Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou-Chapter 300: Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou []

Konoha, Chūnin Exams.

This time, the scale was unprecedented—never before in the history of the ninja world. A total of over 600 Genin from various ninja villages signed up to participate, a staggering sixfold increase compared to the original 100+ participants in the past.

After all, Konoha's current strength was overwhelming, commanding respect and fear throughout the ninja world. This exam was a rare opportunity for other villages to openly observe Konoha's power.

The incident with Temari was nothing more than a minor interlude.

The real spectacle began when the emissaries of the major ninja villages arrived in Konoha. The smaller villages, narrow-minded and unexposed, were left in awe of the unparalleled might of the number one ninja village in the world.

Meanwhile, the emissaries and accompanying ninjas from the four great ninja villages were stunned by Konoha's prosperity.

"Konoha's ninjas are just too brazen—they're blatantly monitoring us without even trying to hide it!"

Just the Genin participating in the exam alone numbered over 600, and together with the accompanying Jōnin and emissaries, the total number of visitors exceeded 2,000.

Although accommodations were arranged quite reasonably, complaints inevitably arose within the lodgings.

One ninja grumbled, unable to contain his frustration. His companion, however, sighed helplessly and said:

"Just let it go. Konoha isn't targeting only us—they're even treating the Four Great Ninja Villages the same way. Let it be."

On the rooftops of the apartment and the surrounding buildings, Konoha ninja openly monitored the visitors. The sheer number of them was astonishing. Each day, patrols of Konoha ninja passed by, numbering in the dozens.

If anyone dared to complain, they would often find themselves under the piercing gaze of multiple Sharingan eyes, the oppressive aura enough to make even a Jōnin's scalp tingle.

"All of you, listen up! By order of the Hokage—no matter what country you're from or what grudges you hold amongst yourselves, if you start any conflict within Konoha's borders, you'll be executed on the spot!"

The cold warning from the patrolling police force echoed through the streets. The number of Konoha ninjas monitoring the area exceeded a thousand.

Konoha was making it abundantly clear: if you dared to cause trouble, you'd be annihilated without hesitation.

"Alright, alright. At least Konoha is safe enough. Let's just relax for now. As long as we don't stir up trouble, we're free to wander around."

...

Inside the Hokage's office.

"Hokage-sama, all the emissaries and Genin squads from the major ninja villages have arrived. The only ones left are the Kage of the Four Great Ninja Villages, who are still on their way. The Chūnin Exams... are ready to commence."

Hearing the report from the ANBU, Shirou chuckled wryly.

"Tsunade, just look at these people. They know how to make an entrance, don't they? They insist on showing up at the last minute to flaunt their status."

As the ANBU left, Tsunade, who had been reviewing documents in the office, raised an eyebrow at Yo's remark.

"Tch. A bunch of self-important relics living in their former glory. Soon, there won't even be a Five Great Ninja Villages anymore—there will only be Konoha!"

Tsunade slammed the documents onto the desk and locked eyes with Shirou, her gaze brimming with pride.

"Wow, Tsunade. That's some serious swagger," Shirou said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Since Shirou became Hokage, Tsunade had initially stepped back to reduce her influence. However, as Shirou's efforts brought Konoha to unprecedented heights, Tsunade began to show her true colors.

When Konoha lacked absolute strength, Tsunade would publicly emphasize the village's preference for peace.

Now that Konoha had unmatched power, Senju's ambitions were evident for all to see. She now declared that Konoha would take the first step for peace in the ninja world—just as the Senju Clan had done when transitioning from the Warring States period to the era of ninja villages.

"Overflowing with swagger!"

Shirou teased, but Tsunade shot him a sharp glare, unaware of how captivating her confidence appeared.

"Husband, stop joking around. This time, the Five Kage Summit won't have fools like my grandfather. He had the power to unify the ninja world but chose to play house with the other villages instead."

With Konoha's current military strength, they could simultaneously wage war against the Four Great Ninja Villages—not as defenders, but as attackers.

And this was only their visible military force. In terms of individual combat power, Tsunade's confidence was unmatched.

"Husband, according to intelligence, the major villages are only sending participants to go through the motions. The smaller villages might take it seriously, but they don't have any valuable intel to offer."

Tsunade placed a stack of intelligence reports on the desk, her crimson nails tapping on the papers. Shirou nodded in understanding.

