July 6th, 63 AE
It was late in the afternoon, just two hours before the end of the Second Test that Team 10 and Team 7 made it to the Central Tower.
All of the participants of the Second Test who had passed it were present inside the Arena now.
Unexpectedly, the number of people who had passed the Trial in the Forest of Death was quite high.
The Otogakure Team had prevailed, and Kabuto's Team had passed as well. All the twelve Rookies of Konoha and Team 3 had passed. The Sand Siblings, and then the two teams from Kumo.
In total, 10 Teams and 30 participants made it to the Central Tower in time and opened their Heaven and Earth Scrolls after reading the riddle inside the entrances.
Now, the Hokage was the one standing in front of them, under the Seal of Confrontation, with the Jonin of all the passing teams behind him. The two Proctors and Morino Ibiki were present with him as well.
"Hokage-sama," Riichi called out to him, and the old man stepped forward to address the participants.
"Before the explanation of the third exam that will start from now, I have something I want to tell everyone flat out."
His words made them all look at him in curiosity.
"It's about the true purpose of these exams."
Everyone carefully listened as the Hokage informed them of the true reason why these exams were held conjointly.
It was not for the purpose of raising friendship or good Shinobi as most believed. The true purpose was to have a microcosm of a battle between the different Shinobi Forces.
He also explained to them the delicate political situations, how the finals of these exams were a place where very important figures were invited to attend the event, and the benefits the best performing nations received.
It took several minutes of explanations to relieve the doubts in the minds of some of the Rookies, and then the Hokage finally returned to the subject of the Third Exam.
"We have too many participants here today, and not all of you can go to the Finals. We cannot waste the time of our important guests with useless battles, so only the finest of you will be moving forward. However, before that, we need to do something about your numbers."
All of them tensed up at his words.
"Hayate."
At his words, a man suddenly appeared in front of the students and started coughing.
"Leave the explanation to me, Hokage-sama." The man said as he coughed some more and then scanned the participants.
Sakura involuntarily gulped in nervousness, and everyone else grew nervous as well.
"We are now going to hold Preliminary Matches before the Finals. These will be individual battles from now on, so your result will not affect your teammates." He said and coughed a little more. "Those of you who are not in good physical condition are free to raise their hand and drop out. We are going to start the battles right away."
Before anyone could react, someone really did raise their hand, and it turned out to be Kabuto.
Sasuke was painfully clutching the back of his neck, where the Cursed Mark was, and even though Sakura wanted to ask him to quit, she stayed quiet, still scared of what she had seen him become in the forest a couple of days ago.
"Hey, Kabuto..." Naruto wanted to persuade the young man not to quit, but he shook his head.
"I am too tired now. I don't have the strength to battle." He sighed and then wished his teammates the best before walking out.
The Hokage narrowed his eyes at seeing him leave, but his thoughts could not be read.
"Anyone else?" Hayate asked, but no one else raised their hand. "29... that's troublesome." He sighed and coughed.
Before he could speak again, he heard the Hokage cough, and he immediately stepped aside.
"I have an announcement to make."
All the participants surprisedly looked at the old man.
"Given the performances of a certain Genin, I have decided to promote the person ahead of time, and they will no longer be taking part in the Chunin Exams. It's pointless because he can no longer become a Chunin."
The words shocked everyone, and subconsciously, all of them turned to look towards Enma.
Even Karin confusedly furrowed her brows and glanced at her brother, who did not seem surprised at all.
"Uzumaki Enma."
At the call, the Uzumaki Heir stepped forward and bowed to the Hokage.
"You are hereby the Jonin of Konohagakure no Sato. Step forward."
The words exploded in all their minds, and even the foreign Shinobi looked shocked.
A Genin directly promoted to a Jonin?
Karin and Shizuka dumbly stared at Enma's back as he climbed up the stairs.
Suddenly, an ANBU with purple hair appeared with a Jonin Flak Jacket, which was not the dirty green that was common in the Village and the likes of Kakashi were wearing. Instead, it was a black and forest green jacket with a Konoha symbol on the chest and the Uzumaki Symbol on the back.
