Author's Note's: Another small chapter again.

This is the start of a new arc for the story, so it's mostly just conversation that will transition the story into what is to come.

On a side note, Dreamers, the community/author's team that Dreaming of the Phoenix and I have created has now officially started. Check out my profile for the roster. We have quite a few amazing authors. Please, go check out the Dreamers Community, it has all of our members' stories in it.

Special thanks to my beta, Dreaming of the Phoenix.

Bringer of Peace

Chapter Ten – An Invitation

"Are you sure this is wise, brother?" Neji asked the blond Uzumaki who was sitting next to him. He squeezed the hand of his wife, who was sitting on the other side of him. The three of them were sitting outside the Hokage's office, the warm walls oblivious to what was currently going on within said office. "I surely have no objections, but Lilith is my wife, not yours. I find it hard to believe you'd allow something like this to happen for her sake." Neji was never the kind of person who would force his will onto another, but if it came to the safety or wellbeing of his wife and family, he'd gladly subjugate the entire world. His brother, no matter what his feelings are in the present, wasn't someone who'd sacrifice others for his happiness.

Or so he thought.

"We are not living in the world we used to, Neji." Naruto spoke, his eyes never leaving the door of the Hokage's office. It was a large door, and many eyes have gazed upon it, just like his. No… this door had never been looked at by eyes like his. "Even we have to play by this shinobi world's rules. Our morals are out of place, and our methods will do nothing but make our goals all the more difficult." His powerful eyes finally looked upon Neji's pure white orbs, and then Lilith's bright azure ones, and in that moment, they knew. Naruto was disgusted with what he was allowing happen, but for the sake of peace, he was sacrificing his beliefs. "We will have to do many things that we find unpleasant and sickening, but if we are to cure this world, we have to first purge it." Lilith flinched when he said "purge". Apparently, she was still terrified after what happened the last time. And in all honesty…

She should be.

Deep within Naruto's mind, his son's voice whispered to him, an almost gentle, delicate tone to his words, like he was being comforted. 'Like father, like son.' Of course, Kurama would never admit to respecting the Yondaime to his face, but that didn't matter. Those words gave Naruto the strength to endure his decision.

"I am with you, brother. Whatever you decide, I will support one hundred percent. If we must cast aside our beliefs and dirty our hands with the blood of our enemies, then I will do so swiftly." Neji replied. "You have accepted the one thing I love more than peace, and for that, I will do whatever you ask of me."

Naruto gave a small, tired smile, nodding his head at his brother. "Thank you, Neji."

Before anyone could speak anymore, the large door of the Hokage's office opened, and an ANBU operative walked out. Naruto said nothing to this operative. He acted as if this operative wasn't even there.

As the agent walked past them to the stairs that led down, he whispered something to Naruto that only he could hear, and with that single whisper, Uchiha Shisui was gone with a flicker, his moniker proving true.

It was done.

Naruto sighed deeply, and braced himself as the three of them walked into the office of the Hokage, ready to face his disgusting acts. He really wasn't sure if he could keep up with this shinobi world.

His plan worked. In only one week, Lilith was officially a citizen of Konohagakure no Sato, and a genin a part of Naruto's and Neji's team, which still had no sensei. Using Shisui's… specialty… sped up the whole process, and now, well, when they actually got a sensei, they could officially start missions, and be considered "active shinobi".

Naruto still wasn't okay with what he allowed. Shisui was still a young man, just like Itachi, and was just as enthusiastic to finally attain peace. To ask him to use Kotoamatsukami on the Hokage was the hardest decision the now Uzumaki had to make since his return. Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan's technique was truly powerful, and extremely useful, but it went against almost everything Naruto believed in, what he fought against in his first life.

It needed to be done, though. Lilith would never have been accepted into the village so quickly, never mind the academy. They needed her now, and they didn't have the kind of time to wait. And he was done treating her like a demon simply because she was born that way. She was no longer just a demon. She was no longer just another enemy. She was his sister, his brother's wife and love. They didn't have much family in this era, and he wasn't going to deny her the right to call him a brother any longer.

They were a family now, the three of them.

Deep within Naruto, Kurama stirred, growling lowly.

Naruto chuckled. "The four of us." He whispered.

