He's a Konoha Ninja, Kill Them!

"Stay calm, do nothing, and trust your teammates."

A simple sentence, yet it seemed to possess infinite magic, instantly smoothing out the anxiety and fear within Naruto's heart.

That's right... Ling Xuan is so powerful; he must have a way!

Time ticked away, second by second, until no one else raised their hand.

"Very good," Ibiki said. "Then, for everyone present, the first exam—"

"Everyone passes!"

"Eh--?!!"

Everyone was stunned.

"The tenth question didn't exist to begin with," Ibiki explained. "The choice you just made was the tenth question itself. Under the pressure of unknown information, it tested whether you had the resolve to take risks! That resolve is the most indispensable quality for a Chunin!"

Just as everyone was still caught in shock and joy, a figure crashed through the classroom window like a whirlwind!

The newcomer was a purple-haired woman with a hot figure, wearing a mesh shirt that highlighted her chest, and she dragged a massive banner behind her.

"Everyone! Don't get too happy yet! My name is Anko Mitarashi, and I am the proctor for the second exam!"

"What comes next is the real hell! Follow me!"

She radiated an aura of wildness and madness, causing the candidates, who had just relaxed, to tense up once again.

The location for the second exam was Practice Field 44, known as the "Forest of Death."

It was a place filled with poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, a place where danger lurked at every turn.

Anko announced the rules of the exam: each team would randomly receive either a Book of Heaven or a Scroll of Earth. Their task was to collect both the Book of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth within five days while navigating the forest and reaching the tower at the center.

"During this time, you may use any means necessary to seize scrolls from others," Anko said, a bloodthirsty smile appearing on her face. "In other words, from this moment on, everyone around you—except for your teammates—is your enemy!"

"Also, let me give you a piece of advice," Anko added. "Whatever you do... don't die."

The cruel rules sent a chill down everyone's spine.

With a loud boom, the wire-mesh gate behind Team 7 was ruthlessly slammed shut.

In that moment, it felt as if the entire world had been severed in two.

Outside the gate lay the sunlight and order of Konoha; inside lay ancient, towering trees with canopies that blocked out the sky, accompanied by the roars of unknown beasts echoing from the depths of the forest.

The air was thick with a unique scent of rotting leaves mixed with damp soil—chilly, oppressive, and filled with the danger of raw, primal wilderness.

"Wow... what a huge forest," Naruto said, staring at the forest that lay dormant like a giant beast, unable to help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Sakura's face turned pale, and she subconsciously leaned closer to Sasuke. Sasuke gripped his Kunai tightly, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings with extreme vigilance.

"Quiet."

Ling Xuan's calm voice allowed his three tense teammates to instantly find their backbone.

He ignored the terrifying sounds coming from the forest and calmly spread out a simple map he had hand-drawn based on intelligence gathered before the exam.

"Our position is at the East Gate 3. We hold the Scroll of Earth, and our final destination is the tower located in the center of the forest." Ling Xuan's finger traced slowly across the map. "The straight-line distance from here to the tower is about ten kilometers, but this forest is filled with poisonous insects, ferocious beasts, and other candidates who are more dangerous than both combined."

Raising his head, Ling Xuan swept his gaze across his three teammates in turn.

"Therefore, our primary goal is not to rush toward the tower immediately, nor is it to scramble to find a team holding the Book of Heaven. Our primary goal is survival."

Ling Xuan's tone was unquestionable, carrying an innate, convincing authority.

"Starting now, we will proceed along this route." Ling Xuan pointed to a path on the map that stayed relatively far away from rivers and swamps.

"This route is the longest, but it is also the best way to avoid the habitats of large beasts. Sasuke, you are responsible for the right flank. Naruto, the left. Sakura, watch our rear and the sky. I will lead the way."

"Remember, without my command, no one is to initiate an attack. We will move like shadows, silently and without a trace."

"Understood!" Naruto and Sasuke replied in unison. Having experienced the life-and-death battle in the Land of Waves, they had long since placed absolute trust in Ling Xuan's judgment.

The team, like the most experienced hunters, quietly merged into the Forest of Death.

After marching for about half an hour, Ling Xuan, who was leading the way, suddenly raised his right hand, signaling for a halt.

The team stopped instantly, and everyone held their breath.

"What is it, Ling Xuan?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.

Ling Xuan did not answer; his gaze was fixed on a patch of bushes not far ahead. Through the vision of his Eye of Truth, he could clearly see three chakra sources lurking behind the brush.

The chakra levels were not high, all at the Genin level. One of them had a distinct scent of rain and mud—they were ninjas from Amegakure, and they held the Book of Heaven.

Information flashed through Ling Xuan's mind in an instant.

He did not choose to fight immediately; instead, he led his team in a quiet detour, climbing a massive tree that offered a good vantage point. Now, they needed to observe and gather intelligence.

He could see the three Rain Ninja playing with a giant centipede they had captured in a cruel manner; their eyes were filled with violence and a thirst for slaughter.

They were experienced in combat, cruel in nature, and skilled at using the environment for ambushes, but there were clear gaps in their coordination. A quick victory was possible.

Ling Xuan reached a judgment. He turned to his teammates behind him and issued extremely concise orders in a voice only they could hear.

"Sasuke, Fire Style, target the dead tree to their left to create a distraction. Naruto, Shadow Clone, flank from three sides. Sakura, focus on protecting our scroll. Wait for my signal."

The three nodded immediately.

Ling Xuan picked up an ordinary leaf from the ground, held it between his fingers, and took a deep breath, channeling his Wind Style chakra into it.

Now!

The leaf in his hand shot out silently like a sharp arrow, precisely severing a hanging vine in front of the three Rain Ninja.

"Who's there?!" The three Rain Ninja were instantly on high alert.

But it was already too late.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

Several fireballs from Sasuke ignited the dead trees beside them at that exact moment, the raging flames and thick smoke instantly drawing their attention.

"Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"

Over a dozen Naruto clones also charged out from all directions, yelling wildly!

"It's Konoha ninja! Take them out!" the captain of the Rain Ninja squad immediately ordered.

However, the very moment they were thrown into chaos by the flames and Naruto's clones, their formation scattering, a dark shadow appeared silently behind the captain like a true grim reaper.