Chapter 208: The Snake in the Shadows
After observing the atmosphere of the exam for a bit, Tonbo Tobitake headed back. He found that the feeling of absorbing knowledge was far more fulfilling.
The development of Forced Execution and the further refinement of the Heartsteel technique were not yet complete. Regardless, he was now the Head of the Analytical Team, and the Third Hokage hadn't asked him to continue as a proctor. Within the entire village of Konoha, no one had a more relaxed schedule than him.
Whoosh!
Naruto and the others successfully endured Ibiki's torture-style test. Every ninja who remained in the room passed the first stage.
It was at that moment that a figure leaped through the window. Surveying the numerous candidates left in the room, she looked at Ibiki and said, "How are there still so many candidates left? You weren't slacking off, were you?"
The newcomer was Anko Mitarashi. At this point, she had put on some weight and looked quite plump.
Ibiki smiled. "It's a bit unexpected, but it can't be helped. People always manage to surprise you." His gaze lingered on Naruto.
"Hey, fat lady! This uncle already disqualified so many people, and you're saying he slacked off?" Naruto shouted at the new proctor.
Silence.
A heavy hush fell over the classroom. Ibiki and the other proctors felt a searing killing intent erupt from Anko. Those behind Naruto who knew him felt he was incredibly "brave" for shouting at a proctor like that. He was practically asking for death.
Zip!
A brown python shot out from Anko's sleeve. Before Naruto could even react, he was dragged right in front of her.
"Kid... do you want to die?"
Anko's eyes flashed dangerously as she unleashed her killing intent on Naruto, making his hair stand on end.
Gulp.
"N-No... Big Sister, I didn't mean it..." Naruto was terrified. That gaze was far scarier than Sakura's.
"Hmph. If there's a next time, watch your life. The second exam is at the Forest of Death. Everyone, follow me."
The Forest of Death.
Anko distributed the Heaven and Earth scrolls. After giving the candidates time to study their strategies, the exam officially began. With Naruto's previous encounter as a warning, no one dared to talk back to her.
Only within the squad from the Hidden Grass did one figure watch Anko with an amused glint in their eyes.
Anko... she's actually gotten this fat. Seems life has been treating her well.
The candidates entered the Forest of Death. A tense and thrilling exam began.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of candidates leaped through the forest, staying vigilant for potential enemies.
"Shino."
Kiba gave a hand signal to Hinata and Shino. They understood immediately and activated their respective sensory methods.
Aaaagh!
A short while later, a scream echoed out. Three figures fell from the trees. Several giant leeches were writhing on their bodies, and their skin was rapidly shriveling up.
"Nice work, Shino. These guys were too weak. I wonder what scroll they have."
Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the air. After confirming the targets were dead, they began searching the bodies. They found a scroll. Opening it, they saw it was exactly what they needed—an Earth Scroll.
The three of them smiled.
"Got it! Now we just need to head to the central tower. This is way too easy. No challenge at all," Kiba grinned, looking at the Earth Scroll.
Hearing this, Shino cautioned, "Don't be careless. Other candidates might target us. Moreover, the Forest of Death isn't just full of examinees; there are all sorts of venomous insects and wild beasts. We cannot relax."
"Oh, Shino, stop it. With me here, whether it's beasts or other ninjas, I'll flatten them all." Kiba was full of confidence. Wilderness survival was the specialty of their team! Plus, he had recently learned a few new jutsus and was certain no one could defeat him.
Hinata said softly, "I really envy your courage, Kiba. I wish I had that too."
Kiba laughed. "Haha! This comes from training. Trust me, you wouldn't want to go through the kind of training I did." Even now, thinking back to the training he received as a child, he felt a lingering fear. If he were his current age back then, he definitely would have cried harder than he did as a kid.
"Training?" Hinata wondered inwardly. Is there actually a training specifically for courage?
"Let's go. We should reach the destination as quickly as possible. Otherwise, other candidates might set traps around the tower," Shino said.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
"You mean they'll wait until the last moment to ambush players like us? True, nothing is easier than waiting for the prey to come to you at the finish line." Kiba followed behind, understanding Shino's point.
In the brush.
Three heads poked out cautiously.
"No enemies," Ino said to her teammates after forming a hand seal to sense the surroundings. They looked somewhat disheveled. Just a moment ago, they had encountered a wild beast in the Forest of Death and had been chased around. Shikamaru had eventually found the correct path by observing the sun and the tree rings. Even so, the encounter had shaken them.
Crunch!
Suddenly, Ino heard a sound and looked at Choji, speechless. "Choji! We're in a high-tension situation! Can you stop eating for a second?"
"Hehe." Choji quickly stuffed a few more potato chips into his mouth before tucking the bag away, a happy smile on his face.
"Let's just take a short break. This exam lasts five days; there's no need to rush. We need to save enough chakra for all kinds of situations," Shikamaru advised.
Zip! Zip!
"There shouldn't be enemies here, right?"
Naruto's eyes darted around, staring intently at the bushes, the treetops, and behind the trunks. He was terrified an enemy would come flying out. Uncle Tonbo's training often involved these exact scenarios—especially in forests, where traps were the easiest to set and the hardest to spot. During those battlefield simulations, he had "died" more times than he could count. He had learned his lesson; he absolutely could not be ambushed.
Sasuke sighed. "While we shouldn't be careless, you shouldn't be this tense either. You'll collapse from exhaustion before the match even ends."
Because of Tonbo's training, Sasuke was also used to the idea of enemies jumping out at any moment. However, he was smarter and had adjusted quickly without letting it affect his nerves. He had actually learned a lot from it. Naruto, on the other hand, was acting completely paranoid.
Sakura looked at the sky. The horizon was glowing with the remnants of the sunset. "It's getting dark. We need to find a good campsite, or we'll be sitting ducks for an attack."
"Mhm."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three figures were moving forward rapidly, seemingly unafraid of any ambush.
"Master, this way," a ninja wearing a Grass headband said to the leader.
Orochimaru adjusted his straw hat and smiled. "Uchiha's eyes... accept my power." He disgustingly licked his lips.
Roar!
A giant tiger suddenly pounced, its maw wide open as it tried to swallow him whole.
Flash!
A blade light flickered. Before the tiger even hit the ground, the three figures had already passed its body. The giant tiger slammed into the earth with a thud, a hole drilled clean through its head, oozing blood.
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