Sasuke: This Place Is Hell!!

"Wow, this is so lively! I'm starting to get excited."

In the contestant area above the arena, Naruto looked at the bustling crowd in the stands and felt a rare sense of anticipation.

"Right, right! This is the first time I've ever seen such a lively scene!!"

"... It feels a little strange for me to say this, but aren't you being a bit too forward?"

Naruto said helplessly, turning his gaze from the audience to the wheat-colored girl beside him who was grinning and squeezing between him and Sasuke, acting as if she didn't belong at all.

"Oh dear, don't say that! We've known each other for a whole month now, we're practically friends already!"

You're right, Sasuke!

The girl looked at Sasuke with a bright smile, completely ignoring his darkened face, and patted him hard on the back twice.

The two slaps weren't loud, but they were enough to make Naruto's somewhat helpless face instantly turn into a wide smile.

"Hahaha!!"

Naruto, seeing Sasuke's disheveled appearance, laughed loudly without any mercy.

"... Naruto, shut up!!"

Sasuke shouted angrily.

"Sorry, but this is just too difficult, I can't do it, hahaha!"

"You--!!"

Sasuke's face darkened even further.

"Damn it, if it weren't for that guy, I wouldn't have..."

He looked at Naruto, who was mocking him hysterically, and then glanced at Fu, who was laughing heartily beside him. The nameless anger in his heart surged up even more.

During this month of training, Kou Zeng specifically sought him out, instructing him on new techniques and asking him to take care of the girl named Fu from the Land of Rice during the Chunin Ninja Exams.

Although he had some doubts about Kou's arrangement at the time, he didn't ask any questions and nodded in agreement almost without thinking.

After all, he had met the girl named Fu a few times during the first two exams.

Although she is a little bit outgoing, she shouldn't be too troublesome to get along with.

Sasuke watched as Naruto and Fu, laughing and putting their arms around each other's shoulders, closed his eyes again in anguish.

But clearly, he was wrong, terribly wrong.

This guy named Fu is practically a Demon Pill on par with Naruto!!

Just as Sasuke was silently praying that the Chunin Ninja Exams would end quickly so he could be freed from the double attack of those two Demon Pill, Gekko Hayate calmly announced from the center of the arena:

"Um... the first match is between Kankuro from Sand Village and Fu from Land of Rice!"

"Is he the first one to perform? Yay!!"

Fu waved excitedly and jumped up from beside Naruto.

Naruto smiled and gave her a thumbs up:

"Go for it, Fu! Win beautifully!!"

"Oh!!"

Fu smiled and gave Naruto a thumbs-up, then turned around, preparing to jump onto the arena below.

Sasuke sighed with relief.

"Finally... some peace and quiet."

However, just as Sasuke was finally able to relax, a loud shout came from the arena opposite them.

"I abstain!!!"

Kankuro raised his hand high and shouted at Gekko Hayate, who was about to announce the start of the match.

Sasuke suddenly raised his head, his eyes freezing instantly:

"... ha?!"

Gekko Hayate gave Kankuro a deep look, then announced loudly:

"Kankuro forfeits. The winner is Fu from the Land of Rice!!"

"Huh? It's over just like that? I was really looking forward to it!"

Fu stared blankly at this scene, then lowered her head in disappointment.

Naruto scratched his head, glanced at Kankuro was lowering his hand and retreating expressionlessly to Gaara's side, and said to Fu with a smile:

"There's nothing we can do about it. Anyway, it's always a good thing to have advanced. Cheer up!"

If you're still disappointed, how about listening to some embarrassing stories from Sasuke's childhood?

I guarantee it'll be absolutely hilarious!

"Huh? Sasuke's childhood stories?! I want to hear them, I want to hear them!!"

Sasuke stood to the side, listening to the conversation between the two Demon Pill beside him, gazing at the azure sky, when suddenly everything went black:

"This... is hell."

Meanwhile, on the chairman's platform...

Jiraiya glanced meaningfully at Rasa, who stood beside him with a blank expression, and then remarked with feigned exaggeration:

"Oh dear, the first competition is going to end like this? I never expected it..."

These three Sand Village youths who advanced are all quite outstanding.

Rasa looked down at Kankuro and said indifferently:

"Since Kankuro made this choice, it means he is very clear that he doesn't have much of a chance of winning."

Considering his current value, reaching this point is already quite remarkable.

You don't need to feel sorry for him, Hokage.

"... You're as demanding as ever."

Jiraiya shrugged and said with a helpless expression.

Rasa ignored Jiraiya's sentiments.

He simply gazed calmly at the bustling, noisy arena below, and spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Keep watching, Hokage."

"Don't worry, this Chunin Ninja Exams, Sand Village will definitely give everyone here... a surprise."

A cold glint flashed in Jiraiya's eyes as he laughed loudly and replied to Rasa:

"Hahaha, then I'll wait and see!"

On the arena, Gekko Hayate looked at the tournament schedule in his hand, cleared his throat, and announced loudly:

"The second match is between Temari from Sand Village and Shikamaru Nara from Konoha."

"Oh? Is it my turn?"

Temari looked down at the ring with surprise, then took a step forward, preparing to walk towards the ring.

"... Hey, Temari, are we really going to fight?"

Kankuro leaned close to Temari and whispered with concern:

"Revealing our hand now would be quite detrimental to our plans."

Temari stopped abruptly, and, slightly annoyed, casually replied:

"There's nothing we can do about it. After all, you've already forfeited. If I forfeited too, Konoha would definitely notice something's wrong."

As she spoke, she glanced down at Shikamaru Nara, who was muttering "what a hassle" and Earth Flow the ring, and smiled contemptuously.

"Don't worry, I don't need to use my full strength against an opponent of this caliber!"

"... That's true."

Kankuro breathed a sigh of relief, then asked Temari in an almost teasing tone:

Will we win?

Temari turned her head, a confident smile blooming on her beautiful face:

"Is that even a question? We'll win!!"