply concerned with the internal affairs of Konoha, even though he had taken the initiative to deploy to the front lines.
Danzo didn't fear other villages launching an immediate offensive against the Land of Fire; he actually feared they would remain idle. As a hardline hawk, Danzo hungered for war.
"Lord Danzo, the Hokage continues to advocate for a policy of de-escalation. Within the next few days, ninja from the Hidden Sand, Hidden Mist, and other smaller villages will arrive for the Chunin Exams. Near the Land of Rain, the Hidden Stone and Hidden Sand have already begun minor skirmishes..."
The Root operative meticulously detailed the intelligence gathered from the various fronts. Danzo made marks and annotations on his map, carefully dissecting the current geopolitical landscape.
The situation facing Konoha was far from optimistic. Just as in the Second Great Ninja War, the other four great villages were showing signs of a coordinated encirclement. Even the Hidden Mist, which rarely involved itself in mainland conflicts, had become remarkably active.
After concluding his general report, the Root operative remembered a specific detail. "Among this year's graduates, a monstrous genius seems to have emerged: Tsunade's ward, Saiki Shiroya. He has allegedly developed two S-rank jutsu. During his first mission, he single-handedly slaughtered a Jonin and six Genin, and severely crippled two Chunin."
"Saiki Shiroya?"
At the mention of that name, Danzo's single eye narrowed instantly as his gaze sharpened.
Saiki had left an indelible mark on Danzo's memory. The brat had dared to use Tsunade's name to threaten him, and had even played him for a fool. Had the situation not been so chaotic and the front lines so desperate, Danzo would have already begun "processing" the boy.
He was the "Darkness of the Shinobi"—he was the one who handed out threats and shouldered the village's blame; he was not a man accustomed to being threatened himself.
Under Danzo's soul-piercing stare, the operative continued, "Yes. Furthermore, a few days ago, he got into an altercation with the Uchiha clan at Nono'u's orphanage. He effortlessly defeated Qiangquan Uchiha, a Chunin who had already awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan."
Hearing this, Danzo recalled the battlefield from that day. Because the fire had incinerated everything, he had assumed Tsume Inuzuka had unleashed some devastating trump card. He never suspected it was the work of Saiki Shiroya.
Danzo, who had originally intended to have Saiki eliminated at the first convenient opportunity, suddenly changed his mind. He was now intensely interested in the boy.
A nine-year-old who could kill a Jonin and master two S-rank jutsu was undeniably a genius. He might be cunning, but Danzo had an endless arsenal of methods to break and mold such individuals. He needed people like that in Root.
"The next time you report, I want every scrap of information available on Saiki Shiroya."
Narrowing his eye, Danzo spoke in a low, calculating tone, his mind already spinning with dark schemes.
"As you command."
Danzo initially signaled for the operative to leave, but then added a sudden directive: "Spread the word of Saiki Shiroya's achievements. Make sure everyone knows."
"Understood." The Root operative instantly grasped Danzo's intention. This was a classic tactic Danzo used to recruit geniuses from the Academy.
For a ninja, fame was a double-edged sword. Once your name reached the assassination lists of rival villages, you were a marked man. Many were eventually forced to abandon their identities and join the Anbu or Root just to survive.
Without a powerful background to protect them, a genius operating in the light was simply too easy to target.
Due to the "accidents" encountered during their last mission, Saiki and his team had been granted some time to recuperate.
In the week following their return to Konoha, Saiki's routine consisted of either training with Kushina or completing the mundane D-rank tasks typically assigned to Genin.
Having tasted the reality of an out-of-village mission—that constant, suffocating sensation of hovering near death—even the adventurous Shizune and Genhai weren't in any rush to experience it again.
Today was a scheduled rest day, but Saiki had still gone out early to train. As he was heading home for lunch, walking through the village streets, he was suddenly called out to.
"Saiki-kun! Saiki-kun!"
Saiki turned around to see Kurenai Yuhi and Rin Nohara running toward him, slightly out of breath.
Seeing the two girls approaching, Saiki offered a bright, genuine smile. "Yo! Long time no see, Kurenai, Rin. How have you both been lately?"
"Mm-hmm! We're good!"
The two girls nodded enthusiastically, clearly thrilled to have run into him.
"Weren't you both out on missions? Why are you back so soon, and together no less?" Saiki asked curiously.
Her large eyes sparkling with excitement, Rin replied, "Saiki, didn't you know? The Chunin Exams are starting in two days!"
"Yes! Exactly! The exams start the day after tomorrow!" Kurenai added quickly, not wanting Rin to do all the talking.
"Is that so? I honestly had no idea."
