Uzumaki Naruto looked at the scene before him, and the emotion in his eyes was not shock—

It was fervor.

With absolute confidence he grinned. "All right! After we take care of these guys, let's settle things once and for all in the final battle!"

In the next instant Naruto went fully into his Nine‑Tails Mode.

A torrent of violent power burst sky‑high. The fearsome bijū chakra roared outward, making the entire Forest of Death seem to shudder—making the very earth itself tremble.

Naruto in his Kurama cloak, together with Uchiha Sasuke's Susanoo, instantly stole the spotlight; everyone else became mere background.

…

In the spectator stands, dead silence reigned.

"C‑can you really still call them genin?"

"Even jōnin—no, even elite jōnin—don't have power this terrifying!"

"Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke… those two are monsters…"

"No wonder—they're the Lord of the Shinobi World's students…"

Suigetsu Hōzuki and Chōjūrō were dumbstruck.

"Damn it, how are we supposed to fight that…?" Suigetsu muttered, brows knitted.

Chōjūrō drew a breath. "At this point we just have to give it everything we've got!"

"Yeah…"

With a shared roar, the two brandished their swords and charged.

Darui nodded from the Kumogakure box. "Mizukage‑sama, your Kirigakure kids aren't bad at all."

Mei Terumi smiled. "Even if we lose, we can't lose too badly, can we?"

…

Elsewhere, the sky darkened under Naruto's Kurama Mode. The over‑spec power sent gasps rippling across the chūnin‑exam field.

But Gaara had seen it before.

"Don't panic!"

"Kurama Mode is strong, but it isn't without weaknesses. Its biggest flaw is actually—"

"—Naruto himself!"

Naruto: "Hey, Gaara, that's harsh!"

Unfazed, Gaara said, "Sorry, but it's the truth. If you could draw out Kurama Mode's full power, hardly anyone in the whole shinobi world could stand against you. But right now, you still can't."

With that he too went full bijū, Shukaku manifesting in the Forest of Death.

"I'll handle Naruto's attacks!" Gaara shouted. "Akatsuchi, you're good at defense—support me! As for offense, Deidara, that's your show!"

High above, Deidara rode his clay bird and grinned. "Heh, relax. My explosive art loses to no one's…"

"Good."

Gaara laid out the plan: "Naruto can maintain Kurama Mode for at most about five minutes. During that time Akatsuchi and I go all‑out on defense. Deidara, Kurotsuchi, Temari, Kankurō—you keep him under constant pressure. Survive five minutes and victory is ours!"

"Right!"

Naruto frowned. "Figures Gaara knows my limits… and he really is a first‑rate captain."

Up in the stands, Baki watched, awash in emotion. Without the Lord of the Shinobi World's appearance… he never would have imagined Gaara changing like this—reborn from the ashes.

Kakashi nodded. "Gaara's not just strong—his mind and leadership are outstanding."

Shikamaru agreed. "Yeah. In every respect he's far beyond ordinary chūnin."

At that moment Deidara dove, bombs raining down from his clay bird. Though he had not fallen to darkness, once he moved his eyes still burned with fanatic light.

"Ha‑ha‑ha‑ha‑ha!"

"Uzumaki Naruto—feel my art! Art is… an EXPLOSION!"

Boom!

Flames flashed around Kurama‑cloaked Naruto; shockwaves rent ground and forest alike.

Kurotsuchi sprang in. "I'll immobilize him! Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique! Water Release: Water Trumpet!"

A torrent of quicklime spewed from her mouth; the added water hardened it, trying to bind Kurama's body.

But—

"Don't underestimate me!"

With a roar Naruto tore free, Deidara's blasts failing to hurt him. Instead—

Wham! Tails of chakra lashed out toward the attackers.

"Look out!"

Gaara and Shukaku vaulted forward. A gigantic sand hand collided with the chakra tails.

Elsewhere Akatsuchi formed seals. "Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"

A huge golem rose; Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi stood atop it, its arms blocking another swipe of chakra.

Temari and Kankurō seized the opening.

"Wind Release: Great Sickle Weasel!"

"Black Secret Technique: Mouth Senbon!"

Their teamwork drove wind‑sharpened projectiles slicing at Naruto.

This was undeniably the climax of the entire exam: the four great villages' strongest squads teaming up to assault the seeded Team 7.

