Chapter 62: Orochimaru's Goal"Keep performing, let me be fascinated by you!"Orochimaru spread his arms, revealing a hideous and eerie smile."Orochimaru?"Hearing the enemy report his own name, Naruto's brow furrowed.This guy seemed to have no intention of hiding his identity at all.Besides absolute confidence in his own strength, it was very likely he also had the intention of leaving no one alive.Yet for some reason, he couldn't feel any killing intent from Orochimaru.Of course, this didn't mean the other party was a good person; after all, the malice on this guy showed no sign of being concealed either."It seems you haven't heard of my name."Orochimaru tilted his head."Should I know your name?"Naruto stopped in his tracks.Orochimaru was silent for a moment before answering, "At least there was that possibility."As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced toward the Hokage Rock.Back then, as one of the Sannin, it wasn't that he hadn't had the chance to have his face carved there.It was only because of the Fourth Hokage, whose talent surpassed the masses, that he had suffered a dismal defeat.And now, the brat in front of him actually made him think of that dead man involuntarily; it was truly quite sentimental."It seems you're also someone with ties to Konoha, so..." Naruto noticed the change in Orochimaru's mood and immediately spoke up, "Can we reconcile?""What do you think?"Orochimaru gave a half-smile."Look, your goal is nothing more than our scroll. In that case, wouldn't it be fine if I just gave you the scroll? We're all friends here, no need to ruin the harmony."As Naruto spoke, he reached into his ninja tool pouch, seemingly about to pull out the scroll.Orochimaru just stood there quietly, seemingly watching Naruto's performance.Vibration Release: Ripple Blade!Naruto pulled his hand out and threw out a large number of rapidly approaching disc-shaped bubbles.Their speed was no less than that of a Shuriken, and in an instant, they had already sped in front of Orochimaru.From the outside, these bubbles didn't look extraordinary, and their power was completely unapparent.But Orochimaru did not relax his vigilance because of this and directly raised his hand to block.Ninja Art: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!From his wide sleeves, several emerald-green venomous snakes as thick as wrists lunged out, opening their fangs filled with venom and biting toward the Ripple Blades.Pop! Pop! Pop!Every Ripple Blade was like an explosive tag, bursting in mid-air.Those biting venomous snakes were shattered under the bombardment of the Ripple Blades.Snake heads spun as they flew out, and fragments of flesh mixed with blood splattered."Impressive power."Orochimaru commented.Meanwhile, Naruto took advantage of this moment to fly in front of Orochimaru.He judged that the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough that had cleared the area earlier must have been Orochimaru's doing.Generally speaking, those strong in Ninjutsu would be relatively weaker in close combat.Naruto was best at Taijutsu, and he also had the enhancement of Vibration Release.As long as he could close the combat distance, even if the enemy was a powerhouse like Zabuzaor Kakashi, he had the confidence to win!Vibration Release: Shockwave Fist!Naruto's fist was wrapped in a cluster of bubbles as he smashed a punch toward Orochimaru.However, what he didn't expect was that Orochimaru's body was as slippery and soft as a venomous snake; facing the incoming punch, it twisted into a bizarre angle and dodged at the last possible second."Hehe, you want to compete with me in Taijutsu? Then I'll play with you for a bit!"Orochimaru stuck out his long tongue, licking the corner of his mouth while clenching his fist and throwing a rear hook punch.Naruto took a step back, pulling his shoulder back, and prepared to punch again the moment he dodged.However, what he didn't expect was that Orochimaru's arm was like rubber, suddenly extending a section, and with a thud, the fist hit Naruto right on the chin.A intense sense of dizziness hit him, and Naruto's footsteps immediately became unsteady and stumbling as he retreated repeatedly.Orochimaru, showing no mercy, continued forward and punched again, preparing to end the battle with a series of strikes.But just as he took a step, a sense of vigilance immediately arose in his heart.The sixth sense honed through years of battle allowed Orochimaru to sense the danger radiating from Naruto.So he stopped his forward progress, and with a tremble within his wide sleeves, several thick venomous snakes rushed out again.Ninja Art: Hidden Shadow Many Snake Hands!This time, the venomous snakes Orochimarusummoned were not only more numerous but also more than a size larger.Their movements were faster as they pounced toward Naruto, letting out a chorus of chilling hisses."Tch, you noticed."Naruto curled his lip, dropping the act of being unable to stand steady after the heavy blow.Orochimaru's punch was heavy, but with the Hamon enhancement, Naruto hadn't taken much damage; the pain and dizziness were just faked to deceive the opponent.Unfortunately, Orochimaru didn't fall for it.Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!Naruto clenched his fists and poured the continuous strikes he had prepared for Orochimaruunreservedly onto the incoming venomous snakes.In an instant, the venomous snakes were turned into a pulp of flesh and blood, which in turn splashed toward Orochimaru's head and face."Take this, blinding you with blood, Orochimaru!"Naruto roared, and at the same time, his bubble-wrapped fist had already reached the other's eyes.Whoosh!Before the fist could hit, Orochimaru's body suddenly split apart.Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the opponent split into four parts, each twisting and turning into a large snake as thick as a person's waist.The four large snakes opened their mouths and attacked from four directions with a foul wind.Ninja Art: Snake Clone Jutsu!However, although these four large snakes looked hideous and fierce, they posed no threat at all to Naruto.He stomped his foot on the ground, stopping his forward momentum, then twisted his waist, spinning in place once while extending both palms and scattering a large number of bubbles.Vibration Release: Bubble Array!The flying bubbles formed a dense barrier, sealing off the space around Naruto.The large snakes crashed into it, triggering one explosion after another.Only a series of chaotic banging explosions could be heard.When the dust settled, only four half-sections of snake bodies remained lying powerlessly on the ground.Naruto stood in place, bathed in snake blood, looking around vigilantly.Orochimaru's sudden disappearance was something he hadn't expected.And according to his Hamon sensing, there was no sign of him in the vicinity either.Fled?No! That guy's strength was definitely not as simple as it appeared.Although he had also hidden his strength, it was only enough to barely save his life.With such a huge gap between the two sides, Orochimaru seemed to have no reason to flee.Then it could only be for another reason, for example...Naruto thought of a certain possibility, and his expression changed drastically as he flew off toward the distance.Orochimaru's strength was likely even greater than Kakashi's; it was impossible for him to be here to take the Chunin Exams.Yet he appeared here and even showed himself in front of them, which meant someone on their side had attracted Orochimaru.At first, Naruto thought Orochimaru's target was himself, the container of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.But this guy had left, so his target was obvious."You have to hold on, Sasuke!"Naruto gritted his teeth, his pace through the dense forest quickening further.
Chapter 63: Naruto!"Mhm, when eating Dango, it really tastes best with Red Bean Soup."At the entrance of Training Ground 44, Anko Mitarashi held a skewer of Dango in one hand and a cup filled with Red Bean Soup in the other, enjoying them blissfully.After draining the drink in the cup, she let out a burp, a happy smile appearing on her face. "Now that I've finished eating, it's about time to head to the tower and wait for those little brats."Speaking of which, Anko thought of Naruto.That blond bastard actually dared to say that I had been dumped by a man!If I weren't the chief examiner right now, I'd definitely beat him until his face was a bloody mess!*Thwack.*Anko angrily swallowed a Dango and flicked the bamboo skewer, pinning it into a distant tree.Looking closely, dozens of bamboo skewers were already pinned to the trunk, forming the pattern of the Konoha symbol."Hmph, I hope that kid can pass the exam and reach the tower. Then, I'll teach him how to behave!"Anko stood up and brushed her palms together.Just as she was about to leave, an examiner arrived before her using the Body Flicker Technique.The examiner was panting heavily, his tone laced with urgency. "This is bad, Chief Examiner Anko! Something has happened!""What is it?" Anko frowned."We discovered three corpses, and the way they died is very strange. Please come and take a look!""Alright."Anko nodded, chewed the food in her mouth quickly, and swallowed hard.The two soon arrived at a clearing where three corpses lay sprawled about."Judging by their belongings and identification, these three should be Kusagakure Ninjas who registered for this Chunin Exams, but their faces are gone. It looks as if they were melted away..."One of the examiners, holding the investigative documents, began to explain to Anko.However, the moment she saw the corpses, Ankofroze in place, her eyes fixed intently on the bodies on the ground. She didn't hear a word of her subordinate's explanation.Those once lively eyes were now filled with terror.Because Anko was all too familiar with this method of disposing of corpses.It was the specialty of her former master, Orochimaru—the Vanishing Facial Copy Technique!After a few seconds of shock, Anko snapped out of it. She turned and snatched the investigative documents from her subordinate, flipping to the identification photos of the deceased to confirm her suspicion.That's right. The deceased was the same Grass Ninja who had picked up a Kunai before the exam started, only to be threatened by her.An old monster who had been a rogue for many years had actually disguised himself as a candidate and joined the Chunin Exams...Anko didn't even need to think twice to catch the scent of a conspiracy.She turned and shouted orders to her subordinates, "Something terrible is happening! Report this to Hokage-sama immediately, and request that the Anbu send at least six elite squads into the Forest of Death for backup!""Six elite squads? Isn't that too many? Is it really necessary?"One examiner questioned.One must realize that since Konoha was hosting the Chunin Exams, a large number of outsiders had flooded into the Village.To maintain the Village's safety and the order of the exams, almost all Konoha Ninjas had been assigned tasks, and the Anbu were no exception.Deploying six elite squads all at once would be a strain even for a Village as powerful as Konoha."Of course it's necessary, because five wouldn't be enough."Anko rolled her eyes. "Stop talking nonsense and just do it. I'm heading into the Forest of Death right now to apprehend the culprit."Always one for swift action, she left them with those words and leaped over the tall iron fence, entering the Forest of Death.Watching Anko's figure disappear, the examiners looked at each other and said no more, immediately moving to carry out the orders...."I didn't expect it. I truly didn't expect you to be able to go this far."In the forest, Orochimaru clapped his hands.Before him, Sasuke was already covered in wounds.Blood gushed out, forming a small pool at his feet.The weakness from excessive blood loss enveloped Sasuke, making his whole body feel limp. He just wanted to lie down, close his eyes, and have a good rest."Hold on! I must hold on! At least until Naruto gets back!"Sasuke continued to force himself, constantly telling himself this in his heart.He tightened his grip, trying to hold onto the Kunaithat was slippery with blood. He gritted his teeth, desperately trying not to collapse.Because right now, it wasn't just about him; there was also Sakura. Naruto had entrusted her to him, so he had to protect her, even if it cost him his life!"But I'm curious. We seem to have no grudge against each other, so why are you fighting so desperately instead of handing over the scroll and surrendering to me?"Orochimaru was in no hurry, asking with a smile."Hand over the scroll, surrender to you, and you'll spare our lives? Did you ever say that?"Sasuke sneered.If it were his former self, he might have made such a choice.Even back in the Land of Waves, Sasuke had made the decision to let Haku kill Tazuna just to save his own life.Naruto's teachings from back then still rang in his ears: 'What makes you think the enemy will let you go? Based on his word alone?'Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips. "Haha, it seems you are someone who has experienced real combat. You aren't that naive."In the gaze he directed at Sasuke, there was undisguised admiration and greed—Extraordinary skills, a strong mindset, superb talent, and handsome looks...Every single trait perfectly met Orochimaru's inner desires.Especially when he thought of Sasuke's relationship with Uchiha Itachi, Orochimaru found the youth before him all the more sweet.At this thought, the fire in Orochimaru's eyes burned intensely."Hehehe, as expected of Itachi's brother. Your eyes clearly show that you have potential beyond his."Orochimaru let out a dark, raspy laugh."What? Who exactly are you?"Hearing Orochimaru mention that name hidden deep in his mind, Sasuke's spirit jolted. The Sharingan in his eyes spun rapidly, and his voice was filled with killing intent.Orochimaru was clearly satisfied with Sasuke's reaction.Because children with such intense desire in their eyes were the easiest to lead astray.To them, he was like gravity; just a gentle push would make them fall to his side."My name is Orochimaru. If you want to become stronger, work hard to pass this exam. You will see me again then."As Orochimaru spoke, he formed hand signs."Genjutsu: Hell Viewing Technique!"Combined with the powerful killing intent Orochimaru emitted, both Sasuke and Sakurabehind him fell into the genjutsu. In a daze, they saw scenes of themselves being coiled, bitten, and devoured by giant snakes, their entire bodies frozen in place, unable to move.Then, Orochimaru's neck elongated, and his head flew in front of Sasuke, biting into his neck and leaving a strange mark."Aaaaaah!"The intense pain snapped Sasuke out of the genjutsu. He collapsed to the ground clutching his neck, letting out a scream of agony."Huh? Where did that guy go?" Sakura was also jolted awake by the sharp, miserable scream, only to find that Orochimaru had vanished without a trace.Then she saw Sasuke lying on the ground in pain and quickly knelt down to check on him. "How... how are you, Sasuke?"Sasuke didn't answer, only continuing to scream in pain.At this moment, Sakura was at a loss. She could only help Sasuke cover the wound on his neck, trying to ease his pain.Feeling deeply powerless, the girl could no longer suppress the fear and bitterness in her heart. Crystal tears fell in succession, finally turning into a sob. "Nar... Naruto! Please, save me! Save us!"As if in response to her call, Naruto's voice immediately followed from above. "Sakura! Sasuke!"
Chapter 64: Work Hard to Get Stronger, Strong Enough Not to Be Left Behind by Me"Sakura! Sasuke!"When Naruto followed the tracks and arrived, this was the scene he saw—Sasuke was clutching his neck, collapsed on the ground, screaming in agony.Sakura knelt helplessly to the side, her body trembling slightly, letting out suppressed, fragmented sobs.He jumped down from the branch and approached. Before he could say anything, Sakura lunged forward and hugged Naruto tightly.Naruto froze for a moment, his body instinctively tensing up, but he soon relaxed.The sensation in his arms was very real, carrying the unique fragrance of a young girl and...Sakura buried her face deep in his chest, her hot, wet tears soaking into his clothes.Naruto gently patted Sakura's back, letting the fear and panic in her heart gradually subside, while leaning down to observe Sasuke's condition.As soon as he touched Sasuke, Naruto immediately noticed something was wrong.At this moment, his fair and handsome face was flushed bright red, his body temperature was rising rapidly, and the flow of Chakra within him was extremely chaotic.These symptoms didn't look like an injury; instead, they were like a fever.By then, Sakura had also gradually calmed down. She lifted her head from Naruto's chest and forced herself to recount what had just happened in a steady tone.To summarize, shortly after the two of them fled, Orochimaru caught up.Realizing he couldn't escape the pursuit, Sasukechose to stop and fight him.However, the gap in their strength was too large after all. Although Sasuke's performance was impressive, he was ultimately defeated.Furthermore, before Orochimaru left, he placed a mark on Sasuke.Upon hearing this, Naruto quickly looked and indeed found a pattern composed of Three-Tomoeon Sasuke's neck.It seemed that Sasuke becoming like this must have been caused by this mark.Unfortunately, Naruto knew nothing about this thing and couldn't remove it for Sasuke.But even so, Naruto wasn't without options.Naruto leaned down, grabbed both of Sasuke's wrists with one hand, and forcibly pinned him to the ground.Under the impact of the intense pain, Sasuke's consciousness was already blurred, and he struggled violently.But Naruto's hand was like a steel vice, gripping him firmly, making Sasuke's resistance futile.Then, he pressed his other palm against Sasuke's chest, and the Hamon within his body surged in like a tide.The Hamon was like an electric current; after flowing into Sasuke's body, it brought waves of numbness.Normally, this sensation would feel like being electrocuted and would definitely be unpleasant.But for Sasuke, who was currently being tortured by intense pain, the numbness of the current brought him great relief.At the same time, under the stimulation of the Hamon, Sasuke's previously blurred consciousness gradually cleared, and he regained some sanity."Don't move! Don't think! Follow the breathing technique I taught you before and breathe properly!"Seeing Sasuke wake up, Naruto immediately instructed him loudly.His voice was like a great bell, ringing in Sasuke's ears.Although the pain in his neck was still very strong, it finally stopped affecting his consciousness.Sasuke also understood that the most important thing now was self-preservation. He had to get through this hurdle, or he might lose his life right here.So, he endured the intense pain, took a deep breath, and began to breathe slowly and regularly according to the Hamon Breathing Technique."Heh... heh..."Sasuke's breathing was heavy, his whole body was soaked in cold sweat, and his clothes were stuck to him.Buzz!Along with his breathing, Hamon was generated within Sasuke's body and quickly flowed throughout his entire being.The pain-relieving effect of the Hamon was excellent, and the intense pain in his neck soon faded.Although he could still feel a faint pain, it was no longer enough to affect Sasuke."Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke opened his eyes, met the concerned gazes of Naruto and Sakura, and twitched the corner of his mouth. "I'm fine now."Naruto withdrew his palm and teased, "Your smile looks worse than your crying.""Still much handsomer than you," Sasuke retorted, not to be outdone.Seeing that he still had the strength to counter Naruto's teasing, both Sakura and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief.Then Naruto moved aside, and Sakura stepped forward, helping Sasuke sit up and beginning to bandage his other wounds.A few minutes later, Sasuke was covered in bandages, looking quite pathetic."How do you feel?"Naruto looked at him.Sasuke stood up and moved his body a bit: "I'm okay."Under the effect of the Hamon, the pain coming from the curse mark and the wounds was basically neutralized.But the weakness caused by the curse mark and excessive blood loss still existed in his body, making Sasuke feel weak in the knees.However, he didn't show it; he even clenched his fist to indicate that he was no longer in any serious trouble.Naruto looked him up and down. From the faint golden light emanating from Sasuke, he could see that this guy was continuously using Hamon to alleviate his injuries and pain. Obviously, his physical condition wasn't as easy as he claimed.But since Sasuke didn't want to show it, Narutodidn't say much, nodding and asking no more."By the way, Naruto, are you injured too?" Sakurarecovered her breath and noticed several bloodstains of various sizes on Naruto's clothes, and quickly asked with concern.Naruto looked down and found it was the flesh and blood that had splashed onto him after he killed those giant snakes, so he shook his head: "It's fine, none of it is my blood."After reassuring Sakura, Naruto took the two of them and moved to a hidden location.After all, the commotion from the battle just now wasn't small. Although Orochimaru had left, there was no guarantee that other teams wouldn't show up to scavenge.After letting Sasuke lie down and rest, Narutofinally had time to sit down.Sakura sat to the side, her cherry-blossom lips slightly parted but then closed again, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.Naruto leaned against a large tree to relax, glanced at the conflicted Sakura, and smiled: "If you have something to say, just say it."Hearing Naruto's encouragement, Sakura finally made up her mind, looked him in the eye, and clenched her hands in front of her chest: "Naruto, first it was you, then it was Sasuke, you two have always been protecting me... Am I too useless?"As she spoke, Sakura buried her head deep, her voice full of guilt and apology.In the battle with Orochimaru—no, in the attacks even before that—Sakura had always been the one being protected.This made her feel a deep sense of powerlessness.She had felt this powerlessness before the Chunin Exams, but it had been dispelled by Naruto's words.But now, after experiencing consecutive battles, this feeling surged back again, and it made her realize her own weakness even more profoundly."Well, about that, there is a little bit of that."Naruto thought for a moment, then answered with a smile."As I thought..."Sakura's head hung even lower, as if she wanted to bury it in the dirt.Naruto kept smiling and continued: "So, didn't I say before? You have to work hard to catch up.""But, but," Sakura suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with pain and unwillingness, "I... I really don't see the possibility of catching up to you guys..."Whether it was Naruto or Sasuke, the talent they displayed had reached a staggering level.Spending every day with two such geniuses, even if Sakura had a personality that refused to lose, her inner confidence was gradually being worn away.Then she seemed to think of something and looked at Naruto seriously: "Naruto! That power you taught Sasuke before, it's called Hamon, right? Can... can you teach it to me?"Sakura knew her request was excessive, so her voice trembled slightly, carrying a hint of longing.After all, she had been good friends with Ino and knew what Secret Techniques meant to Ninjas.And Hamon could be considered Naruto's Secret Technique; back in the Land of Waves, he had refused her.Bringing it up now felt somewhat like moral kidnapping.So Sakura's gaze was very cautious, her eyes full of sincerity, fearing that Naruto would misunderstand her.However, what she didn't expect was that this time, Naruto didn't hesitate at all and agreed directly: "Sure.""Re-really? You agreed just like that?"Sakura blinked, seemingly unable to believe it."No matter how many times, I will say it: I'm different from that guy Sasuke. I don't want to leave my comrades behind. But the only ones I can help are those who are ready to accept help."Naruto stood up and looked back at Sakura."But it might be a bit tough for you. Work hard to get stronger, strong enough not to be left behind by me!"