"What was that?" Neji asked. Neji, Naruto, Lilith and Itachi walked towards the Uchiha compound, ready to relax and converse for the rest of the night. Naruto, Neji and Lilith had spent the entire day with the Hokage, assisting him with his paperwork. Itachi was busy with his ANBU duties which he was glad no longer involved spying on his own family. The sun was setting, and the sky was ablaze with a concoction of red, orange and yellow. The village was quiet, or, quiet for a major hidden village. The wind was cool and the air was fresh. It was really a calm and relaxing day.

Too bad it would be interrupted.

An ANBU, garbed in her full ANBU gear, flickered into existence right in front of them, her mask hiding her face from them. The breeze ran through her short, black hair.

"A message from the Hokage, Team Six." She began. "You are to report to the Hokage's office immediately."

"Thank you, ANBU-san. We'll head over there now." Naruto smiled, bowing his head slightly in a respectable thank you manner.

"You are welcome, Sennin-sama." The ANBU whispered before vanishing.

"Ah, she was an Uchiha, then." Naruto smiled. "Who was she, Itachi?" He asked his friend.

"I think her name is Hanae. She's the granddaughter of one of the elders." Hanae was one of the few people who joined the ANBU after the Uchiha were no longer being spied on. Itachi wasn't very familiar with her, but they did go on a mission together once.

"Why so interested, brother?" Neji asked in an insinuating tone.

"Just curious, is all." Naruto replied, completely ignoring his brother's tone. There was only one woman he'd ever look at "that way". "Anyhow, we should go. The Hokage is waiting for us."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Itachi asked. He was always very protective of them.

"It will be fine, little dragon. We will return soon." Naruto promised. He wasn't sure why his team was being summoned, but he was sure it wasn't because they did anything to get themselves in trouble. They weren't going to be hurt, either. Konoha didn't often harm their own people, and if they did try to harm his family, he'd make sure they never tried to again.

His family meant everything to him, and he wasn't going to let it go again.

Ever.

The world would burn to ash before his family was shattered to pieces again.

Again, deep within him, his son stirred, this time in agreement. Kurama… he'd personally rip the world asunder before he was left all alone again.

Team Six walked through the doors of the Hokage's office, calm, stoic façades marring their faces. When they entered, however, there was more than the Hokage waiting for them.

Like usually, Sarutobi Hiruzen was sitting at his desk, his ever-present pipe in his grasp, his other hand rubbing his temple. In that moment, the Sandaime looked his age, and then some.

"Ah, Naruto-kun." The Hokage greeted. "Neji-kun, Lilith-chan," he greeted the others, "Please, sit." In front of the Hokage's desk, three seats were situated. They were expecting them…

Directly to the Sandaime's right, Shimura Danzo stood, his rough, aged visage accenting the seriousness that was almost palpable in the room. With almost reluctant nods, the three youngest – which were also, technically, the oldest – people in the room sat, their eyes examining the other shinobi who were assembled.

To the Hokage's left, a man with almost lazy features, who was also gruff-looking, stood, his pineapple-shaped, black hair standing just the same. His eyes were aloof, but Team Six could see the analytical prowess within them. This man was most likely the smartest person in the room. And if this man was who Naruto thought he was, then he really was, because there hasn't been a more brilliant mind than Nara Shikaku since the Nidaime Hokage himself, according to Itachi.

Sitting on the side of the room, an older-looking man and woman sat – their posture rigid and cold. They stared at the members of Team Six with something akin to suspicious eyes. They must be the village elders that Itachi warned them about. Apparently, these two, Homura and Koharu, were almost as underhanded as the old war hawk.

The last person inside the rather spacious room – which Naruto never knew was actually so large – was a tall, wild-looking man, with a mane of long, white hair that was as wild as his appearance. He wore a red vest over green clothing, and he had two red streaks running down the bottom sides of his eyes. A large scroll was strapped to his back, and a headband with the kanji for "oil" on it was wrapped around his head. The man watched Naruto with a strange amount of detail, like he knew exactly who he was.

"Hokage-sama, is there something wrong?" Naruto asked diplomatically. No one could ever say he was blatantly disrespectful when it was not called for.

Before the Sandaime could speak, the white-haired man spoke up, smirking at the blond. "How old are you, kid?" He asked.

Naruto looked at the man with his purple, ringed eyes, slightly unnerving him for reasons beyond him. "I'm eight…" he answered, letting his words hang, asking for the man's name.

"Oh," the man chuckled again. "Sorry about that kid. The name's Jiraiya." Hiruzen looked at his former student with confused eyes, wondering why he gave the child such a normal, calm introduction. Usually, his talented, lively student was much more… "flashy" about those kinds of things.

