SHINOBI EXAM

The arrival of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, brought a tense silence to the hallway outside the exam room. Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, Iruka, and several other Jōnin saluted him with respect, their faces etched with unease.

"Third Hokage-sama," Kakashi said solemnly. "The barrier hasn't opened yet."

Sarutobi took a deep drag from his tobacco pipe, his gaze heavy. "No reaction to chakra?" he asked.

An Anbu operative in a bear-mask stepped forward from the shadows. "None, Hokage-sama. This isn't an ordinary barrier or genjutsu. We can't sense any chakra at all. It might be something entirely different."

The Third Hokage's brow furrowed. Could it be some kind of advanced sealing technique? His mind flashed back to Naruto's earlier outburst. He remembered the boy's fiery declaration of resolve and felt a pang of guilt. This chaotic scenario could have been avoided if he'd better prepared Naruto for the trials he would face.

---

Inside the exam room, Naruto's laughter and antics lightened the oppressive mood, momentarily breaking the tension despite the lingering scent of blood.

Suddenly, loud bangs echoed through the room.

[Prize 2: Please choose one of the following people to resurrect.]

The announcement reverberated ominously as ten wooden coffins rose from the floor. The sound of creaking wood made everyone freeze in place.

"R-resurrection?" someone whispered, their voice trembling with disbelief.

The coffins bore an eerie presence, each sealed tightly, as if holding secrets too heavy for the living to bear. Then, one by one, the coffin lids fell away.

---

The first coffin revealed a man dressed in the standard Konoha Jōnin attire. His lifeless form showed no visible wounds, his gray face cracked like dry earth.

"Danzo!" gasped Sarutobi, recognizing his former comrade.

Orochimaru, hiding among the Grass Ninjas, watched with a glint of intrigue in his eyes. Could this resurrection be a perfected form of my Impure World Reincarnation technique?

Before anyone could process what they had just seen, the second coffin opened, then the third, and so on. Each wooden coffin revealed another ninja, some famous, some unfamiliar. Gasps and whispers of disbelief rippled through the room.

Finally, the tenth coffin opened.

The sight of the figure within brought the room to stunned silence. A man with short blond hair and a face almost too gentle for war stood in the coffin. His white cloak, emblazoned with red flames, fluttered as though alive. Every ninja in the room recognized him immediately, even those from other villages.

"Konoha's... Golden Flash…" someone muttered, their voice trembling with awe.

"Minato-sensei!" Kakashi's voice cracked with emotion, his single visible eye wide with disbelief.

Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage, stood there, lifeless yet powerful. His presence commanded the room even in death.

---

The tension broke like a dam. The Konoha Jōnin and candidates erupted in a chorus of shouts.

"Lord Fourth Hokage!"

"It's really him! The hero of Konoha!"

"Naruto, choose him!"

Naruto, however, stood frozen, his mind swirling with emotions. The man in the coffin wasn't just the Fourth Hokage, a figure he idolized—he was the one who had sacrificed everything to protect the village. But Naruto also felt a pang of guilt, his thoughts flashing back to Mizuki's cruel revelation that he was the Nine-Tails fox that had taken Minato's life.

---

Naruto's hesitation didn't go unnoticed. A hand gripped his shoulder tightly, pulling him back to reality.

"Naruto," the Jōnin said sharply. "You know who to choose! Don't forget why Lord Fourth sacrificed himself for this village!"

The weight of the statement hit Naruto like a physical blow. He glanced again at Minato, then at the other coffins. His gaze lingered on the ninth coffin, where a tall, black-haired woman rested. Her features bore a striking resemblance to Sasuke's.

Suddenly, Sasuke lunged toward the woman's coffin with a desperate cry, "Kaa-san!" His Sharingan blazed, spinning wildly with raw emotion.

"Sasuke, stop!" several Jōnin shouted as they restrained him. Even then, Sasuke struggled violently, his normally composed demeanor shattered.

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked between Sasuke and the woman. Is that… Sasuke's mother? The concept of "mother" felt foreign to him, yet a strange ache formed in his chest.

---

The room buzzed with impatience.

"Naruto, what are you waiting for?! Choose Lord Fourth Hokage!"

"That's enough, demon fox!" someone spat under their breath.

Naruto's heart pounded in his chest as his thoughts raced. He looked at Sasuke, who had stopped struggling. Sasuke's eyes—red, spinning Sharingan—locked onto his. They weren't filled with anger or resentment. Instead, there was a vulnerability Naruto had never seen before, a silent plea that shook him to his core.

And then, Naruto smiled—a bright, defiant grin that caught everyone off guard.

"Hey, you jerk hiding behind this crazy game!" Naruto shouted at the invisible entity controlling the coffins. "If this thing really works, then resurrect Sasuke's mom! That's my choice!"

The room went silent. For a moment, no one moved.

---

The Jōnin closest to Naruto lashed out in anger, slamming his fist into Naruto's head.

"You stupid demon fox! How dare you—"

Naruto's head hit the desk with a sickening crack, blood dripping down his blond hair. Sasuke's eyes widened in horror as the room descended into chaos. Shouts and accusations flew as the room broke into factions.

And then, the announcement came.

[Confirmation of Resurrection: Uchiha Mikoto]

The ninth coffin glowed faintly as chakra began to gather. All eyes turned to it as Uchiha Mikoto's form slowly came to life.

---

The Third Hokage's pipe fell from his lips as he stared in disbelief. Kakashi could hardly breathe. Even Sasuke was stunned into silence, his Sharingan spinning slower and slower as he processed what was happening.

Naruto lay slumped on the floor, a pained yet satisfied grin on his face. "Sasuke…" he muttered, his voice weak but steady. "Family's important, right?"

For the first time in years, Sasuke felt tears sting his eyes. Words failed him as he stared at his mother, alive once more.

---

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