Chapter 65: I'm Becoming More and More Interested in You"Breathe.""Inhale... exhale...""Breathe.""Inhale... exhale..."In a hidden thicket, Naruto placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder and injected Hamon into her body.A strange rhythm accompanied by a numbing sensation caused Sakura to breathe rhythmically.Gradually, an indescribable feeling welled up from within her, a refreshing sensation that made her want to lose herself in it.*Zzz-zap!*Sakura snapped her eyes open as specks of golden light bloomed across her body.Is this the power of Hamon?Sakura lowered her head, clenching her fists while maintaining her rhythmic breathing.At this moment, she felt as if an incredibly powerful force resided within her, and she wanted nothing more than to vent it through her punches."All right."Naruto withdrew his palm, his voice snapping Sakura back to reality.She looked up to see Naruto stretching his body."Now that you've grown accustomed to the Hamon Breathing Technique, you can generate Hamonwithin yourself. From now on, you just need to internalize it into your own breathing rhythm and practice diligently."As Naruto spoke, he peered out of the thicket to observe their surroundings."Are you leaving?" Sakura asked, sensing Naruto's intention."That's right," Naruto nodded. "There are no enemies nearby, and since you've just learned Hamon, you have some ability to protect yourself. I'll take this chance to scout the previous battlefield."After settling his companions, Naruto recalled the previous battle.Orochimaru's identity was not simple; he likely wasn't a Grass Ninja, but someone else who had infiltrated.Judging by the reactions of the other two opponents he had defeated, they were likely not Grass Ninja either, but Orochimaru's subordinates.He had rushed back earlier out of concern for Sasuke and Sakura's safety, leaving him no time to deal with those two.Now sensing something was wrong, Narutoprepared to head back and see if he could find any clues.However, upon hearing Naruto's words, Sakuraworriedly grabbed the hem of his clothes. "No, what if that Orochimaru guy hasn't gone far and you run into him again?""Don't worry. If he were interested in me, he wouldn't have left without even clashing."Naruto patted Sakura's hand, offering a bright and confident smile."Besides, I, Uzumaki Naruto, won't be defeated that easily!"With that, he gently broke free from Sakura's grasp, leaped away, and vanished from her sight.Watching his departing figure, Sakura's eyes were filled with complex emotions. She eventually sighed and said nothing more.Meanwhile, Naruto sped through the forest and soon arrived at the site of his previous battle with Orochimaru.He searched the surrounding area thoroughly but found no sign of the two Grass Ninja he had knocked down.He didn't know if they had been eaten by a Summoned Beast called by Orochimaru or taken away by someone else.While thinking, Naruto knelt on one knee, pressed both palms against the ground, and conducted Hamon into the earth beneath him, then used his Stand to convert it into a Shockwave.*Vrrr...*The Shockwave traveled underground, spreading out in all directions.Naruto closed his eyes and released Vibration Release Chakra, sensing the Shockwaves as they rippled back.Within a five-hundred-meter radius, there was nothing unusual.Not only was there no trace of Orochimaru, but there was also no feedback regarding the presence of any other humans.Naruto couldn't help but frown. After thinking for a few seconds, he expanded his sensing range once more.This time, he increased his sensing radius to its maximum of two kilometers.Soon, a faint, unusual vibration was detected within his range.However, the side effect of expanding the sensing radius was a decrease in sensitivity.Although Naruto detected an anomaly, he couldn't determine its specific nature.After a brief moment of thought, he stood up and decided to investigate.It would be ideal if he could encounter another team and seize the scroll of earth they were missing.If anything else happened, he would retreat immediately to regroup with Sakura and Sasuke....Forest of Death.Anko Mitarashi's expression was grave as her figure darted through the dense forest.Occasionally, reckless venomous insects or fierce beasts would attempt to attack a woman traveling alone.But they weren't even qualified to slow Anko Mitarashi down; with each flash of cold light, they lost their lives without knowing why.Having done all this, Anko remained nonchalant, not giving her kills a second thought.After all, as a Special Jonin, such things posed no threat to her.Moreover, her enemy was not as simple as venomous insects or wild beasts, but an S-rank, ultra-dangerous Rogue Ninja—Orochimaru!Of course, to Anko, this man was not only one of Konoha's most wanted criminals but also held an even more significant identity: her mentor!It was precisely because of this that she hated Orochimaru even more.Since entering the Forest of Death, Anko had been gritting her teeth, wishing she could find him immediately and tear him to pieces.Suddenly, Anko landed on a thick branch and halted her advance.The faint pain in her neck made her certain that she was close to her target!"Returning to your old haunts... I assume you're not here for a tour, Orochimaru?"Anko asked coldly.Orochimaru's face slowly emerged from the tree trunk behind her."No matter what I intend to do, you won't be able to stop me..."Orochimaru let out a raspy, sinister chuckle.Anko flicked her sleeve, and a Kunai slid out.She gripped the Kunai in a reverse hold and spun around to stab him.Orochimaru was a step faster. He opened his mouth wide, and his impossibly long tongue lashed out like a whip.*Crack!*Anko frowned as her wrist was ensnared by Orochimaru's tongue.In pain, her grip loosened, and the Kunai fell from her hand.Yet Anko did not panic. Instead, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes as she reached back and firmly grabbed Orochimaru's slimy tongue."What?"Orochimaru was taken aback, not expecting Ankoto counterattack this way.Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!Several venomous snakes, thick as fists, crawled out of Anko's sleeve and tightly coiled around the tongue.At the same time, Anko exerted sudden force with her arm, pulling hard on the tongue.Caught off guard, Orochimaru was yanked forward by Anko's move.With a thud, Orochimaru slammed heavily into the tree trunk beside Anko.Anko reached out to catch the falling Kunai, then lunged forward, pinning Orochimaru's palm to the tree trunk.Orochimaru felt a sharp pain in his right palm, and his left palm was immediately seized by Anko."Hehe, I've got you, Orochimaru."Anko sneered, using his hand in conjunction with her own to begin forming hand signs."I'll be using your left hand!"This hand sign sequence...Orochimaru glanced at them and instantly realized Anko's intention."That's right, you're going to die here with me!"Noticing Orochimaru's gaze, Anko sneered, her voice thick with killing intent.Ninja Art: Twin Snakes Mutual Death!"A double suicide?"Orochimaru scoffed.But before he could speak again, a cold shout rang out first.Vibration Release: Ripple Blade!Orochimaru and Anko looked over simultaneously to see disc-shaped bubbles flying toward them, aimed directly at the hands they were using to form signs.Anko's gaze sharpened as she tried to trigger the Ninjutsu to take down Orochimaru before being interrupted.However, she misjudged the speed of the Ripple Blade; before her Chakra could finish circulating, the bubbles were already upon them.With a loud bang, a Shockwave erupted, and Ankowas sent flying back.She flipped in mid-air and landed steadily on a branch, her eyes wide with fury as she looked toward the source of the sound."You?"A second later, Anko recognized the attacker; it was Naruto, the boy she had argued with outside the Forest of Death!"Do you have any idea what you're doing?"Anko was beyond furious.She had finally caught Orochimaru and was about to take the bastard down.She hadn't expected a brat to interfere at such a critical moment, ruining her perfect revenge plan, and for a moment, she couldn't suppress her rage."That move of yours is a suicide technique, right? You should at least use it on the real body, idiot."Naruto leaned against a tree trunk, looking down at Anko from above."Real body? Could it be..."Anko froze, then quickly looked toward the Orochimaru she had caught."My, my, your senses are quite sharp, boy."Orochimaru smiled as his body turned into a puddle of mud."I'm becoming more and more interested in you!"
