Naruto soon arrived at the outskirts of the Forest of Death.
With a single glance, he spotted Karin standing beneath a large tree, looking somewhat nervous and uneasy, along with his Shadow Clone guarding her side.
Seeing the original body arrive, the Shadow Clone immediately turned into a puff of white smoke and vanished, its memories and sensations returning to Naruto.
Nothing unusual had happened during this time. It had simply escorted her out of the Forest of Death and chatted with her normally.
Karin had mostly listened quietly, occasionally exchanging a few words with Naruto's clone. The two had become fairly familiar with each other.
Just then, a middle-aged man in a Kusagakure uniform, his face full of fury, strode aggressively toward Karin. Before he even reached her, his anger was already palpable.
"What a bunch of useless trash! You couldn't even pass the second exam! Where are your two teammates? Where the hell did they die? Don't tell me they all died while you're still alive?"
He was Kusagakure's Jonin leading the team. He had originally been waiting for the results in the central tower, only to learn that not a single Kusagakure ninja had made it through.
He had come out full of pent-up rage, and upon seeing Karin alone, immediately took it out on her.
Although Karin had Naruto's assurance, her long history of being bullied in Kusagakure had ingrained an instinctive fear in her.
Seeing the Jonin's vicious expression, her body trembled. Instinctively, she hid behind Naruto, who had just arrived.
Only then did the Kusagakure Jonin notice Naruto. Seeing the Konoha forehead protector on his head, he carefully examined his appearance and was startled.
Back in the tower, he had vaguely heard other Konoha ninja discussing a Genin who had performed astonishingly in this