Chapter 33: Hinata's ThoughtsRegarding the existence of Kurama, Naruto had told this group of friends about it a long time ago. Except for Sakura, everyone else had learned about the existence of Tailed Beasts from their clans to some extent. At first, they were a bit scared, but under Naruto's influence, they discovered that Kuramawas surprisingly easy to get along with.After years of spending time together, Kurama didn't really dislike these kids either. Naruto would often ask Kurama to help everyone train their resistance to pressure. Over time, they became familiar with each other, although at the beginning, they basically all peed their pants from fear.However, today, a single sentence from Sakurareleased a knot in Kurama's heart that had existed for many years. Although getting along with Narutowas very pleasant, Sakura's words gave it a feeling of being respected, especially since Sakura used "he" instead of "it."It wasn't being treated as a weapon, nor as a disaster, but rather as a friend, with the feeling of an elder.It wasn't that Naruto didn't treat it as a friend, but that this brat had too many secrets and was infuriating. Spending time with him made it easy to overlook these things, making it directly forget its identity as a Tailed Beast.Therefore, after hearing Sakura's words, the in high spirits Kurama got completely drunk, and at this moment, he was lying on the ground, passed out.While he was fast asleep, three sneaky figures appeared in the Sealing Space."Is this Kurama?" Sakura said, looking at the figure in front of her that was as huge as a small mountain."This seems very different from the descriptions in the books." Sasuke said, frowning as he looked at the fox's round figure."Just look over there and you'll know." Narutopointed to the leftover food on the fox's special plate and then pointed to the huge cola cup, saying with some helplessness."Are you feeding a pig here?" Sasuke walked over quietly to take a look, then looked at Naruto in shock."Can you blame me for this?" Just as Naruto wanted to loudly retort, the fox's ears twitched. It stretched out a paw to scratch its round belly, then continued to sleep soundly. The three of them were so scared they didn't dare to move. After a good while, they finally let out a long sigh of relief."Can you blame me? This fox is inherently a Chakraaggregate, taking in but not putting out, and it eats a lot. If I don't give it food, it throws a tantrum. What can I do?" Naruto whispered in defense."Also, make sure you don't let the fox find out that you know what it looks like now, otherwise he will definitely kill you to silence you." Naruto took a quiet look at the fox, then whispered."Since he doesn't want people to know, why did you bring us here?" Sakura asked, a bit frantically."Hehe, isn't this just testing it out? After all, very few people can enter this place, and it can also train your ability to multitask." As Naruto said this, he tossed a Rubik's cube to the two of them; he had made it himself."Now, what you need to do is to solve the Rubik's cube while paying attention to the fox's movements, and you also have to spar in the outside world." Naruto said, hands on his hips, giving the order."This is a bit difficult." Sasuke said, looking at the Rubik's cube in his hand."Nonsense, I've been doing this since I was little. If you want to get stronger, listen to me. Hurry up; the fox will probably sleep for two days. You two better use this time to train."In the outside world, after arranging their training plan, Naruto brought the two to the training ground. He then split out a clone to act as logistical support, while he himself ran off to the Hyuga Clancompound.After successfully whisking away the two young ladies of the Hyuga Clan, Naruto took them toward his own territory."Brother-in-law, did you bring me a gift this time when you came back?" Hanabi asked, looking at Naruto with sparkling eyes."Here, it's a new specialty from over there. I was the one who suggested it." Naruto took a small item out of the system space and tossed it to Hanabi.After catching it, Hanabi discovered it was a small pendant. The whole thing was in the style of a chibi octopus, looking silly and cute."Wow, so cute! Thank you, Brother-in-law." Hanabistarted playing with it happily."Come here, Hinata-chan, this is yours." Naruto took out another identical octopus pendant, but this octopus had a yellow cloth tied around its head, with one tentacle placed by its forehead in a salute gesture."Thank you, Naruto-kun, I really like it." Hinatasmiled and took it, examining it in her hand."Brother-in-law, you said you suggested making this?" Hanabi held up the small octopus and came to Naruto, asking with curiosity."Yeah, they live off the sea over there, and some houses are built directly on the water. So I suggested to them that they could set up a special tourist area, and this thing could be sold as a specialty item. Although I'm not sure if it will work, at least it's a direction." Naruto looked at Hanabiand said with a smile.Another reason was that those guys had already started blast fishing. If he didn't find something else for them to do, the Land of Waves could be renamed Bomb Land in the future."There are actually houses built on the sea? I really want to go see them." Hanabi's face revealed a look of longing."When there's a chance, I'll take you and your sister there to play. The seafood there is delicious." Narutotook Hinata's hand and used his other hand to rub Hanabi's head as he said this."Okay, okay! Then you can't forget, Brother-in-law." Hanabi's eyes were sparkling, her face full of anticipation."But, will Father agree?" Hinata looked at Hanabiwith some difficulty.Hearing this, Hanabi instantly wilted. According to her understanding of her father, he definitely wouldn't let her run off that far alone."Don't worry, don't worry. Once I master that Ninjutsu, going anywhere will be a matter of an instant. The old father-in-law won't be able to catch us at all. When the time comes, I'll just sneak you two over there, and I guarantee no one will know." Naruto patted his chest, indicating that he had everything under control."Really? What Ninjutsu is so powerful?" Hanabiasked curiously."Hehe, it's a secret for now. You'll know once I've learned it." Naruto kept her in suspense; after all, something like the Flying Thunder God probably wouldn't be too easy to learn."Alright then. Good luck, Brother-in-law. I'll be waiting for you to learn it and take me out to play." Although Hanabi was still a bit disappointed, she at least had something to look forward to, and she became happy again.Hinata looked at Naruto and Hanabi, a gentle smile appearing on her face. She could feel Hanabi's attachment to Naruto, but she didn't know if it was the kind a younger sister had for an older brother, or something else. However, she decided to just let things take their natural course.Although she did indeed like Naruto very much, if it were her younger sister, sharing him wouldn't be impossible.Thinking of this, Hinata's face began to flush a little.Naruto looked at Hinata's slightly flushed face, then looked at the sun overhead, thinking she was hot, so he took an ice cream out of the system space and handed it to Hinata."Here, Hinata-chan, it's hot out. Cool down so you don't get heatstroke.""Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata took the ice cream, feeling a bit embarrassed, and ate it in small bites."Brother-in-law, I want one too.""Don't worry, there's plenty for you."The three of them chatted and laughed as they made their way to the training ground where Sakuraand Sasuke were sparring.At this moment, the two of them looked like two high-ping warriors; their movements were lagging, appearing extremely bizarre."What are they doing?" Hinata pointed at the two and turned to look at Naruto, asking."Oh, this is special training." Naruto watched the two of them moving almost once every two seconds and couldn't help but want to laugh."Naru, to, you, guys, are, back?" Sakura saw the three of them, then turned her head in a stuttering motion, her speech also jerky."Is it really okay for them to be like this?" Hanabiwas completely bewildered watching them."It's fine, they'll be okay once they get used to it." Naruto waved his hand, then shouted to Sakura, "You two continue training, I'm taking Hinata and the others somewhere else.""Al, right, take, care." After struggling to finish saying that, Sakura turned her head in a stuttering motion to continue the battle with Sasuke, moving once every two seconds."Let's go, let's head over there. There are quite a few fish there. Let's go catch some fish, and then I'll make you guys something delicious." Narutobrought the two to a small river, where the water was crystal clear.Naruto had always felt the Naruto world was quite magical. Under normal circumstances, such clear river water shouldn't have any fish, but strangely enough, there were quite a few fish in this river.The three of them had a great time playing by the river all afternoon and caught quite a few fish. Afterward, Naruto started making various fish dishes for the two."Hinata-chan, you should be participating in the Chunin Exams this time, right?" Naruto took a bite of the grilled fish in his hand and looked at Hinata."Yeah, Naruto-kun should be participating too, right?" Hinata used a handkerchief to wipe the grease from the corner of Hanabi's mouth and said."In this exam, if you encounter a red-haired boy carrying a gourd, absolutely do not go head-to-head with him. That guy is a Jinchuriki, and it's very dangerous to fight him." Naruto threw away the fish he had sucked down to the bone and looked at Hinata seriously."Eh? There are actually Jinchuriki from other villages participating this time?" Hinata looked at Naruto in shock."Yeah, remember to tell Inuzuka Kiba not to be impulsive. That guy is extremely dangerous; when he starts fighting, he will kill without hesitation." Naruto's expression was very serious at this moment. Gaara in the early stages was a maniac, and when he went crazy, he was capable of anything."Is he that dangerous? Then, Sister..." Hanabi looked at Hinata with worry. Although she wanted to tell Hinata not to participate in this exam, knowing Hinata's personality, she definitely wouldn't agree."Don't worry, it'll be fine. I will protect your sister well." Naruto patted his chest and said."No." Who knew that Hinata actually refused."Hinata-chan, you..." Naruto looked at Hinata in surprise."I don't want to be a vase that always needs to be protected by others. I want to catch up to Naruto-kun's footsteps, I want to walk side-by-side with Naruto-kun. I don't want to be unable to even see Naruto-kun's back." Hinata's words made Narutosilent.He knew that Hinata was actually a very strong girl. She also longed to be recognized, rather than being protected all the time."I understand. But Hinata-chan, you must remember that person. Absolutely, absolutely do not engage him in combat, understand? He is really, really dangerous.""Mm, I know. I just want to get stronger, I won't go seeking death.""Hinata-chan.""Naruto-kun."However, just as the two were about to kiss."Hey! I'm still here!" Hanabi's pouting voice suddenly came over."Gaia!!!" × 2
Hanabi's sudden interruption caused two other voices to pop into Naruto's mind."Are you two sick? I let you in here for special training, not to spy on my private life!" Naruto's exasperated voice rang out in his mind."Ah, well, hehe, we just got so engrossed in watching that we didn't notice, okay?" Sakura's somewhat embarrassed voice replied."Hmph, boring." Sasuke's tsundere voice followed."If it's boring, why are you still watching? Get back to training!" Naruto retorted irritably."Little brat, you already call me brother-in-law, so what's wrong with me kissing your sister?" Narutopinched Hanabi's small face and kept kneading it."Mm-mm, let go of me, Sis, save me." Hanabi's voice became somewhat muffled due to Naruto's kneading."You, you should handle it yourself." Hinata said, her face blushing, as she lowered her head and ate the fish in small bites.'Hanabi is really something. It's been so long since I've been intimate with Naruto-kun, and just when I finally had a chance, she had to come and interrupt. Letting her suffer a little is fine.'Well, after spending so long with Naruto, Hinatahad also started to become a bit black-bellied."Sister, you!" Hanabi looked at Hinata in disbelief. In that instant, it felt as if her world had collapsed."Haha, she's my wife, of course she's on my side." Naruto let go of Hanabi's face and then vigorously rubbed her small head."There's no love left, you're both bullying me." Hanabi lay on the ground, sobbing, curling herself into a ball, looking weak, pitiful, and helpless."Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you. Be good, get up. Sister has deboned the fish for you." Hinatawalked over with a plate and patted Hanabi's head.Upon hearing Hinata's words, Hanabi raised her small head to look at the plate, then looked at Hinata with an expression of disbelief.Seeing her expression, Hinata was a bit confused, and then she glanced at the plate in her hand and froze as well.It turned out that the plate was full of the fish bones that had just been removed, and all the fish meat had vanished."Chomp, chomp." A chewing sound came from somewhere. The two sisters immediately looked toward the source of the sound and saw Narutowith his back to them, eating something in large bites."Naruto-kun." Hinata's voice came, sounding like it had crawled out of the netherworld.Naruto turned his head stiffly, only to see two pairs of activated Byakugan staring daggers at him."Um, what if I said I thought this was prepared for me too—would you believe me?"Ten minutes later."Faster, faster, brother-in-law, use more strength." Hanabi urged, while eating the fish meat."Alright, how's this pressure?" Naruto massaged Hanabi's shoulders with a fawning expression on his face."Hmm, not bad." Hanabi said, looking very satisfied.Hinata watched from the side, covering her mouth and giggling."Come here, Naruto-kun, open your mouth." Hinatapicked up a piece of fish and held it to Naruto's lips, and Naruto opened his mouth to eat it.The three played around until evening, and Narutofinally sent the two home. After returning, he discovered that Sasuke and Sakura's speed had improved from one move every two seconds to one move every 1.7 seconds.Besides the Rubik's cube, Naruto had also entered the Sealing Space during this time and threw in quite a few brain-teasing and complex toys he had made so that the two inside wouldn't be bored—yep, definitely not out of revenge.For the next two days, Sakura stayed temporarily in the villa; there were plenty of rooms anyway.During these two days, besides training, the three of them rested and built up their energy. It wasn't until the night before the exam that the two finally reached a speed of one move per second.Kurama had also woken up from his drunken state, and the two hurriedly left the Sealing Space before the fox woke up.As for Iruka's test? There was no such thing. Irukaunderstood the strength of these people even better than Kakashi did. Before graduation, they all possessed the strength of a Chunin, so there was no need for him to test anything.Because the exam was the next day, Sakura went home tonight to pack up some ninja tools and the like.Naruto and Sasuke didn't train that night either, but went to sleep early.However, Naruto didn't fall asleep; he went straight into the Sealing Space."Kurama, you're awake?" Looking at the somewhat dazed Nine-Tailed, Naruto sat down beside him and said with a smile."Yawn, how long have I been asleep?" The fox rubbed his eyes, yawned, and asked."Only two days." Naruto replied."Hmm, where is my food?" The fox rubbed his face, climbed up from the ground, leaned against the wall, and asked."Seriously, can you not just think about eating the moment you wake up?" Naruto looked at him, speechless."What else is there to do besides eat?" The fox rolled his eyes at Naruto irritably."No, don't you look at your own size? Shukaku is here this time too; aren't you afraid he'll see you like this and make fun of you?""Who was it that used food to seduce me in the first place? Now you're starting to dislike me for being fat? As for that stinky raccoon dog? Heh, let him try to contact me first." The