"Ahhh!"
A bloodcurdling scream drew rapidly closer from outside the tower. A battered figure flew in with arms and legs spread wide, crashing heavily to the ground.
Only then did Kakashi emerge from the darkness. His cool, dead-fish eyes swept over Houka and Uchiha Tenzen before settling on Orochimaru.
"Lord Orochimaru, I passed the test, right?"
Orochimaru flashed a sinister smile. "Very good. You acted decisively, Kakashi. You haven't let down your reputation as a genius."
Houka and Uchiha Tenzen froze, both realizing at the same time that the other was a fake. They exchanged a glance, and instantly found each other even more detestable.
"Uchiha Houka, this isn't over!" Uchiha Tenzen sneered coldly. Then he dispelled his Shadow Clone, which vanished in a puff of smoke—without even giving Houka a chance to threaten him back!
Furious, Houka slammed his head against the wall and vanished in a puff of smoke.
Meanwhile, after receiving their Shadow Clones' memories outside the tower, Houka and Uchiha Tenzen immediately attacked nearby ninja, planning to follow Kakashi's example and grab themselves a human cushion.
Both had the Two-Tomoe Sharingan. With Genjutsu and their impressive Taijutsu skills, each managed to catch a "human cushion" within a minute and pass the test in turn.
The three remaining Genin outside had also figured out how to pass. But there were three of them—three!
With two monks, there was water to drink; with three monks, there was none.
Only one of the three Genin could possibly pass, so naturally, they fought with all their might. After a fierce, thrilling, earth-shaking battle, they finally... all got eliminated.
Time was up!
"So, the ones who passed the Forest of Death test are Kakashi, Uchiha Tenzen, and Uchiha Houka!" Orochimaru's snake-like eyes shifted to the dejected Genin beside him. "As for