Chunin Selection Exam

Kankuro struggled fiercely, trying to wrench his wrist free from Naruto's iron grip, but no matter how hard he pulled, that hand remained utterly motionless.

Rage and resentment surged within him. Kankuro spun around abruptly, the Ninja Tool Puppets on his back snapping open in an instant—he was ready to get serious.

But just as the tension reached its peak, a cold voice rang out from above, cutting through the brewing conflict. "Kankuro, stop. You're nothing but a disgrace to the village." Gaara's voice was like a blade in the winter wind, sharp and icy. He hung upside down from a tree branch, his indifferent eyes fixed on the scene below.

Kankuro's movements froze. He looked up at Gaara, a flicker of fear flashing in his eyes.

Though resentment still churned within him, under Gaara's authority, he had no choice but to rein in his anger.

He tried to open his mouth to explain, but Gaara cut him off without mercy. "Shut up. Say another word, and I'll kill you." The words struck like piercing frost, snuffing out any thought of defiance in Kankuro.

Gaara leaped down from the tree, landing steadily on the ground. He looked at Naruto and the others, a hint of apology in his tone. "Sorry for the trouble." In truth, he was deeply shaken by Naruto's performance. He prided himself on his keen perception, yet he hadn't even caught Naruto's movements—a fact that forced him to reassess Konoha's strength.

Naruto chuckled. He had long since spotted Gaara's presence with his sharp Six Eyes.

He didn't take this childish scuffle to heart, nor did he have any intention of getting serious. He patted Kankuro on the shoulder and said lightly, "Forget it."

Feeling Naruto's casual pat on his shoulder, Kankuro's chest swelled with a nameless shame and fury. His eyes widened as he glared at Naruto, as if trying to pour out all his resentment and rage.

But when his peripheral vision caught Gaara's cold, commanding figure, that fury was instantly suppressed.

He clenched his teeth, swallowing his anger, his hands balled into fists so tight his nails nearly dug into his palms.

He knew well that before Gaara, any rash action would only make things worse for himself. So, despite the bitterness and rage boiling inside, he forced himself to endure.

Kankuro took a deep breath, struggling to calm himself.

"You're strong," Gaara said, looking at Naruto. It was a rare admission of recognition from him. Determined to learn this opponent's name, he asked directly, "What's your name?"

A confident smirk curled at the corner of Naruto's mouth. "Naruto Uzumaki."

Gaara gave a slight nod, a trace of barely perceptible approval flickering in his eyes. He returned the introduction without hesitation. "Gaara. I'll remember you, Naruto Uzumaki."

Temari stood rooted to the spot, her gaze involuntarily drifting back to Naruto. Her eyes were full of admiration, and a strange flutter stirred in her heart.

"Temari, we're leaving." Gaara's voice came from beside her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She blinked, realizing she was still standing there, and quickly nodded, following Gaara along with Kankuro.

Gaara was about to lead Kankuro and Temari away when their steps halted at Sakura's call.

Sakura's voice was crisp and firm. "Wait a moment. Judging by your headbands, you're ninja from the Sand Village, right? Even though the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind are allies, the treaty clearly prohibits ninja from freely crossing into each other's countries. State your purpose here, and we'll decide based on the situation..."

Before Sakura could finish, Temari sighed and cut her off. "This is what they call 'darkness under the lamp,' isn't it?" She continued, "You don't know anything, do you?" Then, Temari pulled a pass from her pocket, unfolded it gently, and showed it to Sakura. "We really are ninja from the Sand Village. We came here to take part in the Chunin Selection Exam. All the paperwork and permits are in order—you can rest easy."

"Chunin Exam?" Naruto muttered to himself. He had no memory of this, so curiosity piqued.

Sakura furrowed her brow as well. Though she was more observant and sharp than Naruto, she too knew very little about the specifics of the Chunin Exam.

Just then, Konohamaru looked at Naruto and Sakura with an excited grin, as if he knew exactly what they were wondering.

Konohamaru cleared his throat and explained with mock seriousness, "The Chunin Exam—if you pass it, you get promoted from genin to chunin!"

Seeing that Sakura understood, Gaara turned around lightly and said to Kankuro and Temari, "We should go now."

Kankuro and Temari nodded and followed Gaara as he left.

At that moment, Naruto's Six Eyes shifted, finally locking onto a few lush, towering trees.