He even allowed himself a faint smile.
"Very good."
His calm voice echoed through the classroom.
"To all of you who chose to answer the questions…"
"I passed!"
For a brief moment, the room fell into complete silence.
Then—
"Nani?!"
Shock rippled through the classroom like a wave. Many candidates stared in disbelief, their faces frozen as if they had misheard.
Only after the uproar settled did Morino Ibiki begin explaining the true purpose of the written examination.
"This test had three layers."
His scarred face carried a faint smile, though his gaze remained sharp.
"If you could answer every question using your own abilities, that is naturally impressive."
Several examinees straightened unconsciously.
"But if you couldn't," Ibiki continued calmly, "then you needed to find a way to obtain the answers."
"The exam allowed for that."
"The second layer tested your ability to gather information."
A murmur spread through the crowd as realization dawned.
"The third layer," Ibiki said, pausing deliberately, "was the final question."
"This question tested not only unwavering resolve, but also team cohesion."
He swept his gaze across the room.
"Because only by trusting and supporting your teammates could you pass."
At last, the oppressive tension lifted.
Many candidates exhaled deeply, relief written all over their faces.
Ibiki glanced at the attendance list and raised an eyebrow.
"Seventy-eight people, from twenty-six teams, passed the initial assessment."
"That's far more than I expected."
Nearly two hundred candidates had entered the examination hall. Only seventy-eight remained.
The elimination rate was brutal.
And yet—
Ibiki narrowed his eyes slightly.
This result exceeded even his own expectations.
Soon, he realized why.
All of these people were still standing here because of Naruto.
If Naruto hadn't boldly declared his resolve earlier, many teams might have lost their nerve and quit. Ibiki had seen it clearly—several teams were now looking at Naruto with gratitude in their eyes.
Just then—
Crash!
A figure suddenly burst through the classroom window, startling everyone inside.
"There are still so many people left, Ibiki!"
The newcomer's voice was lively and sharp.
"You went easy on them this time, didn't you?!"
Ibiki gave a small smile.
"I couldn't help it. This batch of examinees is excellent."
The intruder was a female ninja with a bright smile and a carefree posture. Her hands rested casually on her hips, yet a dangerous aura radiated from her body.
She looked cheerful and sweet.
But she also felt like a venomous snake—ready to strike without warning.
"My name is Anko Mitarashi!"
She grinned widely.
"And I am the examiner for the second stage of the Chunin Exams!"
"Now—everyone, follow me!"
Without waiting for a response, Anko turned and leapt back out through the window.
The candidates exchanged glances before quickly following her.
Naruto muttered under his breath, "What's wrong with this woman? She's completely crazy…"
Hinata giggled softly.
"That's great, Naruto-kun. We all passed the first test."
"Well," Naruto said proudly, "it all worked out thanks to me."
Sasuke snorted quietly.
"I was just lucky."
Naruto immediately shot back, "Sasuke! You didn't answer a single question yourself, did you?!"
Sasuke crossed his arms.
"I don't need to. My Sharingan is the answer to everything."
Naruto: "…"
Soon, everyone landed in an open area near the outskirts of Konoha. In the distance, the village border was clearly visible.
Anko Mitarashi stood at the front, smiling dangerously.
"Before you lies the Forest of Death."
She gestured grandly.
"This place lives up to its name. It's extremely dangerous, and people can die at any moment."
Her grin widened.
"The second stage of the exam is simple."
"Each team will receive a scroll—either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll."
"To pass, you must obtain both a Heaven Scroll and an Earth Scroll within five days."
"Then, you must reach the tower at the center of the forest."
Sasuke frowned.
"So we're forced to collect scrolls from other teams?"
"This setup deliberately encourages conflict."
Anko nodded cheerfully.
"That's right!"
"Besides the terrifying environment, every other team is your enemy!"
"Doubt, hesitation, fear, anxiety…"
She leaned forward slightly.
"Between killing and being killed—choose your own outcome!"
Naruto clicked his tongue.
"This woman really is insane…"
"Hm?" Anko tilted her head. "Kid, still not convinced?"
Without warning, she hurled a kunai straight toward Naruto.
It was clearly meant as a warning—killing the chicken to scare the monkey.
But Naruto was no longer the weak ninja he once was.
He reacted instantly, kicking up a stone and deflecting the kunai midair.
Boom!
The kunai embedded itself into the ground.
"Oh?" Anko raised an eyebrow. "Nice reaction. Impressive, kid."
At that moment, a mysterious man wearing a straw hat extended an abnormally long tongue. He wrapped it around the kunai and handed it back to Anko.
"Kunai," he said hoarsely.
Anko accepted it with a smile.
"Thanks."
"Now," she announced, "each team, take your scrolls and enter the Forest of Death through different gates."
"The second stage—begins now!"
Team Seven quickly collected their scroll.
Naruto glanced around before unrolling it.
A Heaven Scroll.
"That means we need at least one Earth Scroll," Naruto said confidently.
"Let's go, Team Seven!"
"Don't forget—we're the strongest team!"
Holding the scroll tightly, Naruto led the way. According to their assigned gate, the three of them leapt forward and finally crossed into the Forest of Death.
Not far away.
The man with the long tongue licked his lips. His pupils narrowed into slits, and a chilling aura spread from his body.
Even the two ninjas beside him couldn't help but tremble.
"The mission is confirmed," he said coldly.
"The target…"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
The other two nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
"Let's move."
The three figures vanished into the forest.
The five-day survival assessment officially began.
The shadow of death descended upon Konoha.
Team Seven moved swiftly through the forest.
The environment was cold, damp, dark, and oppressive. The thick canopy blocked out much of the sunlight, creating an eerie atmosphere.
Hinata and Sasuke both felt the pressure.
Naruto, however, remained unaffected.
After all, it was difficult to suppress someone with his personality.
"Hinata, Sasuke," Naruto said cheerfully, "you don't need to be this nervous, right?"
"No matter what, we're the strongest Team Seven!"
"Unless absolutely necessary, other teams won't dare provoke us!"
Hinata and Sasuke exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.
It was true.
Team Seven's reputation was no longer limited to Konoha.
The defeat of Zabuza Momochi alone was enough to shake the ninja world.
Naruto was in high spirits.
"Now we're the hunters."
"Everyone else is the prey!"
"It's time to find an Earth Scroll!"
"Our goal is to finish first!"
Seeing Naruto so confident and energetic lifted the morale of the entire team.
Hinata smiled sweetly.
"Alright, Naruto-kun."
Sasuke didn't say anything, but a quiet confidence grew within him.
That's right.
Team Seven isn't weak.
The weak ones are the others.
Thinking this way, all three of them felt a surge of excitement.
"Hinata," Naruto said decisively, "leave enemy detection to you."
"Understood, Naruto-kun."
Hinata took a deep breath.
"Byakugan—activate!"
Her pale eyes changed instantly as her powerful visual field expanded. With Byakugan, she could sense nearly every movement in the surrounding area.
While it might not rival the Sharingan in direct combat, the Byakugan possessed overwhelming strategic value on the battlefield.
That was precisely why the Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud Villages coveted it so fiercely.
Soon, Hinata located a target.
"Naruto-kun, Sasuke," she reported calmly, "an enemy team has been detected 800 meters ahead, slightly to the left."
"We can formulate a strategy to seize their scroll."
Naruto burst out laughing.
"Strategy?"
"Our strategy is simple."
"Attack!"
Before the others could respond, Naruto lunged forward, charging straight toward the enemy team.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)