Chapter 176: Tell Them — I’m the One Who Cut the Moon Apart!
“Exactly—this is way too shameless.”
“A hero of Konoha, someone whose strength rivals or even surpasses the Hokage, taking an exam alongside a bunch of genin?”
“Relax… what if he’s just passing by? Or maybe he’s the proctor?”
“....”
The room erupted in noisy chatter.
Inside the exam hall, Morino Ibiki was completely stunned. He hurried forward and dropped to one knee before Hakken.
“Hakken-sama, is this… uh, a last-minute examiner change? Then I shall take my leave…”
He swallowed hard and brushed his fingers over the scar on his face—left by none other than the man standing before him.
He could still recall it vividly: the moment this youth kicked open the interrogation room door, carried off Anko, and, before leaving, carved that dazzling slash across Ibiki’s face.
No matter when he faced this man, the pressure was always immense.
Ironically, though… this scar had become something he bragged about to his comrades.
See this?
Konoha’s Kenpachi did this himself. Pretty damn cool, right?
“Uh, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m here to take the exam.”
Hakken straightened his slightly rumpled Shihakushō, cleared his throat, and patted Ibiki on the shoulder.
Take the exam?!
The moment those words landed, every Konoha genin in the room stood up simultaneously and slapped themselves hard across the face.
Damn it—this is insane!
He’s really here to take the exam!
“Hokage-sama, don’t you have anything to say about this?”
In the observation room, Ōnoki glared at Minato, his expression dark enough to crush mountains.
Letting that brat take the exam?
That’s like letting a level-99 character loose in the beginner’s village!
Does Konoha have any shame left?
“And what would the Tsuchikage like me to say?”
Minato’s genuinely puzzled tone nearly made Ōnoki cough up blood.
“This exam is for genin, and as Hakken Yoru is my disciple, I can vouch for his character. He truly is a genin.”
A genin, he says?!
Your face is as thick as Konoha’s outer walls!
Ōnoki collapsed back with a defeated sigh.
Konoha’s strongest combat power… is a genin.
A genin!
“Everyone, calm down. As for this ‘no shame’ issue you’re discussing—Konoha has clear regulations. Illegal trafficking of human organs is prohibited.”
…Huh?
That rule does exist, but how did shamelessness suddenly become related to organ trafficking!?
Who was the shameless bastard who said that?!
Everyone slowly turned their heads toward a certain someone sitting in the corner.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Ah. Of course.
Old ginger really is the spiciest.
And truly, Konoha needed someone to step in right now.
To protect Konoha’s dignity, Hiruzen decided he had to speak up!
If he took the blame for Konoha’s shamelessness, then no one could say anything more.
“As expected of the Third Hokage-sama—truly the strongest Hokage.”
But amusingly, sitting right beside him was none other than Snake Aunt.
Hearing Hiruzen’s line, she suddenly leaned in so close their noses nearly touched, sticking out half her tongue as if she’d found prey.
“Please stay away from me. I am fully devoted to my wife.”
Hiruzen calmly shifted his body and addressed her, “Hmm? Are you the leader of the Otogakure?”
“You know of Otogakure?”
Snake Aunt withdrew her tongue and narrowed her eyes.
Master and student meeting again—and the topic between them was whether Konoha had any shame.
No doubt: Konoha did not.
Or rather… her master had absolutely no need for something like shame.
“I only know a few rumors.”
Hiruzen looked away. Though he sensed a strange familiarity from her, he couldn’t place where it came from.
The commotion caused by Hakken entering the exam hall gradually died down.
After some grumbling, the atmosphere finally settled.
After all, no one dared speak recklessly here.
This was Konoha—their rules applied.
And Hakken Yoru was indeed a genin.
That fact mattered. As long as he was a genin, he had every right to participate in the Chūnin Exams.
If anyone kept complaining, their fate would be miserable.
Hadn’t they heard? Even the Kazekage’s two sons were beaten—one hospitalized with anal fissures, the other knocked unconscious for days—just for speaking out of turn.
A bloody lesson!
Complaints were allowed, but only in moderation.
Anyone who pushed it further might not live to see tomorrow’s sun.
This was Konoha—the undisputed number one shinobi village.
But…
How had none of them thought of it sooner?
If they let their own jōnin pretend to be genin and enter the exams, wouldn’t it make their village look amazing?
Indeed—shamelessness was the true shortcut to rising to power.
...
“Seriously, this is beyond shameless.”
