Chapter 76 76: Mastermind of the 4th Ninja War.

In the hall, Kaito stood calmly, his expression neutral, but his eyes were sharp with vigilance. Whoosh! Kaito disappeared from his spot, darting straight toward Rock Lee! But Kaito wasn't like Sasuke, whose eyes could see but whose body couldn't keep up. To him, Lee's speed was underwhelming—slower than even Hinata or Ino during sparring today. He wasn't in the mood to play around. The Chunin Exams were still underway. Whoosh! Lee appeared in front of Kaito in a flash, his bandaged fist cutting through the air as it aimed for Kaito's stomach. Kaito's face didn't change. Just as the punch neared his stomach, Kaito raised his hand and caught Lee's fist with ease. Lee didn't panic. He tried to pull his arm back to create distance—but as soon as he applied force, his expression changed. It was like his fist was clamped in a steel vise. No matter how hard he pulled, it wouldn't budge. "You're nowhere near my level," Kaito said coolly. His fingers tightened around Lee's hand. In a blink, his other arm shot forward, grabbing Lee's shoulder—and then he threw him with terrifying force! Lee spun through the air like a launched projectile. At the same time, Kaito's figure vanished. "It's over," a calm voice said from below Lee. Lee's heart sank. "So fast!" he muttered, eyebrows tightening in alarm. He was still spinning mid-air, unable to regain control of his body. He couldn't resist—he was helpless. Bang! A sharp pain struck his neck, and Lee's eyes shut involuntarily. The next moment, the force acting on him dissipated, and his body began falling like a ragdoll from the sky. But before he hit the ground, a strong arm caught him. It was a man in green spandex with a wide grin and thick eyebrows—clearly Might Guy. To strangers, they might've looked like father and son. Might Guy enters with flair! He slung Lee over his shoulder and beamed. "Kaito! Thank you for going easy on Lee!" "It's nothing," Kaito replied lightly. "I like Lee's spirit. He's not my enemy—there was no need to hurt him." "Oh! I really envy Kakashi for having a student like you!" Might Guy sighed dramatically. "That's just luck," Kaito said honestly. "Most of my training came from Lady Tsunade." (She didn't teach you shit though. Well,you did learn medical ninjutsu,but that's all.) Might Guy nodded enthusiastically. "That makes sense. Only Tsunade-sama could bring out someone like you!" After a few casual words with Guy, Kaito turned and walked toward Ino and the others. Seeing him approach, Naruto and Kiba finally snapped out of their daze. You couldn't blame them. The fight between Kaito and Lee ended so fast, they barely registered it had begun. "That guy just keeps getting stronger..." Kiba muttered, clenching his fists with frustration. Sasuke, silently stewing beside them, clenched his fists so hard his knuckles bled slightly. Shikamaru and Choji, more familiar with Kaito, weren't surprised. They were used to it. After a few minutes of chatting, the group headed toward the actual Chunin Exam venue. They had already wasted enough time. On the second floor, they confirmed the exam room number before Kaito pushed open the door. The classroom was chaotic. Genin from the Hidden Sound and Hidden Sand Villages filled the space, identifiable by their headbands. When Kaito and his group entered, the chatter ceased. All eyes turned toward them. "So these are the Konoha Genin taking the Chunin Exam?" "Haha, their leader's got two girls tagging along. Lucky guy." "Doesn't look like much. In the real exam..." Their voices were filled with mockery and underestimation. Then, a silver-haired young man wearing a Konoha forehead protector approached them. It was Kabuto Yakushi, known in the future as one of the masterminds of the Fourth Great Ninja War, and a master of Impure World Reincarnation. For now, he was still a spy planted in Konoha by Orochimaru. He walked over with a friendly smile. "You guys must be the new graduates here for the Chunin Exams," he said. "How do you know?!" Naruto asked loudly. "Because you look completely clueless," Kabuto said with a smirk, adjusting his glasses. Following the canon, Kabuto explained the structure of the joint Chunin Exams and shared intel he had collected. Then he paused, eyes landing on Kaito. "I've read all the files. Except for him." He pointed directly at Kaito. "When it comes to taijutsu or ninjutsu—honestly? He's unreadable. In one word—unfathomable. You're lucky to have him in your squad." He deliberately said it loudly, and several Genin from other villages turned their heads. Then he returned to his seat, ignoring their reactions. Kaito shook his head with a silent chuckle. This guy... Kabuto is really cunning. That whole speech was just bait—meant to provoke the Sand and Sound ninjas into targeting me later. Killing with a borrowed knife, huh? Too bad... conspiracies mean nothing in front of absolute power. As he walked with Hinata and Ino to their seats, he felt a chilling gaze filled with killing intent. It wasn't just murderous—it was bestial. He didn't need to guess. That was Gaara. Sure enough, Gaara's bloodthirsty eyes were locked onto him, a dangerous glint flashing. Kaito gave him a calm glance, then looked over at Temari nearby, before shifting his attention to the front, waiting for the proctor. After what felt like forever, a scarred man walked into the classroom. Just his presence silenced the room. Morino Ibiki, Konoha's interrogation specialist. With a calm but commanding voice, he introduced himself. "I am Morino Ibiki. I'll be your proctor for the first test of the Chunin Exams." He began explaining the rules, and soon, the first written test was underway. ---