"So, you must be Uchiha Sasuke. What's the matter? Someone already caught your interest?"
Yakushi Kabuto asked with a faint smile, his eyes settling on Sasuke.
"You know who I am?" Sasuke frowned slightly at his words.
"Did you already forget what I just said?" Kabuto adjusted his glasses and chuckled. "I've gathered intel on all the examinees participating in this round, especially the ones from Konoha. You six just graduated from the Academy and are already taking the Chūnin Exams—of course I noticed you."
"Uchiha Sasuke, graduated second in your class," Kabuto began pointing at the six Genin one by one with his index finger. "Aburame Shino, ranked fourth. Haruno Sakura, ranked fifth. Inuzuka Kiba, eleventh. Hyūga Hinata, fourteenth. And Uzumaki Naruto... forty-eighth."
"Other than the top graduate Nara Shikamaru and his teammates Akimichi Chōji and Yamanaka Ino, the rest of the top candidates are all here." Kabuto tapped the side of his head and said proudly, "I've memorized all your files."
"So?" Kabuto smiled at Sasuke. "If you're curious about anyone, just give me any detail and I'll find them for you."
"Rock Lee, from the Hidden Leaf."
"Nara Shikamaru, Genin of the Hidden Leaf!"
Sasuke, still impressed by Rock Lee's fluid and lightning-fast taijutsu from their earlier encounter, immediately named him. But before Kabuto could respond, Naruto blurted out his own request—for Shikamaru.
Kabuto nodded, amused. "You even know their names already? That makes it easier."
With a swift, practiced motion, Kabuto pulled two cards from the thick stack of Ninja Info Cards and held them up in front of everyone.
Even those who hadn't spoken yet—Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and Sakura—craned their necks to get a closer look at the cards. After all, Shikamaru had held the top rank all throughout their Academy years. Even now as Genin, he remained far ahead, and his file naturally drew everyone's interest.
"Let me see Shikamaru's file!" Kiba said eagerly. But his demand annoyed Naruto.
"I asked first! Why should you get to see it?" he said, indignant.
"Alright, alright—everyone can look."
Kabuto sighed and placed the card with Shikamaru's data on the ground, explaining aloud as he did:
"First up, Nara Shikamaru. He's the same age as you and graduated from the Academy ranked first. As for field experience—nine D-rank missions, five C-rank missions. His Jōnin instructor is Sarutobi Asuma, who's always held him in high regard."
"His taijutsu, ninjutsu, and genjutsu are all outstanding, particularly taijutsu and ninjutsu. He's made considerable progress in the past few months."
Kabuto paused briefly before continuing, "At one point, he independently reverse-engineered the Fourth Hokage's signature technique, the Rasengan, which caught the attention of many. Not long ago, he even worked alongside his instructor to eliminate a Missing-nin from Kirigakure—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, known as the 'Demon' Momochi Zabuza. Though he received a minor reprimand after the mission for procedural reasons, his performance made him a standout. Many consider him a rare genius and a favored heir within the Nara clan."
"He's also a first-time participant in this exam. His teammates are Akimichi Chōji and Yamanaka Ino. The two are capable but not particularly exceptional."
As Kabuto finished, he quietly observed everyone's reaction.
Sure enough, their brows all furrowed slightly. Sasuke, in particular, looked especially grim.
As Genin from the same graduating class, Team 7 and Team 8 were often compared to Shikamaru's team. Sasuke, especially, had long been labeled "forever number two" during his time at the Academy. As an Uchiha—the so-called clan of geniuses—he had never once surpassed Shikamaru.
Now Shikamaru had not only maintained his position as top rookie but had also racked up real accomplishments as a shinobi, while the rest—including Sasuke—had yet to distinguish themselves in any meaningful way.
The psychological pressure was immense.
"So this is the one Lord Orochimaru is interested in?"
Kabuto took in Sasuke's reactions and thought to himself, "Compared to his brother, he's still got a long way to go. Maybe what he really lacks is motivation."
"Next is Rock Lee."
Kabuto pushed up his glasses again, using the motion to mask the sharp glint in his eyes. He began speaking in a lower voice.
"He's a year older than you. Graduated from the Academy last year and became a Genin. Mission experience—twenty D-ranks and eleven C-ranks. His Jōnin instructor is Maito Gai. His specialty is taijutsu, and he's made tremendous progress in that area over the past year. However, he has clear weaknesses in other areas."
"Last year, he was also considered a highly promising rookie, but he didn't participate in the Chūnin Exams. This year is his first time. His teammates are Tenten and Hyūga Neji."
"And speaking of teammates…"
Kabuto continued smoothly, clearly intending to stir the pot further. After all, Orochimaru wanted to see Sasuke's potential awakened—and this was one way to prod him.
"Hyūga Neji, on the same team, was last year's strongest rookie. He's known as the number one genius of the Hyūga clan, and he's a heavy favorite in this year's exams."
"You all should know this: the Chūnin Exams aren't just a simple test. It's also a battlefield where nations covertly measure and showcase strength. The Genin sent to participate are the elite of their respective villages. The competition isn't just among shinobi—it attracts attention even from ordinary civilians."
Kabuto chuckled softly as he looked at the group.
"Here in the Leaf Village, the most talked-about candidates are Hyūga Neji, last year's top rookie, and Nara Shikamaru, the strongest of this year. Many are eager to see the two of them face off."
"To determine who is Konoha's strongest Genin, its true number-one genius… everyone's watching this year's exam to see who comes out on top."
As Kabuto spoke, he watched Sasuke's face slowly darken with every word.
"Compared to them, the rest of us Leaf Genin…" Kabuto smiled faintly, "to many in the village, we're nothing more than background characters."
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin