In the forest, Mitaraishi Anko finally regained the ability to move.
She struggled to her feet, only to realize that members of Konoha Anbu had found her.
Anko was quickly escorted back to the Hokage's Office. Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was already waiting there, his eyes full of deep concern.
Hiruzen stared at the Curse Mark on Anko's neck, his brow furrowed. He quickly performed a Sealing Jutsu, firmly suppressing the mark's power. Then he asked softly, "Does the Curse Mark still hurt, Anko?"
Anko gratefully touched the Curse Mark on her neck and replied, "No. Thanks to you, Lord Hokage, it's almost healed." Her voice was still clearly weak.
Hiruzen nodded, but his brow remained furrowed. Wary of Orochimaru's strength, he knew he couldn't act rashly. In a grave voice, he said, "In any case, the exams will continue as planned. We'll keep an eye on that man's movements and prepare to deal with him."
Once she had recovered, Anko went with Hiruzen to the Central Tower in the Forest of Death.
Nearly all of Konoha's Jonin and Chunin had gathered there. Kakashi had also arrived at the Central Tower, and he looked at Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke with satisfaction.
Of the 78 who had started the second exam, only 21 had passed.
"So 21 people passed..." Anko murmured, a complex look in her eyes. "I thought there'd only be a handful left..."
The 21 contestants stood at attention, waiting for Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's speech.
Choji rubbed his stomach, indicating that he was hungry.
Shikamaru said in exasperation, "Why are there still so many people? What a drag."
Hinata stood nearby, nervously fidgeting with her fingers as she gazed shyly and tenderly at Naruto. Her heart began to race, and a faint blush spread across her face, like a flower just about to bloom.
"Naruto passed too. I'm so glad..." Hinata thought to herself, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
Ino had noticed Naruto too, and smiled dreamily. "Naruto passed, too."
Behind Ino, Shikamaru turned around and said, "Of course he did. Just look at how Naruto stands. He's changed in more ways than just his appearance."
Naruto stood at ease, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. His eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, were exceptionally bright. Whenever he had a moment, Naruto engaged the Nine-Tails in a chakra tug-of-war, continuously drawing chakra from him in an attempt to master more of the Nine-Tails' power.
Just then, Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi began to speak. His steady, powerful voice reached everyone present. "From this moment on, we'll move on to the third exam. But so that you don't misunderstand the purpose of the competition, I need to explain something."
Hiruzen continued, "During the third exam, nobles from various countries and other prominent figures who hire us for missions will come in person to watch you fight. This competition is also about how many missions we can secure. It's a stage where you risk your lives to show others what you can do and demonstrate your strength. All of this affects a ninja village's diplomatic standing!"
Down below, Tenten muttered, "But our teacher said earlier that friendship comes first, and competition second."
Hiruzen smiled faintly. Having heard Tenten mutter, he said, "I told you from the start not to misunderstand. Friendship is the foundation, but strength is essential, too. Only when your strength is equal can you truly coexist in friendship."
Just then, Gaara spoke coldly from below. "Who cares about all that? Forget friendship. Hurry up and tell us what this exam is."
Hiruzen nodded at that.
Just as Hiruzen was about to reveal what the third exam would entail, a light breeze swept by, making clothes flutter. Gekko Hayate, a ninja with a somewhat haggard appearance, quietly appeared before them.
He knelt on one knee and performed a standard ninja salute to Hiruzen. In a somewhat weak voice, he said, "Lord Hokage, allow me, as the judge for the third exam, to explain the details and rules of this exam to them."
Hiruzen nodded. "I'll leave it to you."
Hayate stood and addressed the Genin who had passed the second exam. "There's one more thing you need to do: a preliminary round to determine whether you're eligible to take the third exam."
At this, the Genin below erupted into an uproar. They looked at one another, clearly unfamiliar with and confused by the word "preliminaries."
Shikamaru shouted, "What's this preliminary round about?" His voice was full of frustration. What a drag.
Sakura chimed in, "Yeah! Sensei, why can't the examinees who made it this far go straight on to the third exam?"
Hayate calmly explained, "Perhaps the first and second exams were too easy this time, leaving too many people. So, under the Chunin Exam rules, we'll hold a preliminary round to reduce the number of participants in the third exam."
Before you continue