A Familiar Yet Unfamiliar Dream, a Blond Father and a Red-Haired Mother

Morino Ibiki then announced that everyone present had passed the exam.

"This round began testing your reconnaissance abilities and battlefield decision-making. In my view, if a chunin could not even make decisions, then they were unfit to be a chunin."

After Ibiki's long speech, the initially indignant crowd gradually calmed down. Though they were upset, they had to admit that Ibiki made sense.

Just as everyone listened to Ibiki's lecture, two kunai tied with black curtains shattered the windows and pierced the ceiling.

The curtains unfurled, bearing several large words: Second Stage Chief Examiner Anko Mitarashi, reporting for duty!

A woman followed close behind, landing on the podium and striking a cool pose.

"Now isn't the time to celebrate. I'm the Second Stage Chief Examiner, Anko Mitarashi. Next, follow me!"

Her absurd entrance left every examinee staring wide-eyed. Could an examiner like this really be reliable?

Could they apply to have Ibiki continue as the examiner? He might enjoy psychological warfare, but at least he looked dependable.

Anko also noticed that the atmosphere was off. She coughed twice. "Ahem, eighty-three people, thirty-one teams. Ibiki, why are there so many? You went way too easy on them."

Ibiki said, "There are many outstanding ones this year."

Hyuga Kei had no interest in listening to her nonsense any longer. He waved to Hinata beside him. "Little Hinata, see you at the exam site tomorrow. I'm heading out first."

"Is... is it okay to leave while the examiner is speaking?"

"It's fine."

Hyuga Kei waved a hand, stood up, and walked outside. He was planning to go back and catch up on sleep.

Seeing Hyuga Kei get up, Karin Uzumaki and Uchiha Hikari also rose and headed outside.

Anko shouted, "Stop! Is this how you disrespect an examiner?"

A shuriken flew toward Hyuga Kei. Uchiha Hikari instantly appeared in front of him, wielding a kunai as she knocked the incoming shuriken away.

Killing Intent appeared in Hikari's eyes. This woman had actually dared to launch a sneak attack on Brother Kei. As long as Hyuga Kei gave the order, she would kill Anko without hesitation.

At that moment, every examinee in the room felt as though they had fallen into an ice pit, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Sasuke lowered his head slightly and looked at his trembling hand. Is this genjutsu? No, this is pure Killing Intent!

Naruto, beside him, was already too rigid to speak.

The little dog named Akamaru atop Kiba's head trembled uncontrollably.

Omoi of Kumogakure had cold sweat drip onto his knees. This Killing Intent was even more terrifying than his master's.

Gaara, meanwhile, widened his eyes. It was as if he had found his own kind.

Ignoring Anko's fury, Hyuga Kei patted Hikari's shoulder to tell her to calm down. He yawned and continued walking forward. "Training Ground 44, the Forest of Death, Heaven and Earth Scroll Battle Royale. Konoha already informed the higher-ups of every village. Everyone, disperse. Eat if you need to eat, train if you need to train."

Anko wiped the sweat from her forehead. She had only seen such powerful Killing Intent from people like Orochimaru before.

Yet it had appeared in a little girl, and that girl seemed completely obedient to that boy.

What Anko did not know was that Uchiha Hikari, a weapon of the Warring States era, had lived amid slaughter since childhood. Every time she acted, countless lives were reaped.

"Alright, you heard it just now. Tomorrow morning, at Training Ground 44, the Forest of Death. This exam will eliminate more than half of you."

Still shaken, the examinees stood and headed outside. That black-haired girl had left them far too stunned.

It was hard to imagine that they might have to become enemies with someone like her.

Anko asked Ibiki, "Do we have any information on them?"

A ninja beside her flipped through the ninja handbook in his hands. "The leading boy is Chiba Kishu, thirteen years old, an Otogakure genin. Missions completed: C-rank, 0; B-rank, 0; A-rank, 0; S-rank, 0."

"The black-haired girl is Chiba Hikari, thirteen years old, a genin. Missions completed: C-rank, 0; B-rank, 0; A-rank, 0; S-rank, 0."

"The red-haired girl is Karin Uzumaki, thirteen years old, a genin. Missions completed..."

Anko impatiently interrupted, "Enough. They're all zeroes again, right?"

"Yes."

Anko sighed. "Otogakure was just founded. Where did they find so many monsters?"

Ibiki picked up the file. "No matter what, we need to report this to Lord Hokage."

Inside the Hokage's office.

Ibiki truthfully reported the entire matter.

"You mean the ninja Otogakure sent possesses at least the strength of a Special Jonin?" Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

"That's right. That kind of Killing Intent is not something an ordinary chunin could possess."