"It is a pleasure to meet one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya-sama." Naruto greeted the man back in a polite fashion, which was only befit of someone the likes of one of the Sannin.

Jiraiya bellowed in laughter, his voice vibrating throughout the full room. "Damn, sensei, you've already made him a stickler!" He laughed even harder. "Just you wait, I'll cure him yet."

Hiruzen sighed, shaking his head at his student's antics. He should have known that the "legendary toad sage of Mount Myoboku" couldn't stay serious for too long. "If kami is a merciful god, then you won't turn this innocent boy into anything like you…" This just made Jiraiya laugh harder, which made the Sandaime sigh more dramatically.

"Hiruzen, Jiraiya," Danzo began in his cold, rough voice, "We have important matters to discuss." His deceptive eyes met Naruto's. "We can play catch up later. For now, we should continue with the matter at hand."

Jiraiya looked at the older man out of the corner of his eye, a suspicious gleam in his dark orbs.

"Danzo is right." Hiruzen started. "Team Six, you have been called here for a specific reason." He produced a scroll from his robes, somehow managing to do so without either Naruto nor Neji noticing. The aged Hokage was extremely skilled, there was no doubt. "This is a scroll we received yesterday morning." His eyes met Naruto's, and Naruto understood that something had happened. "Do any of you know anything about Kumogakure no Sato?"

Naruto, Neji and Lilith were silent for a few seconds before Naruto nodded. "Kumogakure no Sato is one of the five great hidden shinobi villages. It's allegedly the strongest village after us military-wise."

Jiraiya nodded, impressed. "Huh, he's pretty smart, for one so young."

"What does Kumo have anything to do with us, Hokage-sama? Is this regarding my clan?" Neji asked with a calm, respectable tone. He knew Kumo was the village that demanded the head of his uncle, and that his father was the one given in exchange. His host still felt nothing but anger towards them, but now, he knew that it was all just another unmemorable event in this shinobi infested world. He had to act the part, though, and Hyuuga Neji was no fan of clouds.

"No, Neji-kun, this has nothing to do with your clan, but rather, Team Six." Hiruzen answered. He unlaced the red thread that tied the scroll together, and handed it to Jiraiya, who in turn handed it to Naruto with a small smirk. "It would seem that the secret about your eyes has slipped past our borders."

Naruto narrowed his eyes in confusion, before reading the contents of the scroll.

To one Uzumaki Naruto,

As the Yondaime Raikage of Kumogakure no Sato, I, A, officially invite you, and all of Team Six, to this year's Chunin Exams, which will be held in Kumogakure this year. Whispers of the Samsara Eye once again gracing the world have reached our humble nation, and we would be honored to have you enter the exams under Konohagakure no Sato's banner. As our village holds the one who possessed your fantastic eyes long ago in the highest respect, even collecting his legendary tools, we think it appropriate to have you visit, and enjoy the glory the Chunin Exams can bring those who pass it. We eagerly await your arrival with open arms, and hope to use this venture as a crucible to deepen our alliance.

Sincerely, A

The Yondaime Raikage

Naruto handed the scroll to Neji, his eyes still narrowed, this time in thought. So, Kumogakure wanted him to participate in the Chunin Exams… he sighed. No. He knew exactly why Kumo wanted him to visit their village. That place was always preparing for war, and they wanted what Konoha and Konoha alone was in possession of. Dojutsu. Konohagakure was the only village, ever, that had shinobi who possessed powerful ocular jutsu, and now that Naruto was around, they held the Sharingan, Byakugan, and the Rinnegan, making Konoha even scarier than they already were. They were no longer just the most powerful shinobi village, but something more. With all three – and they didn't even know about Neji's unique set of eyes yet – dojutsu exclusively in their ranks, they could surely change the way things worked. Power affected everything, the economy being the major instance. With power came reputation, and with a strong, good reputation, led to more missions, even from foreign villages. Once one single village had too much power, too much money would begin to flow into the village, causing inflation, and too little money would reach the other villages, which would cause deflation. The entire balance of the hidden village system would be thrown off track, and, if history was anything to go by, would very quickly lead to war.

Thus, now that Naruto's eyes had reached other villages, those villages would do anything and everything to either coerce him to join their ranks, or assassinate him to preserve the fragile balance of the village system. Either way, things were only going to get more complicated now, and Naruto's plans would, once again, need to be pushed to an earlier time.