fox's tone was filled with disdain for Shukaku, and he grabbed a cola cup and guzzled it down.'Fine, this fox is hopeless. Go ahead and eat. When we see the Sage of Six Paths later, we'll see what you do then.' Naruto thought viciously while creating Shadow Clones."Brat, I can feel your malice.""That's not true.""Hmph! I won't lower myself to the level of a brat like you.""By the way, Kurama, do you know Orochimaru?" Naruto came over, sat on the fox's belly, and asked while looking at him."Never heard of him. Why?" The fox used a bunch of small Chakra hands to grab bottles of cola and pour them into his cup."He is a student of the Third Hokage, one of the former Sannin, and later defected from Konoha. He's here for this Chunin Exams too." Naruto explained to the fox."What, are you afraid?" The fox paused his cola-pouring action and turned to look at Naruto."I'm not afraid. With you here, I'm not afraid of anyone in the current Ninja World. It's just that this guy came back this time to assassinate the Third Hokage." Naruto shook his head and said."Then why don't you tell that old man?""The Third Hokage... I don't know if he is aware or not. I suspect that even if he knew, he wouldn't back down." Naruto's expression was somewhat complicated.Many people say all sorts of things about the Third Hokage, that he wasn't good to Naruto in this way or that way, but based on his own experience, the Third Hokage was quite tolerant of him. No matter how much trouble he caused or how reckless he was, the Third Hokage would always help him clean up the mess, at most scolding him a few times without any actual punishment.He even covered up the time he led the whole school to skip class. It was truly like a grandfather doting on a mischievous grandson.Honestly, Naruto didn't want the Third Hokage to die like this, and he wasn't willing to accept it. But letting him die in a hospital bed like an ordinary old man was something the Third Hokage wouldn't want either.The First, Second, and Fourth Hokage—except for the First—all died in battle. Even the First Hokagedied of illness a few years after the great battle with Uchiha Madara. As the longest-serving Hokage, the Third Hokage did not want his death to be meaningless.It was precisely because he understood the Third Hokage's thoughts that Naruto was conflicted about whether or not he should save him."You already know he won't back down, so what's the point of being conflicted?" The fox's gaze was somewhat complicated; he had never seen Narutolike this before."But I don't want him to die.""Then stop him.""Then he would probably hate me for the rest of his life.""Brat, in life, there aren't many things that can truly be perfect. Since he has already decided, then what you need to do is to give him a proper send-off when he releases his final fireworks, so he can leave without regrets." The fox tapped Naruto's head with his claw and said seriously."Without regrets?" Naruto murmured to himself."I understand, Kurama. I won't stop him. But I will also use my own way to ensure I have no regrets." As he said this, a flash of ruthlessness crossed Naruto's eyes.At 1:00 PM the next day, the three of them arrived early downstairs at the classroom building. The other nine companions had already gathered there."Naruto, aren't you guys a bit too slow?" Neji looked at the three of them and said impatiently."Sorry, sorry, because a black cat crossed my path on the way." Naruto directly used Kakashi's excuse for being late."A black cat? What black cat?" Kiba came over and asked at this moment."Sakura-chan! Please go out with me! I will risk my life to protect you!" Rock Lee rushed directly in front of Sakura, gave a thumbs up, and revealed a sunny, cheerful smile."No, your eyebrows are too thick." Sakura didn't even look at Rock Lee and walked right past him.Rock Lee instantly squatted on the ground, dejected."Haha, this is your 108th failed confession, right?" Tenten came over to Rock Lee, squatted down, poked his head, and laughed."I will not give up! Youth does not allow giving up!" Rock Lee stood up, his eyes burning with intensity."Sigh, I knew this would happen." Tenten said, patting her forehead helplessly."Sasuke-kun, I've missed you so much!" Ino leaped and landed directly on Sasuke's back."Hey, Ino-pig, get off Sasuke-kun immediately!" Seeing Ino like this, Sakura instantly bristled."Bleh! I won't." Ino hooked her arms around Sasuke's neck and made a face at Sakura."Naruto-kun, good afternoon." Hinata came to Naruto's side at this moment, straightened his collar, and said with a smile."Hinata-chan, good afternoon." Naruto patted Hinata's head and smiled.Inside the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage and a white-haired uncle wearing a headband with the character for "Oil" were watching this chaotic scene through a crystal ball, looking speechless."Old man, is this the so-called future of Konoha?" The white-haired uncle, Jiraiya, pointed at the crystal ball and looked at the Third Hokage with an expression that said, 'Are you kidding me?'"Ahem, these kids are just a bit rowdy; their strength is actually very strong." The Third Hokage coughed twice to hide his embarrassment and said."Heh." Jiraiya's face was written with disbelief."By the way, why did you call me back this time?" Jiraiya looked at the Third Hokage and said somewhat impatiently."I intend to entrust Naruto to you for guidance." The Third Hokage looked at Jiraiya and said expressionlessly."Huh? You want me to guide a brat? Are you kidding? I don't have the time for that." Jiraiya waved his hand and refused directly."As Minato's master, there are some things only you can teach." The Third Hokage's words stunned Jiraiya."Everything I could teach him, I have already taught. The rest is what you need to help him make up for." As he said this, the Third Hokage took out a scroll and handed it to Jiraiya.Jiraiya opened it, took a look, and then looked at the Third Hokage in shock."This is?""The Flying Thunder God Technique. This is what I promised that child."Jiraiya was silent for a moment, then asked, "Why don't you teach him yourself?""Jiraiya, you should understand what I mean." The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe and looked up at the ceiling."...Does it really have to be this way?" Jiraiya's hand gripping the scroll tightened slightly."Heh, Jiraiya, just consider this an old man's final indulgence. In the future, I'll leave Naruto to you." The Third Hokage's voice carried a hint of relaxation and relief."...I understand. I will protect him well." Jiraiya was silent for a long time before speaking slowly, his voice somewhat low and hoarse."Heh, although you are not my most talented student, you are my most trusted student. Entrusting him to you puts me at ease." The Third Hokage said to Jiraiya with a smile."Hah, you stinky old man, really..." Jiraiya stood up and walked toward the door."Jiraiya."As Jiraiya pulled open the door, the Third Hokagecalled out to him."Thank you for your hard work.""...Goodbye, Teacher Hiruzen."As the door closed, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, seemed to have shed a heavy burden. He leaned back in his chair, silent for a long time, then took a note out of his sleeve."Orochimaru has returned." It was a very simple sentence, with a small fox icon on it."Little Naruto, this time Grandpa is leaving too. From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself."