"Then what do you think their objective is?"

Ibiki pondered for a moment. "I don't know. He was very quiet throughout the exam, merely observing his surroundings. After it ended, he seemed somewhat impatient and left immediately."

"Unrestrained by rules, doing whatever he pleases... perhaps that is his standard of conduct." Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe. Unable to figure out Hyuga Kei's objective, he could only guess.

Ibiki agreed. "That is possible."

"But we cannot let down our guard. Notify Jiraiya. Tell him all the information and have him replace Anko as the chief examiner for the second stage."

"Understood."

Naruto was thrilled to have passed the first exam. He skipped all the way home, completely ignoring the hostile stares around him.

As long as he found Chiba Kishu during the second exam, he could ask him about his origins and prove that he was not a demon fox.

"To celebrate passing the first exam, today, I choose you—collector's edition chicken broth-flavored ramen!"

Grinning happily, he took out the instant noodles he had treasured for so long. For some reason, Kishu's face suddenly came to mind.

"Forget it. I'll bring this to Kishu tomorrow to thank him for telling me about my parents."

Naruto picked up an ordinary cup of noodles to eat instead, stuffing the treasured one into his backpack.

One cup of instant noodles was enough to deal with lunch. Feeling drowsy, Naruto lay down on his bed.

His thoughts drifted, and in an instant, he fell into a deep sleep.

In his dream, Naruto seemed to return to the day he had enrolled at the Ninja Academy. That afternoon, all the students left through the school gates together.

Most of them had parents there to pick them up. Sakura threw herself into her father's arms, acting cute as she asked him to carry her home on his back.

Even the stuck-up Sasuke was being carried home by his older brother, the two chatting and laughing along the way.

Naruto smiled with a sense of acceptance and headed home alone.

He had barely gone any distance when pain suddenly shot through his head.

"Naruto, why did you run off without even waiting for your mother? Were you planning to sneak off and play again?"

Naruto turned around and saw a woman with flowing red hair. He could not make out her face clearly, yet she gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

He knew perfectly well that he did not know her, but somehow, the word slipped out anyway. "Mom."

"Acting cute won't solve anything. Accept your punishment, little Naruto. Be good and come home with me."

The red-haired woman grabbed Naruto by the ear and dragged him away.

He was pulled all the way back to an unfamiliar home.

"I'm home!" the red-haired woman called out as she abruptly opened the door.

Naruto saw a blond man sitting in the living room. He put down his newspaper and looked over.

The blond man spoke gently. "Welcome home, Kushina, Naruto."

The red-haired woman crouched down, full of helplessness, helped Naruto into a pair of frog slippers, then tossed him onto the sofa.

"Minato, you need to discipline your son! I went to pick him up after school just now, and he actually tried to sneak off to play. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

The red-haired woman wore an exaggerated expression as she began imagining all the possible things that could happen.

"Maybe he'll turn out like Teacher Jiraiya—doing nothing all day, peeping into women's bathhouses, violating the Three Prohibitions!"

The blond man gave an awkward smile and tried to defend his son. "No, Naruto is just playful, that's all."

However, when he saw his wife's increasingly angry expression, his tone changed at once. "But Naruto, what you did was wrong. You should come straight home after school and let your parents know you're safe. If you want to go out and play, you must ask us first. Understand?"

Naruto nodded blankly. "Father."

The man hurriedly changed the subject. "Now go wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Okay." Naruto ran to the bathroom as if he had been pardoned.

The family began enjoying a lavish dinner to celebrate Naruto starting school.

In a haze, Naruto felt the blond man carry him to bed, while the red-haired woman gently kissed his forehead and softly said, "Good night, son."

Back in reality, Naruto opened his eyes and climbed out of bed. "Hiss... I'm about to pee myself!"

Naruto rushed to the toilet and let loose.

"Whoo... that feels good."

As he pulled up his pants, Naruto suddenly thought of the dream and tried hard to recall what had happened in it.

His blond father's and red-haired mother's words still echoed in his ears.

"Father... Mother..."

Naruto's features twisted together, and tears uncontrollably streamed from his eyes.

Outside the window, Hyuga Kei, who had silently witnessed everything, concealed his Sharingan once more.

"Next, it's time to go to Sasuke's house."

A White Zetsu poked its head up beside Hyuga Kei's feet.

"Lead the way. We're going to find Sasuke."

"As you command, Lord Kei."

This was a White Zetsu subordinate Hyuga Kei had obtained from Black Zetsu. He had then had Hikari use Yachihoko on it once more. Now, they were loyal only to Hyuga Kei.