Chapter 66: The One Who Abandoned You"I'm getting more and more interested in you, kid!"As Orochimaru spoke, he transformed into a mass of soft soil.An Earth Clone!Anko's pupils constricted as she realized Naruto's words just now were true.She snapped her head up to look at Naruto, her eyes filled with shock.Anko had a deep impression of this kid.After all, she had attended the Joninrecommendation meeting and heard Kakashicompare Naruto to the former Fourth Hokage with her own ears.At the time, Anko had been dismissive, thinking Kakashi had truly gone senile.One had to know that the Fourth Hokage was a once-in-a-generation genius, so excellent that he suppressed his entire generation; even her own mentor, Orochimaru, had suffered a dismal defeat in the battle for the title of Hokage against him.How could a rookie who had graduated less than three months ago possibly compare to the Fourth Hokage?But looking at it now, Kakashi's words didn't seem entirely baseless.This guy's techniques were quite powerful, and he could even recognize Orochimaru's clone a step ahead of her; he indeed possessed some talent and strength.However, now was not the time to dwell on that. Anko focused her mind and scanned the surroundings, searching for Orochimaru's trail.Through the Cursed Seal on her neck, she could be certain that Orochimaru was nearby.No matter the reason for this guy's return to Konoha, it certainly wasn't anything good.She had to take down this bastard before Orochimaru could cause any destruction!However, just as Anko was searching for the enemy's location, Naruto beat her to it, turning to look at a nearby branch: "Sorry, I'm not interested in men."Pausing for a moment, Naruto added: "And I'm not interested in those who are neither man nor woman either.""Hehehe, that really is quite a pity."Orochimaru's laughter drifted over.Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!With a flick of her hand, several venomous snakes flew out of Anko's sleeve, lunging toward Orochimaru."Anko, you are a Special Jonin of the Village after all. You can't always use the techniques I taught you."Orochimaru leisurely took a step back.The lunging snakes landed on the ground, their mouths wide and fangs sharp.But with just a sweep of his gaze, the snakes trembled all over, lowered their heads, and lay prone on the ground, motionless and as obedient as dogs entering the Panhong Park.Seeing this, Naruto blinked in surprise: "As expected of a guy with'snake' in his name, you're quite professional at playing with snakes!"At the same time, Anko, holding a Kunai, leaped onto the branch where Orochimaru was located.She never expected the venomous snakes to be effective; they were merely a trick to draw Orochimaru's attention.As long as she could close the distance, she could seize Orochimaru just like before and use the Twin Snakes Kill Technique!Anko charged forward with full confidence, and then..."Ugh, ah!"The moment she locked eyes with Orochimaru, intense pain accompanied by a sense of weakness surged from the Cursed Seal on her neck.Even as a Special Jonin, facing such a sudden impact, Anko couldn't help but feel her legs go weak as she knelt on the ground.However, her resolve was incredibly firm, so she didn't scream; only her body trembled uncontrollably."Haven't we seen each other in a long time? Why are you so impulsive the moment we meet, Anko?"Orochimaru looked at Anko with a smile and stepped forward.But after taking only one step, several Ripple Blades were already thrown before his eyes.Orochimaru didn't take them head-on, instead leaping backward.Bang!With a loud explosion, wood chips flew everywhere.Naruto's Ripple Blades had actually blasted through the thick branch.Anko's body tilted, and she began to fall downward.Her brow furrowed as she struggled to stand up.But the moment she moved, the sharp pain and weakness from the Cursed Seal intensified again, causing cold sweat to pour down and preventing her from making any further movements.Seeing the ground getting closer and closer, Ankoclosed her eyes and prepared for the impact.Just then, a figure dove down from above.The shock of yellow hair revealed the newcomer's identity.With a powerful kick-off, Naruto arrived by Anko's side in mid-air and caught her in his arms."Hey, you..."Anko was about to speak but was silenced by a strange sensation coming from Naruto's palm.Naruto pulled Anko into his embrace, using the falling branches and dust as cover to suddenly dash into the gloomy thickets.He didn't know the history between Anko and Orochimaru, but he could tell from their conversation that they seemed to have some past connection.However, none of that was Naruto's concern; the only thing he cared about was that Anko couldn't even withstand a single glance from Orochimaru.If Anko had performed a bit better, Naruto would have had the confidence to coordinate with her to take on Orochimaru together.Looking at it now, running away was the only option.Of course, Orochimaru wouldn't let him have his way.After running only a few steps, Naruto came to a sudden halt, hiding himself and Anko in the shadows."Heh, choosing to run instead of a direct confrontation? A very smart choice."Orochimaru appeared in Naruto's path at some unknown point, about ten meters away, eyeing the two of them with a half-smile."Persistent as a ghost."Naruto's lips twitched, and then he felt a movement in his arms.He looked down and found Anko breaking free from his embrace.It seemed the Hamon he had funneled into her body earlier had worked, suppressing the pain from the Cursed Seal.Anko's face was much rosier now, and she even had the strength to shout at Naruto: "Hey, as a Konoha Ninja, how can you run away!""Huh?" Naruto rolled his eyes at her. "It's clearly because of a deadweight like you that I had to retreat, right?""Are you calling me a deadweight?" Anko's eyes widened."Isn't it true?" Naruto didn't back down. "If it weren't for you, I would have rushed up and taken down that gender-neutral freak long ago!"Saying that, Naruto turned to look at Orochimaru: "And you! Don't think this Great Me is afraid of you. If it weren't for someone holding me back, you'd have been chopped into seven or eight pieces and made into snake soup by now!"Facing Naruto's provocation, Orochimaru's expression didn't change at all; instead, he raised his hands and began to clap gently: "Not bad, not bad.""Is there something wrong with your head? I'm clearly insulting you, yet you're clapping for me?" Naruto curled his lip.Orochimaru remained unmoved: "Cunning little fellow. Your plan isn't to use reverse psychology to provoke me into charging forward, only to trigger those bubbles you scattered, is it?""Oops, I've been seen through."Naruto sheepishly stuck out his tongue.In the dim space between the three of them, Naruto had already secretly deployed a large number of Vibration Release Bubble.In the shadows of the forest, these non-reflective bubbles were almost impossible to find.If Orochimaru took just a few steps forward, he would be deep within a minefield, and any slight lapse in attention would trigger an explosion.At that point, whether to escape or take the opportunity to attack, he would have had options.Unfortunately, Orochimaru didn't fall for it."I told you your plan wouldn't work!" Ankocomplained dissatisfiedly.Naruto's gaze was fixed on Orochimaru, but he refused to admit defeat: "It's clearly because your acting was too poor, Examiner Anko!""Huh? I..."Anko wanted to retort, but was interrupted by Orochimaru's raspy voice: "It's also thanks to your clumsy acting, Anko.""..."Having received personal confirmation from the enemy, Anko was speechless.After a moment, she cleared her throat and questioned righteously: "Orochimaru, what are you doing back in Konoha, you bastard? Do you intend to assassinate Hokage-sama?""I have no interest in that," Orochimaru said as he raised his hand to his face, "I merely want to find some talent in the Village."Rip—Orochimaru tore off his own face, revealing a man's face that was handsome to the point of being eerie.As he spoke, Orochimaru's eyes, adorned with purple eyeshadow, flickered as they swept over Naruto, causing him to gasp as the hair on his body stood on end."Who exactly are you?" Naruto was truly panicked this time, with a layer of cold sweat clearly appearing on his forehead. "My eyes tell me you're a man, but my soul is denying it!""You couldn't really be some transvestite with special fetishes, could you?""You will find out in the future."Orochimaru chuckled, completely ignoring Naruto's reaction as his gaze turned back to Anko: "There is a child I think highly of, so I gave him the same thing I gave you."His long tongue extended, licking his lips, his gaze full of appreciation and possessiveness."You're being too reckless, aren't you?" Anko's gaze was gloomy. "It seems you're very fond of him.""Don't be jealous, Anko. Unlike you, whom I abandoned, that child not only inherited the genius bloodline of the Uchiha Clan but also has quite a good appearance. He is a suitable successor for me."As Orochimaru spoke, his figure slowly receded into the shadows."If he can survive, things will become very interesting. So don't let this exam be interrupted; otherwise, if I get bored, I'll make Konoha vanish into thin air."His voice gradually faded as his figure disappeared, seemingly indicating that Orochimaru had left.Naruto frowned and threw several Ripple Blades, but aside from blasting up some soil, grass, and wood chips, there was no gain."It seems that guy really left."Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, then as if thinking of something, he silently looked at Anko."What's with that look?!"Anko sensed something was wrong."Sorry, I was wrong before."Naruto's opening words left Anko a bit dazed: "Huh?"But his next words, spoken with a hint of sympathy and pity, made Anko's blood boil."So the one who abandoned you was a gender-neutral freak."
Chapter 67: The Sound Ninja Attack"So, the one who abandoned you was an androgynous freak, huh?"With just one sentence, Naruto directly and accurately shattered Anko's composure.Her delicate, pretty face twisted, and she subconsciously reached for her waist."Whoa, whoa, whoa, there's no need to get physical."Naruto glanced down, quickly grabbing Anko's wrist, and begged for mercy with a grin: "Didn't I already say I was sorry?""Let go!" Anko barked coldly, pulling her arm with force in an attempt to break free.However, Naruto's hand was like a pair of cast-iron pincers, firmly gripping her wrist, making it impossible to break away for a moment.Anko was surprised and increased her strength further.But with that surge of exertion, the Cursed Seal that had been suppressed by the Hamon flared up again.In an instant, pain spread from her neck.This time, it was even more ferocious than before, making Anko feel as if a pair of large hands were strangling her throat, cutting off her breath.When the intense pain reached the point of numbness, she felt dizzy, as if the entire world was spinning.Seeing Anko's face turn pale in an instant, Narutofrowned and immediately stepped forward.Sure enough, in the next second, Anko's body went limp in his grip, and she slumped backward, fortunately caught by Naruto."Heh... heh..."Anko let out heavy gasps, and with Naruto's support, she sat down leaning against a large tree.Anko then frowned, sensing Naruto pressing his palm against her shoulder."Ugh..."She was about to say something, but she felt a strange power surge from Naruto's palm into her body.The sharp pain in her neck eased, and Anko slowly closed her eyes, her breathing gradually stabilizing....Meanwhile, in the Forest of Death.Inside a hollow tree that no detection equipment could find was where Sasuke was located."I really didn't expect them to hide so deep."Three figures appeared before the hollow tree, looking up at the massive, thick trunk and sighing in admiration.Inside the tree, Sakura heard the commotion outside and quickly got up to check, her expression changing slightly.Appearing before her was the trio from the Otogakure.The three of them had unfriendly looks on their faces; they clearly hadn't come for a friendly chat."What do you want?"Sakura vigilantly pulled a Kunai from her ninja tool pouch."Where are Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto? Tell them to come out!"Dosu took the lead, his voice cold."They aren't here."Sakura replied without yielding an inch.Though she acted tough on the outside, she was inwardly lamenting.Sasuke had been struck by the Cursed Seal. Although the Hamon had relieved the sharp pain, the sense of weakness could not be dispelled; he was currently unconscious with a fever.And Naruto had said he was going to investigate the situation and hadn't returned yet.The only one capable of fighting right now was Sakura."What's this?" Zaku waved his hand arrogantly. "Now that the men are too scared to come out, are they using a woman as a shield?"Anger welled up in Sakura's heart: "You'd better watch your mouth!""Heh, I've never known the meaning of 'careful'!" Zaku curled his lip, completely disregarding Sakura.Saying this, he took a step forward, about to charge: "If I just kill you, those other two guys will show up, right?"However, Dosu reached out at that moment, stopping Zaku's movement."What's the meaning of this?" Zaku frowned, looking at Dosu with a fierce gaze."You really are stupid," Dosu gave him a side-eye. "Look closely at the color of the soil around here. It's clearly been freshly turned, and this is the only spot where no grass is growing...""Enough chatter!" Before Dosu could finish, Zaku crudely interrupted him: "Aren't you just trying to say there are traps here?"As he spoke, Zaku raised his palm.Sakura was startled. While tensing her body, her gaze narrowed, locking onto the small holes in Zaku's palm.Although she didn't know the function of those holes, she was certain they were tied to Zaku's abilities.But Zaku didn't aim his palm at Sakura; instead, he aimed at the open ground in front of her."Decapitating Air Wave!"The air vents in Zaku's palms released a powerful blast of air, bombing the ground where the traps were set.With a loud explosion, a large cloud of dust kicked up.Sakura's buried explosive tags and other devices were destroyed by Zaku in the simplest and most brutal way."What? This guy has a move like that?"Sakura frowned, her ears twitching as she took half a step back.The sound of breaking air approached as Zaku burst through the dust, wearing a sinister grin at Sakura: "Hahaha, die!"Seeing the enemy approach, if it were the old Sakura, she would have been too terrified to move.But she was different now.Not just because she had learned the Hamon Breathing Technique from Naruto, but because she had made up her mind to keep up with Naruto and Sasuke.The three people in front of her wouldn't last a single exchange against Naruto.Sasuke would surely be able to deal with them easily as well.In that case, as their teammate, she absolutely could not shrink back!"I can lose! But I will never retreat!"Sakura's eyes were resolute, and Naruto's figure seemed to flash before her."I will always stay by your side!"Hah!Sakura clenched her fist, and specks of golden light burst from her body.Zaku raised his hand, preparing to release another Decapitating Air Wave at Sakura.But to his surprise, after witnessing the power of the Decapitating Air Wave, Sakura didn't dodge in fear; instead, she dashed forward to close the distance.Zaku's pupils constricted. With the air cannon in his arm only halfway charged, he could only use his palm to block.Bang!Sakura's punch landed squarely in Zaku's palm.A massive force mixed with a strange numbing sensation surged in.Zaku was sent flying, smashing heavily onto the ground and rolling pathetically several times before finally coming to a stop."Waaah!"Zaku let out a miserable scream.Hearing his voice, Dosu and Kin showed no intention of worrying about their comrade; instead, they let out cold sneers.This guy only got knocked back and was making such a pathetic sound—what a loser!However, they didn't know that Zaku had been severely injured by Sakura's punch.It wasn't because her physical strength was so great, but because of the Hamon she had infused into Zaku's body."Hmph, looks like the plan worked!"Seeing Zaku's reaction, a smile appeared on Sakura's face.After witnessing Zaku release the Decapitating Air Wave earlier, her quick mind immediately realized that the function of the holes in his palms was to compress air and form a powerful shockwave to attack.If that was the case, then there must be air tubes in Zaku's arms for inhaling and exporting air, connected to the air vents in his palms.Thus, Sakura had taken the initiative to punch, seizing the moment while Zaku was charging up before releasing the Decapitating Air Wave.The Hamon infused into his arm prematurely detonated the air pressure stored in the tubes, causing massive damage to Zaku.By Sakura's estimation, Zaku wouldn't have any combat capability for a while.Now only Dosu and Kin were left!After defeating one enemy, Sakura didn't let the joy go to her head but looked warily at the remaining two Sound Ninja.Dosu had fought Naruto before, so Sakura knew his ability was to control sound waves, though she hadn't thought of a way to counter it yet.As for Kin, she couldn't be underestimated either."Finish this quickly."Unlike the impulsive and irritable Zaku, once Dosurealized Sakura's strength wasn't as weak as he had imagined, he didn't hesitate and gave Kin a look.The two of them rushed at Sakura simultaneously.
Chapter 68: Anko's Cursed Seal"So cautious?"Watching the two rush over simultaneously, Sakura furrowed her brows, but still assumed a combat stance.Just as both sides were about to clash, a figure burst into the middle of the battlefield.Konoha Gale!With a single sweeping kick, both Dosu and Kin were forced back."Who are you?"Kin shouted coldly in exasperation."The beautiful blue beast of Konoha Village—"The figure in the green bodysuit stepped in front of Sakura to protect her."—is Rock Lee!"After saying this, Rock Lee turned back, grinned at Sakura, and flashed a row of sparkling teeth."The knight who will appear by your side the moment you encounter danger!"Bang!The next second, Sakura punched him.Rock Lee, having no chance to resist, was knocked straight to the ground. He looked at Sakura with teary eyes, his face full of grievance: "What's wrong, Sakura?""Don't treat me like some weak girl who needs your protection, you idiot bowl-cut!"Sakura clenched her fists, flames burning in her eyes.Saying this, she took a step forward and looked at the three Otogakure Ninja: "You want to challenge Naruto and Sasuke, right? Then you'll have to get past me first!"...Under Naruto's Hamon therapy, the excruciating pain in Anko's neck quickly dissipated.However, the feeling of weakness, as if all her strength had been drained, still lingered in her body.Anko opened her eyes and frowned, feeling like she didn't even have the strength to lift a hand.She turned her head and saw Naruto squatting nearby, his cerulean eyes gazing at her with deep concern."Are you hurt?" Naruto asked, puzzled.He had been wondering earlier why Anko, being a Special Jonin, would be defeated by a single look from Orochimaru. Perhaps she had some prior injury.Now that her Cursed Seal had flared up again, it confirmed Naruto's suspicion.Anko rolled her eyes at him and struggled to turn around: "Hey, kid, do me a favor and take off my coat.""Huh? Take off your clothes?" Naruto scratched his head, "That doesn't seem right..."Anko turned back and glared at him dissatisfiedly: "Hurry up!"Being snapped at like that, he felt a bit awkward instead.Naruto sighed and, at Anko's signal, slowly removed her large, stiff trench coat."Hiss—"Looking at the beautiful scenery before him, Narutogasped.In his memory, every time Anko appeared, she wore a crisp, cool trench coat paired with the Ninjamesh armor underneath, looking like a dashing and imposing woman.But now, having removed the coat and observing her up close, he realized that she was only wearing a layer of mesh armor underneath, and a low-cut one at that!So, from Naruto's angle, he could clearly see her fair, delicate back beneath the mesh, her rounded, slender shoulders, and the smooth, high-rising...No, the heat was about to gush out of his nostrils.Naruto swallowed hard and struggled to turn his gaze away: "Ahem, Examiner Anko, is this always your style of dress?"Upon hearing this, Anko's pretty face flushed red, and the blush spread to her snow-white neck and shoulders.Originally, she had just seen Naruto as a student, and having just fought Orochimaru, her mind was in a relaxed state, so she hadn't thought much of it when asking Naruto to help her take off her coat.However, when Naruto removed the coat and exposed most of her back, she suddenly remembered that she was wearing very simple clothing for the sake of mobility.She didn't expect this kid to touch a sore spot and suddenly come out with a comment like that.Even someone as carefree as Anko couldn't help but feel a wave of shyness.Of course, she wasn't some delicate young girl.The shyness lingered in Anko's heart for only a fleeting moment before she turned back angrily: "Stop the chatter! Help me check if there's anything unusual on my body!""Understood!"Naruto responded, and enduring Anko's unfriendly gaze, he put aside his stray thoughts and carefully scanned her smooth, white back."Examiner Anko, there are no wounds on your back; it's actually quite smooth and fair."As he spoke, Naruto's words veered into strange territory again.Anko's eyelid twitched: "You kid, just what..."Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Naruto's exclamation of surprise: "Huh? This pattern?"There, on Anko's neck, a Cursed Seal consisting of three connected tomoe had emerged, forming a stark contrast against her fair skin.This pattern was not unfamiliar to Naruto; he had seen it on Sasuke before, and hearing from Sakura, it seemed to be a mark planted by Orochimaru on Sasuke.Recalling how Sasuke had clutched his neck and screamed in pain earlier, Naruto immediately understood why Anko had been defeated by Orochimaru without even lasting a single glance.Immediately, his gaze toward Anko couldn't help but change.One had to know that Sasuke's willpower was already considered very strong, yet he still couldn't withstand the excruciating pain brought by the Cursed Seal.Yet this woman had endured such pain, only trembling and letting out a few groans; her willpower could be said to be quite astonishing.However, Anko didn't notice the change in Naruto's gaze. Instead, upon hearing his words, she asked anxiously: "The pattern appeared? Has it spread?""That, it hasn't." Naruto's voice became serious, "Examiner Anko, what is this thing? Is it harmful to the human body?"Hearing that the Cursed Seal hadn't spread, Ankobreathed a sigh of relief: "This is called a Cursed Seal, it is..."Pausing for a moment, she continued to explain: "It's Orochimaru's curse, a very dangerous thing.""Very dangerous?" Naruto's expression changed slightly, "Is there any way to remove it?"As soon as the words left his mouth, Naruto let out a bitter laugh: "I suppose not, otherwise Examiner Anko wouldn't have let it remain on her body."Anko pursed her lips: "You're just a Genin, why do you care so much? Don't tell me..."Seeing the other party looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze, Naruto immediately raised his hands to clarify: "Nothing! I'm just concerned about you, Examiner Anko."He wasn't actually that concerned about Anko; he just didn't want Anko to connect the dots to the fact that Sasuke had also been struck by a Cursed Seal.After all, when Anko had announced the exam rules earlier, she said that in this exam, if someone in a squad lost the ability to fight, the entire squad would be eliminated.Although Sasuke had managed to suppress the pain of the Cursed Seal with Hamon, if this woman had a brain fart and decided Sasuke had lost combat capability and had to withdraw, then the exam would be ruined."You'd be that kind?"Anko scrutinized him suspiciously."Look at my sincere eyes."Naruto blinked his eyes, his gaze revealing full sincerity."..."Looking at his cheeky expression, Anko suppressed the urge to slap him.Seeing that she wasn't speaking, Naruto stood up: "Examiner Anko, your situation doesn't seem too good. Do you want me to help you leave here first?""That's fine."Anko nodded, reached out to be helped up by Naruto, rested her arm on his shoulder, and was held around the waist by him.Only then did she realize that although this guy Naruto was only 1.6 meters tall, 7 centimeters shorter than her, the muscles beneath his clothes were quite solid.Even through his clothes, Anko could feel the teenager's firm body radiating heat."This guy..."Anko's thoughts drifted involuntarily."His Taijutsu must be very strong!"
Chapter 69: Your Performance Ends Here"So you want to challenge Naruto and Sasuke, huh? Then you'll have to get past me, Sakura Haruno, first!"Sakura took a step forward, staring directly at the Otogakure trio, her eyes burning with fire.After defeating Zaku, Sakura, who had previously been somewhat afraid of combat, was now filled with confidence.In order to catch up to Naruto, she felt no fear, even when facing two Otogakure ninja.Rock Lee sat on the ground, watching Sakura's back from behind.He didn't know if it was his imagination, but he vaguely saw a faint golden light emanating from Sakura."Strong, brave, and full of confidence—she truly is the girl I like!""Since Sakura is so amazing, how could I possibly hide behind her?"Thinking this, Rock Lee jumped up, came to Sakura's side, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her.Sakura turned her head: "I told you not to treat me like a weak girl, didn't I?""I'm not looking down on you, Sakura," Rock Lee said with sincere eyes. "I just can't sit idly by while you take on two opponents. We should at least make it a fair fight, right?""Hmm..." Sakura mused, then nodded.This time, she didn't refuse.After all, Sakura knew her own limits; taking on two people alone was still very strenuous."In that case, let me be your opponent!"After getting Sakura's permission, Rock Lee wore an excited smile on his face and waved at Dosu."Hmph, you'll regret that soon enough." Dosusnorted coldly.He could tell that Rock Lee was very skilled at Taijutsu.However, what Dosu liked most were opponents who specialized in Taijutsu.But... thinking of this, Dosu glanced back. Zaku was still lying on the ground, his arms trembling slightly, his usually arrogant face twisted in pain.It seemed this girl named Sakura Haruno really had some skill to actually defeat Zaku; she had to be eliminated!Dosu withdrew his gaze and exchanged a look with Kin: "Be careful dealing with that woman. I'll finish the fight as quickly as I can and then come to help you."Before Kin could answer, a flying kick came rushing over with the sound of breaking air.Dosu hurriedly crossed his arms to block in front of him, but was immediately struck heavily by Rock Lee's kick.Although he blocked the attack, Dosu was still kicked back by the immense force, flipping in mid-air before landing lightly."I couldn't just pretend I didn't hear you." After landing the blow, Rock Lee appeared at the spot where Dosu had been standing, striking a cool pose.Kin frowned and flicked her hand, shooting out several senbon.But these senbon were knocked down in mid-air by incoming Shuriken, and then Sakura appeared in front of Kin: "Your opponent is me!""I'll finish you off right now, you bitch!" Kin spat, looking at Sakura with eyes full of malice....Just as the battle here broke out, on the other side, Naruto was rushing back.The only difference from the beginning was that while Anko had previously just had her arm draped over his shoulder, she was now being carried horizontally in his arms in a princess carry.After all, the side effects of the curse mark on Ankohad not yet subsided, and if he had kept supporting her like before, their travel speed would have been much slower."Tsk..." Hearing Naruto's click of the tongue, Anko's face darkened: "What is that supposed to mean, kid?""Nothing, I just didn't expect Examiner Anko to be so dense." Naruto leaped through the forest.The corner of Anko's mouth twitched: "Don't think I don't know what you're talking about!""So remember to have a balanced diet in the future." Naruto had no intention of denying it at all."What do you mean by a balanced diet? Do you think I eat too much?" Anko said loudly, dissatisfied.Naruto looked down at her: "At least thirty skewers of dango, plus sweet red bean soup—what do you think? Is that reasonable?"Upon hearing this, Anko's face flushed, and then she widened her eyes in disbelief: "How, how did you know?"Naruto smiled mysteriously: "Everything in the world leaves traces."Anko frowned, thinking that this guy Naruto had discovered clues by observing her, and her estimation of the young man rose a notch in her heart.Of course, she didn't know that Naruto learned about her appetite because of a very simple matter.That was, before the second exam began, after receiving the scroll of heaven, Naruto realized something was wrong; surely someone must have received scrolls with other characters written on them.He also guessed that the condition to pass this exam was very likely to collect different types of scrolls.This also fit the situation Anko mentioned at the beginning, that at least half the people would be eliminated in the second exam.So, although the distribution of the scrolls was done in secret, Naruto still managed to peek at the scroll situations of other teams and noted down those teams that held the scroll of earth.It was during this process that he discovered the snacks Anko had prepared for herself in advance.Seeing that Anko was bluffed by him, Narutocurled his lips and revealed a smug smile.Anko noticed his mood, rolled her eyes, and was just about to say something to knock him down a peg, but as soon as she opened her mouth, her voice was drowned out by a sudden roar."Roar!"Naruto stopped his steps and found that three behemoths, seven or eight meters tall, had surrounded them.They were covered in yellow and black fur, arching their sturdy backs, their colorful patterns blending into the dappled tree shadows, exhaling scorching hot air from their mouths—they were the kings of beasts in the Forest of Death."Damn it, why are these beasts appearing at this time!"Anko's expression changed slightly as she recognized these as the Gigantamax tigers unique to the Forest of Death.Normally, these guys couldn't even touch the hem of her clothes.Unfortunately, Anko had no strength now, and Naruto was only a Genin, plus he was carrying a burden like her; the situation was really unfavorable for them."Hey, you'd better..." Before Anko could finish her words, she was interrupted by Naruto: "Don't speak, we're in big trouble now."Seeing his grave expression, Anko sighed.Sure enough, a Genin is just a Genin; there are still limitations to his strength.Previously, this kid had acted neither servile nor overbearing when facing Orochimaru, perhaps because of his youth and ignorance, unable to feel how terrifying Orochimaru was.But now, facing three Gigantamax tigers with such a huge size difference, his true colors were completely revealed.It seems Kakashi really misjudged him this time; this kid is completely incomparable to the Fourth Hokage.Just as Anko was lamenting, Naruto tightened his arms, holding her tighter, while whispering quickly into her ear in a faint voice: "Be careful! Hold on tight! I might not be able to look after you during the coming fight.""This kid... his character isn't bad at all." Anko felt a warmth in her heart.Before she could say anything, Naruto rushed out directly.The three Gigantamax tigers only felt a blur before their eyes, and Naruto flashed in front of one of the tigers, his fist radiating golden light slamming heavily onto the top of its head."Awoo!!!!" The tiger let out a miserable scream, without even the ability to resist, its whole body collapsing to the ground like a pile of mud."What?!" Anko's brows knitted into a knot.She never expected that Naruto could solve one of the tigers with a single punch.You have to know that even if she were in her prime, it would still take her several moves to end the fight!And since you have this kind of strength, why did you put on that "we're in big trouble" expression? Playing the pig to eat the tiger?Anko felt quite indignant, staring at Naruto.Then she saw this guy bend down, grab the fur of the tiger he had knocked down, his muscular arms tensing, and actually threw the mountain-like behemoth away.The target was not the other two tigers, but the dense forest not far away.Just when Anko was puzzled by Naruto's action, the huge tiger body about to fall in mid-air suddenly paused, and then a cold light flashed over it.Crack! Accompanied by the sound of flesh being torn apart, the unlucky tiger was cut into several pieces in mid-air.Amidst the rain of blood spraying everywhere, two figures rushed out from the forest and came before Naruto and Anko."So you've already discovered us? Hehe, your performance is really quite good. But it ends here!"