Chapter 35: The First Exam Begins"Alright, everyone stop fooling around. The exam is about to start, and it would be bad if we were late." Shikamaru checked the time and called a halt to the group, who were still messing around.Immediately, the group marched into the school building in a grand procession.Just as they reached the second floor, they saw a crowd of people being blocked at the doorway by two men."Wait, what are they doing?" Kiba pointed at the crowd and asked."No idea." With that, the group walked right past these people and headed toward the third floor."Hey, you lot." Just as the twelve of them were about to go upstairs, they were stopped by Kotetsu Hagane, who was in disguise."Is there something you need?" Naruto, who was walking at the front, turned around and asked."Are you guys not planning to take the Chunin Exams?" Izumo Kamizuki pointed behind himself and said."I say, you uncles, haven't we walked up enough floors already? At least cover the stairs with your genjutsu." Naruto said with a speechless expression."Un, uncles?" Veins bulged on Kotetsu Hagane's forehead."Brat, it seems we need to teach you some basic manners." Izumo Kamizuki had the same expression."Sigh, who wants to go?" Naruto looked at his friends and asked."You started this, you solve it yourself." Neji gave Naruto a disdainful look, and the others nodded in agreement."Fine, let's make this quick. Come on." Narutovaulted over the stair railing, landed in the hallway, and beckoned to the two of them."Brat, pay the price for your arrogance." The two of them attacked Naruto from front and back simultaneously. Naruto dodged their attacks sideways, then grabbed Izumo Kamizuki's kicking leg with one hand and Kotetsu Hagane's punching fist with the other, throwing them both straight out the window.After doing this, Naruto clapped his hands casually. Since the two had been thrown out, the genjutsu they were casting vanished, and the classroom door plate, which originally read 301, changed back to 201."Let's go."Naruto's actions left the others in the hallway stunned."Is that him?""Yellow hair, it should be.""The strongest of the new generation, the absolute school bully, Uzumaki Naruto.""I heard quite a few upperclassmen have been beaten up by him.""I didn't expect him to come take the Chunin Examstoo.""The difficulty of the exam has just skyrocketed."After Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki were thrown out by Naruto, they didn't go back in."What do you think?" Kotetsu Hagane asked, looking at Izumo Kamizuki."It's quite embarrassing to be thrown out by a Geninwho just graduated." Izumo Kamizuki covered his face and said awkwardly."The strength of these little guys is truly terrifying." Kotetsu Hagane said with some emotion."Yeah, much stronger than we were back then. Now we're in for a good show." Izumo Kamizuki smiled and said.When the twelve of them arrived at the classroom door, their four team leaders were already waiting there.Might Guy: "Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten."Kurenai Yuhi: "Hinata, Kiba, Shino."Asuma: "Shikamaru, Ino, Choji."Kakashi: "Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura.""Present." × 12"Good luck." × 4"Yes!" × 12The big doors opened, and the twelve of them walked into this place, the starting point of the Chunin Exams."Wow, so many people." Kiba looked left and right with excitement, while Akamaru lay on his head and chimed in with two barks.At this moment, a group of strange-looking people, dressed like street thugs, were sizing them up."They look pretty average." Neji's voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for everyone to hear."Brat, what did you say?" Many people had already picked up their weapons, ready to act at any moment."I'm not targeting anyone specifically." Narutowalked in front of the group and pointed at everyone."Everyone here is… trash!" As he said this, he abruptly gave a thumbs-down gesture.Naruto's move immediately provoked public anger. Kabuto, who had originally wanted to come over and show his presence, didn't dare to anymore. If he went over now, he would definitely be targeted by others, which would affect his plans—it wasn't worth it."Brat, you're looking for death!" The first to lose their patience were the three Otogakure Ninja. Zaku instantly arrived above Naruto's head and threw two Kunai at him.Sasuke arrived in front of Naruto a step earlier, reached out and grabbed the two Kunai, then flicked them away casually. They flew toward Zaku at an even faster speed, and before he could react, they pierced through both his arms, pinning him to the ceiling.The attack from Dosu Kinuta, who was wrapped up like a mummy, followed closely behind Zaku's. Just as Sasuke grabbed the Kunai, his attack was about to strike, but Naruto kicked him directly into the wall. A mouthful of blood sprayed out. If the attack device on his hand hadn't blocked it, he could have already announced his withdrawal from the exam.However, the equipment on his hand was considered scrap, completely shattered into pieces.As for Kin, she had just arrived and hadn't had a chance to act before Sakura grabbed her by the head and slammed her into the ground."Move even an inch, and I'll blow your head off." Sakura's voice was cold, and the arm guard on her hand emitted a chilling gleam, making Kin, whose head was being pressed down, unable to help but swallow her saliva.The three of them had dealt with their respective opponents in almost an instant, directly shocking everyone else and making them afraid to act again for a while."Stop it, all of you, you bunch of trash!" With a burst of smoke, a tall man in black, accompanied by a group of Konoha Chunin wearing gray work uniforms, appeared on the podium."Sorry to keep you waiting. I am the proctor for the first stage of the Chunin Exams, Ibiki Morino." The man in black said with a crooked smile."You few over there, don't cause trouble for me before the exam, do you want to be disqualified?" Ibiki pointed at Naruto and the others and scolded."Can't help it, the attacks were already at our faces. We couldn't just stand there and let people hit us, right?" Naruto shrugged and said with a smile."Hmph, taking this opportunity, I'll make it clear: without the proctor's permission, private fighting is not allowed. Even with permission, you cannot make attacks that endanger others' lives. Any pigs who dare to defy me will be disqualified immediately. Do you understand?" Ibiki said with a grim expression."Alright, you're the proctor, you're the boss." Narutosaid with a grin, clutching the back of his head. Then, he gave Sakura a wink. Seeing this, Sakura released her hand from Kin and went to stand behind Naruto."That girl, you have to bear the consequences of your actions. Take down your companion yourself." Ibiki pointed at Kin, who had just climbed up from the ground, and then pointed at Zaku, who was still wailing on the ceiling."Now, the first exam begins. Submit your applications, take your number tags, and take your seats according to the numbers. Then I will distribute the written test questionnaires."After everyone was seated, Ibiki began to explain the exam rules. Just like in the original, the whole thing boiled down to one point: getting caught cheating using low-level methods five times results in immediate disqualification, and the last question will be announced 45 minutes after the exam starts."Now, the first exam, begin!"As Ibiki's voice fell, everyone began to observe the questions on the test paper.The moment Sakura saw the questions, she understood that these were definitely not meant for ordinary Genin to solve. Combined with the point-deduction rules Ibiki mentioned earlier, those with strength and brains in the room basically understood the true purpose of this exam.It was to test a Ninja's ability to cheat—or in other words, their ability to gather intelligence."Girl, that brat is asking when you can start answering." Kurama's voice rang in Sakura's mind."It's Kurama. You scared me. Please tell him and the other two to get ready. I can start on my side immediately." Sakura replied to Kurama in her heart.Immediately, Kurama relayed the message to Naruto and Sasuke. The two rubbed their wrists and got ready. Then, they felt their bodies begin to stiffen, and their hands started adjusting the position of the test papers.After synchronizing the positions of the papers, the three of them began to write at the same time.As the second academic genius in the original story, Hinata should have been able to answer these questions, but ever since she started hanging out with Naruto, she basically hadn't attended school much, so she didn't know these questions either. But not knowing didn't mean she had no way around it.She had understood Ibiki's words, so she immediately activated her Byakugan, found Sakura, and started copying her answers.Kiba let Akamaru help him look for answers, and Shino used his bugs.Neji also used his Byakugan to see the answers, while Tenten used the mirror above her head to observe, and incidentally passed the answers to Rock Lee.Because Ino had entered Sakura's body and been punched out by Inner Sakura when they fought in school, she chose someone who was writing quickly this time to use Mind Transfer Jutsu. After finishing her own, she used Mind Transfer Jutsu to help Shikamaru and Choji write. Writing three copies alone, she was the hardest-working one among the twelve.Others also began to show their unique skills. The whole exam hall seemed calm, but in reality, it was a chaotic dance of demons.As for the three Otogakure Ninja, although they were injured, they persisted in the exam. They judged what the others were writing through the fluctuations of sound.Soon, quite a few people lost their qualification for the exam because they cheated more than five times, and they dragged their teammates down with them. During this time, some tried to argue and asked the proctor for evidence, only to be heavily punished by the proctor and dragged out of the exam hall.Time passed bit by bit, and soon, it reached forty-five minutes, which was the time for the so-called last question.