Knowing the Third War was about to explode, Saiki had been entirely focused on training and grinding missions for cash. He hadn't paid any attention to village announcements.
As for Kushina, given her scatterbrained personality, Saiki assumed she probably didn't know about the exams either.
Observing his reaction, Kurenai elaborated, "Since yesterday afternoon, ninja from other villages have been arriving in the Leaf for the exams!"
"I see. I've been so buried in training that it completely slipped my mind," Saiki replied with a smile.
As if on cue, three ninja wearing Hidden Mist forehead protectors strolled past the corner, casting a lingering glance at Saiki's group.
It was perfectly normal for foreign ninja to scout the village during the exams; information gathering was part of the test.
In the original story, Gaara's team had been quite aggressive when they arrived, but these Mist ninja weren't quite so arrogant. They weren't about to pick a fight with local Genin just to play out a cliché "face-slapping" drama.
With a war looming on the horizon, these Chunin Exams were intended as a display of strength and a platform for negotiating mission quotas—a final, desperate attempt to see if full-scale war could be averted through diplomacy.
"Mist ninja..." Rin whispered once the trio had passed.
Looking at Rin, Saiki couldn't help but think of the Hidden Mist, the bloody "Mist" history, and the shadow of Madara Uchiha. He wondered how he could possibly change the tragic fate of this innocent girl. He sighed and remarked, "I wonder which of the other Great Villages sent representatives."
To his surprise, Rin knew the answer.
"Oh, I know this! Sensei Minato said the participants include Genin from the Hidden Mist, Hidden Sand, Hidden Grass, and Hidden Rain," Rin answered with a sweet, radiant smile.
Hearing Minato's name, Saiki acknowledged the reliability of the info. Though Minato hadn't earned his "Yellow Flash" title yet, he was already a legendary talent and an elite Jonin.
Saiki mentally processed the list: Sand and Mist were still willing to talk to the Leaf. The fact that the Stone and Cloud hadn't sent anyone meant they had already fully committed to the path of war.
Looking at the two girls, Saiki asked, "Are you both participating in these exams?"
"Yes," they replied in unison, nodding.
"In that case, are you headed somewhere specific right now?"
The two girls exchanged a quick glance. Kurenai, being the bolder of the two, spoke up first. "Saiki, actually... we were coming to look for you."
"For me?" Saiki was puzzled.
Rin added, "Yeah! We wanted to ask your opinion on the exams."
Facing their expectant gazes—which were starting to look a lot like Shizune's—Saiki felt his defenses weakening.
He smiled and asked, "Have you two had lunch yet?"
Technically they had, but they both shook their heads simultaneously and answered with absolute certainty, "No, not yet!"
Their perfect synchronization made Saiki wonder if they had rehearsed this.
At graduation, Saiki had invited them to visit whenever they were free. He understood exactly what was going on in their heads.
"You haven't eaten? Well, in that case, would you like to come over to my place for lunch?"
The response was immediate. He saw two girls desperately trying to remain modest while their wide, beautiful eyes practically screamed "Yes!" with anticipation.
"Is it really okay?"
Saiki let out a chuckle. "Of course. We always cook extra at my house anyway."
Ecstatic, the two girls followed behind Saiki with joyous, blissful smiles.
As they walked, Saiki turned to Rin. "By the way, Kakashi is already a Chunin, isn't he? If you're taking the exams, is it just you and Obito?"
Rin replied, "Yeah, Kakashi is already a Chunin. But Sensei Minato said someone else will be joining our team for the test."
"I see. Well, don't worry too much. We'll likely run into each other during the exams. We can look out for one another."
After reassuring Rin, he turned to Kurenai. "And what about you, Kurenai? How are things with your teammates?"
For the first time, Saiki saw the future "Cool Beauty" Kurenai puff out her cheeks in irritation. "Those two are nice enough, I guess, but they're so incredibly dim-witted! They keep causing my dad so much extra work!"
"Hahaha, that's normal. Everyone is just starting out; you'll find your rhythm eventually." Saiki offered some gentle comfort.
Feeling emboldened by Saiki's words, Kurenai's excitement bubbled over. "Saiki! I heard about your mission! People are saying you wiped out a nine-man Cloud squad led by a Jonin all by yourself!"
Saiki froze. "How the hell did that get out? Wasn't that supposed to be classified?"
Before he could figure out if Hiruzen Sarutobi was setting him up, Kurenai continued breathlessly, "And they say you created two incredibly powerful S-rank jutsu!"
"Is it true? I knew you were the best, Saiki!" Rin's eyes were practically glowing with little stars.
