Naruto smiled at Karin.
"You should withdraw from the Chūnin Exams this time. Next, we're going after the scrolls. These exams aren't especially difficult, but they'll still be quite the challenge for you."
Sakura looked at Naruto in surprise, wondering, Is he even human?
Everyone else treated the exams with deadly seriousness, yet for Naruto, it all seemed so simple. The gap between her and Naruto… and Sasuke… was still vast.
Sakura sighed quietly.
In truth, the gap was even greater than she realized. Sometimes, ignorance could be a kind of mercy—because if one truly understood the difference, it could lead to despair.
"As for these two, I'll leave them in your hands. We're moving on."
With that, Naruto turned and immediately left with Sasuke and Sakura.
"Wait—Naruto, we're just leaving like this?" Sakura asked as they darted through the forest, trees flashing past them in a blur.
She worried Karin might run into danger. But Naruto had already done enough. As long as she didn't act recklessly, she would be fine.
Besides, Naruto's sensory abilities could now cover the entire Forest of Death.
"It's fine," Naruto answered calmly. "If she can't handle something this small, then there's no point in training her."
Sakura was startled by his tone. He seemed… different. More commanding. More decisive. Though confused, she chose not to press further.
As Naruto ran, the corner of his mouth curved upward.
At that same moment, Karin was facing two savage Grass-nin. Memories of her mother's death flashed before her eyes. After a brief hesitation, she drove her kunai into them without mercy, ending both their lives.
Even then, she felt little satisfaction. Killing them so quickly seemed far too merciful, compared to the suffering she had endured.
Her gaze drifted to the note Naruto had given her—it marked the location of an Umbrella base. But Karin decided to wait. She would give Naruto a month. With nowhere else to go, she could only rely on him for now. Going to that place alone felt too risky.
Far away, Naruto's senses picked up everything. His lips curled slightly again. Had Karin failed to act, those Grass-nin would have died regardless—Naruto had already planted a trace of life energy in their hearts, set to rupture them from within.
Still, Karin had chosen to kill. And because of that, Naruto's attitude toward her shifted. She was no longer just a clan responsibility—she had earned his approval.
Not long after, Team 7 ran into a band of ninja from an obscure minor village. They were little more than cannon fodder, swiftly dispatched.
Thanks to Naruto's years of survival training, life in the Forest of Death felt more like camping than hardship. Even without proper seasonings, he could always find local herbs and wild spices to flavor their meals—many Sakura didn't even recognize.
"How can Naruto's cooking be this good?" she exclaimed.
Sasuke glanced at her and, for once, offered an explanation.
"Naruto's lived in the wild since he was three. His skills were forged out of necessity."
Sakura was stunned. Three years old…?
Naruto met Sasuke's eyes. He could tell his friend still carried indignation for him. Sasuke had been furious when he learned of Naruto's upbringing—especially after discovering he was the Fourth Hokage's son.
That revelation had given Sasuke a glimpse into Konoha's darker side.
A child barely old enough to walk, forced to survive like that… and under watch the whole time. The ANBU were assigned to observe Naruto, but they never cared about his suffering. They only ensured he didn't die. Even when his nanny abused him, no one intervened.
To them, Naruto wasn't a boy—he was the Nine-Tails' vessel, the creature that had killed their Hokage.
Jinchūriki bore that curse everywhere.
Except for Uzumaki Mito, the First Hokage's wife, few hosts lived without pain. Even in Kumogakure, which treated its jinchūriki with less prejudice, Killer B had endured hardship as a child. For most, the life of a host was nothing but loneliness.
Night soon fell. Leaves rustled overhead while the campfire crackled against the silence. To ward off wild beasts, Naruto had lit flames and scattered pungent herbs around the camp—plants Sakura couldn't even name, but effective for repelling insects.
Gradually, the three drifted into sleep. Sakura, who was supposed to keep watch, had dozed off without realizing it.
The firelight flickered in the darkness, as the Forest of Death whispered in the night.
Naruto had said there was no need to keep watch, but he couldn't stop Sakura from insisting. For her, it was common sense to remain alert outdoors. Naruto, however, felt it unnecessary—his senses would wake him the moment danger approached.
The forest grew unnaturally quiet. Even the insects had fallen silent, leaving only the faint crackle of the campfire.
Naruto suddenly sat upright. He tapped Sasuke awake, then nudged Sakura.
"What's wrong?" Sakura rubbed her eyes, realizing with a start that she had dozed off.
"I—I'm sorry—"
"Shh."
Naruto pressed a finger to his lips.
Sakura froze, quickly covering her mouth. The stillness pressed in around them. The silence and darkness felt suffocating.
"They're here," Naruto whispered.
Almost on cue, the underbrush rustled violently. The sound grew louder, closer—until a massive python slid into view. Its fangs gleamed in the firelight, saliva dripping as it hissed menacingly.
Naruto sprang to his feet. Sasuke, pulling a groggy Sakura with him, vaulted into the branches of a nearby tree. His eyes locked on the serpent.
A summoning? Sasuke thought, narrowing his gaze.
"Sasuke, be careful. This opponent isn't ordinary," Naruto warned, his tone sharp.
Sasuke's brow furrowed. Was there really someone among the examinees with power on this level?
He didn't hesitate.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
He inhaled deeply, then expelled several massive fireballs. Far larger and hotter than anything he had produced before, they roared through the clearing and slammed into the python.
The snake screeched in agony, its flesh searing. The smell of burning meat filled the night air.
Bang!
The serpent burst apart in a puff of smoke—it had been a Summoning Technique. Sasuke immediately understood, scanning the shadows for the real threat.
"You're incredible, Sasuke-kun! You really defeated something that huge!" Sakura exclaimed, wide-eyed.
Such a monstrous snake was far beyond anything she had imagined appearing in the Chūnin Exams.
"Quiet."
Sasuke shot her a sharp glare.
Startled, Sakura bit her lip, feeling a pang of embarrassment.
But her unease only deepened—because another giant snake lunged from the darkness.
...
TN:
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