"Hmph, Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" Danzo spat out the words with habitual indignation as he turned sharply toward the door.
Hiruzen exhaled a long, weary sigh.
All these years, and he still hasn't changed a single line… Is that truly the only phrase he knows?
But reflexively — almost like a deeply ingrained passive ability — Hiruzen replied in the same tone he always used in these exchanges:
"I am the Hokage, Danzo."
Bang! The door slammed so hard that the frame rattled.
Yet Homura and Koharu didn't even flinch. Their expressions remained perfectly calm, as if they were watching a scene that had played out a thousand times.
Because they were. They had long since grown accustomed to Danzo's dramatic exits.
Hiruzen felt the same. He simply waved off the outburst.
At least this time, Danzo hadn't tried to remove the door from its hinges — an improvement compared to some of his past tantrums.
Taking another drag from his pipe, Hiruzen turned to the remaining two elders. "Anyone else you wish to recommend?"
Homura shook his head. "No. The rest aren't ready yet."
"Very well," Hiruzen concluded. "Then the list of Jonin Exam candidates is finalized."
---
Aoshi's House
After dinner, Mikoto rose gracefully and began clearing the dishes on her own initiative.
Aoshi headed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
When he emerged—water droplets still clinging to his hair, a towel wrapped loosely around his waist—he noticed the apartment had been tidied from corner to corner.
However, Mikoto was nowhere in sight.
"Mikoto?" He called her name several times, but silence greeted him.
"It seems she's already gone home," Aoshi murmured to himself without surprise.
This had always been Mikoto's routine: cook for him, clean up afterward, and then quietly return to her own home. Their homes were both located in central Konoha; the distance wasn't far.
The Nine-Tails incident never happened in this timeline, so the Uchiha clan was never forced onto the outskirts. The relocation never occurred.
But when Aoshi stepped into the bedroom… He stopped dead in his tracks.
Mikoto—whom he assumed had returned to the Uchiha residence—was lying on the bed.
That alone wasn't enough to shock him. What shocked him was the fact that she was wearing nothing but a purple apron, her cheeks crimson, her eyes shy yet determined.
"A-Aoshi… what are you just standing there for?" She tugged nervously at the hem of the apron. "Come here."
The sight instantly called to mind a famous saying: Purple is the most seductive color.
And in this moment, Aoshi realized just how true that statement was.
No sane man could withstand this. He certainly couldn't.
Aoshi lunged forward, capturing Mikoto's lips in a fervent kiss.
Mikoto responded just as passionately, wrapping her arms around him with trembling fingers.
But when the moment came to cross the final line, Aoshi paused. "Mikoto… are you truly certain? I don't want you to regret anything because of a momentary impulse."
He understood her principles well. Mikoto had always wanted to wait until marriage. He respected that deeply — and would never push her beyond what she wanted.
Her voice trembled, but her resolve was steadfast. "How could I regret it? I love you, Aoshi."
Her confession swept away his hesitation. Compared to Tsunade, Mikoto was more gentle, more reserved, more passive in matters of love.
Aoshi guided her slowly, carefully… and at last, the two of them crossed that long-awaited line.
Time blurred.
Later—no one knew how long afterward—Mikoto rested in Aoshi's arms, her expression serene and utterly satisfied.
Aoshi kissed her forehead softly before pulling her close, and together they drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Compared to Tsunade, Mikoto was indeed physically weaker.
---
The Next Morning
As sunlight filtered through the window, Aoshi stirred awake. Another day where he had skipped morning training.
The guilt… the terrible guilt… And yet, with a beauty like Mikoto sleeping in his arms, who could blame him?
He glanced down at her, only to notice something amusing. Mikoto—clearly awake—was trying to pretend she was still asleep, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.
All guilt evaporated.
"Mikoto," he murmured in a teasing voice, "as shinobi, we need more than just ninjutsu and taijutsu. Daily training is essential."
He smirked. "So come on. Let's do morning exercises together."
Unable to keep pretending, Mikoto slowly opened her eyes, her face turning crimson as memories from the night before resurfaced.
She wanted to protest—but Aoshi was already leaning in, sealing her lips and ending the conversation.
Thus, their… morning exercise began.
---
Hokage's Office
After another puff from his pipe, Hiruzen looked at the three young shinobi standing before him.
"With your strength and experience, all three of you are qualified to participate in this year's Jonin Exams," he said gravely. "If you pass, you will officially become a Jonin."
Like the Chunin Exams, the Jonin Exams consisted of three stages.
1. The Written Test.
Unlike the Chunin Exams, which focused on intelligence-gathering, the Jonin written exam tested broad knowledge—strategy, geography, medical basics, leadership, and mission protocol.
Since Jonin regularly handled the most complex operations, knowledge was as crucial as power.
2. The Practical Combat Test.
Unlike the Chunin's group survival format, this would be a one-on-one battle.
A Jonin examiner evaluated each candidate individually. Only those who earned the examiner's approval passed.
3. The Mission Test.
The final assessment required the candidate to complete a specially assigned mission—usually B-rank difficulty—alone.
This was the ultimate measurement of whether a shinobi was ready to shoulder the responsibilities of a Jonin.
Even then, passing all three exams didn't guarantee promotion.
Only those who demonstrated well-rounded ability with no major weaknesses would become full-fledged Jonin.
Those who excelled in one area but lacked in others would instead be promoted to Special Jonin.
"I hope all three of you succeed," Hiruzen said sincerely. He handed out three application forms.
Aoshi accepted them, then gave the other two forms to Minato and Nono.
Only these three would participate this year.
Kushina had been furious about being disqualified, but after Aoshi personally comforted her, she finally accepted Hiruzen's decision.
After thanking the Hokage, the three made their way to the exam hall where the written test would be held.
Since there were only three candidates, only one examiner was assigned.
The test was completed quickly.
Unsurprisingly, all three passed.
The written Jonin exam was far more difficult than the Chunin exam, but for these three elites, it posed no real threat.
Next came the second stage—the practical combat exam—held in three separate sections of the Forest of Death.
Each candidate would face a different Jonin examiner.
"Minato, Nono—do your best!" Aoshi called encouragingly before heading toward his own assigned training ground.
A Jonin examiner… I wonder who I'll face.
Two years ago, his strength already surpassed that of many Jonin. Two years later, he had grown only stronger.
Upon reaching the designated location, Aoshi instantly recognized the lone figure standing in the clearing.
Long silver-white hair tied into a ponytail. A white armband marked with a red triangle. A chakra blade strapped to his back.
Hatake Sakumo. The name immediately came to his mind.
A name that some might not instantly recognize—but everyone knew his title: Konoha's White Fang.