The brief commotion passed quickly.
Anko Mitarashi, the second-round examiner, soon appeared before the barbed-wire fence. She launched into her usual routine of intimidation and harsh words, but the vibe was off.
Naruto was still distracted by the memory of her terrifyingly long tongue, so he didn't confront her like he did in the original timeline. There was no awkward hug, no face-licking, just Naruto watching her with wary eyes.
Orochimaru, disguised among the crowd, was preoccupied with Haku and Karin's relationship. Unlike the original story, he didn't bother approaching his former disciple. The snake sannin simply observed from the shadows, biding his time.
With that settled, Anko quickly explained the rules.
"Listen up, brats!" she barked, pacing in front of the entrance. "This exam is conducted in three-person teams. Before entering, each team will be given either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll."
She pointed a thumb toward the dense forest behind her.
"Your goal is simple: steal the scroll you don't have from another team. Get a pair—Heaven and Earth—then haul your asses to the central tower within five days. Oh, and three rules you better remember: First, all three team members must remain intact. No corpses allowed. Second, no one dies. And third—"
She grinned, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.
"—you'll all sign a death consent form. If you die in there, it's not my fault."
After the ominous speech, Anko pointed to a temporary tent behind her.
"Now, let's get those scrolls sorted! Three consent forms per scroll. Pick your entrance. When the time's up, everyone goes in together!"
She paused, her expression turning serious for just a second before a bloodthirsty grin spread across her face.
"Oh, and one more thing... Hehehe..." She licked her lips, the motion making the genin shudder. "Don't die out there. If you do, the wild beasts will eat your corpses~"
"Start collecting!"
An examiner emerged from the tent, interrupting Anko's act. The "crazy pretty girl" persona didn't fly in the ninja world, he thought. At the instructor's call, the examinees abandoned Anko and crowded around the tent to sign the forms.
Anko frowned and spat on the ground. She pulled out a kunai and idly fiddled with it while trailing behind them.
Once everyone had signed the consent forms and received their scrolls, Anko stood at the front again, checked her watch, and shouted.
"Everyone, follow the person in charge at your entrance and wait! Thirty minutes later, we all move at once!"
The battle began the moment the gates opened.
Team 7, Team 8, and Team 10—all from the same Academy class—instinctively gathered together, occupying one entrance. Orochimaru, disguised as a Grass Ninja, observed Sasuke and Naruto from the entrance immediately to the right. Three Rain Ninja and three Sound Ninja also occupied that spot, eyeing the nine young genin like predators.
Haku, flanked by Karin and an ordinary Hidden Void Village ninja, held the entrance to the left. Hidan was a Jōnin leading his own team and wasn't participating in the exam.
While keeping other teams away with his icy chill and killing intent, Haku casually waved toward Naruto with a smile.
Naruto's face flushed red again. He shook his head violently, trying to banish that handsome face from his mind, and turned to Sasuke and Sakura.
"Finally! It's our turn to unleash our power!" Naruto declared, clenching his fists. "Two months of grueling training—today we'll take them all down!"
Sasuke didn't give Naruto a friendly look, but he was rubbing his hands together, his gaze fixed on the Rain and Sound Ninja watching them intently.
"Hmph. I'm in a bad mood anyway," Sasuke muttered. "If they mess with me, I'll wipe them all out."
Sakura nervously twisted the hem of her shirt, trying to pump herself up.
"I've learned medical ninjutsu and genjutsu, and Sasuke and Naruto have even mastered A-rank ninjutsu," she whispered to herself. "We've completed two B-rank missions and over ten C-rank missions. Just treat this like a B-rank mission. We'll pass smoothly. No problem."
She glanced at Naruto, her confidence soaring as she thought about the presence inside him.
"Even if things go wrong... we still have Menma."
Unconsciously, she moved a little closer to Naruto. The sweet scent of her hair hit him, and Naruto's chest swelled with pride.
"That's right!" he agreed enthusiastically, patting his chest. "If we hit a danger we can't handle, Menma can take care of it in a heartbeat! This exam is in the bag!"
Naruto didn't dwell on Menma killing enemies anymore. Before he had the strength to control that power, he'd just have to hold back when he fought. As for Menma—if Menma didn't kill innocent people or torture anyone, Naruto could live with it.
Nearby, Team 8 and Team 10 huddled together, discussing their strategies. Only Hinata seemed distracted, glancing furtively at Naruto's beaming face.
Thirty minutes flashed by.
Anko used her walkie-talkie to give orders to the examiners at each entrance.
"The second round of the Chunin Exams is about to begin!"
"Let's go!"
The moment the gates creaked open, everyone rushed inside.
Upon entering the forest, the three teams tacitly chose three different directions. However, they hadn't gone far before the enemies that had been waiting at other exits arrived at their location.
The three Rain Ninja exchanged glances. Then, with arrogant confidence, they split into three groups and chased after Naruto in different directions. Orochimaru, disguised as three Grass Ninja, gave the Sound Ninja a signal before heading in the direction Naruto had gone.
...
"Ahhh!!!"
A piercing scream tore through the dark forest, bringing Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—who were moving at breakneck speed—to a sudden halt.
"Someone's already fighting!" Naruto looked around curiously.
Sakura drew a kunai from her side, her expression a mix of tension and worry.
"The sound isn't too far away. It sounds like it's coming from Hinata's direction!"
"Don't worry about them," Sasuke said calmly. "It's probably the scream of enemies who fell into a trap."
He analyzed the situation with sharp precision. "Hinata's Byakugan, Kiba and his ninja dogs' sense of smell, plus the Aburame clan's secret insect technique... They must have sensed the enemies following them and set a poisonous insect trap."
"Even though he couldn't recall Shino's name, Sasuke is truly amazing," Sakura said, looking at him with undisguised admiration.
"Hmph. That might not be entirely correct," Naruto huffed, feeling annoyed that Sasuke was showing off before he could. "Maybe Shikamaru and the others took care of the enemy!"
"Their secret technique wouldn't cause that kind of prolonged scream from the enemy, you idiot," Sasuke shot back, giving Naruto a cold glance.
He couldn't understand why Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, would be interested in such a fool.
"You—!" Naruto was about to retort when he caught a glimpse of a head quickly retreating in the distance.
Eager to prove himself, Naruto's eyes darted around, then he clutched his stomach and pretended to need the bathroom.
"I... I gotta go to the restroom! Wait for me!"
Without waiting for their reply, he sprinted toward the head he'd seen.