33The second exam is over.AI Model: gemini-3.0-flashChapter 33: End of the Second Exam
For a moment, Sakura wavered.
Sasuke was still unconscious and there was no telling when he would wake up.
Moreover, he was injured.
If Sasuke's condition continued to worsen, even if they passed this exam, what would they do for the exams that followed?
There was another possibility.
What if Sasuke didn't wake up until the exam was over?
Looking at Naruto, he didn't seem to care at all about passing the exam, and it was even less likely that he would be willing to help.
Even if Sasuke did wake up, if they wanted to snatch a book of heaven from another team, they would be facing a disadvantageous two-on-three situation.
That damn Naruto... Although Sakura had always firmly believed that she would save her precious first kiss for Sasuke.
However, if it was just a kiss on the cheek, there was a slight difference between the two.
On one side was the opportunity to pass the exam at any time, and on the other side was a psychological bottom line that was still somewhat difficult to break through.
A battle raged within Sakura's heart.
Finally, she took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently.
"...No!"
"Sasuke is right here. Even if he's unconscious now, I can't do something like this in front of him!!"
"Oh, then wouldn't it be fine just to flip him over?"
After saying that, Naruto used his foot to flip Sasuke on the ground 180 degrees, making his face press against the earth.
Sakura snapped on the spot.
"You, you, you—what are you doing, you idiot!"
Naruto looked like it was only natural: "Didn't you say you didn't want to do it in front of him? Now his back is turned, is it okay now?"
"Who does things like you!"
Sakura quickly flipped Sasuke back over and wiped the dirt off his face.
"This won't work either? Then how about I hang him on a tree?"
"You, stop it right now!"
Just as Naruto lifted Sasuke up, he saw Sakura's face turn bright red as she blocked his path.
"I said no, and I mean no!"
"Even if Sasuke wasn't here, and even if we don't pass this exam, I won't kiss you for a scroll, not even on the cheek!"
"I hate you! I hate you the most!"
He hadn't expected the young girl's attitude to be so resolute.
Naruto shook his head.
He then raised a Kunai and pierced the book of heaven in his hand.
Seeing the scroll turn into a wisp of smoke and dissipate.
The tears Sakura had been holding back finally fell uncontrollably.
"I hate you, I hate you..."
She kept mumbling under her breath.
Naruto tilted his head and looked at her for two seconds, suddenly feeling that her current appearance was actually a bit cute.
"Fine, since you're unwilling to kiss my cheek, how about we change it to something simpler?"
"Change to something simpler?" Sakura snapped her head up, her eyes filled with resentment as she looked at Naruto, "The scroll is gone, what big talk are you still spouting!"
Naruto, however, looked completely unconcerned.
"As long as you call me 'Daddy' for the next month until the Chunin Exams are over, I'll get you another book of heaven."
"Hmph! You're not counting on those Rain Ninjahaving one, are you? Let me tell you, their scrolls were stolen long ago!"
"Don't you worry about that."
As he spoke, Naruto took out a book of contract.
As long as the terms were written on it and a name was signed, the Covenant Technique would take effect immediately.
Once a party violated the covenant, they would suffer an effect similar to a curse.
This was a new type of ninja tool invention. Because of its excellent effect on Chunin and below, it became widely popular as soon as it was released.
Sakura naturally recognized it too.
She wiped her tears, weighing the options in her mind.
Setting aside the fact that there weren't many books of heaven left now.
Even if Naruto really could find one, for this kind of low Rank Covenant Technique, she could just go to Kakashi-sensei to help her dispel it when the time came.
More importantly, as long as Naruto was willing to contribute, once she and Sasuke recovered, the team would have the strength of three people.
At that time, if they wanted to snatch another team's heaven scroll, they wouldn't have to worry about Naruto slacking off and having to face other teams two-on-three.
"...Fine."
After hesitating again and again, Sakura still chose to agree.
Although calling Naruto "Daddy" was also shameful, compared to having to kiss him... it seemed not so unacceptable.
As both parties signed the book of contract, two balls of light entered their bodies respectively.
"Since you make it sound so easy, then go find it."
After saying that, Sakura knelt down and moved the unconscious Sasuke to the shade under the tree roots.
Then she used grass, branches, and leaves to set up a simple camouflaged base.
"Sasuke and I will recover our strength here first."
She stood up and patted her dirt-stained hands.
The continuous battles, the tensed nerves, and having to deal with Naruto... all sorts of pressure weighed on her shoulders at once, making her almost unable to even stand steadily.
Sakura was exhausted to her limit.
"I'll re-set the traps around here to at least ensure we won't be hit by a surprise attack before you get back... why haven't you left yet?"
Naruto had his hands in his pockets, "Left for where?"
"To go find the book of heaven!?"
Sakura was a bit annoyed, not knowing what this Guy was up to again.
The next second, she saw Naruto pull a scroll from his chest and toss it to her.
A book of heaven.
Naruto: "Call me Daddy."
Sakura: "..."
...The Central Tower.
Just moments before the second round of the exam was about to end, several figures rushed over almost simultaneously, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Neji, you have to hold on!!"
Rock Lee held a weak, long-haired boy in his arms, and he himself was also covered in wounds.
At the last moment, Team Guy happened upon a Sand Ninja team. They went through great hardships to defeat them and collect both the Heaven and Earth scrolls.
However, as a price, everyone was injured.
Among them, the most severely injured was none other than Neji.
He was already injured and had just woken up from a coma. In order to cover for Rock Lee and Tenten, he had further overextended his body and was now extremely weak.
"Teacher Guy!"
A man in a green jumpsuit with thick eyebrows was originally standing at the entrance of the tower, talking to another man with a cigarette in his mouth.
Hearing Tenten's call, he spun around.
When Guy saw the nearly unconscious Neji in Rock Lee's arms, he instantly froze.
"Neji!!!"
No matter what, he couldn't believe that his proud Genius Disciple could be so badly injured!
"No! I won't allow youth to wither in a place like this!!"
With a flash of a whirlwind.
Guy picked up Neji from Rock Lee's arms and ran towards the Medical Unit station responsible for registration and preliminary treatment.
And Asuma, who was originally chatting with Guy, also curiously leaned over.
His gaze swept over the battered Rock Lee and Tenten, and then turned to three other tired figures who entered the tower at almost the same time.
Team 10—Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji.
"Yo!"
Asuma slowly exhaled a smoke ring and greeted the three.
"It's great that everyone is still alive."
Shikamaru was so tired he collapsed directly onto the ground.
"Please, what do you mean'still alive'..."
Ino was panting heavily, her face pale.
"Asuma-sensei, you simply can't understand what kind of journey through Hell we've experienced!"
Looking at this group of his Disciples, Asumashook his head with a smile.
"Sorry, sorry, I know you've worked hard."
He walked over to Ino's side and patted her head, then pulled Shikamaru up from the ground.
"Alright, let's go in. Those teams that have already passed are already waiting inside."
"You are now official Chunin candidates!"