Chapter 36: The End of the First Exam"Hmph, it seems the trash has been cleared out for the most part." Ibiki checked the time and then spoke: "Next, I will begin announcing the tenth question."In the following minutes, Ibiki continuously applied pressure to the group by talking about whether or not to answer the question, and how those who answered incorrectly would be forced to remain a Genin for the rest of their lives.Many people chose to give up on this exam because they could not withstand the pressure, and consequently, the teammates of those who gave up were also asked to leave the exam hall.The act that was supposed to happen—Narutogiving a speech to firm up everyone's resolve—did not occur because Naruto had changed on the inside.The 26 teams that should have remained were reduced to only 20.Immediately after, Ibiki announced that everyone present had passed. He explained in detail the core of the first exam: testing one's ability as a Ninja to gather information, as well as one's own ability to withstand pressure, and whether they could persist without revealing information under various forms of interrogation.He also took the opportunity to show everyone his head, which was covered in various scars—knife wounds, screw marks, burn marks—a dense, terrifying, and gruesome collection of wounds.The purpose of the final question was to test whether one had the courage to carry out a mission even when all information was unknown.Only those who met these conditions were qualified to become a Chunin."The first stage of the Chunin Exams is over. Good luck to everyone on the exam." Ibiki flashed a smile at those remaining, but his smile, combined with the scars on his face, looked truly chilling."Crack!" Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass echoed, startling everyone who hadn't yet had a chance to celebrate.Immediately following that, a massive cloth banner covered the entire podium.A woman wearing fishnet undergarments and a white and brown trench coat appeared before everyone."I say, this isn't the time to be happy." The woman flicked her hand, struck a pose she thought was cool, and said: "I am the proctor for the second exam, Anko Mitarashi. Next, the next stage begins, follow me!" After finishing, she raised her fist high, appearing exceptionally energetic.However, no one present moved; they all stared at her in stunned silence, as well as at the cloth behind her that read, "Second Exam Proctor, Anko Mitarashihas arrived."The scene was incredibly awkward for a moment. Ibiki revealed half his body from behind the cloth and said helplessly: "Try to read the atmosphere a little, will you?"As his voice fell, Anko couldn't help but feel shy, her cheeks flushing slightly, and she froze in place."60 people?" After recovering, she counted the number of people present and turned to Ibiki, saying: "Ibiki, there are actually still 20 teams left? You went way too easy on them this time.""There are quite a lot of excellent kids in this exam." Ibiki smiled slightly and looked at Anko."Hmph, whatever. In the second exam, I'll eliminate more than half." Anko's words made everyone present start to feel nervous."We'll discuss the details tomorrow. Once we change locations, go ask your Jonin leader for the time and place to assemble. That is all, dismissed." Subsequently, everyone left one after another.Naruto and the others also learned the location and time from their respective team leaders: gather at Training Ground 44 before 1:00 PM the next day.Since it was a rare occasion for everyone to be together, the group agreed to have a dinner party at Naruto's villa that night.This left the Third Hokage and the group of Joninleaders feeling quite helpless; although they were partners from the same village, in this Chunin Exams, everyone should be rivals.Yet, these twelve people acted as if they were here on vacation, without a shred of the tension of an exam."By the way, how long has it been since we all hung out together?" Kiba clinked glasses with Shino and looked at the group."Over a year, right?" Ino tilted her head and thought for a moment."Ever since Neji graduated, there hasn't been a time when everyone was together." Hinata held a glass of fruit juice and glanced at Neji and the others."We can't help it. Every day after finishing missions, we still have to undergo training from Might Guy. I'm a girl, for goodness' sake! Why do I have to be drenched in sweat every day just like those two stinking men?" Tenten gulped down a large mouthful of fruit juice, then slumped onto the table and started to complain."That Asuma guy is the same, smoking all day long. Doesn't he know that the smell of smoke affects the skin? I'm a young girl, okay? Being smoked out every day, how can I stand it?" Ino perked up and started complaining about her team leader."You guys have it good. At least your teachers still take you for training every day. Kakashi-sensei is either late or leaves early every day. Every time a mission is done, he disappears. When he finally teaches something, he just throws a book at me and runs off, telling me to study it myself. It's gotten to the point where Naruto leads our daily training. Is he the teacher, or is Naruto the teacher?" Sakura also started complaining about Kakashi.This left the three of them, far away at the Hokage Building, feeling quite awkward, while Kurenai, the only one not being complained about, hid to the side and snickered."Naruto, something's not right, is it?" Sasuke came to Naruto's side, pulled him, and whispered."Huh? What's not right?" Naruto looked at everyone who had started complaining about everything and didn't see any problem."Don't you realize their state is just like they're drunk?" Sasuke pointed to the somewhat chaotic scene and said."Oh, that? This is my newly concocted relaxation orange juice. It's a good thing that can release inner stress. It's much better than alcohol, won't get you drunk, and won't harm your body—they just talk a bit more, that's all." Naruto waved his hand, saying it nonchalantly.Hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke immediately glanced at the cup in his hand and, discovering it was black tea, breathed a sigh of relief."Naruto-kun, why did you think of making this?" Hinata asked curiously."Well, wasn't it too stifling today during the exam because of that teacher? So I thought I'd help everyone relax a bit, to better prepare for tomorrow's exam." Naruto explained while eating the meat Hinata fed to his mouth."Are you sure?" Sasuke pointed to the scene that was intensifying; many secrets were starting to spill out."Relax, relax. It's just us here, no one else will come, so don't worry.""Sasuke-kun, are you being dense, or are you just avoiding me?" Sakura, holding a glass of orange juice, threw herself onto Sasuke's back, her voice slightly floating."Sakura, calm down." Sasuke struggled, trying to pull Sakura off, but in terms of strength, he was no match for Sakura and was held tight by her."Don't change the subject, answer me!" Sakura's