Ch95- Premature Ending

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In the Hokage Building, a tense atmosphere permeated the room where the world's most powerful leaders gathered. The Hokage, Uchiha Shisui, sat with a composed expression, flanked by his advisors, Itachi and Shikaku. Nearby, Tsuchikage Oonoki, Raikage A, Mizukage Yagura, and Kazekage Rasa were present, each accompanied by their trusted aides. Mifune, the lord of the Samurai land, had been invited as a mediator. The elder statesmen, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo Shimura, also stood close, their presence adding gravitas to the meeting.

Raikage A, with his characteristic directness, broke the silence. "So, why did you call us here, Hokage?" he asked, his gaze fixed on Shisui.

Shisui scanned the room, meeting the eyes of each Kage before speaking. "There is no need to hide it, as I'm sure you are all aware: the Kyubi is no longer in Konoha."

A snort of laughter came from Tsuchikage Oonoki, a hint of mockery in his tone. "So it is true," he said.

Shisui, unfazed by the Tsuchikage's reaction, continued, his voice steady and authoritative. "This meeting is to reinforce the bond between our villages and to make it clear: No matter what, the Kyubi belongs to the Leaf. If found in your villages, you are to inform us. If sealed, apprehend the individual responsible and return them. If that's not possible, seal it into a vessel and return it to us. This is in accordance with the first treaty between the five villages."

Yagura, the young Mizukage, fixed his gaze on Shisui, his voice cold and laced with suspicion. "Is this a demonstration of power, Hokage? You summon us here, flanked by the God of Shinobi, the Shadow of the Leaf, Uchiha Itachi, Nara Shikaku, and yourself, to remind us of a treaty we're all aware of. Are you subtly warning us not to harbor any ambitious ideas?"

Shisui's expression remained unaltered, his eyes meeting Yagura's without flinching. "That is precisely my intent," he replied calmly. "Despite recent internal conflicts, Konoha remains strong. This Chunin Exam will serve as proof of that. I'd prefer we maintain a cooperative relationship, as a fourth Shinobi War would be detrimental to all our interests."

Rasa, the Kazekage, leaned forward, his voice tinged with skepticism. "And what if the Kyubi surfaces in one of our villages? You expect us to simply spend manpower and just hand it over?"

Shisui nodded. "That's the agreement. The Kyubi is a weapon of mass destruction. Its presence in any village unbalances the power structure we've strived to maintain."

Mizukage Yagura scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Easy for you to say, Hokage. Your village has enjoyed the power of the Kyubi for decades."

Itachi, silent until now, spoke up, his voice measured yet firm. "The balance of power is crucial for peace. If the Kyubi falls into the wrong hands, it could lead to catastrophe."

Shikaku added, his analytical mind evident in his tone, "We're not seeking to monopolize power. Our aim is stability. Konoha has been a responsible guardian of the Kyubi, and we intend to continue in that role."

Danzo, standing at the back, observed the exchange with a hawk-like gaze. His mind was already calculating the implications of this meeting, considering how best to leverage the situation for Konoha's advantage.

Mifune, sensing the escalating tension in the room, interjected with a diplomatic tone, "As Hokage-dono said, a conflict would do none of us good. The Kyubi was entrusted to Konoha in the first treaty signed by the first Kages, and that decision also secures the Tailed Beasts in your respective villages. Hokage-dono has the right to demand the return of the Kyubi if it appears in your villages." His words were measured, aiming to diffuse the brewing tension.

The Kages nodded in agreement, but it was clear from their expressions that none intended to simply hand over such a powerful asset. The desire for power glinted in their eyes, a silent acknowledgment of the stakes involved. For now, though, the whereabouts of the Kyubi remained a mystery, and their immediate focus shifted back to the ongoing Chunin Exams.

As they continued their discussions, a Chunin entered the room and whispered something in Shisui's ear. Shisui's eyes widened in surprise. Dismissing the Chunin, he turned back to the table. "The second stage of the Chunin Exam has ended," he announced.

A wave of disbelief swept through the room. "It's only the first night?" Raikage asked, his voice reflecting his astonishment.

Shisui nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. "Our teams gathered together and fought. To break the stalemate, they stole all the other scrolls and ended the exam prematurely. Only eight teams have passed."

The Kages exchanged looks, each processing this unexpected turn of events. It was unprecedented for the second stage of the Chunin Exams to conclude so swiftly, especially on the first night. The implications were clear: the current generation of Genin possessed remarkable abilities and strategic acumen.

–

Horyu woke up in the small room assigned to him in the tower, the events of the previous night replaying in his mind. Stretching his arms, he got out of bed. The room was spartan, with only the essentials for a ninja to rest and recover. He walked to the window, peering out into the early morning light, expecting a grueling day of training.