"It's not like they're stupid. It's our home turf—it's normal for them to hold back. Losing even one or two geniuses would be too painful for them. The smaller villages are different; they're desperate to make a name for themselves so they can secure more missions..."

As Shirou spoke, Tsunade perched on the desk, her high heels and black stockings adding an air of playfulness to her imposing presence.

Shirou looked up in surprise, raising an eyebrow at her bold demeanor.

"What's the matter, Husband? I think it's time you witnessed the results of my Sage Mode training before the Chūnin Exams."

"You've mastered Sage Mode?"

"Yes. Achieving Sage Mode requires a calm heart, and now I've reached a level where I can use it at will. I'd like to test the results this time."

Tsunade spoke with a straight face, though the playful tapping of her heels contradicted her seriousness. For a moment, Shirou almost believed her.

But when the markings of her Sage Mode began to appear on her face, Shirou couldn't help but smile and nod.

"I get it. If you can maintain this state, your Sage Mode is already ahead of everyone else."

As the playful atmosphere heated up, the ANBU stationed outside the Hokage's office noticed a barrier rising once again. They exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious.

Hokage-sama often activated barriers for secret meetings or research—proof of his tireless dedication to the village.

From an outsider's perspective, everything Shirou did was for Konoha. Otherwise, how could the village have developed so rapidly in just 13 years?

Compared to the previous Hokage, who either spied on others with a crystal ball or slacked off, the current Hokage was in a different league altogether.

...

The first round of the Chūnin Exams.

The venue was a massive stadium. As Genin with different headbands gathered one after another, the atmosphere grew tense.

Hatred between nations, the killing intent radiating from the Genin, and attempts to intimidate each other made the scene overwhelmingly oppressive.

"Sister Pakura, I saw Kankuro and Gaara earlier," Temari said as they walked toward the exam venue.

Usually bright and cheerful, Temari seemed unusually calm today. Pakura, the Jōnin leading the team, paused before asking:

"What do you think now, Temari?"

In this foreign land, the two had once shared a sense of mutual loss. But now, Temari smiled confidently.

"Sister Pakura, I'll prove to everyone that the Sand Village's decision to abandon me was their greatest loss. I, Temari, am a genius ninja of Konoha!"

Having long since embraced Konoha as her home, Temari's determination shone brightly. Pakura responded with a gentle smile.

"Temari, I believe in you. You'll shine brilliantly."

Though Pakura's attire was strikingly bold, her personality was warm and kind. The two shared a bond that had grown from mutual support to a sisterly relationship.

"Good luck!"

"Good luck!"

The tension in the first exam venue continued to rise.

...

Just as she pushed the door open and stepped inside, Haruno Sakura was met with a pitch-black mass of countless gazes locking onto her. The pressure from the stares made the inexperienced Sakura, who had never been in such a large venue, nervously swallow her saliva.

The six hundred or so examinees present all turned their intense gazes toward the newly arrived Sakura, specifically at her Konoha ninja headband. Envy, jealousy, and even killing intent were evident in their expressions—it was clear she had been targeted.

"Pfft, so this is what they call the strongest ninja village? What a joke."

Amid the murmurs of the crowd, these lower-ranked ninjas from other villages, who had experienced Konoha's flourishing prosperity and pleasant climate over the past few days, were filled with jealousy and greed.

This is human nature.

However, just as Sakura was trembling with fear, a figure stepped in front of her. With red hair that fell to her shoulders like flames and a flute tucked at her waist, the girl's presence was striking.

Her loose-fitting clothes hid her well-proportioned figure, but despite her seemingly calm demeanor, the girl let out a savage, arrogant smirk as she faced the hundreds of lower-ranked ninjas from the great villages in the room.

"A bunch of trash! Picking on newcomers, huh? You'd better pray you don't meet me on the battlefield, or I'll make you dig out your own eyes with your own hands!"

Tayuya's domineering and fiery personality was on full display as she sneered bloodthirstily, not giving the crowd the slightest bit of face.

Her wild and ruthless words caused many of the lower-ranked ninjas from the major villages to avoid her gaze.

Earlier, they had all displayed their dissatisfaction together, emboldened by their numbers. But now, faced with such ferocity from Konoha, many of them were panicking.

Only a small number of individuals remained calm, coldly observing the scene.