"How do they know so much about me? My eyes, my name, my rank…. Aren't these things classified?" he was slightly confused. There was no way any of the Uchiha let slip his secret, so it was another shinobi… or perhaps a civilian. Maybe it was a merchant, gossiping about the strange eyes he saw in Konoha. That wouldn't explain the fact that Kumo knew his name and rank, though. He sighed… he needed to be more careful now.

"That is also a mystery to us, as well. Your full name and rank shouldn't be known all the way to Kumogakure yet. You've only been assisting me since you've become a genin." Hiruzen replied honestly.

"We have a leak." Danzo informed them in his sharp tone. "We'll find it, Hiruzen." He promised his long-time rival and oldest friend.

Hiruzen nodded, thankfully. "Thank you, old friend."

"Now we just need to figure out a way to decline their offer without looking weak or disrespectful, since they went out of their way to send such a nice letter." Jiraiya said. "Any suggestions?"

Naruto never met the man's eyes, but he could tell that the Jonin Commander was staring at him with observing eyes. And then, he spoke. "Are we sure we want to decline?" He asked to the great shock of the others.

"Are we sure we want to decline?" Jiraiya asked, incredulous. "They're rookies, Shikaku, really young rookies. Of course we're sure we want to decline." Jiraiya looked at the man as if he was crazy.

"There have been younger shinobi to become chunin, Jiraiya-sama." Shikaku retorted. "Your student's student is the prime example."

The toad Sennin narrowed his eyes. "That was during the war. The protocol is different in times of war, you know that. This isn't war time." He pointed to the three young ninja. "Plus, they've only been doing mundane missions that involve putting away paperwork. They are in no way, shape or form ready for the challenges this exam will put them through."

Shikaku coolly looked at Team Six, his eyes seemingly seeing through them. "Are you so sure about that, Jiraiya-sama? Have you ever seen them in a battle?" It was in this very moment that Naruto found someone who he feared. This Nara Shikaku was scary perceptive, far surpassing even Itachi.

Lilith leaned into Neji, whispering words into his ear that only the Hyuuga boy could hear. Neji, to his credit, showed no outward expression, his calm, stoic façade still in place. But inwardly, he was shocked. He, too, leaned over to his brother, whispering the same words that his wife had whispered to him, and Naruto grinned, feeling the excitement his son was emitting.

"Hokage-sama, we would like to participate in the Chunin Exams." Naruto interrupted the back and forth of Jiraiya and Shikaku.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the children, suspicious. "Really?" he asked. "Why is that?" He decided to humor them.

Naruto inhaled, ready to lie to highly skilled shinobi, and, if Itachi was right, the greatest spymaster ever. He exhaled. "I would like to test my eyes." He said bluntly. "I am wasting my talent by just assisting you in this office. I want to taste real battle. I'm a shinobi, but all I feel – all we feel," he gestured to his team, "Is like glorified secretaries." His eyes seemed to pulse in that moment, peaking Hiruzen's interests. "Please, allow us to show the village that slighted Neji's clan Konoha's strength." Naruto didn't miss the way Danzo's lips slightly curved up.

The Sandaime was silent for a moment, thinking it over, before he began. "Even if I wanted to send you to Kumo, I can't." Naruto showed no emotion, letting the Professor continue. "Jiraiya is right. You aren't ready to face the challenges of the exams. I can't send you all the way to Kumo without any combat training." He took a drag of his tobacco pipe. "And there's your sensei situation, or lack of." He shook his head. "Too many unknowns, Naruto-kun. I hope you understand."

Naruto smirked. "Test us." He began. "Let us prove to you that we are ready to battle other shinobi. We'll go up against anyone you choose, and we'll pass, I promise you." The determination in both his eyes and voice took the old Sarutobi aback for a moment. "We've been training, every day, since before we even became genin." There was no way Naruto was going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. "We're ready." It was too important. "And just to insure our safety, you can send any shinobi with us as our temporary sensei. No one will be the wiser." Hiruzen was impressed with the boy. He really wanted to go.

"And you two?" the Hokage asked Neji and Lilith. "What about you? Do you wish to participate in the Chunin Exams?"

Before the last word even left his tongue, both Neji and Lilith nodded their heads, answering "yes" at the same time.

It would seem that Naruto was the "leader" of the group. If Jiraiya hadn't been so upset, he would be reminded of another certain blond-haired shinobi that was just as smooth with the tongue.

