Reborn in Konoha; I Think I’m Cultivating Immortality

As Konoha's invitations spread throughout the Shinobi World, the entire world was thrown into an uproar.

The last Joint Chūnin Exam had been held several years ago.

That exam had been hosted by Iwagakure with the aim of fostering stronger ties between the villages. 

It gathered the Kage from each village in secret to discuss strategies for dealing with Konoha and to gather intel on Konoha's strength through the exam.

However, Konoha had only sent five participants, one Jōnin as the team leader and four Genin to compete in the exam.

One of those Genin had been a boy named Nawaki Senju.

And he had shown everyone what Wood Release really was.

The Chūnin Exam had turned into Nawaki's personal showcase.

By the end of it, the rest of the Shinobi World had fallen deeper into despair over Konoha's overwhelming power.

And now, Konoha was hosting another Joint Chūnin Exam, this time as the main organizer.

This announcement left many villages stunned.

They had been relentlessly sending spies to gather information on Konoha, only for every single one of them to be intercepted before they could even set foot inside the village.

And now, Konoha had extended an open invitation for them to enter willingly.

Many people's first thought was:

It's a trap.

It had to be a trap!

"No way! We can't go!"

But almost immediately, they reconsidered:

No... they had to go.

No matter what Konoha's intentions were, a Chūnin Exam alone wouldn't destroy their village.

At worst, they could send fewer shinobi and make sure they selected skilled spies capable of gathering intel during the exam.

At the very least, they needed to understand what Konoha had become in order to prepare accordingly.

In Iwagakure, the setting was all too familiar, the same conference room, the same solemn gathering of elders.

And at the head of the table sat the familiar figure of Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage.

"What do you all think of Konoha's move?" Ōnoki asked, eyeing the invitation on the table. The letter seemed to radiate Konoha's undeniable power.

"It's obvious, Konoha is preparing to flex its muscles for the whole world to see," one elder stated confidently.

"Indeed. Other than making a show of force, I can't think of another reason for them to host a Joint Chūnin Exam," another elder agreed.

"While we've been exhausting ourselves trying to gather information about Konoha, they've openly invited us in. There's no doubt, this is a grand display of their strength," someone else added.

The room fell silent at the unspoken implication:

If Konoha was this brazen in showcasing its power, didn't that mean they had already amassed enough strength to confront the entire Shinobi World without fear?

The weight of that realization pressed down on the room like a stone.

Everyone, including Ōnoki, felt the suffocating pressure.

As the expiration of the fifteen-year treaty loomed closer, Ōnoki had been plagued by sleepless nights, waking in terror from dreams where Iwagakure was obliterated by Konoha.

He feared that his beloved village would be destroyed under his leadership.

He couldn't bear the thought of facing his grandfather, the First Tsuchikage, or his mentor, the Second Tsuchikage, with such a failure on his shoulders.

"No matter what Konoha's intentions are, we must attend this Joint Chūnin Exam," Ōnoki declared.

"This is our best chance to gather firsthand knowledge about Konoha. We can't afford to miss it."

He paused, then gave his orders.

"Select capable shinobi for this mission. Kitsuchi will lead the team."

Although he wanted to see Konoha for himself, Ōnoki knew it was far too dangerous.

He feared that Konoha's invitation might be part of a larger scheme, a plot to eliminate the Kage of the four major villages in one fell swoop.

If Konoha succeeded in doing so, their conquest of the Shinobi World would become much easier.

For that reason, he couldn't risk going in person.

Sunagakure's Third Kazekage reached a similar conclusion. He, too, chose not to attend personally and instead sent another key figure to represent the village.

In Kumogakure, however, the Third Raikage, A, decided to attend the exam himself.

But his decision was met with fierce opposition from the rest of the village.

They feared that their most powerful shinobi, their greatest protection, might fall victim to Konoha's potential machinations.

In the end, the Third Raikage was convinced to stay, and an elite team of shinobi was dispatched to Konoha instead.