Faced with their overwhelming adoration, Saiki reflexively touched his own face. He knew he was handsome, but this level of worship was getting out of hand.
The gazes of these two girls were so intense they were practically overflowing with love and hero worship. Coupled with the weird looks from passing villagers, even Saiki's thick skin was starting to feel the heat.
"Haha, it's not as dramatic as the rumors say. I honestly thought I was going to die at the time!"
Laughing it off, he asked Kurenai, "Kurenai, where did you hear all this?"
She replied as if it were common knowledge, "My dad told me! He said everyone is talking about it."
"I see..." Saiki nodded, his mind racing.
This was serious. Something that should have been kept secret was now public knowledge. He initially suspected the Hokage, but his mind quickly landed on Danzo Shimura.
Only Danzo possessed the necessary combination of malice, resources, and lack of shame to fan the flames like this.
And they already had a history of mutual dislike; a retaliatory move was exactly Danzo's style.
Saiki was actually overthinking Danzo's "malice." It wasn't just a simple revenge move—it was a calculated strategy to ensure Saiki's name became famous.
Once Saiki felt the despair of being targeted by foreign assassins due to his fame, he would have no choice but to crawl into Danzo's embrace for protection. Then, Danzo could "train" him properly.
Under the curious stares of the villagers, the trio finally arrived at Tsunade's estate.
"I'm home!"
Inside the kitchen, Shizune—who had already finished preparing lunch—heard the door and came running out.
"Welcom—"
The words died in her throat. Seeing Kurenai Yuhi and Rin Nohara flanking Saiki, Shizune was hit by a massive wave of crisis.
"Ahhh! I shouldn't have slept in today! Dammit! Dammit!" In the face of this existential threat, Shizune's "Inner Persona" had flared to life.
Saiki was far too popular, and Shizune had spent years trying to act as his shield against the "wild bees and butterflies."
Lately, girls had been "dropping by" the house frequently, and Shizune was always on high alert.
But she never expected that a single morning of laziness would allow her two greatest rivals to infiltrate her home.
Saiki couldn't read minds, but one look at Shizune's face told him everything he needed to know.
"Shizune, I'm back."
Saiki's gentle voice snapped Shizune out of her internal spiral.
No matter how fierce her "Inner Persona" was, the reality remained that Shizune was a submissive type. The moment Saiki spoke, she reverted to her shy, quiet self.
"Saiki... welcome home!"
Her face flushed a faint red as she answered, then she turned her gaze toward the other two.
With a forced, polite smile, Shizune greeted them, "Ah, Kurenai, Rin. Long time no see. What brings you both here today?"
It was a perfectly polite greeting, but Saiki could practically smell the gunpowder in the air.
To Rin and Kurenai, Shizune was the ultimate obstacle. She lived with Saiki; she had the ultimate geographical advantage.
Despite the rivalry, they couldn't afford to lose their composure in front of Saiki.
While Rin remained sweet, the future "Mistress of Illusions" Kurenai was already showing her sharp wit. She smiled at Shizune like a long-lost sister. "Oh, Shizune! It's been too long! Sorry to drop by unannounced. We ran into Saiki on the street and thought we'd come see how you were doing."
Rin added with a shy smile, "Shizune, sorry for the intrusion."
Shizune forced a laugh. "Intrusion? Not at all! I'm thrilled you're here. I just wish you'd told me sooner; I didn't prepare enough food for lunch."
Rin and Kurenai answered almost instantly, "Oh, don't worry! we've already eaten. We just came over to chat about the Chunin Exams!"
Saiki screamed internally, "You literally just told me you hadn't eaten!"
It was obvious: they had zero intention of leaving.
Left with no choice, Shizune was momentarily at a loss for words.
Watching the subtle verbal warfare between the girls, Saiki almost burst out laughing. Women were truly natural masters of linguistics—the barbs were hidden in every sentence, yet they remained perfectly polite on the surface.
And they were only nine! He could only imagine how "interesting" things would get once they were adults.
Of course, Saiki assumed that once they grew up and became more mature, they'd find other things to focus on and stop obsessing over him.
The Naruto world was a bizarre mix of primitive and advanced. It was primitive because it was still ruled by Daimyo and lacked paved roads outside the village. But it was advanced because chakra had allowed the technology tree to grow in strange directions—they lacked internal combustion engines, yet possessed cloning technology and bio-medical knowledge that could cure cancer.
Also, it was "primitive" in another way: it still permitted polygamy.
However, since chakra meant men and women were largely equal in combat power, most ninja households were monogamous.
Whether Saiki would eventually end up with a grand harem or die a lonely bachelor was entirely dependent on his own efforts.
