Standing atop the central tower of the Forest of Death, Fujimoto Tōma looked up at the clear moon, his thoughts tangled.
On an emotional level, he wanted to save the Third Hokage. He didn't care how history judged the old man. What mattered was simple: the Hokage had treated him well. He had protected him, invested resources into him, and entrusted him with Flying Thunder God.
If Tōma had the power to act and still chose to stand aside, he would have no right to criticize anyone else for betrayal.
And even from a cold, practical standpoint, letting the Third Hokage live was beneficial. Tōma was young. There was no conflict of interest. As long as the Third lived, he would remain a shield and a guarantor. The downsides were distant and manageable.
As for "not changing the future"… that ship had sunk long ago.
He'd already altered too much. ANBU operations, Sasuke's path, Naruto's growth. The world was no longer walking the same road.
So the answer was clear.
Save him.
As for Konoha itself, Tōma fell silent for a moment. He had never considered himself selfless. He cared about his people, not abstract ideals. That was why the Hokage's resolve had shaken him.
If the village truly became his one day, then protecting it would no longer be charity. It would be ownership.
That realization made him exhale slowly.
He was thinking too far ahead again.
Strength came first. Only strength could support those choices.
After this crisis, he would finally begin training in senjutsu. His chakra reserves were barely sufficient now. His perception already met the threshold. One last leap remained.
He doubted his Sage Mode would rival Naruto's future perfection, but it shouldn't end up like Jiraiya's incomplete version either.
…He was curious what it would look like.
With that thought settled, Tōma returned inside the tower and waited quietly for the second stage to end.
"We finally made it. What a pain," Nara Shikamaru muttered as he stared at the central tower.
"So that means we passed the second stage, right?" Yamanaka Ino said cheerfully.
"Yeah!" Akimichi Chōji nodded enthusiastically, munching on snacks she'd given him.
"Opening the Heaven and Earth scrolls together should clear us," Shikamaru said.
They did exactly that.
Smoke rose.
And a familiar figure appeared where the scrolls intersected.
"Well done, Ino," Tōma said with a smile. "And you too, Shikamaru. Chōji."
"That pause says everything," Shikamaru deadpanned, watching Ino rush forward happily. "So all that effort was just to reunite you two?"
"How was the journey?" Tōma asked gently, holding Ino's hand.
"It was fine. Shikamaru avoided most of the danger before it even happened," she replied, glancing at him appreciatively.
"He really is sharp," Tōma agreed.
"Brains alone aren't enough," Shikamaru replied. "This only worked because Ino and Chōji are strong too."
Both of them smiled at that.
Tōma nodded. Shikamaru deserved his future rank.
"Rest up," Tōma said, scanning the tower. "The second stage isn't over yet."
"Too many people made it?" Shikamaru asked.
"Yeah. The third stage is watched by daimyō and officials. Only standouts are allowed. Weak matches would embarrass the village."
"Tch. Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed.
Ino and Chōji focused on recovering. Shikamaru noticed the faint arcs of electricity around Ino and immediately looked away.
No contest.
Soon after, Team Seven arrived.
"Tōma! You're here too!" Uzumaki Naruto shouted happily, ignoring the other villages entirely.
"See Iruka-sensei?" Tōma asked.
"Yeah! He said he'll treat me to Ichiraku later!" Naruto beamed.
Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura followed, both giving subtle nods. No major trouble.
"Rest while you can," Tōma said before stepping away.
Shikamaru shared his conclusion with Team Seven. Too many had passed.
Ironically, Naruto's speech during the written exam was partly responsible.
More people passing the first stage meant the second stage became less brutal. Which meant an extra filter was needed now.
Cause and effect.
As expected, once the second stage officially ended, an additional elimination round was announced. Random matchups.
After Gekkō Hayate finished explaining the rules, the preliminary matches began.
From the spectator seats, Tōma watched the screen.
First match:
Uchiha Sasuke vs. Yoroi Akadō.
He barely remembered it. Fodder, most likely.
Sasuke struggled briefly, then finished it cleanly with a newly learned taijutsu combo.
"Lion Combo…" Tōma raised a brow. "So he met Lee already."
Rock Lee stared intently, clearly shocked that his technique had been copied so quickly.
Tōma glanced at Might Guy.
Lee was stronger than before, but not enough. Gaara was still a nightmare matchup. Without the Sixth Gate and Peacock Morning, Lee couldn't break through absolute defense.
And Peacock Morning was far out of reach.
If Guy knew how badly things would go, he would never wait so long to intervene.
Better to prevent it entirely.
As the matches continued, Aburame Shino and Kankurō both secured victories.
Then the screen flashed again.
Yamanaka Ino vs. Haruno Sakura.
Tōma's eyes narrowed slightly.
Now that was a match worth watching.