Agakure Waiting Room
Arriving at the Agakure Waiting Room, Itachi knocked on the door. Knock! Knock!
“Co in…” a deep voice responded from inside.
With permission, Itachi opened the door and stepped into the room. Though spacious, the waiting room contained only three ninjas: Raijin, seated on one of the chairs reserved for participants; Samsara, sitting beside him; and Tengu, leaning against the wall. The sound of the Colosseum’s crowd drifted through the window, adding to the tension.
The atmosphere felt solemn, and if anyone other than Itachi had entered, they would have likely been overwheld by the sheer presence of these three Agakure Genins. But Itachi remained calm, unfazed by the tension in the room.
Seeing him, Samsara rose from her seat and greeted him with a respectful bow, “Itachi-sama…”
Tengu, though less formal, nodded in acknowledgnt.
Itachi returned a smile to Samsara and nodded in greeting to Tengu before turning to Raijin.
Curious, Raijin looked at him. “So… what brings you here at a ti like this?”
Itachi smiled faintly. “I ca to express my gratitude for helping my younger brother awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.”
Raijin shrugged. “There’s no need to thank . It was sothing I was supposed to do.” Then, with a hint of guilt beneath his mask, he added, “Though, I might have gone a bit overboard with Uchiha Sasuke… so, I apologize for that.”
Itachi acknowledged that Raijin may have been a little excessive, but he had no complaints—in fact, he was grateful. Sasuke had been able to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan without the devastating loss that most would have to endure to gain such power. A few setbacks, in Itachi’s view, were nothing to regret; on the contrary, they could serve to make Sasuke stronger. Just as an iron block must be heated and hamred to beco a fine sword, Sasuke too would need to face challenges if he wished to beco a great shinobi.
Had Sasuke experienced such a blow from a real enemy intent on killing him, the outco could have been disastrous. In comparison, training against Raijin had been a far better alternative, as Sasuke’s life was never in actual danger.
Itachi also understood the risks Raijin had taken to push Sasuke to this level. Not only did Raijin have to fight Sasuke cautiously to avoid killing or seriously injuring him, but he also had to defend himself against Sasuke's relentless attacks, as Sasuke was fighting with everything he had, fully intent on killing him.
Now, Raijin has attracted considerable attention. While nobody has managed to figure out that he is a mber of Amatsukami, his actions have yet again put him in the spotlight. Furthermore, Kumogakure’s Raikage had beco more determined to assassinate him, as his mastery of the Lightning Chakra Mode—despite being imperfect—was seen as a threat after all, the Lightning Chakra Armor is a closely guarded national secret of Kumogakure.
Considering the burdens Raijin now bore for helping Sasuke awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, Itachi saw Sasuke’s struggles as relatively minor by comparison, especially given the great benefit of awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Reflecting on all this, Itachi found he had no grounds to criticize Raijin for his treatnt of Sasuke. Instead, Itachi was more concerned about Raijin’s safety and offered a suggestion. “You might want to keep a low profile from now on... In fact, I’d recomnd leaving now. No one would expect that.”
Raijin was surprised by Itachi’s advice. “Leave now?” While he knew Itachi’s suggestion was sound—after all, his main objective in the promotion exam was already achieved—Raijin still needed to complete a few more battles to fully develop this clone body. If he left now, he’d have to seek out other opportunities to engage in challenging fights, which could lead to unintended consequences, even risking irreversible damage that might destroy this clone entirely.
Moreover, Raijin had wagered a substantial amount of money on himself. Winning the Joint Chūnin Promotion Exam would yield a significant payout, and forfeiting now would an leaving all that money on the table.
Raijin, whether motivated by completing his clone or securing his self-placed bet, had no intention of leaving midway. Shaking his head, he replied, “There’s no need to worry. I have my reasons for staying.”
“Is that so?” Itachi murmured thoughtfully, though he had expected this response. Despite Raijin’s refusal, Itachi didn’t press further. Instead, he posed another question: “And what would you do if your identity as a mber of Amatsukami were exposed?”
Raijin raised an eyebrow, considering the hypothetical. “If my identity is revealed?” He then shook his head, smiling faintly. “It wouldn’t matter. Even if soone discovered I’m part of Amatsukami, neither I nor the organization would be concerned. Our background was fabricated solely for our participation in the Chūnin Exam. The truth is, I’m not an Agakure shinobi; I have no real ties to Agakure.”
Itachi nodded in agreent. “That’s true.”
Raijin wasn’t particularly concerned with concealing his affiliation with Amatsukami. Even if soone discovered it, he saw little consequence. The only inconvenience would be if the Kages of different villages tried to reach out to him, which would be a hassle. Still, he didn’t worry much. Unlike the Akatsuki, Amatsukami played an essential role in the current Shinobi World, as it was the only organization capable of restraining the Akatsuki’s influence. No one in their right mind would risk antagonizing Amatsukami.
Understanding this well, Itachi didn’t try to dissuade Raijin further. After briefly discussing details about the upcoming semi-final matchups, he left the waiting room. His identity was too sensitive to linger in conversation, especially with Raijin drawing everyone’s attention.
Once Itachi departed, Raijin gave so instructions to Samsara and Tengu before settling into silence, preparing himself for the semi-finals to begin.
…
While Itachi t with Raijin, Kakashi, who had quickly left Konohagakure Hospital, found 'Kuroto' in the VIP section. "Kuro–err… Hokage-sama, could I have a mont?"
'Kuroto,' seated with the other Kages, was caught off guard by Kakashi's sudden arrival and noted his anxious expression. Internally, he wondered, ‘What’s going on with Kakashi-san?’ After all, he wasn’t actually Kuroto, but Itachi covering up for him as the Godai Hokage in his absence from Konoha.
Tsunade, sitting nearby, noticed Kakashi's concern as well and frowned, asking, “What happened, Kakashi?” Then, thinking of sothing, she asked urgently, “Is there an issue with Uchiha Sasuke?” It was the only reason she could imagine for Kakashi's apparent worry.
The other Kages and their entourages turned to look at Kakashi, curious about the cause of Hatake Kakashi’s anxiousness.
Kakashi quickly shook his head to dispel the group’s concerns. “Uh, no… there’s nothing wrong with Sasuke; he’s fine.”
Tsunade relaxed at his response.
anwhile, 'Kuroto,' already aware of Sasuke's condition through his Shadow Clones, was unworried. He politely excused himself from the Kages, nodding to Tsunade to cover for him, and led Kakashi to a quieter corner of the hall. Once there, he asked, “What’s troubling you?”
Kakashi studied 'Kuroto's' face, searching for a reaction, and then, in a low voice, asked, “Kuroto… were you aware that Raijin is a mber of the Amatsukami Organization?”
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