Hatake Tatsuya in Naruto

Although Konoha has formed alliances with the Sand, Cloud, and Mist Shinobi, the reality is more complex. While Konoha, Cloud, and Mist are allies, the Sand Shinobi are not directly aligned with the other two. The Sand, Cloud, and Mist Shinobi only share a formal alliance with Konoha.

Four years ago, Konoha, Cloud, and Mist Shinobi established the Iron Triangle Alliance, a strategic partnership that has shaped the course of their interactions. As part of the agreement, the three villages have taken turns hosting the Chūnin Exams.

In Konoha's 57th year, the village hosted the exams. The following year, in the 58th, the Mist Shinobi took their turn. The 59th year saw Cloud Shinobi hosting, and now, in Konoha's 60th year, it is once again their turn to oversee the event.

Since the Sand Shinobi have an alliance with Konoha, their Genin will also participate in this year's Chūnin Exams.

...

...

It had been several months since the Konoha Nine officially graduated and became Konoha's new Genin. They had since learned about the upcoming Chūnin Exams from their respective Jōnin instructors.

"Do you want to participate?" Kakashi asked, dangling chunin exam forms with one hand as he addressed the members of Team 7.

"Does that even need to be asked?!" Naruto exclaimed, his arms raised in excitement, his eyes gleaming with determination. "This is my first step toward becoming Hokage!"

Sasuke, unable to hide the glint of excitement in his eyes, thought to himself, I'm sick of D-rank missions with no real challenge. Becoming a Chūnin will help me grow faster...

Sakura, ever the follower of Sasuke, nodded in agreement. "I want to become stronger too," she murmured, her resolve firm.

Kakashi gave a satisfied smile, handing them the list of participants and forms. "Alright, it's unanimous. I look forward to your performance," he said before disappearing in his usual style.

A similar scene played out in Kurenai's Team 8 and Rin's Team 10. The decision to take the Chūnin Exams had been made, and the teams headed home, discussing how they might improve their strength before the exams.

As they walked, however, a sudden commotion ahead caught their attention.

"I'm just stating the truth! Your Cloud Shinobi Village lost to our Mist Shinobi in the last war, didn't you?" A teenager with shoulder-length, pure white hair, around their age, stood with his arms crossed behind his back, smirking at a pair of figures across from him. The two individuals had dark, coal-like skin and looked visibly irritated.

What truly drew the attention of Team 7, though, was the machete strapped to the boy's back. It wasn't just an accessory—it was a weapon of significant importance, especially after their encounter with Mist Shinobi rebels during a previous C-rank mission. That machete reminded them of none other than Momochi Zabuza, a former rogue who had made a name for himself wielding a massive sword.

"You bastard! What are you talking about?!" the girl with red hair and black skin hissed, grabbing the white-haired boy by the collar, her anger palpable.

"The forehead protectors on both sides... they're from Kirigakure and Cloud Shinobi Village!" Sakura exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise.

"It looks like it's about to turn into a fight. This is gonna be fun!" Naruto said, rubbing his hands together, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

Although Naruto hadn't experienced the tragic childhood of his original counterpart, his habit of getting into trouble remained unchanged.

Just as the two sides were about to clash, a chilling sensation surged through both parties. Even Team 7, standing more than ten meters away, couldn't help but shudder as a wave of cold washed over them.

The combatants froze in place, their feet encased in a thick layer of ice, pinning them to the ground.

"Stop, Suigetsu, you'll only embarrass our village like this," a voice rang out from the shadows, pulling the two groups apart with a firm tone.

A figure emerged, walking toward the red-haired girl with black skin. The figure, a man, turned to her and said, "I apologize on behalf of my companion."

"Tsk… Haku, they were the ones who started it by insulting us first," Suigetsu muttered, pouting with irritation.

Sasuke, observing the scene, narrowed his eyes at the ice that had frozen the ground. He also noted the speed with which the person had used the Body Flicker Technique just now.

Is that a Bloodline Limit? Sasuke thought, his brow furrowing as he stared at the melting ice beneath their feet. So fast… Faster than me... His fists clenched in frustration. Damn it, my growth rate is too slow!

"What a pretty girl!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes widening at the sight of the beautiful figure in the pink kimono.

Haku, hearing the compliment from a distance, smiled gently and responded, "Thank you for the compliment, but... I am a man."

Naruto's eyes went wide in disbelief, his jaw-dropping. "How is that possible?! There's a man more beautiful than Sakura?!"

Sakura, her face twitching with irritation, was about to punch Naruto on the spot but then remembered who his father was. With a resigned sigh, she shrugged and reluctantly withdrew her fist.

"Is that the Fifth Hokage's son?" Suigetsu muttered as she spotted the unmistakable blonde hair in the crowd. "He looks so... silly."

Chojuro, Haku, Omoi, and the others, who had come to participate in the Chūnin exam with their respective teams, exchanged relieved glances. It was a good thing the teams didn't end up fighting. They could only imagine how bad things might have gotten. After all, this wasn't their home village—it was Konoha, the strongest village in the Ninja world.

Meanwhile, across the street, in a room with a view of the commotion, three Sand Shinobi—two men and a woman—watched the scene unfold.

"Konoha, Cloud Shinobi, and Mist Shinobi... All have incredibly strong military forces. Looks like the Genin taking the exam this time are the strongest from all the villages," Temari said, turning her attention to her younger brothers in the room. She smiled as she addressed them, "Right, Kankuro? Gaara?"

However, Kankuro was focused on adjusting one of his puppets in the corner of the room, while Gaara sat in silence with his eyes closed on the other side. Neither of them responded to her.

Temari let out a quiet sigh, shaking her head in resignation. She always tried her best to act as the bridge between her two younger brothers, but with Gaara's special status, things never seemed to go smoothly.

...

"It's getting livelier by the day."

Tatsuya sat atop his house in the Senju clan compound, his gaze fixed on the bustling street outside. Since the Chūnin exams had arrived in Konoha, the streets had become increasingly crowded with Genin from various villages, all eager to participate. Among them, Tatsuya occasionally spotted familiar faces.

"Tatsuya, Orochimaru had discussed something with you before. He wishes for you to..."

At that moment, a green snake emerged from the eaves behind him, slithering silently through the air.

Tatsuya didn't even turn to face it as he spoke, his voice laced with mild amusement. "Does he need to bother me with such trivial matters? Tell him to handle it himself."

"Understood."

The green snake, sensing the dismissal, hesitated only briefly before dissipating into a puff of white smoke, returning to the Summoning world.

Tatsuya narrowed his eyes as he turned his attention to the distant Sarutobi clan compound, a sly smirk playing on his lips. "As expected... no matter how much he tries to hide it, the old man can't keep letting go of his hatred. What a pity! Hashirama advocated ending the cycle of Hatered alas no one inherited his will."

---

Enjoyed the chapter?

You can read 40 chapters ahead and get exclusive access to more content on P*treon.c*m/Marioni