Hiruzen personally helped him wear it, and then Enma bowed to him in thanks.
"Stand with me."
At the order, he stepped a few paces back and joined the ranks of the Jonin who were stationed there.
"Congratulations." Kurenai was the first one to speak to him, and Enma smiled and politely nodded to her.
"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei."
"Sensei?" She giggled.
"Just call me Kurenai now."
"Yes, Kurenai-san."
As the two chatted and Asuma and Guy congratulated him as well, Hayate began informing the Genins about how the Preliminary Matches would work.
"Since there are 28 of you left now, we will conduct 14 matches to cut your numbers in half. Even though only the winners will progress to the finals, I reserve the right to eliminate a winner as well if I deem them unworthy. This means that if you perform poorly, or if your performance is not up to the mark, I and the other Proctors of these exams reserve the right to not let you progress even if you win. So, do your best."
Riichi raised his hand, and suddenly, one of the covers over a screen slid away.
"Your names will randomly appear on the Electronic Signboard, and the battle will continue until one of you surrenders, falls unconscious, or is killed. However, as a judge, I reserve the right to interfere and stop needless deaths, and also eliminate you if you are found wasting time." It was a shock how he managed to say all that but then people winced as he started coughing like crazy.
Hayate then raised his hand, and the names started blinking on the screen before they stopped at two.
"First Match: Uchiha Sasuke vs Akado Yoroi!"
Riichi announced the names, and then under Hayate's order, everyone but the two participants moved to the upper area, in the gallery.
Even the Hokage and the Jonin moved away, and Karin pouted when Enma came to stand by her side.
"Not fair. You get to become a Jonin and I don't." She folded her hands on her chest and he chuckled at her antics. "You already knew about it, didn't you?"
"Yes. Hokage-sama informed me about it a few days ago, and I have to leave on a mission in the morning."
At his words, not just the two girls, but also those who were gathering around him froze.
"What kind of mission?" Ino nervously asked.
"Nothing dangerous. I just have to find someone, deliver a message, and request them to come to Konoha."
"Oh..."
All of them relaxed and then stepped forward to congratulate him.
Naruto, however, seemed a little bothered by his sudden promotion and even pouted as he congratulated him.
"Lucky you."
"That's Sensei to you now, Naruto."
"Hell no! I am never calling you Sensei. We are the same age!"
"I am older..."
"We are classmates!"
Everyone shared a laugh at his words and then turned quiet as Hayate asked for the battle to start.
Sasuke clearly seemed to be in a lot of pain and was struggling with something.
He was slow to react and suffered some painful hits. However, he managed to hold on and dodged the fatal strikes.
His opponent was quite skilled, definitely not a Genin-rank Shinobi in terms of power and skill, and possessed good Chakra Control as well.
Naruto was growing agitated as he watched the Uchiha receiving a beating, but Sasuke did not need any words of encouragement from him. He was determined to win, as he managed to pull through.
The battle lasted for over fifteen minutes before he shocked the opponent with a sudden burst of speed and his skill in taijutsu, sending him up into the air with a chin kick.
And then he jumped up and delivered a few key hits, using the momentum to land one kick after another before landing a final and devastating axe kick, which ended the battle as soon as his opponent crashed into the floor.
As soon as the result was announced, and Hayate declared that Sasuke had booked a spot in the finals, Kakashi appeared by his side and then took him away.
"He copied Lee's technique..." Tenten commented, but her voice was drowned by the cheers from Naruto.
"Abumi Zaku vs Aburame Shino!"
The second match was announced after the names appeared on the screen, and Enma wished his old classmate the best before the Aburame left the gallery.
"I am going to check up on Sasuke." He told his sister, who nodded to him.
A short while later, he arrived in the room where Kushina was inspecting the Cursed Mark on Sasuke's body.
"Yes, it's the same as the one Orochimaru gave Anko. Don't worry about it, I can seal it." She told Kakashi, who was very relieved to hear her words.
Kushina then gently ruffled Sasuke's hair.
