After entering the Forest of Death, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata did not proceed forward.
They changed the entrance at the last minute, so there were no other squads around at that point.
However, just to be on the safe side, Hinata immediately activated her Byakugan and surveyed her surroundings.
There is no one nearby at the moment.
After a long pause, Hinata finally spoke.
"Sasuke, what should we do?" Naruto asked Sasuke, who was standing beside him.
"Let me think..." Sasuke shook his head, then looked at Hinata.
Hinata then took out the scroll she had just received and handed it to Sasuke.
"The Heaven Scroll?" Sasuke took the scroll and immediately sealed it onto the seal on his wrist.
"On the first day, we'll head towards the Central Tower, trying to spot any enemies along the way. If we can collect all the scrolls, we'll head straight to the Central Tower."
"If not, try to find a well-supplied area in the Forest of Death before the fourth day to see if you can find anyone there."
After Sasuke put away the scroll, he spoke to Naruto and Hinata.
"I see. We have enough Military Rations Pill, and with the water I brought, this is indeed feasible."
Naruto wiped his nose and patted the scroll he was carrying on his back.
This is something he has been doing ever since he learned Sealing Jutsu; sometimes, when carrying out missions, he might not be able to find a water source for several days.
So he used the Sealing Jutsu he had learned to store some water.
"Naruto-kun is very reliable!" Hinata nodded from the side; in this respect, Naruto really deserves admiration.
Not only in cultivation, but also in Sealing Jutsu.
Sasuke pursed his lips, but still agreed with Naruto's approach, which made their entire team virtually invincible.
"Alright, let's get started."
Sasuke straightened up, glanced around, and said, "Hinata, I'll trouble you to keep watch along the way. Naruto and I will provide support as needed."
"That's right. Hinata, if you can't hold on any longer, just let me know. Although my senses aren't as convenient as your Byakugan, it's still fine."
Naruto nodded.
"Okay, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun." Hinata had no objections; it was best to use Chakra where it was most needed.
And so, the group headed towards the Central Tower, searching for any potential hidden squads in the surrounding area.
Because they were deliberately maintaining their speed, the team's journey was not very fast.
Snap--
Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata stopped in their tracks at the same time, all looking up at a giant tree in the distance.
"Hey, I didn't expect we'd be found out~"
A guy with a mouthful of sharp teeth and wearing Kirigakure Forehead Protector said, quite speechlessly.
"Suigetsu! It's all because of you!"
The other two figures hiding in the giant tree also came out, one of them scolding Suigetsu with great dissatisfaction.
Shut up! I'm not your place to lecture me!
Suigetsu retorted that if it weren't for the need to form a team, he wouldn't want to be with these two guys.
He was aiming to defeat everyone and become the champion.
Only in this way can the Fifth Mizukage ask Konoha to return the Ninja Blade they previously obtained, allowing him to collect all seven Ninja Blades.
"Are these guys... serious?"
Naruto's lips twitched incessantly. After being discovered, he didn't immediately launch an attack but instead started arguing.
They didn't go over there simply because several traps had been set up around the giant tree.
Although they had already realized it, neither Naruto Sasuke were that confident in the Forest of Death.
If I get injured, even if I defeat these few, there's always someone else who might come.
"Laugh--"
When Suigetsu turned around and saw that Naruto and the others hadn't attacked them, she couldn't help but snort.
These guys are really being extra cautious.
Suigetsu winked at her two teammates, and the two beside her nodded.
"You two seemed pretty arrogant that day!"
As Suigetsu spoke, he took a step toward Naruto and the others, while his teammates formed a triangle to block Naruto rear.
Sasuke glanced at the two of them, then looked at Suigetsu.
This guy is the strongest among them, so...
"Let's do it, Naruto!"
"Oh!"
Sasuke ran ahead towards Suigetsu, while Naruto ran towards the two behind him.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Two Shadow Clones, accompanied by bursts of smoke, followed Naruto toward the two Kirigakure Genin behind him.
"Tch, you actually underestimated me!"
Suigetsu gritted her teeth and snorted coldly, immediately raising her hands towards Sasuke who was coming towards her.
"Water Release: Water Gun Technique - Twin Blades!"
As the Suigetsu Technique was activated, the fingers of both hands fired highly compressed water bullets, much like two pistols.
Sasuke dodged the attack with a few quick movements, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw a huge crater in the ground caused by several water bullets.
"This guy..."
The power of the spell seems a bit off.
Logically speaking, even with the most compressed Water Release, this tiny water bullet shouldn't possess such a powerful attack.
"What an arrogant fellow! He actually dares to be distracted at a time like this!"
When Suigetsu saw that Sasuke dared to be distracted while dodging her jutsu, she was instantly enraged.
Water Release: Water Release: Wild Water Waves!
He raised his hand to form a hand seal, and then sprayed a high-pressure stream of water from his mouth towards Sasuke.
Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly, and with a few leaps, he retreated backward, quickly forming hand seals. "Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
The scorching flames instantly transformed into a giant dragon that hurtled towards Suigetsu.
Upon seeing this, Suigetsu scoffed. He wasn't afraid of dealing with Fire Style!
He clasped his hands together, and his Chakra surged forth. "Water Release: Water Curtain!"
A wall of ultra-high-pressure water suddenly rose up, blocking the scorching fire dragon completely. The collision of fire and water directly evaporated a large amount of smoke.
As the dust settled, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, and only then did he realize what was happening.
The Chakra fluctuations contained within the water vapor were very active—this guy's Water Release incorporated some kind of enhanced Nature Transformation technique!
No wonder he was able to block my Fire Style.
As he tumbled and landed, a blurry afterimage shot out from the smoke, its target Hinata behind him.
"Careful!"
With a flick of his wrist, Sasuke unleashed several Shuriken, precisely blocking the afterimage's path.
Splash--
The moment one of the Shuriken struck, the figure dissipated, turning into a puddle of water that spilled onto the ground.
"Water Clone?!"
Sasuke's Scarlet Sharingan suddenly contracted.
"Sasuke-kun! Up there!" Hinata shouted, her hands waving like dragons.
"Gentle Fist - Vacuum Palm!"
As she fell, Suigetsu completely ignored Hinata's Gentle Fist, a maniacal smile spreading across her face.
"So what if you react quickly?! I'll take the scroll!"