"Is the situation clear?"
Just as the crowd surged toward the Chūnin Exam training grounds, an ANBU appeared silently at Hiruzen's side, as if stepping out of the shadows.
"Reporting," the ANBU said quietly, bowing.
"It wasn't Yagami who spread rumors about the Uchiha. The source was several ROOT operatives."
Hiruzen's brows immediately furrowed.
"…Danzō."
His voice lowered with irritation.
"What is he scheming now…?"
The ANBU shook his head.
He had no further details.
"Return."
The ANBU made a small bow and prepared to vanish—
"Wait."
Hiruzen raised a hand.
"Go to Konoha Hospital and summon medical-nin."
This wasn't a schoolyard scuffle.
Even with rules, a one-versus-seven match between trained shinobi could go wrong fast.
If injuries happened, he wanted immediate response teams ready.
"Yes, Lord Third."
The ANBU disappear in a blur of motion.
A wave of excitement spread through the streets as word traveled.
Crowds gathered, flowing toward the Chūnin Exam venue like a festival procession.
More and more shinobi joined in — genin rushing ahead, chūnin climbing onto rooftops for better vantage, jōnin following with amused expressions.
Before long, the streets leading to the training grounds were packed shoulder-to-shoulder.
Voices overlapped, anticipation building like a summer festival stirring the entire village.
Uchiha Compound — Elder's Courtyard
"What…? Say that again."
The elderly Uchiha Great Elder stood rigid with shock, white beard trembling as he stared at Fugaku.
Fugaku exhaled, repeating helplessly:
"Eikō and Yuuto approached Yagami… with five others. They challenged him to a seven-on-one."
Before the Elder could even respond, a young Uchiha burst into the courtyard, nearly tripping over the threshold.
"Grand Elder—! A report!"
He stumbled forward, panting.
"Eikō and Yuuto have already confronted Yagami! Hundreds of people gathered to watch and Lord Hokage has been alerted!"
"WHAT!?"
The Elder spun around, his cane shaking violently in his grip.
With the clan currently lacking an official patriarch, all matters fell directly onto his shoulders and this was a disaster.
His knees buckled and he nearly toppled backward.
"Grand Elder!"
Fugaku darted forward, catching him before he hit the ground.
"Dear god… these foolish children are going to send me to an early grave…"
Tears welled at the corners of the old man's eyes.
The Uchiha's strained relations with the village leadership had been festering since the Second Hokage's era.
Now, with tensions already dangerously high, the last thing they needed was a public spectacle involving seven Uchiha attacking a single shinobi.
And in front of half the village.
And the Hokage.
Fugaku rubbed his back gently.
"Grand Elder, don't worry. We still have time to do something."
"Yes… yes, of course!"
The Elder straightened as much as his shaky body allowed.
"Hurry! We must stop them — before this situation gets even worse!"
Unease still gnawed at him.
So much so that he grabbed Fugaku's arm.
"No… I should go myself!"
"Elder, please — let me handle it."
Fugaku tried to keep him seated.
"Release me! If those idiots embarrass us any further, this clan will collapse from shame!"
The Elder shook him off and hobbled toward the gate with his cane.
Fugaku sighed.
At this pace, the Elder wouldn't reach the gates before sunset.
So he stepped forward, crouched, and hoisted the old man onto his back.
Otherwise they'd never make it in time.
Yagami's Prestige
Meanwhile…
[Prestige +1…]
[Prestige +1…]
[Prestige +1…]
As the crowd swelled, Yagami's system notifications rang endlessly.
By the time they approached the Chūnin Exam arena, five to six hundred people had gathered — including several well-known jōnin and the fathers of the future Naruto generation.
The atmosphere was completely electric.
A one-versus-seven match sanctioned by the Hokage?
No one in Konoha was missing this.
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