CHAPTER 178 - 178 – OROCHIMARU IS FINALLY READY TO TAKE ACTION!

Bonus Chapter

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After that, the Chunin Exam continued.

Chōjuro and Uzumaki Karin from the Hidden Mist Village took the stage one after another.

However, their opponents were not strong—at least not compared to the strength of Chōjuro and Karin.

Such opponents couldn't even pose a threat.

Finally, when the third round of the exam was over, the remaining ninjas were all elite members of the younger generation. What awaited them next would be the final round of the Chunin Exams in a few days.

The three under Uchiha Haru—Kimimaro, Chōjuro, and Uzumaki Karin—all successfully entered the next round.

The teams under Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma, and Kakashi progressed just like they did in the original Naruto timeline.

Hyūga Neji, Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke all advanced.

At the end of the third round, matchups for the finals were announced.

Kimimaro would face Uchiha Sasuke.

Unfortunately, Uzumaki Karin was paired against Chōjuro.

You could say their luck was awful.

But with all three Hidden Mist ninjas making it this far, the chance of drawing one another was naturally higher.

Still, one couldn't help but wonder if there was something going on behind the scenes.

Uchiha Haru didn't care.

He knew perfectly well that the final round of the Chunin Exams would never be completed.

So, the so-called duels didn't mean much to him.

But the others didn't know that.

After all, not everyone had the foresight he did.

To the ninjas who made it to the finals, this was a rare and critical opportunity.

Their teachers had already begun putting them through intense special training.

Every finalist was strong. None of them were easy to handle. Beating one another without proper preparation? Impossible.

Kimimaro, Chōjuro, and Karin were no exception. They also started training hard.

But they didn't train under Uchiha Haru.

The three of them trained together—just like they did back in the Hidden Mist Village.

Of course, Haru knew all of this.

Even if he wanted to teach them, there really wasn't much he could offer.

The things he had mastered—

The Ōtsutsuki body, Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, Wood Release, Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, Lord of Elements, Sage Mode, Body Flicker Technique, Flying Thunder God Technique...

These were techniques far too advanced.

Not something ordinary shinobi could ever hope to learn.

It's no exaggeration to say that whether one could learn these things depended entirely on personal fate and innate talent.

Kimimaro, Chōjuro, and Karin were all geniuses in their own right—but even so, these techniques were far beyond them.

Haru had tried teaching them. It didn't work. They simply couldn't manage it.

And as for other jutsu? Haru honestly didn't know what else he could offer them. At best, he could give a few training tips on the side.

But teaching actual techniques? That wasn't realistic.

Even so, it didn't mean Kimimaro, Chōjuro, and Karin were lacking proper guidance.

Kimimaro was the son of the Kaguya clan's head.

From childhood, he had received personal instruction from his father.

The Kaguya clan had always possessed deep, unique insight into taijutsu and kekkei genkai—particularly Shikotsumyaku, the Corpse Bone Pulse.

They knew better than anyone how to fuse taijutsu with Shikotsumyaku to unleash terrifying power.

The Kaguya clan leader was a master in this field and had been the best teacher Kimimaro could ask for.

Chōjuro, too, had strong support.

The practice of kenjutsu in the Hidden Mist Village far surpassed that of any other shinobi village.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were known throughout the entire shinobi world—not because of propaganda, but because they had earned it in battle.

Chōjuro was naturally talented with a blade, and under the same training and guidance passed down by the previous swordsmen, he had grown rapidly.

Then there was Uzumaki Karin, the Six-Tails Jinchūriki.

The Hidden Mist Village had its own way of handling Jinchūriki.

Ever since acquiring Tailed Beasts, the village had extensively researched how to become a perfect Jinchūriki—one capable of fully controlling the Tailed Beast's power.

The previous Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had been a perfect Jinchūriki.

The former Six-Tails host before Karin had also achieved perfection.

In contrast, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki of Konoha had frequent internal struggles.

This alone showed that the Hidden Mist's methods in training Jinchūriki far surpassed Konoha's.

Kimimaro, Chōjuro, and Karin had their own paths and their own mentors. Haru didn't need to get too involved. A few words of advice from him were more than enough.

While each village's ninjas threw themselves into intense training in preparation for the final round, the Akatsuki organization—hiding on the outskirts of Konoha—was closely monitoring the situation.

"The last stage of the Chunin Exam... If Orochimaru is going to act, this will be the time," said Nagato, his tone steady and cold.