"The process will be extremely painful though."
"I understand." The boy solemnly nodded his head.
"It will take a couple of days to prepare your body for the pain it will suffer. Right now, you are exhausted, and it is not safe to seal it." She said, and he nodded to her again.
"He will be fine before the Finals, right?"
"Of course. He will get enough time to prepare for the Finals as well. There's nothing to worry about. In fact, as soon as the Cursed Mark is sealed two days later, he can start his training."
Kakashi was again very relieved after hearing her words and then bowed to her in gratitude.
The Copy Ninja then left them alone, and since Kushina was one of Sasuke's guardians, he was not worried about leaving him in her care.
"You are quite stubborn, aren't you?" Enma smiled at his friend, who smirked in his direction.
"Too bad that I won't get to face you in the Finals."
"Right." He chuckled and then stepped forward.
Kushina grabbed both their hands before she teleported with them right inside the Uzumaki Compound, and Hazuki was waiting there for them with her two daughters.
Akane panicked when she saw how beat up Sasuke was, and she quickly supported him and walked to take him to his room to help him wash and make sure he takes his meal and sleeps.
"Wait... there's something I want to talk to you about first," said the Uchiha as he looked at Hazuki and Kushina. "Orochimaru told me something."
At his words, they all surprisedly looked at him.
"What?" The Uchiha Matriarch raised her brow.
"That Itachi killed my clan on an order from Danzo, and the Hokage was aware of his plan. They wanted to eliminate the Uchiha because our clan was planning on a coup after decades of mistreatment..."
He stopped when he saw no hint of surprise on their faces.
"So... he was right..."
"Come with me," Hazuki sighed and grabbed him before leading him away.
Enma furrowed his brows, lost deep in his thoughts, and sighed a few minutes later.
"Why did you accept the offer?" Kushina lightly asked him.
"You taught me to not miss an opportunity when it presents itself."
"You put yourself right into his hands, and away from Karin and your Team."
"No," he shook his head. "The Hokage will probably not survive for long. I am sure you have sensed it as well."
She kept staring at him, and then a grin curved on her lips.
"Of course, I have. You don't need to be concerned about what is going to happen. I am going to take this opportunity and clean the filth from this village."
Enma glanced her way, and then smiled.
"I will be gone for a while. Take care of everyone."
"Gone where?"
"A mission to bring the Fifth Hokage of Konoha back to the village."
"Who?"
"Tsunade."
"Senju Tsunade?" She surprisedly looked at him.
"Yes, but the Hokage was very clear that I should not call her a Senju." He chuckled. "The First Hokage had disbanded the Senju Clan and instructed them to mix their blood with the other clans of Konoha and the civilian population to create stronger people. All for the future of the village."
"Foolish."
"Indeed. Even his brother thought the same, but respected his wishes."
"Doesn't matter what Hiruzen thinks. Tsunade is a Senju, daughter of Senju Itama, who was Hashirama's eldest son, and Namikaze Minaho, who was from the Namikaze family, an offshoot of the Senju Clan."
"What happened to them?" he curiously asked.
"Both were medics and were killed in the early days of the First Shinobi War. All of Hashirama's children were killed within a few months of each other, and so were Tobirama's son and lover. The Second Hokage himself died in the second last year of the war." She said and smiled. "If there is anyone still worthy of carrying the Senju name, it's only Tsunade."
"Any ideas where she is?"
"No."
"I see..." he sighed. "Can you send me back?"
"No."
His brow twitched at her words, and just when he was about to rush back, Arashi and Hiyori came running out, and jumped on him.
"Nii-sama!" His little sister was very excited when she saw his Flak Jacket, and when Kushina informed her that he had become a Jonin, she grew even more excited.
"You remember your promise, right?"
"What promise?" He teasingly raised his brow at her.
"Nii-sama! You promised you will become my Sensei."
"Did I?"
"Yes, you did!" She placed her fists on her waist and grinned at him, making Kushina giggle at her cuteness.
In the end, Enma had to stay with them and even have his dinner at home.