Chapter 70: Welcome to My Domain"Your performance is not bad, but this is where it ends!"Amidst the rain of blood spraying across the sky, two figures appeared before Naruto.They were wrapped in cloaks, their faces obscured by the shadows of their hoods.Yet Naruto could feel their gazes scanning him up and down, as if they were evaluating his strength.Furthermore, he had an inexplicable feeling that the two people before him knew who he was.They don't come with good intentions…Naruto sighed inwardly, mentally cursing the trouble.Judging by the aura radiating from these two guys, their strength should be quite impressive.Under normal circumstances, Naruto certainly wouldn't have any fear.But the situation was different now; he still had Anko in his arms.This was also the reason why Naruto had been frowning and looking grave just a moment ago.Meanwhile, Anko frowned, recognizing the identities of the two.These were clearly the Anbu she had called over earlier, but she didn't know what kind of madness had gotten into these two; they hadn't revealed their identities and were instead acting eager to fight.Just as Anko was about to speak, the taller Anbuspoke first: "Heh, let us see exactly how much you're worth, to be able to earn that person's praise!"Before the words had even faded, the two rushed forward from the left and right.Naruto's expression changed slightly, subconsciously taking 'that person' mentioned by the opponent to be Orochimaru.After all, that guy Orochimaru had previously expressed that he was very interested in him.So, these two people were very likely sent by Orochimaru to test him!Thinking of this, Naruto couldn't help but shiver.He didn't want to get involved with that kind of neither-man-nor-woman guy; since that was the case, he had to take out the opponent's subordinates!Naruto arched his body slightly and leaped back like a spring, dodging the two who were attacking him.However, the two Anbu, having missed their first strike, were unrelenting. They stepped onto the tree branches and immediately gave chase."You hide on the side for a while!"Naruto knew that the strength of the two in front of him could not be underestimated, and with a dead weight, he would undoubtedly lose, so he whispered an instruction and then threw her with force."You brat…"Anko realized something was wrong, but before she could react, her entire body was thrown far away to the side by Naruto with tremendous force.This bastard! What are you doing!Anko's face twisted, and she couldn't help but curse in her heart, watching helplessly as she got closer and closer to a large tree, about to crash into the sturdy trunk.She wanted to dodge, but unfortunately, she was currently weak all over and couldn't make any movements at all.Just as Anko was about to close her eyes to brace for the impact, an anomaly occurred on her body.A cluster of colorful bubbles sprouted from Anko's back, instantly wrapping her entire body inside a giant bubble.The outer wall of the bubble was unexpectedly tough; in an instant, it halted the momentum of Anko being thrown, and slowly brought her down to a tree branch.Furthermore, after landing, the bubble did not burst."This brat is actually quite thoughtful."Anko barely managed to raise her hand and gently touched the inner wall of the bubble, discovering that this thing was incredibly firm, protecting her inside like a barrier.She immediately looked at Naruto with concern and found that he was already fighting with the two Anbu.Three figures darted through the dense forest, colliding from time to time, sending out a series of sparks.The two Anbu did not use Ninjutsu but held short blades, competing with Naruto in Taijutsu.Naruto, fighting two opponents at once, was growing more courageous with every battle, not falling behind in the slightest.As a bystander at this moment, Anko understood the thoughts of the two Anbu.One had to know that Konoha could be considered big, but it could also be considered small.Especially the circles of Jonin and Chunin, which were surprisingly small.Previously, at the Jonin recommendation meeting, Kakashi had compared Naruto to the Fourth Hokage, even suggesting that he could surpass the Fourth Hokage, which had already made this kid famous in the Jonin circle.Therefore, many Jonin and even Chunin were paying close attention to this exam, wanting to see just how talented the person who could make Kakashi say such things really was.Not to mention others, even Anko herself had intended to observe Naruto earlier.The Anbu were not primitive people isolated from news, so naturally, they had also heard the news about Naruto.Now that they had the opportunity, they naturally couldn't help but feel itchy to fight, wanting to test exactly how much Naruto was worth.However…In her gaze towards Naruto, Anko's eyes carried a hint of appreciation and pride.Unlike before, she now had a lot of confidence in Naruto.These two guys still thought they were toying with a child, holding an attitude of observation and testing without going all out; they would soon learn their lesson!Just as Anko's lips curled up slightly and her pretty face held a smile, Naruto also discovered the abnormality of the two Anbu.The two were not using their full strength, but instead seemed to be observing him.The conclusion he reached only made Naruto's idea even firmer—These two guys must have been sent by Orochimaru to test me!Thus, Naruto's expression became solemn, and he grew serious as never before: "I must finish this quickly! If this drags on, who knows what else might happen!"He flicked his hand back, and the Kunai in his hands shot towards the two Anbu. While forcing the enemies back, he turned and rushed towards the Gigantamax tiger in the distance.After their companion had been sliced into several pieces, even if these two tigers were stupid, they knew these humans were not to be trifled with, so they fled to the side.However, they were cunning and did not leave, instead lurking in the shadows of the trees, ready to seize an opportunity to launch a surprise attack at any moment."Roar!"Now, seeing Naruto charging over at high speed, the targeted tiger immediately roared loudly, attempting to scare the enemy.That blood-stained maw was fully two meters long, resembling a pitch-black cave, spewing out hot, foul-smelling breath.Naruto frowned, held his breath, and without dodging or avoiding, he actually charged directly into the tiger's mouth."What?""Is this kid crazy?"The two Anbu frowned, unable to figure out what Naruto was up to for a moment.However, strange as it was, the two did not stop for a moment, following him into the tiger's mouth."Wu!"The next second, the tiger's massive mouth closed, swallowing all three of them.Inside the pitch-black tiger body, the two Anbuonly felt themselves being pushed by the wriggling muscles towards the esophagus.The two bumped into each other and tacitly prepared to strike to cut open the tiger's body and leave this place.Being able to escape at any time was also the confidence that allowed the two to follow Narutointo the tiger's mouth.However, just as the two drew their blades to slash at the tiger's body, they felt their blades stall.Specks of golden light flowed, illuminating the pitch-black tiger's esophagus.Naruto was just a short distance in front of them, spreading his hands and pressing his palms against the wriggling esophageal wall.As the Hamon surged in, the entire esophagus also overflowed with golden light.Facing the two Anbu's disbelieving gazes, Narutogrinned: "Welcome to my domain!"
Chapter 71: Yo, You Guys Are Here Too"Welcome to my domain!"Under the incredulous gazes of the two Anbu, Naruto grinned.The next second, golden light surged, and the impact came at them from all directions.It felt as if someone had thrown countless punches in an instant, submerging the two Anbu....Anko was inside the bubble, watching as Narutoand the two Anbu were swallowed by the tiger. She couldn't help but widen her eyes, staring at the beast, trying to see the situation on the battlefield."Whimper... whimper..."Before long, the fierce tiger collapsed to the ground, emitting a mournful whine.Its companion saw this and rushed over, looking at the tiger on the ground with concern, but could do nothing.Just as this tiger was anxious, the fallen beast suddenly began to convulse, at the same time opening its maw, its throat constantly swallowing, making a vomiting motion.Soon, with continuous twitching of its body, three figures were spat out.Seeing this, the other tiger immediately pounced, attempting an attack.Its speed was extremely fast, like a great mountain pressing down directly, carrying an earth-shattering momentum.However, in the next second, Naruto leaped up, his fist shimmering with golden light, slamming into the tiger's forehead with tremendous force.With a muffled bang, the pouncing tiger was sent flying backward even faster, rolling a few times after hitting the ground and crushing a large patch of trees.In pain, it dared not stay any longer, let out a howl, and fled into the forest."Won?"Anko blinked, seeing the two Anbu lying on the ground without any movement after being spat out. She immediately thought of the battle's outcome, a look of surprise appearing on her face.Although she had confidence in Naruto, she never expected that this guy would easily defeat two Anbu in less than three minutes!Anko, in shock, soon came to her senses and found that after landing, Naruto picked up the two Anbu, a conflicted look on his face, as if he didn't know how to deal with them.Naruto cast his gaze toward the fallen tiger; after spitting out the three of them, this guy had collapsed and couldn't get up, its large mouth open, its body heaving, as if it couldn't withstand the violent impact inside its body just now.Regardless, this beast had helped him take out two enemies. Besides sparing its life, giving it a little extra food seemed like a form of repayment.Thinking this, Naruto prepared to throw the two people in his hands into the tiger's mouth.Just then, Anko's voice came over: "Hey, wait!"Naruto turned his head, a look of realization on his face, as if he had only just remembered Anko's existence.So, he casually threw the two Anbu aside, leaped onto a tree branch, and with a light touch, popped the bubble protecting Anko."Let them both go," Anko said hurriedly."Why?" Naruto had an expression that said, 'Have you lost your mind?' "These two guys are very likely Orochimaru's subordinates. Do you still have lingering feelings for that guy?"Seeing the suspicion in Naruto's eyes, Anko rolled her eyes at him: "Can your brain function normally? Those two guys are Anbu I called for support before entering the Forest of Death.""What? Anbu? Them?"Naruto glanced at the two, his suspicion not hidden in the slightest.The two unconscious men were in a sorry state, soaked in esophageal mucus, and now covered in grass and wood ash after hitting the ground, looking like two beggars.In contrast, Naruto was much more decent; he had even blocked the mucus from the esophagus, without a trace of the battle on him."Did you see the masks on their faces? That is the iconic mask of a Konoha Ninja," Anko pointed out. After meeting Naruto's gaze, she paused, then continued to defend them, "They probably saw me in your hands, so they thought you were the enemy, and plus they were worried about collateral damage, which is why they didn't go all out.""I didn't expect Examiner Anko to have such high emotional intelligence, it's just a pity your acting is a bit clumsy," Naruto saw through Anko's attempt to cover for them and smiled slightly."Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up and wake them both up!" Anko's face flushed, and she quickly changed the subject."Alright, alright!" Naruto didn't say much more, jumped down from the branch with Anko, came to the two Anbu, and used Hamon to save them."!!!"After regaining consciousness, the two Anbuimmediately jumped up."Hi!" Naruto tilted his head and greeted them.Anko curled her lips: "You two are too embarrassing, aren't you?"Cough, cough, cough...The two Anbu immediately realized everything that had just happened. Fortunately, they were still wearing masks, so their embarrassed expressions wouldn't be revealed.Even so, they couldn't help but lower their heads, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground.One had to know that Anbu members were all elites; they never expected to capsize in the gutter today, being taken out by a Genin brat participating in the Chunin Exams.And the opponent had fought two against one; if this spread, they would become a joke!Just as the scene was incredibly awkward, Ankospoke up: "You guys were really slow, and you still had the heart to tease a kid. Now, stop the nonsense, take me to the tower immediately, and ask the Hokage-sama to come to the tower.""Can your body hold up?" Hearing official business, the two Anbu became serious."Of course! Who do you think I am?" Anko snorted coldly.After speaking, she looked at Naruto: "I'm leaving now, hurry up and find your teammates. Also, don't tell anyone about today's events!""Understood." Naruto smiled at her.Watching the two Anbu take Anko away, he looked around and found that the tiger, which had been lying on the ground dying just moments ago, had run away at some point."I'm all alone now..." Naruto shook his head, then thought of something."In that case, let's bring back some trophies for Sakura and Sasuke!"..."Get lost. If I take the scroll from you weaklings, others will mock me."In a forest, Hyuga Neji's face was cold.In front of him, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio smiled awkwardly: "Is that so? Hehe, we'll leave right away!"Just then, a commotion came.The four looked toward the source of the sound at the same time. They didn't see a figure, but their expressions changed slightly.Because appearing before them was a massive beast head hidden behind the woods, ferocious and terrifying, chilling to the bone.They tensed their bodies, thinking a fierce beast had come.But as the bushes swayed, the beast revealed its true form, and they realized it was actually a severed tiger head!Immediately after, a blond boy carrying the mountain-like tiger head, humming an off-key tune, appeared before them."Yo, you guys are here too!"
