Naruto: Promotion is my Ninja Way

On the violently shaking rooftop, Sarutobi Hiruzen glared at Orochimaru with fierce determination.

In truth, Orochimaru was also confused. Even his summoned giant snakes couldn't create such a tremendous noise. What was happening outside the barrier?

He had no time to ponder this, as the furious Third Hokage had already raised the Adamantine Staff and brought it crashing down toward him.

"Orochimaru, you will not leave here alive today!" 

"No one threatens Konohagakure while I still draw breath!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, consumed by righteous fury, temporarily gained the upper hand against Orochimaru. Even the reanimated Senju brothers—summoned through the Impure World Reincarnation technique—had no opportunity to counterattack.

As heaven and earth continued to tremble, the decisive battle between master and disciple resumed with renewed intensity!

No one suspected that the earth-shattering noise had been caused by Shihouin Naraku single-handedly battling over a hundred Sand ninjas, creating a scene of unimaginable destruction.

Eventually, the shock waves and hurricane-force winds dissipated, and the examination venue stopped shaking.

The brutal fighting resumed in earnest. Hatake Kakashi looked worriedly toward the location where the mushroom cloud had risen. That was where the outer defense line of Konohagakure was positioned.

"Could something have happened at the defense line that Naraku and Shikaku were responsible for?"

It seemed unlikely. The outer defense strategy had been carefully planned in advance. Even if Orochimaru's attack was large in scale, it shouldn't have caused such an immense disturbance.

Kakashi worried that enemy forces might have broken through their defenses and entered the village, which would result in devastating losses.

Street fighting was an exceptionally brutal form of warfare. Considering the post-war complications, it would be most efficient if they could keep enemy forces outside the village walls.

Before Kakashi could continue this line of thought, a Sand ninja attacked again.

"Swish!"

Hatake Kakashi's scarlet pupils rotated, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning as he suddenly dropped into a crouch, narrowly avoiding a tricky attack.

"Chakra Scalpel?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, studying the masked Sand ninja. Although Kakashi wasn't proficient in medical ninjutsu himself, his close friend was the head of Konoha's medical department, so he recognized the technique immediately.

More concerning was the attacker's style, which carried traces of ANBU training, with subtle movements reminiscent of those used by corpse disposal teams.

Could it be possible? Could this person be from Konoha's Medical Department?

Perhaps one of Orochimaru's spies embedded within the village?

Medical ninja?

Spy?

An idea flashed through Kakashi's mind, and he called out, "You're actually Orochimaru's secret agent! Yakushi Kabuto!"

"Hehehe..." Though still in disguise, Yakushi Kabuto didn't deny Kakashi's accusation. Instead, he laughed softly. "As expected of you, Kakashi-senpai. You can see through such a clever disguise."

"Lord Orochimaru truly respects your abilities, Kakashi-senpai!"

Kakashi recognized the troubling implications. This was exactly the kind of problem Orochimaru represented. Who could guess how many other secret operatives the Snake Sannin had planted throughout Konohagakure?

"You even managed to keep your identity hidden from Naraku. You're indeed an excellent spy, trained by the Walking Miko herself!"

Yakushi Kabuto's smiling face beneath his disguise suddenly darkened. The Walking Miko was the codename that Yakushi Nono had earned during her career as a spy.

For Kabuto, who had been deeply cared for by Nono, this reference touched upon memories he desperately wanted to forget.

After all, Yakushi Nono had been like a mother to him, yet in the end, she had died indirectly by Kabuto's own hands.

"I heard that Kakashi-senpai lost to Lord Naraku's overwhelming strength," Yakushi Kabuto said coldly. "So before confronting Lord Naraku myself, I want to measure my own abilities!"

Before finishing his statement, Kabuto rushed toward Kakashi.

Hatake Kakashi showed no fear, advancing to meet the attack with a kunai in hand.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!"

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Sparks flew as the two figures repeatedly crossed paths in midair.

The physical confrontation might not appear spectacular to observers, but the difference between life and death hung by the thinnest margin.

One moment of carelessness would mean death at the enemy's hands.

"Bang!"

The figures of Hatake Kakashi and Yakushi Kabuto crossed paths one final time before landing on opposite sides.

Unsurprisingly, the exchange had ended in a draw, with neither gaining a clear advantage.

"Phew—Naraku's teaching abilities are truly impressive. He's managed to train an Elite Jōnin!"

Kakashi silently acknowledged that the younger generation was catching up quickly.

The explosion at Naraku's position earlier meant he definitely couldn't come to provide support. Yet the enemies at the exam venue were all elite ninjas, including Yakushi Kabuto who knew Konoha's layout intimately, plus the enemy commander Baki from Sunagakure!

This battle wouldn't end anytime soon!

"Kakashi, do you need my assistance?" 

Might Guy leaped to his side, flashing a thumbs-up with his trademark gleaming smile.

"No, you have your own opponents to handle," Kakashi shook his head, keeping his eyes fixed on Kabuto. "I'm fine. I can hold my position."

Yakushi Kabuto quickly surveyed the examination venue. According to their timetable, Sunagakure's major reinforcements should have arrived by now.

Apart from the massive explosion earlier, the village interior was unnaturally quiet—almost too quiet.

Had something happened to their reinforcements?

Suddenly, Kabuto's eyes widened as if he'd spotted something unexpected. Without hesitation, he flipped backward, jumping off the audience seating area and disappearing in an instant.

"Huh?"

Kabuto's abrupt retreat caught Kakashi by surprise, preventing him from seizing the opportunity to pursue.

At that moment, new figures leaped onto the examination venue walls and joined the battle.

"Eliminate all enemies!"

"Don't let any escape!"

"Avoid large-scale jutsu! We must protect the civilians!"

The arrival of these fresh Konoha forces immediately shifted the battle's momentum.

"These are all Konoha shinobi!"

Hatake Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder Yakushi Kabuto had retreated so decisively, completely abandoning his supposed allies.

This was where Kakashi misunderstood both Kabuto and Orochimaru. They never truly considered Sunagakure and Otogakure as allies—they were merely expendable tools.

"Your team was supposed to be guarding the civilian evacuation, right? According to the plan, half of your squad should be supporting this venue, while the other half reinforces the outer defense positions. Why are you all here?"

A supporting ninja appeared beside Kakashi, who immediately voiced his concerns. While these reinforcements would help resolve the stalemate at the examination venue, the village's outer defenses remained equally crucial!

"These are Lord Naraku's orders! The battle outside Konohagakure has concluded. Sunagakure's elite force of over one hundred ninjas has been eliminated by Lord Naraku alone. Except for the necessary guards maintaining a defensive perimeter, everyone else was sent by Lord Naraku to provide support here!"

Good news!

Kakashi felt a wave of relief upon hearing this. The pressure had significantly diminished. But wait—

"You're saying Naraku dealt with Sunagakure's army of one hundred shinobi?"

"By himself?"

"Alone?"

"He truly defeated an entire army single-handedly?"

"What about your team? Did you just watch while Naraku fought the enemy alone?"

Kakashi's barrage of questions made the reporting ninja lower his head in shame.

"Lord Naraku moves too quickly—we couldn't keep pace with him. By the time we arrived... the battle was already over."

In truth, they hadn't been completely useless. At the very least, they were the ones who cleaned up the battlefield afterward, sparing Lord Naraku from such mundane tasks.

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