Ever since the Chunin Exams began, they had been lying in wait for this opportunity.

And now that the Exams were nearing their end—yet Orochimaru still hadn't moved—they continued to wait, motionless.

"But..."

Behind Nagato, Konan frowned slightly, her voice laced with concern. "But what if Orochimaru doesn't take action?"

"That's impossible."

The masked man stood beside a flickering candle, hands clasped behind his back. "Orochimaru wouldn't have come to Konoha without a reason. He would never take such a risk unless he had a purpose."

"Didn't he go to the Forest of Death looking for a child named Uchiha Sasuke?" Konan speculated. "Could it be that he came here just for that boy?"

"No," the masked man replied firmly. "If all he wanted was the Uchiha boy, then why is he still lingering in Konoha? Why would he go as far as impersonating the Kazekage?"

"If concealment was his only goal, disguising himself as a commoner would've made much more sense."

"True," Nagato nodded. "I agree. Orochimaru clearly has something else planned."

"And whatever it is, he'll carry it out during the final round of the Chunin Exams."

"That will be his only opportunity."

"But... what if Orochimaru doesn't act during the final round?" Konan looked at Nagato, her voice uneasy.

They had already spent far too much time hiding in Konoha's shadows.

Worse, they had deployed Uchiha Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori to the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock Villages to capture the Tailed Beasts.

If they failed to act here, regardless of how things played out on the other fronts, they would face retaliation from those two powerful villages.

Unlike Konoha, the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock wouldn't hesitate to go to war. If provoked, they'd fight to the death.

And now, the Akatsuki found themselves potentially facing both at once—a scenario that would be devastating.

The only path forward was to succeed in capturing the Tailed Beasts from both sides.

At the very least, they needed to secure all three of the targets here in Konoha.

If they didn't, the losses would be too severe.

Nagato pondered for a moment. "If Orochimaru doesn't make a move, we won't wait. We'll act ourselves."

"Obito," he said, turning to the masked man. "Do you agree?"

The man hesitated briefly, then nodded.

"Fine," he said. "I don't want to wait any longer."

At that moment, Zetsu—who hadn't been seen in some time—emerged silently from the ground.

"Zetsu," Nagato said, "have you found anything useful?"

"Good news," White Zetsu replied with a sly grin. "As the final round of the Chunin Exams draws near, I've noticed unusual activity in the Hidden Sand Village."

"The Hidden Sand..." Nagato's eyes sharpened.

That could only mean one thing: Orochimaru, currently impersonating the Fourth Kazekage, was finally preparing to act.

The Sand's movement signaled that Orochimaru's plan was underway.

"Excellent."

"We've finally waited long enough."

Relief crept into Nagato's expression.

Konan's tense brow also relaxed slightly.

Although they had decided to act regardless of Orochimaru's involvement, it was far better to proceed with their original plan.

"Continue monitoring him," the masked man said, nodding. "Is there anything else?"

"There are two more things," Zetsu said, his grin widening.

"Guess who I spotted near Konoha?"

He spoke with deliberate suspense, expecting some kind of reaction.

But he regretted it the moment the words left his mouth.

No one among the group ever entertained his theatrics.

Every time he tried, they simply ignored him and let him stew in his own embarrassment.

This time, he refused to let that happen again.

He dropped the pretense and said directly, "I saw Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya?" the masked man repeated with a frown. "What's he doing around here?"

"Has he discovered our presence?"

But the moment he spoke, he failed to notice the subtle changes in Konan and Nagato's expressions.

At the mention of Jiraiya, both stiffened.

After all, he had once been their teacher.

But that was long ago.

That time had passed.

There was no going back now.

"No, he hasn't found us," White Zetsu said. "He's here on orders from the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He was sent to search the surrounding areas for traces of Orochimaru."

"Hahahaha!"

The masked man burst into laughter. "Sarutobi Hiruzen just helped us take another piece off the board!"

He turned to Zetsu. "When it's time for us to act, I want you to make yourself visible to Jiraiya. Let him spot you. Then lure him away—take him as far from Konoha as possible."

Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, had reached Kage-level decades ago.

No one knew the true limits of his current strength.

But one thing was certain—he was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

In a direct confrontation, even two or three of Pain's bodies might not be enough to hold him back.

But now?

Now, just a single White Zetsu, devoid of any real combat power, could lead him away effortlessly.

All thanks to Sarutobi Hiruzen's timely order.

The old Hokage had unwittingly done them a massive favor.

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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones

2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones

3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones

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