"You can't seriously be considering this, old man?" Jiraiya asked. "They don't have any experience."

Naruto shook his head. "We may not have any experience in the field, but we have had an experienced shinobi training us."

"Oh really?" Jiraiya asked sarcastically. "Pray tell."

"Uchiha Itachi has been teaching us when we don't have missions. We can already defend ourselves from chunin-level ninja." Neji decided to reply. In truth, it would probably take Kage-level shinobi to best them, but they didn't need to know that. That would bring too much unwanted attention to them. Showing skills befitting a prodigy, no problem, but showing unstoppable power was a big no-no.

"I still think this is a terrible idea." Jiraiya replied.

"It could be beneficial for us, Jiraiya-sama." Shikaku began. "Konoha shinobi haven't been in Kumogakure for years. This will give us the legitimate reason to get the lay of the land we've been looking for. Like the boy said, a skilled, jonin-ranked shinobi can accompany them as their sensei, both protecting them from harm and collecting data on the village and its strength."

Jiraiya hated arguing with a Nara. It never ended in his favor, or anyone else's. Ever. You couldn't out-Nara a Nara, no matter how hard one tried. So the toad Sannin did the only thing he could. He sighed, and shut up.

"The exams aren't for another month, so we have plenty of time to test your combat skills, and decided on a ninja to accompany you." Hiruzen began.

Naruto smiled at the Hokage. "Thank you, Hokage-sama." He bowed his head respectfully, both Neji and Lilith doing the same.

"You're welcome, Naruto-kun." The Sandaime replied. "Now go, you have much to prepare for." He ordered.

Naruto nodded, and together with the rest of Team Six, left the Hokage's office, leaving behind old men and one woman to converse between themselves.

"Do you think he can use the Rinnegan yet?" Homura, one of the village elders, asked.

"It would be in our best interests that he has. He could showcase its power in the exams." Koharu, another village elder, said.

"It's very possible if what they say about training with Uchiha Itachi is true." Danzo began. "That boy is a genius with dojutsu. He mastered the Sharingan when he was about their age." Everyone nodded, agreeing that Itachi was a prodigy the likes of which haven't been seen since Hatake Kakashi shocked everyone by graduating the academy at five, and then again at six, when he became a chunin. "We shall see during this test. Who do you have in mind, Hiruzen?"

The Sandaime tapped his finger on his desk for a moment, thinking it over. "My first pick would be Hatake Kakashi, but he's on an S-ranked mission in Mizu no Kuni right now…" He then gave an incredibly devious smirk, his eyes falling on the one student who hadn't left his side yet. "How about you, Jiraiya?" he asked. "You're so against them going, why don't you decide for yourself if they're ready for the challenge?"

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes at his sensei, before he smirked. "You really shouldn't set them up to fail, sensei. False hope is the worst kind of wound."

Hiruzen sat back into his chair. "We shall see." He said sagely. "Three days, in our old training grounds, you'll test Team Six's combat skills, and decide whether or not they are ready to take the Chunin Exams." He then pointed to the Nara who looked like he wasn't paying attention, but was probably the most observant one out of them all. "Shikaku, I want you to decide who will accompany them to Kumo as their sensei if they pass their test."

"If." Jiraiya repeated with added emphasis. There was no way in hell he'd let his godson get himself killed before he even had the chance to live, and enjoy the finer things in life, like the company of a woman.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The Jonin Commander nodded. He was silent for a moment, until he spoke again, this time, curiosity lacing his voice. "Hokage-sama… what do you think the little kunoichi whispered to the Hyuuga?" He asked. "It seemed to make young Naruto want to go to Kumo, for some reason."

Hiruzen also nodded, curious. "I would like to know as well, but alas, they're already gone." He smiled. "Maybe I'll ask them the next time I see them."

Shikaku nodded – his mind racing with ideas and possibilities. But no matter how smart the Head of the Nara clan was, he would never, in a thousand years, guess right.

Within the privacy of the Uchiha compound, Naruto, Neji, Lilith, Itachi and the Uchiha patriarch and matriarch gathered in the Clan Head's house, privacy seals decorating the walls.

"Are you sure this is wise, Sennin-sama?" Fugaku asked. His arms were, like usual, crossed, and his rough face was just as stoic as his oldest son. "This could expose you."

Naruto shook his head. "The abilities of the Rinnegan are already believed to be otherworldly, even in this era. And I highly doubt anyone will uncover who I really am."

"I did…" Itachi spoke.