arms tightened, and Sasuke instantly felt as if his whole body were being clamped by iron pliers."It's breaking, it's breaking! Sakura, let go!" Sasukepounded on Sakura's arm hard, finally making her loosen her grip. Just as he caught his breath and wanted to find Naruto to cause trouble, he discovered that the guy had already vanished."Naruto-kun, is it okay for us to just run off like this?" At this moment, Naruto was pulling Hinata onto the roof to watch the stars."It's fine, it's fine. With Sasuke there, nothing will happen. That guy is still quite reliable." Naruto lay on the roof, holding Hinata in his arms, looking at the stars in the sky, his heart feeling completely at peace."About tomorrow's exam, do you have any thoughts, Naruto-kun?" Hinata leaned against Naruto's chest and asked softly."It should be something like a survival exercise, after all, it's at a training ground." Naruto kissed Hinataon the forehead and then spoke."Then do we need to prepare anything?" Hinata's cheeks flushed slightly as she said softly."It's best not to. Just bring standard Ninja tools. After all, without knowing the specific rules, preparing things rashly might result in being disqualified, which would be a loss that outweighs the gain. Since this is an exam, rules are the highest priority. However, bringing a little bit of food shouldn't be a problem." Naruto thought for a moment and then spoke."I still have some of the food Naruto-kun gave me last time. I'll just bring that." Hinata nuzzled into Naruto's arms, shifting into a more comfortable position."Mm, right. Remember to tell me when you finish it. Don't be shy; what's mine is yours. If you want to get stronger, this food is essential.""Mm, I know."Just as the two were enjoying their time alone, the door to the rooftop was suddenly kicked open."Uzumaki! Naruto!!" The voice filled with killing intent reached Naruto's ears.Naruto stood up stiffly and turned his head, only to see Sasuke's clothes tattered and torn, as if he had been ravaged by a dozen burly men in turns. At this moment, his eyes were burning with raging fury, and around him, it felt as if countless evil spirits were shrieking and howling. He was dragging his long sword in his hand, walking toward Naruto step by step."Um, Sasuke, calm down, you must calm down. I just wanted to let everyone relax, right? It's not anything out of line, right?" Naruto swallowed hard and then hurriedly began to defend himself."Relax, is it? Then I'll give you a bit of relaxation too." A ferocious smile appeared on Sasuke's face, and he raised his sword to hack at Naruto.Naruto jumped back in fright, dodging the blow. However, before he could even catch his breath, Sasuke's second strike was already almost at his face, scaring him so much that he turned and ran for his life."You stop right there! Today I'm going to hack you to death, you bastard!"As Naruto jumped down from the floor above, the entire party venue became even more chaotic; it was no exaggeration to call it a dance of demons.The rowdiness continued until very late, at which point everyone left for home one after another. The girls all cast resentful glances at Naruto, while Naruto himself was covered in tatters, his clothes sliced into strips by Sasuke.After returning home, everyone finally got a good night's sleep. When they woke up the next day, they felt refreshed and invigorated. The previous pressure had completely vanished, and everyone headed toward the location of the second exam, Training Ground 44—the legendary Forest of Death—in high spirits.
Chapter 37: The Second Exam BeginsAt one o'clock in the afternoon, everyone arrived at Training Ground 44 on time, and the other examinees arrived around the same time as well.Seeing that everyone had arrived, Anko began to announce the rules of the exam and handed out a consent form similar to a death waiver to each person.It was much like what he had seen in his previous life; the assessment basically took place in a massive forest with a radius of about ten kilometers. All candidates had five days to collect both the scroll of heaven and the scroll of earth, and reach the tower at the very center of the forest to pass the exam.Before entering, each team of candidates would receive either a scroll of heaven or a scroll of earth. Among the 20 teams present, half would have the scroll of heaven and half would have the scroll of earth; this was the basis for Anko's claim that at least half the people would be eliminated.Furthermore, inside the forest, one could attack others at will without any rules or restrictions, and killing the opponent was also permitted. Since everyone had signed the consent form, it was estimated that the number of people who would ultimately reach the tower would be even less than half.Moreover, once it began, there was no quitting halfway. One had to spend five days in the forest—either reach the tower to complete the mission, spend the five days in the forest and be eliminated, or die.The conditions for elimination were: failing to collect both scrolls within the allotted time, or failing to arrive at the tower with all three team members; in such cases, the entire team would be eliminated.Teams that lost members or had members who were unable to move would be eliminated.The scrolls could not be opened before reaching the tower, or else the consequences would be borne by the bearer. These were all the rules for this exam.After understanding all the rules, Anko had everyone sign the consent forms, then enter a makeshift shed nearby to exchange for their scrolls, and finally follow the staff to their respective starting points to wait for the exam to begin.This time, Naruto waited directly in front of the shed, intending to be the first to get his scroll. The shed was covered by a red cloth to prevent others from seeing which type of scroll they had. Besides protecting the secret, this was meant to incite greater conflict.After all, since no one knew what kind of scroll the others had and had to seize it to find out, the fighting would be even more intense, and everyone was an opponent.After Naruto submitted the consent forms for the three of them, a scroll with the character for "Heaven" written on it was handed over.Naruto didn't put the scroll away after taking it; instead, he tossed it up and down in his hand as he walked out from behind the red cloth. His goal, naturally, was to let others see it, thereby luring those who held the scroll of earth to come and snatch it.The advantage of this was that those holding the scroll of heaven wouldn't have any interest in them, but the downside was that everyone with the scroll of earth would prioritize them as a target.However, Naruto had forgotten one thing: the strength their team had displayed during the first exam had made many people shy away.Seeing many people turn their heads away and avoid looking at him, Naruto felt puzzled."You complete idiot, have you forgotten what you did during the first exam? The strength we showed is bound to make many people wary," Sasuke said, clutching his forehead in resignation."Doesn't that mean I'm just winking at a blind man?" Naruto scratched his head in frustration, which immediately made the others from Konoha laugh."Hahaha, interesting little brats." Anko laughed, wiping the corner of her eye, and then checked the time."Those who have received their scrolls, hurry to your respective entry points. The exam will start on time in half an hour."As Anko's voice faded, everyone who had received their scrolls followed a Chunin to their respective entry points and began to wait."Yahoo! There are quite a few strong opponents this time. Hinata, Shino, let's have a good fight this time!" At Gate 16, Kiba waved his fist excitedly."Kiba, you're getting too excited. Don't forget our mission objective." Shino pushed up his sunglasses and said in a deep voice."What are you afraid of? With Hinata here, finding people will be a piece of cake. We have five days, so we definitely have to have a good fight. Right, Hinata?" Kiba put his arm around Shino's shoulder and looked at Hinata."Yeah, I also want to test the results of my training this time," Hinata agreed with a smile.At Entrance 27, the three members of the Shikamaru team were standing there lazily, completely devoid of any exam-related tension."Risking our lives and all that… what a drag," Shikamaru said with a yawn, sounding listless."I really want to find Naruto soon, otherwise the snacks I brought definitely won't last five days," Choji said, touching the snacks in his bag."I'm telling you guys, aren't there a lot of wild beasts in the forest? They're all edible," Ino said, clutching her forehead in resignation."But we don't have Naruto's skills. Just thinking about the food he makes makes me drool.""Hey, you're already drooling, okay!"At Entrance 20, the three Otogakure ninja stood there with gloomy expressions."The time has finally come," Dosu said in a cold voice."Being defeated by those brats last time because of carelessness is simply a disgrace," Zaku said through gritted teeth."This time I must avenge the last time, especially against that ugly woman!" Kin said with a vicious look in her eyes.At Entrance 41, Rock Lee was waiting with eyes blazing, as if his entire being was about to ignite."This time, I must have a great fight!""I'm telling you, just don't forget the mission," Tenten said, clutching her forehead in resignation.At Entrance 12, Naruto and Sasuke were wiping their long swords, while Sakura was putting on her arm guards."What's the plan?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naruto."Since the previous plan won't work, let's run five kilometers first, then circle around the forest to look for enemies," Naruto said, glancing at the entrance."Do we need to make such a big circle?" Sakuraasked, puzzled."Yeah, at our speed, it won't take long to circle it. If we don't find a suitable scroll along the way, we'll camp out near the tower," Naruto said, standing up and sheathing his sword."Understood." × 2As time passed, it quickly reached 2:29 PM, and all the Chunin unlocked the entrances simultaneously.Seeing the locks open, the twelve people in Naruto's group began to silently circulate their Breathing Style.This made the Chunin couldn't help but look at them with solemn expressions."Now, the Chunin Exams, second stage, begin!"As Anko's voice faded, the time reached 2:30 PM, and all the entrance gates where the candidates stood opened. In an instant, the candidates all rushed into the exam venue."Good grief, are the Genin of this year all this strong?" After the Chunin returned to the gathering point, they began to discuss. This was their break time, and it would be at least two days before they had to work again."Especially those from our village, their speed—they disappeared in the blink of an eye," a Chunin with bandages said while gesturing."Now we're in for a good show. I hope we get to watch their battles up close when the time comes."On the other side, Naruto was moving at high speed with Sasuke and Sakura. With their "power bank," they weren't afraid of exhausting their Chakra at all. Soon, the three of them reached a position about five kilometers away."I say, we got here so fast, the others are probably still wandering around the entrance, right?" Sasukesaid helplessly."It's fine. Kurama's sensing range is exactly five kilometers; that's why I ran here. Next, we just need to run around the forest and see who the first unlucky soul we run into is," Naruto said with a mischievous smile."Then let's start," Sakura said excitedly, bumping her fists together.Immediately, the three of them mobilized the Chakrawithin their bodies and rushed out toward the left.Soon, Naruto sensed an extremely massive amount of Chakra—the largest presence of Chakra besides Gaara."Hmph, Orochimaru, is it?" Naruto licked the corner of his mouth and muttered."Sasuke, Sakura, get ready. A very powerful enemy is coming." Naruto stopped and immediately began to remove his weights. Seeing this, Sasuke knew it must be a formidable enemy, otherwise, Narutowouldn't have removed his weights so early.After putting the weights into the system space, Naruto led the three of them to turn and run toward the location he had sensed."Is it a Jinchuriki?" Sasuke asked excitedly."No, not him. However, this person's Chakra volume is even greater than Kakashi and Zabuza," Narutosaid, having already drawn his long sword."I didn't expect to run into such an interesting opponent during the Chunin Exams." Sasuke also placed one hand on the hilt of his sword.On the other side, Orochimaru, who was on his way, suddenly sensed three auras rushing toward him without any concealment."Ho ho, they're coming straight for me? Interesting." Orochimaru stopped in his tracks, licked his lips with his long tongue, and said with some excitement."Three pieces of prey have arrived. You two go handle that matter first; leave this to me." As Orochimaru's voice faded, the other two people left immediately.'Heh, they really left. I can only say, as expected of you, Orochimaru.' Naruto sensed that two people had left in other directions, leaving only the one with the most massive Chakra standing in place."Two of the auras are gone," Naruto said, giving a warning."What do you think? Should we pursue them?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naruto."No need, our target is this strongest one. Since he dares to stay behind to face us alone, it means he has the strength to defeat us—at least, that's what he thinks," Naruto said with a smile."Get ready. I will share my sensing ability with you. Although the sensing range will shrink significantly, it will be enough for this battle." As he said this, Naruto communicated with Kurama and synchronized the sensing ability to Sasuke and Sakura.The originally massive sensing range instantly shrank to three hundred meters. Sakura and Sasukefound that they could very accurately pinpoint the location of everyone's Chakra in the vicinity, including the flow of Chakra within the opponent's body."So amazing. All of Kurama's abilities feel so strong," Sakura said excitedly."But did the range really shrink this much? Will it affect you, Naruto?" Sasuke felt the range and then looked at Naruto."Don't worry, it's just sensing. It won't affect our combat power. Sakura, get ready."Sensing the three auras getting closer and closer, Orochimaru bit his finger and then smeared it across his arm."Summoning Jutsu."A giant snake with a head as big as a large truck appeared beneath Orochimaru's feet, lifting him into mid-air."Shanaroo!"
Chapter 38: Battle against Orochimaru"Shanaroo!"A loud roar sounded above Orochimaru's head, and immediately after, a fist wrapped in Earth Release Chakra smashed straight towards Orochimaru's head."Oh, interesting. Such a straightforward attack; it seems I've been underestimated." Orochimaruwatched Sakura's attack with great interest and did not dodge.The giant snake beneath him suddenly opened its massive mouth and swallowed Sakura in one gulp.However, before he could make a move, a loud bang came from beneath him.Immediately after, the entire Forest of Death began to shake slightly.Orochimaru felt his body falling, and he looked down in disbelief.He saw that the previously swallowed Sakura was standing in a deep pit, and the giant snake, except for its head, had been reduced to a pile of minced meat scattered all around."What terrifying strength. This little girl is practically a carbon copy of Tsunade." Thinking of Tsunade, Orochimaru couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth."Hello there." A voice suddenly sounded behind Orochimaru. He whipped his head around and saw a long sword, imbued with sharp Wind Release Chakra, already reaching his face.However, he remained calm and leaned his body backward in mid-air, kicking at the hand holding the long sword.Seeing his attack dodged, Naruto was about to change his move when he felt a massive force on his wrist, which kicked his hand to the side. If he hadn't gripped it tightly, the sword would have flown out of his hand.But before Orochimaru could make another move, he felt a violent surge of Chakra attacking him from behind.He hurriedly curled his body up, just barely dodging the sword slash from Sasuke, and then quickly tapped his feet twice on Sasuke's blade, spinning in the air a few times before landing steadily on a tree branch."Not bad