But something felt off. The sounds of teams strategizing and preparing for the day were loud outside of his room. Curious, he stepped out of his room and headed towards the common area. The sight that greeted him was unexpected, to say the least.

Teams of Genin, some bandaged and others looking worse for wear, were lounging around, their expressions ranging from relief to disappointment. It seemed they had all gathered in the tower, much earlier than anticipated. Horyu overheard snippets of conversation about the chaotic battle that had unfolded the previous night, leading to an early conclusion of the second stage of the Chunin Exams.

"Ended? Already?" Horyu muttered under his breath, his tone laced with both surprise and a hint of annoyance. He had planned to use the remaining days for training and strategizing, but now those plans were moot.

Hinata and Shino approached him, their expressions mirroring his own surprise. "Horyu, did you hear? The second stage is over. There was a massive battle last night, and it seems most teams either got disqualified or used up their scrolls," Hinata explained, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Shino, adjusting his glasses, added, "It was unexpected. But it seems our strategy to stay undetected paid off. We are the only team that passed without getting involved in the conflict."

Horyu smiled wryly, his mind replaying the events of the night. His strategy to incite a frenzy among the other teams by launching the scroll had worked far better than he anticipated. He didn’t expect it to lead to a massive showdown, effectively ending the second stage early. 'Well, that escalated quickly,' he thought, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

As he walked towards a Chunin to inquire about the next stage, Sasuke's figure came into view. The Uchiha's eyes widened slightly in mild surprise and clear dissatisfaction upon seeing Horyu. It was evident that Sasuke had hoped for Horyu's elimination. Horyu noted Sasuke’s expression, his lips curling into a half-smirk. 'Looks like I've exceeded someone's expectations,' he mused silently.

Ino, accompanied by her team, approached Horyu with a bright smile. "I knew you wouldn't lose at this stage," she said, her voice carrying a cheerful tone.

Horyu offered her a soft smile in return, "Glad to see you pass too," he replied.

Horyu approached Ino, his eyes betraying a flicker of curiosity. "What happened last night?" he inquired.

Ino started, her voice animated. "It all started when a trail of fire lit up the sky. Then we noticed a scroll flying." Hinata and Shino turned to look at Horyu, who feigned ignorance, acting as if he had nothing to do with it. Shikamaru, standing a bit away with Choji, glanced at Horyu, a realization dawning on him. Ino, grinning, continued with her explanation, oblivious to the silent exchange of glances.

"Teams were fighting over the scroll, and it turned into a massive brawl. It was chaos, people using all sorts of jutsu. Some tried to snatch the scroll, others just fought for the sake of fighting," Ino narrated, her hands gesticulating to emphasize the chaos.

She then glanced towards Gaara and Kurotsuchi, who were sitting separately in their respective corners. "Some of them showed incredible strength. It was clear everyone recognized it, so impromptu alliances formed on the spot. The battle turned into a great stalemate," she continued.

Ino paused, her gaze shifting to Shikamaru and Choji, who were noticeably staying out of the conversation. "Then Shikamaru suggested something smart. Instead of exhausting ourselves against each other, we turned our attention to the teams lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce on the weakened winners. It was a practical idea, so everyone shifted their focus."

Horyu listened intently, nodding slightly. 'Clever,' Horyu thought, 'Using the chaos I created to their advantage. I'm not the only one playing this game.'

Ino's excitement was palpable as she continued. "The battle shifted dramatically. Teams that were once at each other's throats suddenly worked together, taking down those hiding in the shadows. It was a sight to see, trust me." She chuckled, recalling the unexpected turn of events.

"We managed to get our hands on the scrolls we needed. But since many had duplicates, we started exchanging them until each team had one of each. It was like a bizarre market in the middle of a battlefield," she added, her smile wide.

Horyu smirked at the absurdity of it all. 'A ninja flea market in the middle of a forest. Now that's something you don't see every day,' he mused silently. His eyes scanned the room, observing the interactions of the different teams. Despite the camaraderie of last night, the air was still tense with underlying rivalries and unspoken challenges. “Then, because Sasuke burnt down all the remaining scrolls, the exam ended prematurely.”

Turning to Ino, Horyu raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like it was quite the night. A shame we missed it," he commented, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm. ‘So, Sasuke wanted to make sure I failed. Too bad for him.’

Ino laughed, shaking her head. "Maybe it's for the best. You avoided the chaos and still made it through. That's something."

Horyu smiled, not showing his thoughts. He did witness the battle last night. At least partly. He just missed the ending.

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