SHINOBI EXAM

"Is this... a lie?"

The ninjas from the major villages stood frozen, unable to believe what they were seeing on the video. Many of them instinctively took a step back, unable to suppress their physical and mental rejection.

Before this moment, those who had expressed doubt now felt a sharp sting.

"Only four enemies? Is the Future Kazekage being overly paranoid?"

"That's right! It's completely unreliable to say someone that young is the future."

"Exactly! Even the Tsuchikage who followed him seems old and confused."

They had been quick to dismiss the warnings, but they were now forced to confront the truth. As the figures in the video became clearer, fear swept across the faces of those watching. They couldn't believe their eyes.

["Forget other villages—fighting against my own ninja is unbearable," a man in a kimono with a plane head remarked. His expression was one of solemnity.]

["I agree with you, although you are a nuisance," responded a man covered in bandages.]

In Kirigakure, the Land of Water:

"!!"

Terumi Mei's face turned grim, her eyes wide with shock. "Second Mizukage—Ghost Lantern Phantom Moon," she whispered in disbelief.

The Mist Shinobi around her were equally stunned. "But... isn't the Second Mizukage dead?"

And the bandaged man? "That's the Second Tsuchikage... the old enemy of our Mizukage, Iwagakure's Second Tsuchikage—None!"

Qing, another Shinobi from the village, furrowed his brow. "Even if these two are alive, they should be near their twilight years... This must be the Second Forbidden Technique—Impure World Reincarnation, developed by the Hokage!"

"Impure World Reincarnation?!" The exclamation was shared by everyone in the room.

"Are you saying that someone summoned the dead, the strongest from the Pure Land, to fight the younger generation of their own villages?!" Terumi Mei couldn't believe the despicable act that was unfolding before her eyes.

["There's no need to be too pessimistic," the dark-skinned man from the Moon Yoruichi clan offered, his tone comforting. "The younger generations in our villages will grow stronger. They'll surpass us one day. It's just a matter of time."]

["That's true," said the Third Raikage. His words seemed almost dismissive of the younger generation. He stared at the bean sprout-like figure beside him with a sharp gaze. The shadow of wind."

["Indeed, it would be best," agreed the Fourth Kazekage. His rebuttal was not lost on the Third Raikage, whose eyes narrowed further. The two old warriors were clearly at odds in their expectations for their sons.]

In the Land of Thunder, Cloud Shinobi Village:

"Boom!"

A thunderous crash tore through the air, creating a massive hole in the ground. As the smoke cleared, the figures of the Fourth Raikage and his brother, Killer Bee, emerged from the pit.

"Raikage-sama!"

"How could you take Bee-sama out of the uninhabited island?! He's the Jinchūriki! We have to protect him at all costs!"

The Fourth Raikage cast a serious look toward the image of his father, whom he hadn't seen in years. He turned to the Cloud Shinobi who questioned his actions. "Is there anywhere safer than beside me?"

"Brother Idiot," Killer Bee, always carefree, laughed as he revealed his true feelings. "You idiot, I don't need protection! I just want to have a concert! All the Cloud Shinobi should listen to my rap, oh yeah!"

A moment later, Killer Bee was swiftly smacked by his elder brother.

"Don't you miss dad's terrifying face, huh?" The Fourth Raikage's words were filled with bittersweet nostalgia.

One of the Cloud Shinobi, still stunned by the unexpected reunion, whispered, "You may not know the true horror of biogenetics..."

Meanwhile, in the Land of Wind, Sunagakure:

The Sand Shinobi were struck with dread as they watched the shadow of their Kazekage, Gaara, flicker on the video. Could it be? Was this a warning that their Kazekage had already fallen?

"It's impossible for him to have died naturally," an elder mused. "Send a message to Baki, immediately. We need confirmation about Kazekage's condition!"

A Sand Shinobi quickly responded, "Lord Baki hasn't been able to contact Kazekage for at least three days. In his message, he mentioned that someone might be impersonating him. Baki believes that Kazekage has been involved with the Sound Ninjas to execute a 'Konoha Destruction Plan.'"

"What?! Konoha Destruction Plan?!" The Sand Shinobi around him erupted in shock.

"The Sound Ninjas... It's clear they're not involved," the elder concluded, his face grim. "This is no ordinary matter!"

Granny Chiyo, standing quietly, gazed at the Third Kazekage puppet created by her little grandson. A mix of sadness and determination flashed in her eyes. The village couldn't remain without a leader. The shadow had to remain in place.

"Let's read the prompts in the video first, then we can make further plans."

She was prepared to 'test' Gaara's resolve once more. If Gaara truly had the temperament to lead, then it would be a fitting moment to acknowledge his leadership. If not...

The final image served as a reminder to Gaara!

[In the video, waves of sand surged across the four dead "shadows" like a massive tsunami!]

The Second Mizukage, Ghost Lantern Genzuki, laughed with delight. "Hey, this sandstorm is spectacular~!"

["This is the power of Shukaku!" the Fourth Kazekage said with a serious expression. "The power of One Tail!!"]

["You started with the Kasumi Technique?!" he remarked as he formed a seal with his hands. The sand under his feet turned golden.]

This was a jutsu he had developed to deal with Gaara, his youngest son who had transformed into a powerful force. Using the Magnet Style, he could manipulate gold dust from the sand dunes. Since placer gold was of higher quality than regular sand, only by mixing it could the power of Shukaku's sand manipulation be countered.

[The golden placer gold clashed with the yellow-brown sand in an awe-inspiring collision!]

The rumble of the clash echoed, sending shockwaves through the scene.

"Ah! Oh my God!"

"Is this the ultimate showdown between Kazekage and Kazekage?!"

"Such a rare sight! The shockwaves from the battle are reaching us even outside the image!"

"I almost defended myself just now! Wait, that guy just jumped away! It's just an image!"

For a moment, silence swept over the group.

The future. Could they really fight against the shadows of their own villages? Win or lose, it didn't matter. They were fighting their most respected leaders!

Could this be possible?!

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