At the same time, outside the Forest of Death.
The shinobi from the other villages were also discussing strategies. More than a few glances landed on Qianyu.
Iwagakure Camp.
A lead Rock ninja pointed at Qianyu, speaking without a hint of subtlety. "See that kid over there? Once we're in the forest, kill him if you get the chance."
"Boss, you even need to say it?" Another Rock ninja licked his lips, grinning viciously. "Don't any of you try to steal this from me. That two and a half million ryo bounty is mine!"
"Don't underestimate the target," the leader warned. "We move together. Don't give him a chance to fight back."
Sunagakure Side.
Strangely, the gathered Suna ninja seemed to be taking their cues from a red-haired boy who couldn't be more than ten years old.
"That Qianyu… if you encounter him during the exam, do not attack him," the boy instructed, his voice calm. "You may even offer him some assistance if the situation calls for it."
"Young master, but he's from Konoha?" a Suna ninja questioned, confusion in his voice.
"Are you questioning my decision?"
The boy's gaze settled on the speaker. His eyes were calm, but they held a pressure that brooked no argument.
"N-no, of course not. We'll follow your orders." The ninja dropped his gaze, a cold sweat beading on his forehead. He'd just remembered what happened to the last colleague who'd questioned the young master: he'd been turned into a puppet by Sasori and Lady Chiyo.
Behind the red-haired boy, a young man with short, reddish-brown hair glared at his back. He wore a mesh undershirt and a dark shinobi outfit. His name was Rasa. Officially a "genin," he already possessed strength rivaling an elite jōnin. He was the Third Kazekage's most trusted agent.
Kill Chiyo's grandson if you get the chance.
The Third Kazekage's parting order echoed in Rasa's mind. Looking at the boy's back, a flicker of killing intent passed through his eyes.
Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law should have died in that battle. Who would have thought Konoha would save them? And then Chiyo, for her own selfish reasons, used Suna's resources to buy them back!
This incident had made the Third Kazekage and Rasa see the danger clearly.
In Suna now, Chiyo's family held almost all the power. The Kazekage's seat was practically a joke. And worse, Chiyo's grandson—Sasori—was a once-in-a-century puppet genius.
He'd only been learning puppetry for half a year, yet he could already multitask, controlling four or five puppets in combat simultaneously. He'd even improved upon Suna's basic puppet designs. Many in the village smiled and praised that Lady Chiyo had a worthy successor.
Yes. A worthy successor. If Chiyo's family line continued like this, wouldn't Suna just become the Chiyo clan's property in the future? People like him, Rasa, born from nothing… would they ever break into the upper echelons? Would they ever have a chance?!
If Chiyo's descendants don't die, the Third's position is a farce. And the seat of the Fourth Kazekage will never fall to me, Rasa!
After a few deep breaths, Rasa's expression smoothed over. But the killing intent in his heart only grew thicker.
Sasori might be strong… for his age. But in front of Rasa? He was just a little scorpion in the desert. One step would crush him.
"Sss. The examinees who are ready may come forward to receive their scrolls."
At that moment, Orochimaru's soft clap drew everyone's attention. "After receiving your scroll, you may enter the examination grounds."
Swish!
The moment Orochimaru finished, a team hastily formed from several minor villages rushed forward. They snatched their scroll from him and plunged into the Forest of Death without pause. Clearly, they wanted to get deep inside first—scout the terrain, seize the initiative.
Of course, some examinees confident in their own strength took their scrolls and entered the forest alone.
One by one, the examinees vanished into the woods. The once-quiet forest churned with hidden currents. Danger lurked behind every tree.
"Old-timer Kosuke, you're also without a team? Want to pair up with me?"
Qianyu wasn't in a hurry. Seeing Kosuke left behind like him, he sidled over with a grin.
"Mm." Kosuke nodded, a kindly smile on his face. "When we get scrolls, you can have them all. I have no use for them."
The deal was struck. The two walked over to Orochimaru to receive their scrolls.
"Do your best, Qianyu-kun. Try not to die." Orochimaru's smile was unnervingly pleasant.
"I appreciate your concern!" Qianyu grabbed the scroll, his reply dripping with equal politeness.
Qianyu and Kosuke stepped over the iron fence and into the Forest of Death. The dim woods loomed like a crouching beast, fangs hidden, waiting for its prey to venture deeper.
"Old-timer Kosuke, with these exam rules… do you think even half the examinees will make it out alive?" Qianyu suddenly asked, a strange feeling in his chest.
"… Difficult." Kosuke pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.
"Oh, right, old-timer. What scroll did you get?" Qianyu glanced at the one in his hand.
Kosuke said nothing. He simply tossed his own scroll to Qianyu.
Snap.
Qianyu caught it. He unrolled it, and his brows furrowed. "Yours is the same as mine? A scroll with the Konoha mark?"
"If the scrolls were random, the probability of us both getting the same one is one in twenty-five. Could it be…?"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
While Qianyu was thinking, four figures leaped through the trees, heading straight for them.
"Who's there?!"
Qianyu and Kosuke instantly split apart, falling into combat stances.
"Relax. It's just us. We came to tell you something."
Three of the figures remained among the trees. Only one—a handsome, smiling figure—walked out calmly. It was Minato Namikaze.
"If I'm not mistaken, the scrolls in your hands are both 'Konoha' scrolls, right?" Minato said with a smile.
"And the four of you also have 'Konoha' scrolls?" Qianyu shot back.
"Correct." Minato nodded. "We suspect all the major village examinees have likely received scrolls corresponding to their own village."
"They really don't want us to get along, huh? Even tampering with the scroll distribution. They're basically forcing the major village examinees to slaughter each other." Qianyu sighed, exasperated.
The higher-ups' schemes were so blatant you could hear the abacus beads clacking right in your face.
All examinees from the same village had the same scrolls. Meaning, to collect five different scrolls and win, you had to take down at least four examinees from other villages.
"That's right." Minato nodded. "So, I advise you not to target fellow villagers. If possible, try to help each other out."
"We understand. Thanks for the heads-up, Minato."
"Alright. We'll take our leave then. See you around."
The two groups parted ways. Considering the number of scrolls each person needed, too many people gathered together would actually lower efficiency.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Kill him!"
"Water Style—!"
Not long after, while Qianyu and Kosuke were still advancing leisurely deeper into the woods, fierce combat sounds suddenly erupted from their left.
"Which village is that? So impatient," Qianyu quipped. "The exam just started and they're already going at it like this. Aren't they afraid someone will swoop in for the kill?"
Old Man Kosuke analyzed, "Could be a sudden encounter. Or perhaps they're very confident in their strength and aren't afraid of anyone waiting in the wings."
"Old-timer… shall we go take a look?"
"Mm. Let's take a look."
Qianyu and Kosuke exchanged a glance and made their decision. Who knew? They might just score their first scroll very soon.
(In the original story, Sasori became a chūnin at age eight. Here, the timeline of his parents' deaths has been pushed back slightly.)
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