Encirclement

The Cloud Shinobi leader slammed a fist into a tree. "Calm down. I still need to deliver the intel to Lord Fukai. Now isn't the time to throw our lives away!"

Barely suppressing the rage in his heart, the Cloud Shinobi leader staggered onward for some distance when a voice came from afar. "Is that Captain Kenji?"

"You are... Ogura?"

"That's right, Captain Kenji. You... went blind too?"

"Too? So he didn't kill anyone? How utterly vile!"

"Then... should we look for Jiro?"

"I'm counting on you, Ogura. Good thing you know sensory ninjutsu."

"Understood, Captain!"

As for how the Cloud Shinobi squad, their eyes pierced blind, struggled to survive in the forest, the Shinobi World was far crueler now than it would be in later generations. On top of that, this was the first Chunin Exam, and the rules were incomplete. There was no such luxury as withdrawing.

Konoha also lacked the ability to monitor such an enormous forest. At most, the examiners patrolled the perimeter to prevent outside interference.

Thus, this first exam truly left them responsible for their own lives and deaths, with nowhere to turn for help.

Leaving the Cloud Shinobi squad aside, after casually making three blind men, Sarutobi Toru did not dwell on it and went straight to meet up with his teammates.

Duy had already beaten two of the three Rock Shinobi flat. The last one had escaped underground while his companions desperately held Duy back. After comforting the somewhat guilty Duy, Sarutobi Toru frowned.

"Looks like I need to learn some sensory ninjutsu too. Otherwise, this kind of situation where I can beat them but can't find them will keep happening!"

Even with Inuzuka Hana at his side, they still could not find shinobi who escaped through earth or water. If he were alone, it would probably be even more troublesome.

Back when he carried out missions for Root, the time spent fighting was often less than the time spent searching for people. That was with Root's precise intelligence helping them. Though strength was what shinobi valued most, once one reached the highest levels, a certain degree of sensory ability was indispensable.

Beside him, Inuzuka Hana, who had been watching the battle, finally relaxed completely. This is in the bag. I've got a powerhouse carrying me—awesome!

In the blink of an eye, it was already the third day. Other than being harassed by three squads on the first day, no one had come to throw away their lives during the remaining time. The occasional shinobi who came to observe Sarutobi Toru's squad also ended up blind.

The other seed squads, meanwhile, were continuously hunting down members of ordinary squads. First, it reduced the pressure on the final day; second, it demonstrated their strength, making other squads retreat in the face of difficulty and target someone else instead.

The most unfortunate were the two weak squads that had received Invitation Letters. Rumor had it that they had already been wiped out to the last man.

"Toru! Aren't we heading back to Konoha now?"

They were still at the same campsite. Sarutobi Toru's group had not moved at all these past few days.

"It's fine. The weaker the team, the earlier they'll definitely return. Right now, with the Invitation Letters of those two weak teams, the area around Konoha is probably already in complete chaos!"

After all, an Invitation Letter only transmitted its location once every half hour. The six seed teams had long since been remembered, while the two remaining Invitation Letter-holding teams might be able to slip through unnoticed. At this point, the outskirts of Konoha were probably hosting a time-limited game of ghost hunt!

Moreover, starting from the third day, the rate at which their squad was attacked had risen noticeably. Clearly, the many examinees could no longer hold themselves back.

Though they knew the seed squads were powerful, there were also quite a few shinobi who believed the two Invitation Letter holders were watched by too many people and hidden away, making them harder to target.

And if they defeated a seed squad alone, they could conceal the information about the Invitation Letter and perhaps slip directly into Konoha.

Shinobi with such thoughts were also working hard to lay traps, hide themselves, and launch sneak attacks against Sarutobi Toru and the others.

This was where Inuzuka Hana proved useful. The Inuzuka Clan's sense of smell and ninja hounds rendered most traps and concealed ambushes useless. In the end, their attackers were either beaten black and blue by Duy, their bones and tendons shattered, or stabbed blind by Sarutobi Toru.

As the sun slanted westward, more than twenty crippled and blind examinees finally made the other candidates understand the gap in strength. By then, most Invitation Letter holders had already returned to Konoha, leaving very few chances behind.

A group of examinees gathered together, secretly discussing a plan.

"There's not much time left. Are you willing to make a move together or not?"

"There's only one Invitation Letter. Who gets it then?"

"We can fight over it ourselves afterward. Let's join forces and seize it first!"

"I'm out. I don't want to end up blind. At worst, I just won't take the exam!"

"What about you?"

"Why ask when you already know? Our villages gave us orders before we came, didn't they?"

"That's right. Even if we have to risk our lives, we must enter the second round! If we stand out this time, the benefits for small ninja villages like ours will be enormous!"

"Then let's do it together!"

"I studied their route. They should be traveling in a straight line. Should we use traps?"

"There's no point. They'll definitely be extremely vigilant along this stretch. Since they aren't moving quickly on their way back, we'll just intercept them ahead!"

"Good!"

Half an hour later.

They were just about to reach Konoha's gates when Sarutobi Toru's group stopped. Seeing the shadows of more than twenty examinees faintly visible in the forest ahead, Sarutobi Toru could not help smiling.

"What an impressive lineup. Are you planning to take my Invitation Letter here?"

Unfortunately, no one on the other side responded. They did not even dare show their faces.

For high-speed shinobi, complex terrain undoubtedly posed a certain restraint. Conversely, if they exposed themselves directly, they might die at the enemy's hands before they even had time to react.

Therefore, despite Sarutobi Toru's disdainful appearance, the other shinobi did not dare stick out even their heads. They attacked immediately.

"Ninja Art—Senbon Shower!"

"Mist Servant Technique!"

"Earth Release—Yellow Springs Swamp!"

"Multi Shadow Shuriken Technique!"

In an instant, senbon rained from the sky, the ground became a mire, and indistinguishable real and fake figures and shuriken filled the surroundings. They were clearly all ninjutsu meant to counter high-speed taijutsu.

"Seriously, do you think Speed Chakra Mode is all I can use?"

Sarutobi Toru muttered unhappily, forming hand seals with one hand. "Earth Release—Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"

A massive earthen wall rose up, immediately blocking the incoming ninjutsu.

"What? He can still use Earth Flow Wall inside the Yellow Springs Swamp?"

"Damn it! Is his ninjutsu this powerful too?"

Although Sarutobi Toru did not put much effort into ninjutsu, he had still trained in some practical five-element techniques. With his immense Chakra reserves and exceptional Chakra control, even casual practice had brought him close to the level of a Special Jonin.

Still, elemental ninjutsu was ultimately his weak point. If not for the need to protect Inuzuka Hana, he would have long since evaded these attacks with his speed.

"Then it's my turn!" Narrowing his eyes, a cold killing intent spread through the dense forest.