I'm Inside Naruto Manga

"Ah, the ANBU, yeah, something's definitely off. I tried to chat with one, but they're super cold." Logan casually responded, but then he noticed Aida's expression didn't look like he was joking. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he straightened up, "What's wrong? "

"Nothing specific, just a slight sense that something's not right." Aida glanced at several places in the venue where ANBU were standing, "The ANBU are known for their covert operations. Why are they so out in the open this time?"

"Or maybe the ANBU have changed since before. Hattori, you retired more recently than I did, are you aware of any changes internally?"

Logan shook his head, indicating that he wasn't sure, "I had the same question as you just now, so I tried talking to one of them..." He shared his brief encounter with the cold ANBU, and Aida fell silent, pondering without giving any definitive opinion.

The large electronic screen on the wall displayed the names for the next match, signaling the start of the second round. Spectators who had left during the break were returning, and it was time for Aida to return to his original position, "It might not mean anything, but let's just stay alert."

The ANBU's distant and unapproachable demeanor wasn't unusual. While the Jonin were contributing out of goodwill under Hiruzen's mobilization, the ANBU were officially assigned to security duties. Different systems, different tasks, so who knows, maybe their mission was to stand openly as a deterrent. Both Logan and Aida, as retired ANBU's members, didn't have much say in the matter.

Logan nodded at Aida's advice. After all, acting on baseless suspicions could disrupt the village's operations and potentially cause serious issues. He then watched as Aida return to his designated area.

The second match began, with two figures already standing in the arena. After repeating the rules multiple times, Genma leaped away, leaving Shikamaru and Temari to battle. Without Sasuke being late, the timing of their fight had changed.

Setting aside Logan's subjective factors, the battles and conflicts during the Chunin Exams were intense and captivating. Shikamaru is one of the few Ninjas who fights with brains rather than sheer power. At the same time, he often says 'What a drag', only to accidentally pull off something impressive.

"Fighting a woman is such a drag..."

"Is this the attitude of Konoha's Ninjas? Then just give up already, Wind Release: Sickle Weasel Technique!"

The casual banter from below reached the stands, making some spectators, who had been eagerly awaiting an intense battle between Ninjas from different villages, showed weird expressions. The fierce wind tore through leaves, and Temari mercilessly swung her giant fan, forcing Shikamaru to dodge frantically.

Logan couldn't help but chuckle when he saw this scene.

As the chaotic battle raged on, Logan inadvertently turned his head and looked again at the ANBU who was very close to him and exuded the unapproachable aura.

'Is the mission really just to stand guard in such an unreasonable manner?' Logan wondered. Sensing something, the ANBU almost turned to look, but Logan quickly shifted his gaze back to the match.

Pretending to be engrossed in the match, Logan's mind began to recall the details from the Chunin Exam Arc in the Anime, 'Let me think… How was this part mentioned in the original work...'

'Wait… It seems I've been forgetting someone… Kabuto?" Logan tried his best to recall his not-so-good memory, and a clue flashed through his mind, 'That spy sent by Orochimaru.'

'That's right… It seems like the start of the Konoha Crush Plan involved someone using Genjutsu to knock out most of the audience.' Yu Xiaobai frowned, 'So, could some of the ANBU in the arena be undercover Otogakure or Sunagakure's Ninjas?'

'It seems that there is a plot like this.'

The Chunin Exams was early in the original series, and aside from the most interesting parts, Logan's memory was pretty hazy. Remembering Kabuto, Logan was convinced there was something fishy going on, and there were likely enemies lurking in the venue. But at the same time, he is not fully aware of it...

'Should I report it?' The thought came naturally, and Logan secretly glanced at the ANBU who was standing silently, 'There is still some time left before Gaara lost control during the match, so there was time to react if necessary…'

However, as Logan was about to stand up, a conflicting thought and sensation emerged, halting his movement. It was the same unsettling feeling he had the night before, 'Should I really be acting as a diligent and obedient Konoha's Ninja right now?'

From his high vantage point, Logan saw Kakashi sitting in the front row. His gaze also swept past Sakura, who was seated with Ino. The match in the arena seemed to be reaching a critical point, as Ino suddenly stood up, her excitement evident. The stadium was buzzing with noise. Sakura tugged at Ino, who realized her outburst and sat back down, her face flushed, now intently watching the match unfold.

While it was uncertain if there were any undercover agents among the ANBU, a thorough investigation would eventually reveal the truth. However, his urge to act began to fade, growing colder.

Under the bright daylight, doubts continued to swirl in Logan's mind. The reality of the Chunin Exams in Konoha was crashing down on him. This time, it was closer than last night. He clenched his fists but ultimately decided not to stand up.

"Winner, Temari!"

"What the heck? He surrendered? What's that all about!"

The referee's announcement echoed through the arena, followed by mixed reactions from the crowd—regret, cheers, and admiration for the strategic battle, as well as dissatisfaction that the Ninja of their own village had lost to Ninja from other villages. Ino jumped up, punching the air, while Sakura awkwardly glanced around at the others, "Sit down already!" "Oh, come on, didn't you do the same when Naruto won..."

As the cheers died down, Kakashi stopped clapping, smiling slightly, 'Even though Shikamaru had surrendered, it had been a great match. Promotion to Chunin wasn't just about the final outcome, and this kid had certainly proven himself.'

Kakashi glanced back at the two girls playfully bickering, then instinctively looked up at Logan. He had hoped to share a moment of pride with his teaching assistant over how well the Genin in their teams are doing, but instead, he found Logan lost in thought.

The smile on Kakashi's face faded, 'What's going through his mind?'

…

Logan hadn't expected Shikamaru's fight to end so quickly. During the brief intermission, Aida didn't come over to chat again, leaving Logan feeling uneasy in his seat. Behind him was the aisle, and beyond that, the wall. The Chunin Exams seemed distant to him now. Whether it was the thrilling battles in the arena or the undercurrents of scheming outside, they all seemed to blur, with Logan's mind drifting away from it all. The spectators' voices felt distant, as if he were separated from them.

'This is so uncomfortable...'

It wasn't until the start of the third and most anticipated match that the crowd's excitement peaked, pulling Logan back to reality.

"The third match, Gaara VS Uchiha Sasuke!"

The electronic screen displayed the names, "So that's the Uchiha survivor, huh? I heard he's the top graduate of this year's students."

"The guy with the gourd is the strongest contestant from the Sunagakure, right?"

"This is going to be good..."

"Finally, the match we've been waiting for."

Down in the arena, Sasuke was warming up, his eyes coldly fixed on the icy Gaara before him. A smirk appeared on his face, as the fruits of his training gave him a solid confidence, "Finally, my turn."

Sasuke glanced back at the audience, the vast sea of people making it impossible to see any individual faces. But even then, he knew that person was up there, watching him.

Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind and body, then, Sasuke heard what the referee's words as the hand came down.

"The third match begins!"