Chapter 11: The Breaking Point

The sun rose, casting its golden light across the village of Konoha. The streets were filled with excited participants, eager to prove themselves worthy of becoming Chūnin. For many, it was the culmination of years of hard work, but for Asmodeus, it was just another page in his ever-expanding book of power.

He stood at the edge of the arena, out of sight from the others, his gaze fixated on the contestants in the First Exam: a written test.

The students shuffled in, some with anxious expressions, others with a quiet confidence. Naruto was already making a scene, his mouth running a mile a minute. Sasuke, ever stoic, was a picture of quiet focus, but his eyes kept flickering toward Asmodeus. The tension between them was palpable, a brewing storm just beneath the surface.

Asmodeus, meanwhile, stood silent, observing the test unfold. His eyes, sharp and calculating, took in every movement. Every twitch of a finger. Every nervous glance.

Naruto, unable to sit still, was already whispering loudly, "This is stupid! How is this a test? It's just... paper!"

Sasuke shot him a glare, but it was Asmodeus who spoke, his voice low, barely audible.

"Stay focused, Naruto. The test is not the point. It's the aftermath that will determine your strength."

Naruto froze for a moment, then grumbled in response. "Yeah, yeah... Whatever."

Sasuke merely eyed him and then returned his focus to the test. Asmodeus, however, was watching everything, especially the proctors—the hidden figures within the test. Some were genuine Chūnin examiners, others were planted for a far darker purpose.

His mind, as always, was working in overdrive.

The First Exam passed, and now they were in the Prelims. The time for action had arrived.

The atmosphere in the arena was electric, each participant fighting for their chance to advance. Among the challengers, there was a certain rawness—a hunger that Asmodeus recognized instantly. Most were talented. Some were dangerous.

But none could compare to him.

Asmodeus didn't participate in the battles. He stood in the shadows, watching with keen interest. He had no need to fight—he had already surpassed everyone in the arena, and the power he sought was beyond the confines of this exam.

The matches progressed. Sasuke fought fiercely, his Sharingan blazing. Naruto struggled, but his stubbornness and determination pushed him through to the next round. And then there was Neji Hyuga, whose talent in taijutsu was like nothing they had ever seen.

But what interested Asmodeus the most was the fight between Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. The tension between them, the way Sasuke's pride burned so fiercely.

Asmodeus's lips curled into a faint smile. Sasuke would soon learn that being driven by anger was a weakness.

Naruto, on the other hand, might be the only one capable of seeing through his own limitations, but only time would tell if he could become something more.

The Finals loomed large, but the real twist had yet to come.

Asmodeus felt it in the air—the change, the disruption. The smell of something dark. A twisted chakra, ancient and filled with malice, seeped into the village. He knew immediately.

Orochimaru.

The man was here. Hidden behind the mask of the exams, pulling strings. Watching. Waiting.

But Asmodeus had no time for distractions. The moment Orochimaru made his move, he would act.

It wasn't long before the arena was thrown into chaos. The attack on the Hokage was imminent. A battle that would decide the fate of Konoha—and the fate of Asmodeus himself.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a man of honor, but his time had come. Orochimaru would strike, and Asmodeus would take what he needed—at the right time.

The sky was overcast, heavy clouds looming overhead. Asmodeus watched, perched in the shadows, from a distant rooftop.

Inside the Hokage Tower, the battle raged. Orochimaru, a snake in the grass, had already set his trap. The Third Hokage fought with everything he had left, but age had taken its toll on his body. His movements were slower than they had been in his prime.

Asmodeus's eyes narrowed. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for.

Soon, I will devour his power...

He could feel it—the pulse of life slipping away from Hiruzen as Orochimaru's attack landed. A perfect strike, aimed at the heart. The Hokage was gravely injured, but his will to protect the village was still strong.

Asmodeus couldn't help but admire him.

The Kage was still fighting.

But that wouldn't be enough.

Asmodeus could feel the pull of death, and the moment it took hold of the Hokage's soul, he would make his move.

The air shifted. The battle ended. Orochimaru's victory was complete.

The Hokage was unconscious, barely clinging to life.

Asmodeus moved swiftly, silently, a shadow in the darkness. The time had come.

He made his way through the Hokage Tower, unnoticed by the others. His eyes were locked onto the figure of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the legendary Hokage, sprawled on the floor, his life ebbing away. Orochimaru had left, believing his victory was complete.

Asmodeus knelt beside the Hokage, his breath steady, his hands cold as he placed them on the man's body.

The ancient power within the Hokage was immense, even in his weakened state. It was more than enough to push Asmodeus toward a new level of strength.

He whispered softly, almost lovingly, as he began the process of devouring.

"Thank you, old man."

The dark fog surrounded him, and within moments, the Hokage's chakra was absorbed into Asmodeus's being. The power surged through him, filling every part of him. His senses sharpened, his vision clearer, his strength unmatched.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's power was now his own.

But Asmodeus didn't linger. He didn't revel in the power. His mission was clear.

By the time the village realized what had happened, Asmodeus was already gone. He moved swiftly through the shadows, unseen, his presence barely felt.

He had what he needed. He was stronger now, more dangerous than ever before.

Asmodeus didn't leave Konoha as an enemy. He left as a specter, a whisper, moving away from the place he had spent so many years within.

The village would rebuild. The Chūnin Exams would go on. But for Asmodeus, his journey had only just begun.

Asmodeus's lips curled into a smile as he disappeared into the night, the wind carrying his figure into the unknown.

The world is waiting for me.

End of Chapter 11