Gasps rose unceasingly from the crowd—spectacle upon spectacle.

And elsewhere across the forest, other thrilling battles erupted.

Konoha's other teams shone too—Team 3 with Hyūga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten, for instance.

Because of Chiyu's arrival, Neji's father Hizashi had lived; the caged‑bird system had been abolished, and Neji's seal removed. He mastered the main family's pure Gentle Fist and grew exponentially stronger—no bitterness, only gratitude to the Lord of the Shinobi World.

Hyūga Hinata's fate had likewise changed: freed of heiress pressure, her potential blossomed. Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi all became standout prodigies. Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and the new Ino‑Shika‑Chō trio had all risen too.

When the second‑round Forest of Death test finally ended…

Naruto and Sasuke still emerged overwhelming victors. Even the united squads of the four villages fell before their transcendent power.

The final village ranking:

1. Konoha, by an unquestioned margin.

2. Sunagakure, thanks chiefly to perfect‑jinchūriki Gaara.

3. Iwagakure, with the fearsome Deidara plus Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi.

4. Kirigakure, where Suigetsu, Chōjūrō, and Haku formed a solid unit.

5. Kumogakure unexpectedly landed last, lacking standout young geniuses despite its mighty military.

Accordingly, slots for the third test—the final one‑on‑one tournament—were allotted in decreasing numbers down the list.

Predictably, despite many impressive fighters, the championship bout was Naruto versus Sasuke—the exam's ultimate peak. For Chiyu, their clash held special meaning: Ashura versus Indra's fate still unbroken. Not the destined battle yet, but a milestone nonetheless.

The two quickly drove the fight to white heat: Naruto into Kurama Mode, Sasuke awakening his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Yet in the midst of their fierce exchange, Chiyu felt a subtle stir. He lifted his gaze to the sky.

Spectators sensed it too, heads turning upward—Naruto and Sasuke paused, looking heavenward.

…

There, a figure appeared from nowhere, radiating an overwhelming majesty like a creator‑god who had forged the world.

"T‑that figure…?"

Even the Kage rose in shock, staring wide‑eyed.

Only Chiyu remained unmoved.

He said calmly, "Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo."

The name confirmed every suspicion—the Sage of Six Paths himself, origin of all shinobi legend.

Few knew the name Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, but the Sage was myth itself—the world's creator. His true six‑paths shakujō gleamed, perfect and unequalled, far beyond the incomplete staves of Ten‑Tails Obito or Madara. Horned, bearded, godlike, he exuded an aura that forbade mortal gaze.

Hagoromo spoke at last.

"Uchiha Chiyu—Lord of the present Shinobi World. You clearly know who I am."

Chiyu's reply was cool: "You're here so abruptly—state your business. Surely not revenge for your mother Kaguya."

Hagoromo sighed, surveying the bustling exam grounds and the peaceful, thriving Konoha below.

"My mother was wrong. My brother Hamura and I sealed her; now you have slain her. I feel sorrow, yet no resentment. What I wish to discuss is the shinobi world's fate and future. I was once acknowledged as its ruler a thousand years ago. This is dialogue between two 'Lords of the Shinobi World.'"

Chiyu did not deny it, but neither did he accept Hagoromo's path.

The Sage admitted his own failure: spreading chakra to link hearts had instead birthed ninjutsu and endless war.

Chiyu asked, "What's wrong with seeking strength?"

After a long silence Hagoromo said: "Perhaps both Ashura's love and Indra's power were mistakes. The only correct path may be my original vision—abolish all shinobi and ninjutsu, restore chakra to its primal role of connecting hearts, so true understanding and a perfect world can be born. I have watched ever since my death. Seeing what you have done, I realize I once did nothing. Now I will remake the world, back to its purest, most peaceful state—the true essence of Ninshū!"

Chiyu laughed.

"You choose now to appear and erase all shinobi? Are you overconfident, or merely foolish? What right do you have to preach before me—the one who achieved peace?"

Hagoromo's face darkened.

Chiyu rose. A divine, crushing force swept the arena—tens of thousands felt their souls quake.

The two Lords of the Shinobi World, Hagoromo and Chiyu, merely stared each other down, yet the pressure alone filled every heart with dread:

If they truly fought, the entire world might be destroyed. What catastrophe would that be?

~~~

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