["No."]
[The Great Fox shook its head.]
["This Fox's method of extracting Natural Energy is only suitable for myself."]
["If Senju Hashirama could refer to the Shikkotsu Forest's method of extracting Natural Energy to create a Sage Mode unique to him..."]
["Then why can't I follow suit?"]
[Naruto gave a faint smile.]
[His tone was full of confidence.]
[The Great Fox rolled its eyes.]
["Yes, yes, yes, you are the most talented one."]
[After saying that, it turned around and conjured paper and pen, beginning to write down the techniques for extracting Natural Energy.]
[Its mouth didn't stay idle either.]
["Naruto, you have to think this through. Rashly extracting Natural Energy without a way to stabilize it means even you could very likely lose your life because of it."]
["Don't try to use Shadow Clones, because Shadow Clones pass back memories and experience, which includes Chakra."]
["So, using Shadow Clones might speed things up, but the speed of your death will increase equally."]
[Naruto nodded. His understanding of Shadow Clones was very deep, so he naturally knew this.]
[However...]
[It was just that he couldn't use Shadow Clones; it wasn't as if he couldn't use Wood Clones.]
[Compared to Shadow Clones...]
[Wood Clones were more like automatons.]
[As long as Naruto didn't actively recall the Wood Clone, it wouldn't have the characteristic of passing back memories and experience like a Shadow Clone.]
[Ka-ka-ka—]
[With the thought settled, Naruto immediately split off dozens of Wood Clones.]
[Seeing this, the Great Fox's pretty face was written all over with the words'speechless.']
["I'll give it to you, you're impressive!"]
[Naruto shook his head with a smile and then exited the Sealing Space.]
[After all, it wasn't good to leave Sasuke hanging for too long.]
["Naruto."]
[Seeing the light return to Naruto's eyes, Sasuke opened his mouth, then paused.]
["If you want to try, then try. Since Orochimaru wants to give it to you, he must have a countermeasure to let you accept that power safely."]
["No!"] [Sasuke was silent for a moment, but eventually shook his head in rejection.]
["That beast... no matter what, it relied on its own power."]
["I will absolutely not lose to it."]
["Seven-year-old Hokage thinking... if it's the same thinking as that Third... hmph, it's just Weasel thinking."]
["Thirteen-year-old Mangekyo Sharingan... clan extermination, physical depletion, upper limit locked in."]
["If I can't surpass it this year, then next year! The year after! The year after that!"]
["Even if it meets with retribution and doesn't live that long... death doesn't mean the debt is cleared!"]
[Sasuke's tone gradually became firm.]
[Only the final victor is the winner.]
[He wanted to grow to the point where even if Uchiha Itachi died, he could continue to make Uchiha Itachi pay the price.]
[...]
[Under the Central Tower.]
[Team 7 arrived.]
[After submitting the Heaven Scroll and the earth scroll, the guarding Anbu Ninja let them pass.]
[They didn't even ask about Karin's presence.]
[In fact... even without the Heaven Scroll and the earth scroll, they could still enter.]
Orochimaru: "Whether it's the Anbu, the Ninja Clans... or even the civilian Ninjas, they are all Black-framed Naruto-kun's people."
Orochimaru: "Teacher Sarutobi, how are you going to play this?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..."
["Naruto-kun~!"]
[Just as they entered the Central Tower, they saw Team Eight.]
[Hinata's eyes lit up after seeing Naruto.]
[However, a moment later, Hinata noticed Karin hiding behind Naruto.]
[She froze for a while.]
[Looking at the girl with long red hair and red-framed glasses.]
[She had a vague sense of familiarity.]
[Kushina!]
[The Uzumaki Clan...]
[Even her pupils were red.]
[Could it really be?]
[But hasn't the Land of Whirlpools already been destroyed?]
[The Uzumaki Clan has almost no survivors.]
["Hinata."] [Naruto waved.]
[Hinata immediately snapped out of it and then trotted over to Naruto.]
["Naruto-kun~"]
["Who is she?"]
["Karin, Uzumaki Karin, she's one of the few survivors of the Uzumaki Clan."] [Naruto introduced Karin to the three with a light smile.]
["Woof!"] [Akamaru gave a light bark, his tail wagging rapidly.]
[Kiba's nose twitched.]
["This scent... she's also a candidate in these Chunin Exams, right?"]
["I think I remember seeing her during the first exam."]
[After a simple explanation, Naruto also introduced the three to Karin.]
["Hinata, Hyuga Hinata."]
["Kiba, Inuzuka Kiba, and this is Akamaru."]
[As he spoke, Naruto pointed to Akamaru, who was wagging his tail at Karin's feet.]
["Shino, Shino Aburame."]
["Hello everyone~"] [Karin gave a timid greeting, then shrank her neck and continued to hide behind Naruto.]
[Seeing this, Sakura directly pulled her over to stand beside Hinata.]
[Karin was still a bit constrained.]
[Until Sakura whispered a few words in her ear; first Karin's face heated up, and then the way she looked at Hinata became a bit strange.]
[However, she still obediently called out: "Sister Hinata~"]
[Hinata blinked, curious about what Sakura had said to Karin.]
[But seeing Karin's serious expression...]
[For a moment, Hinata thought it was Kushina calling her Sister Hinata.]
[A large amount of strange scenarios instantly flooded her small brain...]
["Um... um..."]
[Subsequently, Hinata's face also turned red.]
[Standing there side by side, they appeared incredibly well-matched and harmonious.]
["By the way, Naruto, before arriving here, we ran into those three from the Hidden Sand Village you mentioned before."]
[Kiba suddenly put away his playful grin and spoke with a serious expression.]
[Sasuke raised an eyebrow and looked at Shino.]
[Shino still had his hands in his pockets and gave a cool nod, which served as a response to Sasuke's questioning gaze.]
[Then, Sasuke looked at Kiba again, sizing him up with a rather peculiar look in his eyes.]
["What are you looking at?!"] [Kiba glared; his intuition told him Sasuke's gaze was very off.]
[Sasuke looked away and said indifferently: "Nothing."]
[What Sasuke was thinking, Kiba could actually guess.]
[It was nothing more than the fact that they had encountered those three from the Hidden Sand Village.]
[According to the intelligence gathered previously...]
[An encounter battle would inevitably occur.]
[Hinata being unharmed and Shino being unharmed... was normal, but as for him...]
[Unless he had spent the whole time slacking off, retreating, and walking Akamaru while hiding behind Hinata and Shino.]
[Otherwise, he would definitely have been wounded.]
["Damn it!"]
[Kiba gnashed his teeth.]
[But on second thought...]
[When they met the Hidden Sand trio, an encounter battle indeed took place.]
[It just ended before it even started because Gaara of the Desert, who was carrying that sand gourd, left.]
[There was a brief conflict.]
[And he... it seemed he really had hidden behind Hinata and Shino.]
[Well... plus walking the dog.]
[At this realization, Kiba became even more ashamed and angry.]
[However, Sasuke ignored him.]
[His gaze moved past Kiba to the waiting room behind him.]
["Heh~"]
["So it's you guys."]
["As expected, Konoha people love to disregard others and make a racket wherever they go; no upbringing at all."]