coordination, you brats." Orochimaru licked his lips with his long tongue, looking at the three of them with interest, especially at Uchiha Sasuke, his eyes unable to hide the joy of having caught prey."Still not quite as good as one of the Sannin, Orochimaru-sama, wouldn't you agree?" Naruto's expression carried a hint of playfulness, while a flash of ferocity flickered in his eyes."Ho ho, how did you recognize me? Brat." The killing intent on Orochimaru's body was released instantly, and his originally normal eyes turned into golden slit pupils."Are you stupid? In the entire Ninja World, besides you and your students, who else has nothing better to do than play with snakes?" Naruto's words almost choked Orochimaru; he hadn't expected this brat who recognized him to be so infuriating."Then how are you so sure that I am Orochimaru?" Orochimaru looked at the three of them, who were completely unaffected by his killing intent, and his interest grew even stronger."I wasn't sure at first; that was just a bluff. However, when you released your killing intent, I became certain.""Interesting. Tell me more.""First, your tongue. Except for you, not even your student, Anko, would have a tongue as long as yours, nor would she have your level of strength. Second, your eyes. When you release killing intent, your eyes unconsciously turn into golden snake pupils. Combined with what I said earlier, the only person who fits all these conditions is you, the former Sannin, Konoha's S-rank missing-nin, and the direct student of the Third Hokage, Orochimaru." Naruto pointed at Orochimaru, his expression turning serious."Hahahaha, very good observation skills, brat. So, since you know my identity, what do you plan to do? Run away? Or call for reinforcements from Konoha?" Orochimaru laughed out loud, looking at the three of them with a playful tone."Of course, it's to... kill you!" As Naruto's voice fell, the three of them instantly appeared in front of Orochimaru."So fast!" Orochimaru's pupils constricted. He leaned his body backward to dodge Naruto's attack, then used a Kunai in his hand to block Sasuke's sword, while simultaneously using his tongue to throw another Kunai, intending to interrupt Sakura's attack.In this series of movements, his other hand was still quickly forming hand seals.But before he could finish the hand seals, he was punched in the face by Sakura."How can this be?" He looked at Sakura in disbelief, then looked at Naruto, only to see that Naruto had actually used his foot to catch the Kunai he had thrown and kicked it back.He didn't see what happened next, because he had been sent flying by Sakura's punch, crashing through several trees before stopping, kicking up a large cloud of dust. The Kunai originally thrown at Sakura had also been kicked back by Naruto, embedding itself in the hand he was using to form hand seals."Pursue!"As Naruto's words fell, the three of them immediately chased in the direction of Orochimaru. Facing such an enemy, giving him a chance to catch his breath would mean their own death.However, as soon as the three of them entered the smoke, they were swatted out by a thick snake tail."Hehehehe, hahahaha. Interesting, this is just too interesting. Now, I am very interested in all three of you, brats." Orochimaru stood on top of the giant snake, looking down at the three of them, his eyes filled with madness."Tsk, I don't want to be targeted by a pervert like you." Naruto clicked his tongue in annoyance, then flipped his wrist, sheathed his sword, lowered his body, and lightning raged around him.Seeing this, Sasuke retracted his long sword, formed hand seals with both hands, and lightning flickered on his hands.Sakura also began to form hand seals, and a large amount of water began to appear, swirling around her."Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"A massive torrent of water rushed from behind Sakura directly towards Orochimaru."What a massive amount of Chakra. To be able to release such a large volume of water in a waterless area, could she really have some connection to Tsunade?"Just as Orochimaru was puzzled, Naruto charged out directly from the hollow center of the whirlpool."Thunderclap and Flash: Sixfold."In an instant, Naruto arrived in front of Orochimaru. The giant snake that had just appeared was slashed to pieces, and the long sword in his hand slashed straight at Orochimaru's neck."Not a bad move." Orochimaru leaped backward, dodging Naruto's attack, and added a comment."Thunderclap and Flash: Chidori Stab."Sasuke rushed in front of Orochimaru at an even faster speed, the Chidori in his hand acting like a short spike, stabbing straight at Orochimaru's chest.Seeing this, Orochimaru curled his lips, twisted his body, and then grabbed Sasuke's hand, throwing him back. At the same time, he stepped on the tree trunk behind him and jumped higher, dodging the incoming water torrent."Sasuke!" Watching Sasuke flying back, Naruto held his sword in front of him, taking a defensive stance.Seeing this, Sasuke adjusted his posture in mid-air and stepped directly onto Naruto's blade with both feet.Naruto twisted his body, exerted force with his hands, and pushed Sasuke directly towards Orochimaru's position.Naruto himself stepped on the water surface, kicked hard, creating a depression in the flowing water, and chased after Orochimaru himself.Sakura also kicked with both legs, snapping the tree trunk, and rushed towards Orochimaru at high speed.For a moment, the entire forest was shaking violently, with various sounds of explosions and trees collapsing one after another."Oh my, I didn't expect this year's battle to be so intense?" Anko drank a sip of red bean soup, placed one hand on her forehead, and looked towards the Forest of Death, her tone filled with excitement."Something terrible has happened, Anko-sama." Suddenly, a Chunin appeared before Anko."Hmm? Why did you come running over all of a sudden?" Anko looked at the person who arrived, asking in a lazy tone."We found three corpses, and they look very strange. In any case, please come and take a look quickly." The Chunin said with an anxious expression.Hearing this, although Anko was still somewhat puzzled, she followed the Chunin to the place where the corpses were found.Soon, the scene before her reminded her of some very bad memories from the past. Looking at the three corpses whose faces had completely melted away, she knew that man had returned, and she immediately began to issue orders."This matter is of great importance. You go immediately to notify Hokage-sama and request the immediate mobilization of two Anbu squads to the Forest of Death. I am going to pursue those guys right now. If you understand, act immediately." After finishing, Anko dashed directly towards the Forest of Death, and the others also immediately took action."A normal battle between Genin, or even Chunin, wouldn't cause such a huge commotion. This means that one of the parties currently fighting is very likely to be Orochimaru. The key is, who could the other party be?" Anko thought while running."Could it be that there are other forces I don't know about lurking in the exam grounds? Or, could it be those brats?"In Anko's mind, twelve figures appeared involuntarily. As a person of Konoha, almost everyone knew the legend of these twelve people; no one was unaware of it.The teacher-student chase that once swept through Konoha was something many Chunin flocked to. Many Chunin had fought against these brats, yet very few were able to defeat them. Therefore, these twelve people were also called the Twelve Future Ninjas of Konoha."If it's those brats... Oh my, what am I thinking? Even if it's them, they couldn't possibly be that guy's opponent. I must hurry over there to see."Anko patted her forehead, slapping away the dangerous thought from just now, and then increased her speed again. Fortunately, the commotion of the battle was not small, allowing her to have a clear direction to track. However, her current position was the furthest point in a straight line, so she would have to travel straight through the Forest of Death to reach the battlefield.Soon, she crossed the entrance of the Forest of Death and disappeared into the forest.