Chunin Exams: Begin!
A month later, news of the Chunin Ninja Exams had already spread throughout the world, and foreign ninjas wearing various Forehead Protector could be seen everywhere on the streets of Konoha.
They strolled among the shops along the street, making the already bustling village even more lively than usual.
Unlike previous years, Mist Village, a formal ally of Konoha, did not send Genin to participate in the exam this year.
According to the official statement from Mist Village, most of the village's qualified Genin have already been promoted, and there are currently no suitable candidates.
Although some people were missing, the Land of Rice, which has been making waves in the Ninja World recently, sent a team for the first time this year, making the atmosphere of this year's Chunin Ninja Exams even more intense than in previous years.
On Konoha's main street, shops on both sides of the street had already filled their shelves with the latest ninja tools and local specialties.
Clearly, the villagers were planning to take advantage of the rare surge in visitors during the Chunin Ninja Exams to make a killing (or rip off) them.
However, at this ordinary early morning, the Konoha, who were either hawking their wares or hurrying along, suddenly stopped all their activities as if they had sensed something extremely terrifying.
A flicker of fear, known only to the locals of Konoha, flashed across their eyes before they hurriedly rushed back home with astonishing speed.
The doors and windows were tightly shut, and they didn't even have time to pull the shelves that were placed at the shop entrance inside.
In just a few breaths, the once bustling main street was completely emptied, leaving only the ninjas from other villages who had come from afar to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams standing bewildered in the middle of the empty street in the morning breeze.
"... What on earth is going on with these guys from Konoha?"
Kankuro muttered blankly, looking down at the limited-edition Gundam model he had just acquired, then glancing at the empty stall beside him. His face, painted with purple camouflage, was filled with deep regret and confusion.
"Tch, it's such a disappointment that we finally found something interesting in Konoha."
"Perhaps... it's some custom of Konoha?"
Standing beside him Temari whispered a puzzled guess, glancing instinctively at Gaara remained silent behind her.
For some reason, the reactions of these Konoha seemed somewhat similar to how the people of Sunagakure always reacted when they saw Gaara.
"Could it be... that Gaara's identity has been exposed?!"
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Temari's heart sank.
Without making a sound, she slowly moved her right hand toward the handle of the Seven-Star Fan behind her, warily scanning the deserted streets around her.
"Don't get in my way, Temari."
Gaara gave her a cold glance:
"Or else, I'll kill you."
Temari shuddered violently, almost instinctively taking several steps back, and quickly lowered her hand that was still resting on the fan handle.
"Yes, I'm sorry, Gaara, I just..."
"Shut up."
Gaara coldly uttered those two words, then shifted his gaze from Temari's terrified expression back to the empty street ahead.
"... Okay, okay."
Under Kankuro's frantically gesturing gaze, Temari cautiously whispered a reply.
Kankuro leaned close to Temari and whispered something to her. As he spoke, he glanced fearfully at Gaara in front of him, as if afraid that his cold-blooded younger brother would suddenly turn around and bury them both alive in the sand.
At this moment, Gaara was completely oblivious to the brother and sister whispering behind him.
He simply stared coldly at the deserted alleyway ahead, a rare hint of genuine doubt flickering in his indifferent eyes.
He was familiar with the villagers' reactions just now.
In Sand Village, he had witnessed such scenes countless times.
When the villagers saw him, they froze, then lowered their heads and hurriedly ran away, as if looking at him any longer would cause them to explode.
But this time, it's different.
The villagers of Konoha seemed to have been terrified not of themselves...
Who exactly is it that terrifies the villagers of Konoha?
Gaara, unusually, showed a hint of interest in this matter.
Instinct told him that the guy who could instill fear in these Konoha must be a rather interesting prey.
Under Gaara's expectant gaze, three figures could be seen slowly approaching them from the road ahead...
"Ugh... I feel like I'm going to die!!"
Twelve-year-old Naruto wore a well-fitting orange jacket, and his once flamboyant blond hair had been cut shorter during his years of training.
At this moment, he murmured as if his face were ashen, exuding an intense aura of death that was completely different from his usual mischievous and ruthless image.
"Tch, you think this little difficulty is enough to stump you, Naruto?"
Beside him, Sasuke, who had grown from a pretty child into a handsome young man, frowned and spoke coldly.
His already delicate features had matured over the years, and his black hair was casually tied into a small braid at the back of his head, with a long sword strapped to his back.
