Uzumaki Sōnagi was preparing to choose between Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuga.
After briefly using the [Mind's Eye of the Kagura] to locate the two, Sōnagi frowned slightly — both Naruto and Neji were a long way off, one at either end of the map.
Sōnagi thought for a moment before deciding, "Seems like Naruto's closer. We'll go after him first. Eliminate anyone we meet along the way — might as well collect some scrolls while we're at it."
Kimimaro Kaguya and Jugo Tenbin had no objections. This was routine — Sōnagi made the call, and they followed through. Simple, efficient, and hassle-free.
With clear direction, Uzumaki Sōnagi quickly headed in Naruto's direction, engaging any ninja he encountered without hesitation or delay.
Not long after the exam began, screams of agony echoed continuously throughout the Forest of Death.
These screams left little to the imagination — someone had definitely been killed.
Within five hours, Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno had already encountered two teams of enemy ninja — one from the Village Hidden in the Sand (Sunagakure) and one from the Village Hidden in the Rain (Amegakure).
Naruto and Sasuke made quick work of both teams — no sweat, no hesitation.
Unfortunately, both teams carried duplicate scrolls, completely useless to their mission.
Seeing the strength of Naruto and Sasuke eased Sakura's nervousness significantly.
Although she had spent a few days studying at the Ninja Hospital, her training was purely medical — her combat abilities had not improved at all.
With Naruto and Sasuke watching her back, Sakura felt sure they'd breeze through this exam.
A day and a half passed.
Naruto obtained the necessary scroll from another Konoha team, so now the only thing left was to head toward the tower located at the center of the Forest of Death.
Just as Naruto's team prepared to enter the central tower, three figures suddenly appeared before them.
The three were none other than the specially hunting Uzumaki Sōnagi, Kimimaro Kaguya, and Jugo Tenbin.
Sōnagi smiled widely at Naruto and said mockingly, "Well, well, if it isn't Naruto Uzumaki himself! What a coincidence! Looks like your prayers didn't work — you still ended up running into us."
Naruto twitched slightly at the corner of his eye.
Coincidence?
If that were true, he'd kick Sōnagi's head around like a ball.
But...this works out perfectly.
He also wanted a chance to fight Sōnagi directly.
Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno immediately assumed a serious defensive posture.
Though Sasuke suspected that Naruto might know these three somehow, it was just a guess with no concrete evidence. Even if Naruto did know them, Sasuke himself had never met them. In this exam hall, everyone was an enemy.
Moreover, judging from their leader's attitude, a fight was definitely on the table.
Of all the possible opponents Sasuke had observed during the exam, these three were among the most troublesome — especially Kimimaro Kaguya.
Kimimaro Kaguya suddenly appeared behind Kotetsu Hagane. His speed was so fast that Sasuke Uchiha couldn't even track his movements, and those bones emerging from his palms were definitely a Kekkei Genkai.
Uzumaki Sōnagi yanked out a pile of forehead protectors and flung them to the ground.
Among these protectors were ones belonging to Suna, Ame, and Konoha ninja — many stained with blood.
With a sinister tone, Uzumaki Sōnagi sneered, "These belonged to the ninja we ran into along the way. Tsk! Their strength was just too pathetic. Not even worth the trouble of drawing my sword. None of it was interesting at all. Can you guess what happened to them?"
Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno already had tiny beads of cold sweat forming on their brows.
Their forehead protectors were taken — could they still be alive?
It's only been a day and a half, yet these three people had already defeated so many?
There must have been ten or more forehead protectors here — meaning ten or more genin squads had fallen to them.
But their clothes were practically spotless — like they hadn't even broken a sweat. In other words, fighting against those who owned these forehead protectors was effortless for them.
Sakura Haruno's voice quivered slightly as she asked, "Y-you should already have both Heaven and Earth Scrolls. Why are you still fighting?"
Uzumaki Sōnagi tilted his head in mock confusion. "Just because we have the scrolls doesn't mean we can't fight, right? There's no rule about that. Jugo, throw all the scrolls we've collected onto the ground."
Jugo Tenbin tossed seven scrolls onto the ground.
Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno felt their hearts tighten. Seven scrolls meant seven squads — 21 people.
[Katon: Gōka Messhitsu!]
Uzumaki Sōnagi formed a single hand seal and spat out a massive fireball, reducing the scrolls to ashes.
Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno's pupils constricted in horror.
Naruto Uzumaki sighed helplessly. What recklessness.
Uzumaki Sōnagi clapped his hands together and smiled at Sakura Haruno. "Now we don't have any scrolls left. So we'll have to fight, right? Don't you agree?"
Sakura Haruno unconsciously took a step back. Though Uzumaki Sōnagi wore a smile and spoke gently, an involuntary chill ran down her spine.
Naruto Uzumaki stepped forward, placing his right hand on his sword hilt. "If you want our scroll, come and try!"
Uzumaki Sōnagi grinned broadly. "Kimimaro, Jugo — the blond brat's mine. The rest are all yours. Do whatever you want with them."
Immediately afterward, Uzumaki Sōnagi charged toward Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto Uzumaki instantly drew his ninja sword.
[Wind Breathing, Second Form: Claws of the Ko Wind]
He unleashed four claw-shaped wind blades toward Uzumaki Sōnagi.
Uzumaki Sōnagi was struck by the four Claw-Shaped Wind Blades, but in an instant, smoke enveloped him, from which several tree trunks fell to the ground.
"A Substitution Jutsu?"
Naruto Uzumaki immediately swung his sword toward his right side.
A hand gripped Naruto's wrist, and Uzumaki Sōnagi smirked. "Not bad. Your reflexes, I mean."
Uzumaki Sōnagi kicked hard into Naruto's abdomen, sending him flying through the air.
Naruto rolled across the ground several times before crashing heavily into the trunk of a tree and barely coming to a stop.
[Sasuke Uchiha activated his Double Tomoe Sharingan and hurled several kunai toward Uzumaki Sōnagi.
[Bone Pellet!]
Kimimaro Kaguya fired the finger bones from both hands like bullets, intercepting the kunai heading toward Uzumaki Sōnagi. The remaining bones then flew toward Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno.
Sasuke yanked Sakura aside and rolled clear of the attack.
The finger bones slammed into the ground and buried themselves deep.
Kimimaro Kaguya ripped a blade from his own arm bone and turned to face Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno.
"You're both looking at your opponent."
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