"Yes, but not many people are like you, little dragon." Naruto smiled at his best friend. "You found out my secret because you saw me use The Creation of all Things, and even then, you wouldn't have known anything if you weren't an Uchiha heir." Neji nodded with his brother's logic. "No one in Kumogakure will find out."

"Why would Kumo personally invite you, though? It seems a little too suspicious for my liking." Fugaku said. "They know more than they're letting on."

"They might know that I'm the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi." Naruto said bluntly. "If so, this might be a move to sway me to join their ranks."

"And they think that you'll just listen to them?" Lilith asked. "For shinobi, these people are pretty thick in the head…"

"No, they're actually smart." Itachi started. "Kumo has the reputation of treating their Jinchuuriki better than any other village. They could try using that fact."

"So it's the same as a few years ago. They want a dojutsu, nothing more." Neji spoke up.

"If I were to defect to them, they'd not only gain the Rinnegan, but a third Bijuu." Naruto rubbed his chin with his hand, a habit he had in his past life, except then, he had a long, impressive beard. "They're going for a power move. They get more than just special eyes if they can persuade me…" He cleared his throat. "The question is, why? Why are they making a move against Konoha? They're allied, aren't they?"

"Alliances are such fickle things, Naruto-kun." Mikoto said softly. Ah, Mikoto. Naruto liked that woman. She was the only one who treated him like they should, as Uzumaki Naruto. Her personality and mother aura was welcomed. "And most of the time, treaties are just pieces of paper, the words on them not meaning anything. The last war was only stopped because the Yondaime was too much to handle. It didn't matter how many shinobi the other nations threw at us, the Yellow Flash could singlehandedly take them all on at once." She smiled. "By himself." Fugaku nodded, his eyes closed. Namikaze Minato was indeed the most feared shinobi Konoha had ever produced. If the man had only seen what his son was to become…

"I see…" Naruto replied. "And now that my father is gone, and only one Sannin is around, the other villages see us as a wounded animal, and they're the vultures." Itachi nodded.

"It would seem so." The youngest Uchiha present agreed.

"Well then, I guess we can show them that they're wrong before we leave." Naruto started. "Because we are going to Kumo, and they will see our strength, one way or another." It was time. It was sooner than they had planned for, but it was finally time to start to reveal what they could do. After all, missing-nin weren't feared if they were seen as weak genin. And for what they had in mind, they needed their very names to strike fear into those who would interfere with them.

"Why do you wish to go to Kumo so bad, Sennin-sama?" Fugaku asked. He was somewhat confused why the blond wanted to go to the foreign land so badly.

Naruto looked to Lilith, who smiled at him, nodding her head. "Because two of my children are amongst the clouds, Fugaku, and they have waited long enough to be reunited with their father."

Fugaku and Mikoto looked at the boy with wide, shocked eyes. He… he was going to collect Kumo's Jinchuuriki?

Naruto would never forget how excited both he and Kurama had been when Neji whispered Lilith's words into his ear. He was glad that he had a sister who he could trust, and he'd never be able to thank her enough for everything she had done for both him and his brother. She was truly a part of his family now, and he'd go to war with the world for her just as he would for anyone else he held close to his heart. Those words made sure of that.

"You have children in Kumo."

"Kukuku… so, the boy is going along with it after all…"

"It would seem so." Two figures stood in a Spartan room, nothing but a single candle within it. They were whispering conspiratorially, and it was obvious that, whoever they were, they were up to no good.

"Who will be accompanying them?" The first to speak asked.

The second man shook his head. "It hasn't been decided yet. It'll be an experienced ninja, though. Handpicked by the Jonin Commander himself."

The first figure nodded. "Yes, yes… if the Nara chooses him, then it will be the perfect match… He's never wrong."

The second figure nodded, agreeing. There was no doubt that Nara Shikaku was a genius. "What would you have me do?"

The first figure chuckled ominously. "Kukukuku… dear Kabuto, isn't it obvious? We prepare to greet our friends in the mountains."

The second figure, now named Kabuto, bowed. "Of course, Orochimaru-sama." He stood. "Right away."

Orochimaru chuckled darkly again. This was going to get interesting, that was for sure.

It was time to have some fun.

Author's Note's: Like I said, short chapter. But now things will get interesting again.

Yes, the Chunin Exams are here! And they will be hosted in Kumo! I can't wait to write this out. There is so much that can and will happen in this arc, and I hope you all like it as much as I do.

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