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He liked this feeling—it helped him forget everything and think calmly.
"Ye Dou! The exam's about to start!"
Suddenly, the mongoose leapt from the shore onto his chest, jolting him back to reality. It was time.
As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the dazzling midday sun. Then came the sight of the mongoose's bright red pants. The little creature babbled something about celebrating victory but quickly jumped back to shore, changed into cleaner clothes, tied a long blade to its waist, and set off toward the Chūnin Exam venue.
"Let's go."
The site of the third and final stage of the Chūnin Exams was vastly different from the previous two. It was grand, formal, and built to impress.
If viewed from above, the final arena resembled a coliseum—wide, circular, and capable of hosting intense battles. The fighting platform at the center was about one hundred meters in diameter, more than enough space for genin to unleash their abilities without restraint.
Surrounding the platform were spectator stands, divided into two levels, already packed with people even though the matches hadn't started yet.
To ordinary citizens, ninja weren't mysterious beings anymore—but they were still revered. Their strength, strange techniques, and impossible feats remained awe-inspiring.
That's why the final stage of the Chūnin Exams always attracted countless civilians eager to witness the spectacle.
"You're late, dammit!"
As soon as Ye Dou entered the competitors' lounge, he was greeted by Uzumaki Naruto's familiar voice.
"What're you talking about? You just got here too," Shikamaru Nara sighed from the side, clearly annoyed. "Seriously… I thought I was lazy, but you two are something else."
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly but quickly changed the subject.
"Hey, where's Sasuke? Haven't seen him yet. Don't tell me he's off doing secret training or something."
"Who knows. That guy… it'd be better if he never showed up," Naruto grumbled, though his eyes instinctively flicked toward the entrance.
"Alright, enough chit-chat."
Hayate Gekkō's substitute, Shiranui Genma, stepped in with his signature senbon between his lips. His tone was calm but firm.
Despite the fact that most of the remaining candidates were from Konoha, there was a hint of pride in his eyes as he looked them over.
"You're all up. Let's not keep the audience waiting."
He led the way out of the lounge.
The genin fell silent and followed. As they stepped into the light, a thunderous wave of cheers and applause greeted them.
The atmosphere was electric. The crowd's passion washed over them, boosting adrenaline and igniting their fighting spirits.
As Ye Dou and the others walked to the center of the arena, applause echoed from every direction.
This was Konoha's home ground. And whether you were a civilian or a shinobi, seeing so many of your village's young ninja on display inspired pride.
It was like watching the Olympics, where your nation's athletes had made it to the finals. But unlike any sporting event, this stage hid far more danger beneath its surface.
What the cheering masses didn't know was that danger already loomed—enemy forces lurked outside the village barrier, ready to strike.
"Oh? Isn't that the Kazekage himself? What an honor," came a deep voice from the VIP balcony.
Unlike most of Konoha's buildings, the one at the head of the stadium bore a foreign architecture—its sloped, tiled roof was reminiscent of ancient Chinese pavilions.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, turned slightly under the shade of the canopy, offering a genial smile.
"You must be tired from the long journey. I appreciate your presence."
Disguised beneath the Kazekage's robes, Orochimaru returned a courteous smile.
"On the contrary, it is I who should thank you, Hokage-sama. Had the finals been held elsewhere, it would've been far more troublesome for someone of your age to travel."
There was a mocking undertone in his voice.
"You should consider naming a successor soon, lest time robs you of the chance."
Sarutobi chuckled, unbothered.
"Hahaha… Don't count me out yet. I still intend to serve Konoha for another five years."
He dismissed the subtle jab. In his eyes, the Kazekage was just a younger leader expressing himself boldly—nothing to be offended over.
"Well then, let's not delay."
Sarutobi stood and addressed the crowd.
"Distinguished guests, thank you all for attending the final stage of the Chūnin Selection Exams."
"Now, let the twelve genin who passed the preliminaries begin the official competition!"
The crowd erupted into another wave of applause.
There was no drawn-out ceremony.
With Sarutobi's announcement, the final stage of the Chūnin Exams officially began.
Because Hayate Gekkō had been killed by Baki of the Sand and had gone missing, the role of chief proctor had passed to Shiranui Genma.
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