“As a hero of Konoha—someone whose strength rivals or even surpasses the Hokage—he’s actually taking an exam with a bunch of genin?”
“Calm down… what if he’s just passing through? Or maybe he’s here as a proctor?”
“....”
The room erupted in noisy chatter.
Inside the exam hall, Morino Ibiki was completely stunned. He hurried forward, dropped to one knee before Hakken, and froze.
“Hakken-sama, is this… uh, a last-minute examiner change? In that case, I’ll take my leave…”
He swallowed hard, brushing his fingers over the scar on his face—left behind by the very man standing before him.
He would never forget the moment that youth kicked open the interrogation room door to take Anko away, then turned and carved a brilliant slash across Ibiki’s cheek before walking out.
Facing this man always came with crushing pressure.
And yet, ironically, the scar had become something he proudly showed off to his comrades.
See this?
Konoha’s Kenpachi cut this himself. Pretty damn cool, right?
“Uh, don’t misunderstand. I’m here to take the exam.”
Hakken straightened his slightly rumpled Shikabane-fu, cleared his throat, and patted Ibiki on the shoulder.
Take the exam?!
At that line, every Konoha genin in the room shot to their feet and slapped themselves across the face in perfect unison.
Damn it—unbelievable!
He really is here for the exam!
“Hokage-sama, don’t you have anything to say about this?”
In the observation room, Ōnoki glared at Minato, his expression dark as the bottom of a well.
Let that brat take the exam?
Isn’t this the same as letting a max-level character sneak into a newbie village?
Does Konoha not care about dignity anymore?
“What exactly would the Tsuchikage like me to say?”
Minato’s genuinely confused tone nearly made Ōnoki cough up blood.
“This exam is meant for genin. And Hakken Yoru is my disciple—I can vouch for his character. He is a genin.”
A genin?!
Your face is as thick as Konoha’s city walls!
Ōnoki collapsed into his seat with a defeated sigh.
Konoha’s strongest combatant… is a genin.
A genin!
“Everyone stay calm. As for this whole ‘shameless’ debate—Konoha has strict regulations. Unauthorized trafficking of human organs is illegal.”
…Huh?
The rule exists, yes—but how did shamelessness end up connected to illegal organ trafficking?!
Which bastard said that?!
Everyone slowly shifted their gaze toward a certain someone sitting in the corner.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Ah. Of course.
Old ginger is still the spiciest.
Indeed, Konoha needed someone to step up right now.
To protect Konoha’s reputation, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided he had to say something.
If he took the blame onto himself, these people would have nothing left to complain about.
“As expected of the Third Hokage-sama. Truly the strongest Hokage.”
But amusingly, seated right beside him was—Snake Aunt.
The moment Hiruzen spoke, she leaned in until her face was practically touching his, sticking out half her tongue like she’d spotted prey.
“Please keep your distance. I am loyal to my wife.”
Hiruzen calmly shifted aside and addressed her. “Hmm? Are you the leader of Otogakure?”
“You know Otogakure?”
Snake Aunt withdrew her tongue and narrowed her eyes.
Master and disciple, reunited—and their discussion topic was whether Konoha had any shame.
Without question, Konoha did not.
Or rather, her master certainly had no need for such a thing.
“Just heard some rumors.”
Hiruzen looked away. He felt a faint sense of familiarity from her but couldn’t recall where it came from.
The uproar caused by Hakken Yoru entering the exam hall finally subsided.
After some whispered grumbling, the room settled down.
In truth, no one dared speak too boldly.
This was Konoha—their territory, their rules.
And Hakken Yoru was indeed a genin.
That point mattered. As long as he was a genin, he had every right to take the Chūnin Exam.
If anyone kept complaining, their end would be grim.
Hadn’t they heard? Even the Kazekage’s two sons got beaten—one hospitalized with anal fissures, the other knocked unconscious for days—just for talking out of turn.
A blood-soaked warning.
Complaints were fine, but only in moderation.
If they pushed their luck, they might not see tomorrow’s sunrise.
This was Konoha—the undeniable number-one ninja village.
But…
How had none of them thought of this sooner?
If they had their own jōnin disguise themselves as genin to take the exam, wouldn’t that bring glory to their village?
Truly, shamelessness was the best strategy for climbing to the top.
…
“Big Brother is taking the exam too?”
Naruto stared at Hakken in disbelief as he asked the question.
“Master is a genin.”
