The Konoha Twelve each showed off their abilities on orders from their supervising teachers—or rather, the Konoha High Command. The point was not just to intimidate the other villages, but also to set a benchmark.
They had to reach the second floor under their own power. Anyone who failed would be eliminated along with their teammates, sparing them from dying later during the exams.
The Sunagakure trio followed close behind.
Their steps were steady.
"Boring." Gaara's gaze was as cold and indifferent as ice. The sand around him had already risen on its own, weaving an impenetrable shield in front of him—
The moment the genjutsu barrier's chakra fluctuations touched the sand, they were like sparks falling into a swamp, instantly ground into tiny fragments of chakra without raising so much as a ripple.
"Tch. Konoha does nothing but play these childish games."
Kankuro twitched his fingertips. The claws of his puppet, Crow, gleamed coldly as they struck the genjutsu's nodes with precision. A few crisp clicks tore the false illusion to shreds.
Temari swung her enormous fan, whipping up a howling gale infused with chakra that tangled the genjutsu barrier's fluctuations into chaos. The three walked through as if nothing stood in their way, never even breaking stride.
The Iwagakure team appeared at the foot of the stairs next.
Deidara was still muttering about "Lord Qingwu's art," but his feet did not hesitate—
Just as the genjutsu was about to take effect, he flicked his fingertips, sending a tiny Clay Spider whizzing out.
It exploded with a bang at the barrier's edge, releasing a small burst of chakra that was just enough to shake the genjutsu's core.
"Tch, this little trick is supposed to be a test?" He curled his lip, lifted his chin high, and climbed to the