"Sakura, didn't Kurenai-sensei say you still lack experience with bloodshed? This Chūnin Exam is the perfect opportunity."

Tayuya, acting like the big sister of the group, stood up for her teammate. Sakura, snapping out of her daze, looked at her ally with gratitude.

"Thank you, Tayuya."

However, no sooner had Sakura spoken than Tayuya's next words froze the gratitude on her face.

"But honestly, it's your fault for being so useless. Kurenai-sensei has been way too soft on you."

Sharp-tongued and wild!

These were Tayuya's defining traits. As a child discovered in the Land of Fields, she had grown up amidst the brutality of war, which naturally shaped her unruly personality.

"Alright, Sakura, don't overthink it. Tayuya's just like that," said Hotaru, the third member of their team, with a warm smile as she stepped forward. The three of them were a team under the leadership of Kurenai Yūhi.

"Hey, hey! Outsider, I heard a pack of dogs barking. Show yourselves, you cowards!"

With that loud, unruly voice, Suigetsu Hōzuki made his entrance, carrying the massive Executioner's Blade.

Sakura wasn't just his classmate—she was his village comrade. To see her being intimidated as soon as she arrived was unacceptable! Rather than being intimidated by the scene, Suigetsu grinned bloodthirstily, dramatically swinging the massive blade.

"Keh keh keh... This blade's previous owner earned the title 'Demon' by slaughtering all the examinees in his class. I wonder how many of you will feed this thirsty blade today!"

For the first time, Suigetsu spoke with such arrogance. Sasuke and Naruto, who had entered alongside him, didn't retort. Instead, they crossed their arms and calmly followed him into the examination hall.

"That's... Executioner's Blade!"

"No way!"

"How could a mere lower-ranked ninja possibly..."

If this had been just a contest of presence earlier, Suigetsu's appearance with the Executioner's Blade now caused a stir in the hall.

As whispers spread, many began to understand the significance of the blade.

The eyes that had previously been filled with envy and hatred toward the Konoha ninjas now turned into panic and avoidance.

The more capable among the lower-ranked ninjas grew serious, their expressions turning grim.

The Executioner's Blade! For someone to have obtained this weapon, they had to be formidable. No matter how strong their connections were, they couldn't flaunt it so boldly without having the strength to back it up.

"Hahaha! This great lord has arrived! Who dares bully our Konoha ninjas?"

With a dog's bark, Inuzuka Kiba made his entrance alongside Akamaru, full of excitement. Akimichi Chōji followed behind with a bag of chips in hand, while Nara Shikamaru, the last of the group, entered looking exasperated.

"Kiba, how many times do I have to tell you? Be low-key! Be low-key!"

One by one, teams of ninjas arrived to participate in the Chūnin Exam. The massive venue soon filled with groups huddling together.

Naturally, the Konoha ninjas also grouped together. When a white-haired, stone-faced, and overwhelmingly powerful Kimimaro appeared, even Sasuke couldn't help but sigh.

"Seriously? Lord Shirou sent a monster like Kimimaro to take the exam too?"

Kimimaro, having overheard Sasuke, swept a cold gaze over the other ninjas before walking to the Konoha group.

"Sasuke, Naruto, I will prove that I am Lord Shirou's sharpest blade!"

Kimimaro's piercing stare sent shivers down Sasuke and Naruto's spines. Both of them were competitive by nature, yet they couldn't muster a retort against Kimimaro—at least, not until they grew stronger.

"Hello, everyone. We're fifteen years old, the perfect age to take this Chūnin Exam."

The ever-smiling Sai greeted everyone, accompanied by the straightforward and honest Jūgo.

One by one, the Konoha ninjas gathered.

Kurenai Yūhi's Team: Tayuya, Sakura, Hotaru.

Mei Terumi's Team: Hinata, Karin, Ino.

Pakura's Team: Temari, Tenten, Haku.

Itachi's Team: Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chōji, Inuzuka Kiba.

Kakashi's Team: Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Suigetsu Hōzuki.

Shisui Uchiha's Team: Jūgo, Kimimaro, Sai.

Kabuto Yakushi's Team: Kidōmaru, Sakon & Ukon, Jirōbō.

Might Guy's Team: Neji Hyūga, Rock Lee, Shino Aburame.

These were the eight Konoha teams participating in this Chūnin Exam, all within the appropriate age range.