Sasuke glanced at Naruto and said sarcastically without any mercy:
"There's still water... I even tutored you, yet you're so scared by a mere written test. It's truly shameful."
"Huh? What are you saying, you arrogant Sasuke! Who's afraid?"
I'm not afraid at all!
Naruto suddenly raised his head, and angrily and loudly accused:
"Finally, don't you think it's completely unreasonable to have a written Chunin Ninja Exams?!"
A ninja should settle things with their fists!
"Where did you hear that nonsense?"
Sasuke looked at Naruto speechlessly and retorted matter-of-factly:
"To become Chunin, it takes more than just strength; solid theoretical knowledge is equally essential."
If you don't even understand this most basic thing, then you should just give up on the exam and come back next year.
As he spoke, a mocking smile slowly crept onto his lips:
"But by then, I'll be Chunin, so I won't be taking the exam with Genin like you."
Don't worry, I might even apply to be an examiner so I can properly enjoy watching you frantically scratching your head during the exam.
"Tch, you talk like you're already certain you'll become a Chunin!!"
Naruto retorted sarcastically:
"I heard it from my dad... uh, from Kakashi."
The first written exam of the Chunin Ninja Exams is very difficult; even you probably couldn't answer many questions.
Just wait and see, then you'll be preparing for the next competition with me!
"... Don't compare me to an idiot like you."
"It was just the first written test, a piece of cake for me."
As for someone like you, with a weak foundation and an unwillingness to work hard, you'll probably Genin on the written exam for life, remaining a low-ranking ninja forever."
"What did you say?! You're the one who'll Genin your whole life! You're the one who'll Genin whole life!!"
Beside them, Sakura looked at her two teammates who had been arguing all the way and sighed deeply.
Initially, she was undoubtedly quite excited when she learned that she would be assigned to Team 7 along with Sasuke and Naruto.
Sasuke needs no introduction; he's the dream lover of countless girls in Konoha, and his strength and looks are both impeccable, making him No. 1.
As for Naruto, although his reputation in the village wasn't great, she, as his classmate, knew his strength better than anyone else.
As long as I don't say anything wrong, there shouldn't be any problem getting along with him as a companion.
On the other hand, look at the two teammates assigned to Ino, her best friend and rival in love:
One is a lazybones who complains all day long about how troublesome it is, and the other is a fat guy who doesn't care about anything except eating.
The contrast was so stark it was almost painful, causing her to inwardly gasp in shock:
What a perfect start!!
However, after her long-awaited ninja life officially began, Sakura gradually discovered that this life was not as wonderful as she had initially imagined.
Sasuke and Naruto's strength is beyond doubt. Although they usually seem to be at odds and ready to fight at any moment, their teamwork becomes incredibly seamless during real missions.
She didn't even need Kakashi-sensei and Jonin, to personally intervene; she could easily defeat enemies she considered invincible.
In this process, I, as a member of the team, seem to be becoming more and more invisible.
Aside from occasionally exchanging a few words with them during breaks in missions, she never seemed to truly integrate into their group, whether in battle or in life.
Since graduating from the Ninja Academy, I seem to be stuck in the same place, just like when I was still in the Ninja Academy, without any significant progress...
Thinking this, Sakura stopped in her tracks.
As she watched the two people ahead still mocking each other, yet maintaining an astonishingly synchronized pace, the light in her eyes dimmed slightly.
Ultimately, the reason he was nominated to participate in this Chunin Ninja Exams was simply because he benefited from being Naruto and Sasuke's teammate.
"Am I truly ready to become a Chunin...?"
Just as Sakura was still lost in her thoughts, Naruto and Sasuke in front of her seemed to realize something at the same time. They stopped arguing in perfect unison and turned around to look at Sakura was still standing there in a daze.
Feeling their gazes, Sakura snapped back to reality, about to utter the "sorry" she had said countless times before.
But before she could speak, Naruto's gaze had already passed over her and was fixed on the direction behind her.
A delighted smile suddenly appeared on his face, which had still held a hint of annoyance.
"Brother Kou?! What brings you here?!"
Sakura was taken aback at first, then subconsciously turned her head away following Naruto's surprised gaze.
Behind her, Kou had appeared behind them at some point, smiling and waving at them.
He was dressed in a smart black casual suit, with sunglasses perched on his nose. His handsome, roguish face hadn't changed much in 5 years, only appearing more mature and composed.
It's also become much more... relaxed.