Inside the examination space, Konan's eyes curved into soft crescents. It was the first time in ages that she'd seen Nagato this relaxed—perhaps since Yahiko's death.
Konan glanced at the fifth question and its options. She knew Nagato, despite being emotional, had gotten it right. After all, they had both seen the terrifying power of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path firsthand. In her heart, she believed there was no one alive in the current shinobi world stronger than Nagato—at least not in sheer power.
Yet... something didn't add up.
If it wasn't raw strength that stopped Pain from destroying Konoha... then what was it?
A different factor—one they hadn't considered?
Her brow furrowed. Unlike Jiraiya, who believed the answer might be "none of the above," Konan felt certain that one of the five options was correct.
She wasn't too familiar with Sarutobi Hiruzen's third successor, but he was a renowned strategist, second only to Ohnoki of the Stone. And as the only reactivated Kage in history, he must have had some special methods to earn that distinction.
Then there was Hatake Kakashi. Konan analyzed his Sharingan—it was originally Obito's, and she theorized it had space-time properties. Perhaps he used it to trap Pain?
But it was the last three that Konan truly favored:
> "Strongest Taijutsu," "Fastest Shinobi," "Greatest X-Factor."
They stood out. All were on the Legendary Shinobi List—the pride of the era. That alone spoke volumes.
"Strongest body,"
"Fastest speed,"
"Wildest unpredictability..."
Konan whispered, her eyes drifting across every Akatsuki member, but no one met her gaze. In the end, her eyes fell on Jiraiya.
Sensing her silent question, Jiraiya scratched his wild white hair, a pained smile touching his lips.
He had an answer once. But after hearing Nagato's analysis, he changed it.
Because defeating Nagato... required more than power.
Jiraiya admitted Minato Namikaze was absurdly strong. The Fourth Hokage's speed was unmatched, and Jiraiya believed that if Minato had been alive, he could have stopped Pain.
But—there was a missing piece: time.
> Timeline deduction:
Based on the first exam question, most Akatsuki members were dead by the end—including Nagato. It was also stated that Nagato became a spy for Konoha before the Fourth Great Ninja War. Which meant... he died after defecting.
But Jiraiya died before that—killed by Pain himself.
And Minato wasn't even listed as a possible answer to the question. That alone was a clue.
So Jiraiya ran the timeline in his mind:
> Jiraiya dies → Pain attacks Konoha → Nagato turns spy → Nagato dies → Fourth Ninja War.
If Minato was resurrected, it would've been during the war. Thus, he wouldn't have been alive when Pain invaded.
> Conclusion: Minato couldn't have been the one who stopped Pain.
That left the remaining options.
"Hard to say whether it's the taijutsu master... or the unpredictable one," Jiraiya muttered, glancing at Nagato.
Could Naruto, that unpredictable kid, really be the one?
"Jiraiya," Nagato said quietly, catching the old sage staring. "Do you have a different answer?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "No."
Nagato turned back to the void. "Exam space, final answer: D – Uzumaki Naruto."
The white fog trembled violently.
Suddenly, it vanished.
In its place, an immense live broadcast screen appeared overhead. Fireworks exploded across the screen—so vivid they almost felt real.
Then came the messages:
---
[Fifth Question Answered Correctly!]
[Congratulations, exam completed!]
[Score: 100/100. Pass mark: 60.]
[No cheating or irregularities found. All answers validated.]
[Full marks! Reward distribution: 100% to group.]
[Bonus Reward: Video Answer Analysis]
[Additional Reward: 1 Correct Answer – Angel Konan]
[Authority Upgrade: +5 slots on Shinobi Talent List]
[Additional Permissions Granted: Access to other lists – Seat 1.]
---
A flood of notifications overtook the screen, leaving the entire Akatsuki in awe.
"No answer explanation?" Nagato frowned. "Why no prompt this time?"
[You've unlocked "Video Answer Analysis." Standard explanation disabled.]
[Would you like to play the fifth answer analysis video?]
[Receive rewards now?]
[Open Shinobi List?]
"Wait—slow down," Nagato held up his hand. "One at a time."
[Understood. Please choose your next action.]
Nagato took a breath, scanning the group. Everyone stared at him with anticipation, eyes wide, hearts pounding.
"Exam space," he said firmly. "Play the video answer analysis."
The moment his voice dropped, the screen turned black. A single rotating loading ring spun at the center.
---
Meanwhile, in Konoha...
Sarutobi Hiruzen landed silently atop a roof, eyes locked onto the sky.
A video... of the future?
First questions that predicted it were already surreal—but this?
Even across the world, shinobi villages held their breath. Kages, rogue ninjas, wandering monks... all fixed their eyes on that screen.
---
Was it truly possible to see the future?
In a rare moment, the entire ninja world stood still.
Waiting.