"Don't underestimate me! I won't run away!"
"I'll take the tenth question! Even if it means I'm a Genin for life, I will become Hokage!"
"Bring it on! I'm not afraid of you!"
Inside the large classroom for the first exam, Naruto's shout resounded like a thunderclap.
Under Ibiki's psychological assault, all the candidates, including the players… whether it was Utaha and her two teammates who were Makoto's students, the Aizono sisters who had received extra training from Makoto before graduation, or the self-important Yukinoshita sisters… everyone's spirit had been pushed to its limit.
But Naruto's shout unexpectedly pulled their scattered minds back together.
It instantly boosted the previously low morale.
'That kid...'
Haruno, the cold sweat on her forehead not yet dry, looked in surprise at the blond boy.
In her first year after crossing over, she had applied to repeat a year and join her younger sister's third-grade class, ending up as Naruto's classmate for nearly four years.
She had thought he was just a naive kid who loved to daydream, but...
The other players had similar thoughts. To be honest, as reincarnated individuals, most of them felt a certain sense of superiority toward the native inhabitants.
That feeling of players looking at NPCs.
But when they were all so scared they nearly wet themselves, it was Naruto who stepped up.
This made Airi, who usually hardly cared about anyone besides Makoto, and Yukino, who considered herself a strong one, look at Naruto with subtly changed eyes.
'Heh—'
Observing the changing expressions of the candidates, Ibiki curled his lips slightly, then loudly announced: All those who stayed, pass.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Ibiki explained the true meaning of the first exam.
"Don't get too excited!"
Before the words faded, another shout broke through the air. Then a dark figure crashed through the window like a storm and landed in the center of the classroom.
As a huge banner unfurled, a young woman with a hot figure shouted:
"I'm the proctor for the second exam… Mitarashi Anko! The true cruelty of the Chunin Exams starts now!"
With that, Anko raised her right arm: "Everyone, follow me!"
The whole room fell dead silent.
The candidates stared at her with wide eyes, as if watching performance art.
After a moment, Airi couldn't help but complain: "Anko-sensei, what are you doing?"
Anko was exactly the Jonin Instructor of their Team 12… Airi, Yui, and Yukino.
Yukino massaged her temples painfully. She usually had trouble dealing with this big-hearted teacher who could be a female version of Hiratsuka Shizuka, but she never expected her to pull such a big stunt this time.
Anko scratched her head, looked at the remaining candidates, and licked her lips excitedly, perfectly replicating her former teacher's signature move.
"So many left. No matter, more than half will be eliminated soon enough."
At these words, everyone's hearts tightened.
...
Two hours later, at Training Ground 44 on the outskirts of Konoha… the Forest of Death.
Anko began explaining the rules for the second exam: each team would receive one scroll. They had to collect both the Heaven and Earth scrolls and reach the central tower in the forest.
Quick-witted individuals like the intelligent Sasuke, Yukino, and Utaha immediately grasped the key point… this rule would eliminate at least half the participants, and likely more than half.
Because there was no guarantee the scroll you stole would be the one you needed.
When Anko produced a document called the [Consent Form], everyone's faces turned pale.
Everyone understood that this thing was essentially a death waiver disguised as a consent form.
Among the players, except for Makoto's team, the other reincarnated individuals had barely killed anyone since graduating from the Ninja Academy.
But they understood this world well enough… many of these people around them wouldn't hesitate to kill to get their scrolls.
Kakeru licked his dry lips and muttered quietly: "If I'd known it was this dangerous, I should have confessed to the one I like before coming..."
Even if he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he could sense how dangerous this exam was.
Silence fell around him.
Many couldn't help but picture someone in their minds.
The Aizono sisters, naturally.
Utaha and Megumi pictured a face often wearing a defiant smile and quickly shook their heads to banish the mischievous grin.
Ran first thought of Shinichi's face. But somehow, that face blurred and gradually transformed into another, more commanding countenance...
Blushing, she quickly shook her head.
'No, no, what was I thinking?'
"I've got a great idea!"
Airi's eyes sparkled, "We'll go full speed to the central tower, ambush everyone else who comes, and wait for them to deliver the scrolls… perfect, right?"
Yui, with her people-pleasing personality, brightened up and was about to praise the idea when a cold voice cut in from the side: "Idiot."
"You want to fight?!" Airi instantly went on the defensive.
"Calm down, calm down..." Yui played peacemaker as usual.
Yukino said calmly: "If you can think of that method, others can too. That's the most dangerous approach."
Airi paused, turning to look at the candidates who had already entered the forest beyond the iron fence.
Many were charging ahead without looking back, not lingering at all.
She fell silent.
Okay, she admitted, that flat-chested girl had a point.
But admit it verbally? No way.
The player teams began lining up to receive their scrolls.
The distribution counter was completely covered by a curtain, preventing anyone from seeing which teams got the Heaven Scrolls and which got the Earth Scrolls.
Just as Team Makoto was about to enter the forest, Megumi approached Ran and Utaha, lowering her voice:
"I've memorized the scroll types for all the teams that entered earlier."
She had used her stealth technique to infiltrate the distribution area and observed which scrolls the teams that entered earlier had received… the supervising teacher in charge of distribution hadn't noticed a thing.
Utaha gave her a thumbs-up.
Ran couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "Megumi's stealth skills are still as strong as ever..."
…
As the second exam of the Chunin Exams proceeded in full swing, Makoto wasn't idle either.
He was preparing a plan to deal with Itachi.
Although he couldn't be certain Obito would tell Itachi, it was always necessary to be prepared.
After all—
Itachi was no easy opponent.