Not wanting to let them stand there awkwardly, Saiki stepped in. "It's fine. We always cook a lot. There's plenty for everyone to eat together."
With Saiki's endorsement, Shizune had no choice but to swallow her grievance and lead them into the kitchen.
With everyone helping out, the table was soon covered in Chinese delicacies.
Because he'd been poor in his past life, Saiki hadn't learned to cook expensive, high-end cuisine. He specialized in home-style comfort food.
But even his basic home cooking was leagues ahead of the Naruto world's diet, which was stuck in a 20th-century-Japan-style poverty loop. To these girls, his cooking was fit for a king.
While they might have been "enemies" regarding Saiki, the girls became the best of friends the moment the food was served, chatting away like close-knit sisters.
Despite claiming they had already eaten, Kurenai and Rin devoured enough food that they had trouble standing up by the end of the meal.
Slurp!
Because Saiki's training consumed massive amounts of energy, his meals were always heavy on meat. The girls, having enjoyed the greasy feast, found the hot tea Saiki provided to be incredibly refreshing.
The tea in this world was usually bitter powder, but Saiki had painstakingly sourced high-quality loose leaves. Even though he wasn't a tea connoisseur, the first sip brought a sigh of pure contentment to his lips.
They spent a while chatting about missions and idle gossip, but since Saiki had to head out for his afternoon training, Rin and Kurenai couldn't stay forever.
Before they left, Saiki turned serious. "The upcoming exams aren't just an internal Leaf test. There's almost no real safety net. With other villages participating, there is a genuine risk of death. Please, be careful."
Saiki hadn't mastered the Flying Raijin. Even if he had, he couldn't guarantee he'd be there to save them in time. He could only offer a warning.
"We know. We'll be careful."
Once they were gone, Saiki turned to Shizune and ruffled her hair.
"Stop worrying about nonsense."
He gave her forehead a playful poke. Saiki intended to take a quick nap to let his body process the nutrients before heading out to train again.
In Saiki, you wouldn't see the frantic, relentless "youthful" effort of someone like Might Guy.
But Saiki possessed an iron will of his own. He never ground his body into the dirt pointlessly, but he was absolutely consistent, day after day, for years.
The difference was simple: Guy would train until he nearly died. Saiki would train until he reached his limit, then stop to rest and recover before starting again.
To Saiki, power was secondary; his body was his primary asset.
He had enough natural talent to take things slow and let everything fall into place. He didn't need to be like a piece of porcelain chiseled into shape by force, covered in cracks that would shatter at the first touch.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
While Saiki's main body was smashing his bare knuckles against solid boulders and his clones were practicing Ninjutsu and Kenjutsu...
Inside the Hokage Building, a large group of Jonin and Chunin team leaders had gathered. Kushina and Tsume Inuzuka were among the crowd.
Looking at the roster in her hand, Tsume felt a surge of worry. She wasn't worried about Saiki—anyone who ran into him was the one in trouble. But she felt Shizune and Genhai were being pushed into the Chunin rank far too early.
"Kushina... don't you think it's a bit early for Shizune and Genhai to become Chunin?"
It was a heavy question. In reality, many of the students being recommended today were nowhere near ready for the responsibility of the rank.
But with war on the horizon and personnel levels plummeting, Konoha had no choice but to forcibly accelerate the maturation of this generation. Those who couldn't keep up would simply die.
That was the brutal reality of the era.
Tsume wasn't worried they wouldn't pass; with Saiki on their team, they could probably pass the Jonin exam if they tried.
But passing an exam and actually possessing the individual capability were two very different things. In an era where a team's score was the only thing that mattered, the rank felt like a hollow joke.
"Ahaha... they'll be fine! They've got plenty of spirit!" Kushina replied, though her voice lacked its usual confidence.
"Besides, we have to believe in them."
It was a complete mess. In the original timeline, even Rin and Obito were promoted to Chunin at this level. The village leaders were truly ruthless when they needed to be.
The exams felt more like a mandatory conscription than a test. On the surface, it looked like a gathering of teachers submitting names, but in reality, every name was accepted without feedback.
When it was Team Kushina's turn, even with Kushina's status, there were no exceptions. Hiruzen Sarutobi stamped the approval immediately.
"1,343... 1,344... 1,345..."
Saiki acted as if he were immune to pain. Without the protection of chakra, relying purely on the raw density of his muscles, he hammered his fists into the stone. With a sharp CRACK, massive fissures spider-webbed across the surface. The multi-ton boulder finally succumbed to the abuse, shattering into several jagged fragments.