Chapter 72: You Are Most Beautiful Like This"Yo, you guys are here too!"The bushes rustled, and a blond-haired boy appeared before the Ino–Shika–Chō trio and Neji, carrying a tiger's head the size of a small hill while humming an off-key tune.The boy's smiling face formed a stark contrast with the massive, still-bleeding tiger head."Uzumaki Naruto? Why are you here?"Neji frowned, recognizing the other's identity.He had heard about the events at the Chunin Exams recommendation meeting, so he was quite interested in this guy.It could even be said that Naruto and Sasuke were the Konoha Ninja he most wanted to face in these Chunin Exams.However, the stage for a battle against opponents of this caliber shouldn't be a place like the Forest of Death, where no one was watching.Therefore, Neji didn't intend to fight Naruto at this moment, thinking he'd just say hello and leave.However, Naruto seemed to ignore Neji's words, looking only at the Ino–Shika–Chō trio: "I didn't expect to run into you guys here, you idiot trio.""So cool!"Ino covered her mouth, watching Naruto's dashing, efficient, and powerful demeanor, her eyes even sparkling with stars.Choji was much more familiar with Naruto; while chewing on potato chips, his eyes also sparkled with stars.But his gaze wasn't on Naruto, but focused on the tiger head Naruto was carrying: "Yo, Naruto! Are there really tigers this huge in the Forest of Death? I heard tiger meat is delicious! Think of how much meat a head like that must have!"Only Shikamaru noticed the twitching of the ignored Neji's mouth and couldn't help but helplessly cover his forehead: "This guy... he has absolutely no manners. If they start fighting here, it's going to be troublesome!""I was wondering at first why three people were acting like they were trembling in fear when facing one person, but after seeing it was you idiot trio, it's not strange at all."Naruto casually set down the tiger head and walked forward with a smile."It's clearly because this guy is too strong, okay?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes.Hearing this, Naruto shifted his gaze, acting as if he had just noticed Neji: "Huh? Are you that strong? I can't tell at all."At this moment, Neji had already returned to his usual cold demeanor and sneered coldly: "A boring taunting trick. It seems I overestimated you before."After saying this, he turned and left directly.Naruto's taunt was so simple it was almost clumsy, and Neji saw through it the moment he calmed down slightly.Of course, what he saw through wasn't just Naruto's provocation, but the other's entire body.He didn't find a scroll, which meant the scroll wasn't on Naruto.And the scroll belonging to Might Guy's team was still on him.What's more, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio was standing right there.Neji didn't doubt for a second that these three might seize the opportunity to attack him.Once a fight started, he would definitely be the one to lose out.Since that was the case, this battle had no meaning.Until Neji's figure disappeared, Naruto pursed his lips: "Tch, he just left like that?""That was your intention from the start, wasn't it?" Shikamaru quipped from the side."What do you mean?" Naruto turned his head and raised an eyebrow.Shikamaru spread his hands: "You deliberately performed a clumsy taunt just now. Although Nejiwould get angry, he would surely see through your strategy immediately. Then he would think carefully, realize the situation was unfavorable to him, and leave here immediately.""And forcing this guy to retreat was your ultimate goal, right?" As he spoke, Shikamaru tilted his head and looked at Naruto, his gaze filled with a touch of surprise.You have to know, back in the Ninja Academy, Naruto was a notoriously hot-blooded idiot; who would have thought he'd be playing with feints and tactical maneuvers now.Likewise, when Naruto looked at Shikamaru, his eyes also held a touch of surprise.Seeing through his psychological tactics wasn't what was impressive; what was impressive was that Shikamaru had almost no reaction time and figured out his thoughts at a single glance.This kind of person... they are the most devious when fighting!A change appeared in Naruto's eyes.Shikamaru caught this, his face showing distress: "Hey, hey, hey, Naruto, you're not thinking of that, are you?""What's wrong?" Ino looked at him strangely.She had just been immersed in Naruto's good looks and only now came back to her senses.But before Shikamaru could answer, Narutoexplained with his actions: "Hand over the scroll of earth you have."He remembered exactly which scroll each team had obtained.So, upon seeing the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, the thought of snatching their scroll had arisen.He planned to snatch the scroll as quickly as possible and rendezvous with Sakura and Sasuketo avoid unnecessary battles and complications, which was why he used psychological tactics to force Neji to retreat."Huh?"Ino and Choji looked incredulous.They had finally managed to send Neji away, only for Naruto to appear; today was really too unlucky...Shikamaru looked up at the sky, speechless."What do we do?"Ino looked to Shikamaru for help.Although she usually hated this lazy guy, she knew very well that Shikamaru was the smartest of the trio, and if they wanted a solution, they had to rely on him.Choji also looked over; although his face was calm, judging by the speed of his chewing, he was still a bit nervous facing Naruto, who was about to snatch their scroll.Shikamaru gave Ino a wink.He didn't state the plan directly, but the meaning was already very clear.Ino hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward, loosened her high ponytail, and gazed at Narutowith dreamy, infatuated eyes: "Naruto-kun~~~ Actually, I've been admiring you for a long time~~~"As she spoke, Ino brushed back her beautiful blond hair, carrying the innocent charm of a young girl.A honey trap...Sweat beads appeared on Naruto's forehead.He had thought that guy Shikamaru would have some brilliant plan on the battlefield, but he didn't expect him to come up with this move.Besides, to use a honey trap, you at least need a beauty; can someone like Ino pull that off?She doesn't have the ability, you know!Of course, this isn't to say that Ino isn't good-looking.In fact, to be fair, Ino's appearance is already quite good among female Ninja.It's just a pity that in order to perform a honey trap, she chose a seduction style she wasn't good at.If a mature woman did these actions, it would naturally be full of charm and infinite allure.For a young girl still carrying a bit of innocence like Ino, it just felt awkward no matter how you looked at it."Since that's the case..."Naruto formed hand seals, instantly making the Ino–Shika–Chō trio nervous."Damn! My honey trap failed!"Ino looked frustrated.Shikamaru pursed his lips and sighed: "I didn't expect it to succeed anyway."As he spoke, he reached for his waist, ready to pull out the scroll and beg for mercy.Anyway, this exam was recommended by Asuma, and Shikamaru himself didn't have a very strong desire to participate, nor was he counting on passing the exam to be promoted to Chunin, so his mindset was quite relaxed.Just like that, under everyone's gaze, Narutocompleted the Ninjutsu.Poof!After a puff of smoke, Naruto transformed into Ino's likeness.But unlike Ino, he didn't let his hair down, but instead revealed a vibrant, cheerful smile and held up a peace sign next to his cheek.Sexy Jutsu!Wink!Looking at the floating hearts, the trio froze in place."What is happening?"Shikamaru slapped his forehead."Teaching you how to use a honey trap; the way you looked just now was too ugly."Naruto pointed at Ino."Damn Naruto! How dare you say I..."Ino was furious, clenching her fists.However, before she could finish, her mouth was covered by Shikamaru and Choji.With a poof, Naruto transformed back.Meeting Ino's murderous gaze, Naruto tilted his head and smiled: "A honey trap requires using your own strengths. I think you are most beautiful like this, Ino."