Sasuke sat stiffly in his chair, his expression solemn. He took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and seemed to come to a fierce decision.
With eyes full of fighting spirit and stubborn resolve, the second pillar slammed the table hard.
Sasuke… don’t tell me…
Are you actually…declaring war on Big Brother?
Naruto stared at him, utterly stunned.
What kind of courage was this supposed to be?!
Naruto, who had always aimed to surpass Big Brother, gritted his teeth. Putting himself in Sasuke’s place, he realized he didn’t have that level of boldness at all.
“I absolutely refuse to draw Master in the practical exam lottery!”
“I’ll stake all of the Uchiha Clan’s luck on it!”
“Absolutely not!”
The hell you will!!
Naruto blew up on the spot.
“Hey, that guy Kabuto—you should have his ninja recognition card, right?”
In the corner of the classroom, Temari frowned as she turned to Yakushi Kabuto.
She didn’t care about intel on other people, but this so-called “Konoha’s Kenpachi” was someone she had to understand. In Sunagakure she’d heard some rumors, but knew nothing about who he really was. And for the past few days, caring for her two injured brothers left her no time to explore Konoha—she only vaguely knew the descriptions on the Wall of Honor.
But now, if he was going to be an opponent in the Chūnin Exams…
Konoha’s Kenpachi—the one rumored to lead the Night Owl Team, where anyone encountering them could retreat immediately without completing the mission.
What kind of person was he?
Temari wanted to know.
“I don’t.”
Kabuto pushed up his glasses, his expression serious.
He really didn’t have one. Who would’ve thought this guy would show up to the Chūnin Exams?
Is that so?
Temari let out a disappointed sigh and was about to give up.
“But as a Konoha shinobi, I do know some of Konoha’s Kenpachi’s deeds.”
Kabuto smiled faintly and pulled out a blank card and pen.
“Hakken Yoru—graduated from the Ninja Academy at age six alongside his peer, Itachi Uchiha.”
“His first accepted and completed mission was C-rank. Later, because they encountered a large number of shinobi during the mission, it was upgraded to A-rank.”
His first mission was A-rank?
Temari’s whole body trembled, eyes widening.
Graduated at six, completed an A-rank mission!
“After returning to the village, when his adoptive sister, Mitaraši Anko, was taken by the ANBU for investigation, he stormed ANBU headquarters to rescue her.”
What?!
That has to be fake.
Temari’s lips parted, and she didn’t even dare breathe.
He stormed ANBU?
He actually dared to do that?
“Although he violated regulations, he received the Fourth Hokage’s protection and joined the ANBU. Team Night Owl was officially formed.”
“That same year, he infiltrated the Land of Lightning, captured the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, and severely injured the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer Bee.”
“Later, upon returning to the village, he and the Fourth Hokage captured the Fourth Raikage alive. At the time, Lord Minato said it was Konoha’s Kenpachi who led the assault—he merely provided support.”
“During negotiations with Kumogakure, he forced them to cede territory, becoming the first in Konoha’s history to expand its borders.”
“During the Nine-Tails’ birth, he protected Konoha from disaster. Lord Nine-Tails became the guardian beast of the village.”
“Later, to retaliate against the Four Great Ninja Villages, he led two hundred elite ANBU and crushed Iwagakure so hard they were forced to apologize. As for Sunagakure, they came to apologize voluntarily.”
Kabuto exhaled and added three ellipses to the achievements section.
“In short, the deeds he’s done can’t possibly fit on this small ninja card.”
“But to summarize…”
“He is an unprecedented figure in Konoha’s history—his prestige long ago surpassed that of any Hokage.”
“In Hakken-sama’s own words: ‘With me standing here, Konohagakure is the number one ninja village.’”
“Not a boast—an achievement.”
With a final sigh, Kabuto added the last notes.
“The demon of the ninja world to outsiders, the soul of Konohagakure to those within.”
“A master swordsman who wields power beyond chakra. Rumored to possess the ability to strike the soul itself.”
“His combat strength cannot be measured, but one thing is certain: whoever crosses him, if Lord Kenpachi wishes it, will die.”
Swish.
Kabuto finished writing and handed the ninja recognition card for Konoha’s Kenpachi to the trembling Temari.
She swallowed hard.
In that moment, she felt she ought to kneel while reading this card.
She looked at the man’s face—he didn’t even look twenty.
Yet his experience and achievements were simply absurd.
How could Konoha have someone this strong?