The Shinobi World braced itself as the villages prepared to converge on Konoha, uncertain of what awaited them in the heart of the Leaf.

Unlike the other villages, Kirigakure's Third Mizukage made a different decision, he resolved to attend the Chūnin Exam in Konoha personally. 

He stood firm despite opposition from his advisors and led the team to Konoha himself.

Fifteen years ago, he had dared to walk alone into Konoha's camp to negotiate peace with Hui. And now, he was determined to see with his own eyes what Konoha had become.

Aside from the Four Great Villages, the smaller villages also deliberated over whether they should participate in the Chūnin Exam and who should lead their delegations.

In Amegakure, Hanzo of the Salamander was caught in a dilemma.

Years ago, when Hui wandered the Shinobi World during his training, they had crossed paths briefly.

Back then, Hanzo had not been Hui's match.

But now, ten years had passed since that encounter.

In those ten years, Hanzo believed he had grown strong, strong enough to rival the Kage of any of the Four Great Shinobi Villages.

However, when it came to Hui, he wasn't so sure.

Hui's growth had been too terrifying.

Every step of Hui's journey had been scrutinized and documented by the Shinobi Villages.

The details of his every appearance, his rise on the battlefield, his time spent training in the Shinobi World, had all been analyzed countless times.

Hanzo understood better than most what kind of person Hui was.

And it had now been ten years since their last meeting.

In those ten years, how much stronger had Hui become?

No one knew.

"Perhaps… it's better to let someone else from the village go..."

In the end, caution prevailed, and Hanzo was prepared to give the order.

But just as the words formed in his mind, memories of their previous encounter resurfaced.

He recalled the questions that had haunted him ever since.

"How will you develop Amegakure as its leader? What means will you use? What path will you choose?"

At that time, Hanzo had been so flustered by these questions that he had refused to answer, calling them secrets.

To this day, he could not forget the look of disappointment on Hui's face.

It was the look of someone who had once held him in high regard but was now utterly disillusioned.

That gaze had pierced Hanzo's heart like a thorn, leaving a lasting wound.

Over the past decade, Hanzo had expanded Amegakure's territory and strengthened its military power significantly.

In fact, Amegakure had grown so powerful under his leadership that some had begun referring to it as the Sixth Great Shinobi Village.

This accomplishment filled Hanzo with pride.

He wanted to tell Hui, "Look at this! This is my answer!"

But he had never been given the chance.

Now, Hanzo suddenly felt an urge to witness Konoha with his own eyes, to see the village that Hui had shaped.

He wanted to challenge Hui once more.

"Fine. I'll go myself."

In that moment, Hanzo's impulsiveness overpowered his caution, and he made his final decision.

It was strange, but that's the nature of impulsive moments, they can be unexpectedly powerful.

It wasn't just Amegakure. Even the Land of Iron, despite being a neutral nation, decided to participate in the Chūnin Exam.

If Konoha truly intended to unify the Shinobi World, the Land of Iron wouldn't be spared.

After all, the Land of Iron was part of the Shinobi World too.

Thus, Mifune, a well known samurai general, set out from the Land of Iron with his delegation.

The Shinobi World grew increasingly lively as delegations prepared to converge on Konoha.

Almost every hidden village, from the largest to the smallest, sent shinobi to participate in the Chūnin Exam.

Even some reclusive minor villages emerged from the shadows to take part.

Among the many teams making their way to Konoha, one particular group stood out.

A white-haired man with a carefree grin walked at the head of the team, a blade of grass in his mouth, his hands resting behind his head as he strolled.

But his gaze seemed distant, as though lost in memories.

The man's lips curled into a smile as he spat out the grass and muttered to himself,

"After being away for so long… it's time to go home. It feels strange to be returning."

"Daddy! Help me catch a butterfly!"

A child's innocent voice snapped him out of his reverie.

His smile softened as he looked toward the voice and called out cheerfully, "Coming, coming! Watch your dad!"

A short-haired kunoichi nearby watched the scene unfold with a gentle, happy smile.