The Second Stage of the Chunin Exams

After the Daimon opened, Naraku's trio rushed straight into the Lost Wasteland. The Lost Wasteland trial grounds were extremely vast, covering an area of nearly fifty kilometers in circumference, much larger than Konoha's Forest of Death.

The terrain is a barren plain of yellowish-brown soil, with jagged rocks interspersed with small groves and hills.

Naraku knew the location of the Lost Wasteland very well. Naraku had seen the map of the Lost Wasteland and memorized it when he was planning the exam questions with the Third Tsuchikage.

The meeting place with Orochimaru was in the small grove east of the watchtower.

Whether or not Naraku passed the second exam was irrelevant to him, since Naraku wasn't really there to take the Chunin exam.

Naraku and his group moved extremely fast, traveling at a rapid pace without encountering any other examinee Genin, and arrived at their destination in about an hour.

"We've reached our destination. Take a break, and then you can do whatever you want."

Naraku whispered instructions to the two behind him, then leaped onto the canopy of a large tree in the jungle, gazing at the watchtower where the Chunin Ninja Exams were to be held in the distance.

"Yes, sir!" x2

Upon hearing these words, Handa Fumicho and Tamura Mami immediately used their Body Flicker Technique to leave.

Naraku sat cross-legged on the treetop, his eyes closed, his hands forming the Mudra.

"Um?"

As always, Naraku did not sense Orochimaru, but in this forest, he sensed three ninjas with considerable Chakra reserves.

Furthermore, these three people seemed to sense Naraku's location and quickly Naraku him.

Is that Orochimaru?

Naraku muttered to himself. The three clumps of Chakra were extremely fast and came with great force, which was slightly different from Orochimaru's style in his memory.

Naraku, wearing a pair of sunglasses with a somewhat hip-hop style, adjusted the frames, Snake Seal the Snake, and a bluish-yellow wooden figure emerged from Naraku back.

The Wood Clone sat cross-legged in Naraku to attract the three people, while Naraku's true body sank down, merging from the branches and leaves of the large tree into its trunk.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The three Iwagakure ninjas who quickly approached Naraku launched an attack without any concealment, firing more than a dozen kunai from three directions at Naraku's tree clones in the canopy.

The Narakumo clone formed a hand seal, its body transforming into fluttering leaves. Several leaves drifted to the ground, forming the shape of Narakumo.

"Konoha Body Flicker? Interesting. This way, I can have some fun with you."

In the treetop, where Naraku had been, stood a beautiful girl with short black hair, wearing Iwagakure Forehead Protector. The girl licked her lips and praised Naraku.

Although Kurotsuchi appears to be a young girl, she possesses a certain allure. Having witnessed Naraku's superb Body Flicker Technique, she judged that Naraku no ordinary person.

Narakumo's clone had confirmed that these three were not Orochimaru, and said expressionlessly:

"You are no match for me, leave."

Kurotsuchi descended from the treetop and landed on a large tree branch. Leaning against the tree with her left hand, she heard Naraku's words of expulsion and, intrigued by Naraku's coldness and forcefulness, a mischievous expression appeared on her sweet face as she said:

"Oh my, how proud and arrogant you are! You're exactly my type, but unfortunately, you're not my type."

Naraku's disguise involved wearing a yellow linen outfit and hip-hop sunglasses to cover his eyes, making him appear quite ordinary.

"Where are your teammates? If they don't come to rescue you, you might die."

Kurotsuchi had a sweet face, but her words carried a Kurotsuchi sense of superiority.

The ground where Naraku's clone stood suddenly transformed into a circular swamp several meters in diameter, which began to rotate, pulling Naraku downwards. As soon as it took shape, Naraku's clone was pulled down violently by the rotating swamp, his lower legs sinking completely into the swamp.

At the same time, more than ten earth spikes shot towards Naraku's clone from the left.

Earth Style: Earth Release: Antlion Technique!

"Earth Style: Earth Release: Rock-Thief Staff!"

Kurotsuchi's two teammates, Akatsuchi, stood Rikuto on either side of Naraku, their Ninjutsu working in perfect coordination. In Setsuna, Naraku's Wood Clone was in danger.

"Snort"

Narakumo's clone maintained a cold expression throughout. Its body, which had been pulled down by the swamp, sank rapidly into the swamp, dodging the arrows from the earth spikes.

A few seconds later, the figure of the Naraku Wood Release clone emerged from the branches of another large tree nearby.

"This...? It doesn't seem to be just Earth Style?"

The three members of the Kurotsuchi team stared at the figure of Narakumo's clone, completely certain that they had met their match.

The opponent's skill in Earth Style surpassed that of himself and his companions, who were renowned for their expertise in Earth Style Ninjutsu and were considered Earth Style prodigies of Iwagakure. The fact that they could escape from the Earth Style trap he had created was utterly unheard of.

Furthermore, Earth Style cannot be used to sneak through tree branches, while the opponent can.

Kurotsuchi encountered a formidable foe, but his eyes showed no sign of retreat; instead, he was eager to try, as if he had found a favorite toy. His hands quickly Hand Seals.

The Narakumo clone opposite him also formed hand seals, completing the technique in just three.

Before the three members of Kurotsuchi group could fully condense their Ninjutsu, the temperature suddenly soared, and above them, a ball of fire, of unknown size and as large as the sun, descended from the sky.

"What!?"

"Kurotsuchi, hurry up!"

"Dive underground!"

The three of Kurotsuchi were filled with fear when faced with such Ninjutsu, feeling as weak as ants. Kurotsuchi jumped down from the tree trunk, crouched down, and tried to hide in the ground.

The Narakumo clone grinned wickedly as it jumped down from the tree trunk, crouching down and placing its hands on the ground.

Earth Style: Hardening Technique!

Centered on Naraku's clone, a circular air ripple occurred, but nothing else changed.

"The ground is paved; you can't sneak in! Cough cough cough!"

"I can't break through his Chakra!"

"Who exactly are you?! Cough cough!"

The three men, including Kurotsuchi, finally understood that their small team was no different from ants to the enemy. They watched the huge ball of fire slowly descending from the sky and the jungle burning fiercely.

The raging flames and thick black smoke caused the three to cough incessantly, choking them until they felt dizzy and suffocated.

"Kurotsuchi, the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki of Both Scales, and a genius female ninja from Iwagakure, is the one named Akatsuchi, who is Ōnoki of Both Scales's disciple, right?"

I never imagined that the geniuses of Iwagakure would be so easily defeated. I'm truly disappointed.

After Naraku's Wood Clone finished using Earth Style Ninjutsu, it stood up and chuckled mockingly.

The three members of the Iwagakure team were choked by the thick smoke, their eyes watering. Hearing Naraku's mockery, Kurotsuchi forced herself to open her eyes and observe Naraku.

"Something's not right... Is it Genjutsu?"

Kurotsuchi finally realized something was wrong: the scorching forest, the billowing smoke, and the giant fireball falling from the sky—yet the Tea Hidden Village opposite them were completely unaffected.

"Ahem, this is Genjutsu!"

Kurotsuchi shouted loudly, feeling himself choked by the thick smoke again, and immediately Hand Seals.

"Genjutsu: Dispel! Cough cough..."