“Tobi?”
Just then, Hakken turned his head and met Kabuto’s eyes.
“Hakken-sama.”
Kabuto instantly dropped to one knee without hesitation. His reverence was palpable. As an undercover agent, Kabuto was flawless—his ability to slip into character unmatched.
“You do know me well. But next time, add one more thing—it’ll make the introduction easier.”
Hakken smiled lightly and pointed at the sky.
“Tell them the moon—
I shattered that too.”
Thud.
Temari collapsed into a full kneel, bowing fiercely toward the ninja card.
Tell them.
The moon—I shattered that too!
Is he bragging?
No. Someone like him had no need to brag. With someone of his caliber, the only words that come to mind are absolute monster.
A man that powerful doesn’t need fake achievements.
The genin in the exam room trembled.
This had to be a joke.
A man who cut the moon in half is competing with them?
Please—have a shred of mercy.
Could they at least get some gaming experience here?
Ring~
Outside the exam hall, the bell rang.
Morino Ibiki, who hadn’t dared speak this whole time, finally let out a breath of relief.
Originally, when Hakken-sama entered, he’d planned to show off a bit and build an intimidating presence. But with that man here…
He absolutely could not.
Forget it.
The exam would proceed as usual.
...
“Um…”
“He said he shattered the moon?”
“Seems like it..................”
The exam had already begun, yet the observation room was deathly silent.
The man’s words had been transmitted to them through the surveillance feed.
For a long moment, the Kage from every major village were speechless.
Just last night, they were still debating who was stronger—Senju Hashirama or Hakken Yoru.
But now the man himself casually claimed he had shattered the moon.
Well… Hashirama was called the God of Shinobi.
But even he only ever affected the shinobi world.
Yet that man…
He’d gone beyond the sky.
Shattered the moon?
Orochimaru, seated beside the Third Hokage, wore a heavy expression.
He had arrived in Konoha full of confidence, armed with three ultimate trump cards.
But now—he felt an unexpected tremor of doubt.
Hakken-kun… could sever the moon?
What kind of joke was that?
How could a human possibly wield such power?
At that moment, Orochimaru suddenly felt that having Nagato under his control… wasn’t so impressive after all.
...
The Chūnin Exams.
The first round was a written test.
But what it really assessed were the basic skills required of a shinobi.
Cheating was considered a tactic. There were many ways to observe and gather intelligence.
Still, the most important part was the final additional question.
It tested teamwork—whether one trusted their comrades.
But for Hakken, that wasn’t a problem at all.
Because he didn’t have comrades.
Calmly tossing his test sheet beside Hinata and asking her to fill it out, Hakken lifted his gourd and began drinking.
Tch.
Everyone else was going to great lengths to cheat, and this guy just blatantly asked someone else to answer for him!
Damn.
Then again, who could stop him?
This brat came here just to walk around and show his face!
Hakken had no interest in actually doing the test. He wasn't here just for a casual stroll—he had his eyes on something far more interesting.
The second round, the Forest of Death, was where he intended to shine.
He stood up and walked toward the opposite corner of the classroom.
Kimimaro, who had been staring blankly at his exam paper, slowly lifted his head and met Hakken’s gaze.
Kaguya Kimimaro, huh?
Crossing his arms, Hakken touched his chin thoughtfully.
After settling the Kirigakure incident, he’d requested two individuals from Terumi.
One was Kisame Hoshigaki—currently behaving himself while taking the exam next door.
The second was Kaguya Kimimaro.
In the original storyline, even after his body had deteriorated severely, he remained a terrifying fighter driven purely by will.
He shouldn’t be here.
Judging by the timeline, his Kekkei Genkai Disease should have erupted long ago, leaving him bedridden in Orochimaru’s laboratory, waiting to burn his last brilliant flame during Sasuke’s defection.
But instead, he had somehow arrived in Konoha… and was calmly taking an exam.
Hakken frowned. His pupils flashed blue, the light of a universe-like Tenseigan sweeping across Kimimaro as though scanning him to his core.
“Oh? Using Hashirama cells to extend your life? Even so, it won’t last long.”
His eyes returned to normal. Hakken smiled faintly, then—in full view of the entire room—grabbed Kimimaro’s Otogakure forehead protector.
Crack!
With one hand, he crushed it into powder.
Leaning close to Kimimaro’s furious face, Hakken revealed a gray bone in his palm.
“This thing… do you recognize it?”