Forest of Death (1)

"Damn it, how can I not find them? I remember that by this time... the Sound Ninja Trio should have already made their move." Yin Xiang had searched almost half the forest, dodging several other teams along the way; it was best not to waste time with them right now.

Yin Xiang then ran back toward the original direction, but as luck would have it, he ran into Gaara's team. Gaara immediately blocked his path with a wall of sand.

"I'm in a hurry, so you'd best not get in my way." Forced to stop, Yin Xiang jumped down from the tree and landed before them.

"I want to fight you." Gaara stopped Kankuro, who was about to move, and spoke to Yin Xiang.

"There will be plenty of opportunities for that later, but not now." Yin Xiang looked at Gaara, his face expressionless.

"Sand Waterfall!" Gaara ignored him entirely, launching a wave of sand at him. Yin Xiang raised his hand and swiped, scattering the sand instantly.

"What!" Gaara's pupils dilated slightly; this was a first. Behind him, Kankuro and Temari were equally stunned.

"Get lost!" Yin Xiang's pupils constricted, and a surge of killing intent erupted from his eyes. Kankuro and Temari were shaken to the core, trembling uncontrollably. Gaara was less affected, but he froze, stunned—where could such powerful killing intent come from in this person?

"Ha... hahaha..." Gaara then began to laugh. Once the laughter died down, a wave of killing intent radiated from him as well. Yin Xiang was instantly drenched in a cold sweat, collapsing onto the ground in a pathetic heap.

"The... the One-Tail Shukaku..." Yin Xiang swallowed hard. What terrifying killing intent was this? It was simply...

Yin Xiang had never been so humiliated. It wasn't just him; Kankuro and Temari had also been forced to the ground by Gaara's aura.

"G-Gaara..." Kankuro tried to warn him to hold back, but one glare from Gaara silenced him instantly.

"Sand Waterfall Funeral!" Gaara extended his hand toward Yin Xiang, and a frenzy of sand surged toward him again. Sensing that the overwhelming killing intent had vanished, Yin Xiang scrambled to jump away. The sand missed, but it continued to pursue him.

"Damn it, to think you'd make me look this pathetic, Shukaku!" Yin Xiang cursed inwardly. He kicked off a tree and lunged forward with incredible speed, breaking through the sand and landing a punch squarely on Gaara's face. He sent Gaara flying before the sand could even react to the attack.

As Gaara was sent reeling, the two of them reined in their killing intent, and Kankuro and Temari finally caught their breath. "He actually managed to hurt Gaara... this Yin Xiang..."

"Ugh." A sandstorm struck from behind, and Yin Xiang quickly dodged, leaping to another tree. As Gaara was sent flying, he had clenched his fist, trying to seize Yin Xiang with his sand.

"Gaara is still a madman right now; I can't fight him here." Thinking this, Yin Xiang quickly fled. Though sand pursued him, he channeled lightning chakra into his Flying Thunder God Kunai and vanished without a trace.

After shaking off Gaara's pursuit, Yin Xiang finally located Sakura and the others. However, the scene was already in chaos. Rock Lee, Sakura, and Naruto were lying on the ground, while Neji and Tenten stood in the trees, and Shikamaru's team was nearby.

Sasuke, his body covered in the Cursed Seal, was stepping on Zaku's back, grabbing both of her arms and snapping them clean off. Yin Xiang watched the scene from a nearby tree.

Sasuke turned and walked toward Dosu. "You're the only one left. I hope you can keep me entertained."

"Stop!" Sakura suddenly ran forward and hugged Sasuke, because this wasn't the Sasuke she knew; he was completely different from usual. A moment of silence fell over the scene, then the Cursed Seal receded, returning to Sasuke's neck. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

"You're strong." Dosu held up the Earth Scroll. "In your current state, we can't defeat you." He placed the scroll on the ground. "This is compensation. Please, let us leave."

Sasuke and Sakura were both stunned. Dosu walked over to Zaku, hoisted her onto his shoulder, and picked up Kin from the ground. "Perhaps we were too arrogant, but there is something we must confirm. In exchange, let's make a pact: if we have the chance to cross paths again in this exam, we will not hide, and we will not run." With that, Dosu turned and left.

"Wait!" Sakura called out, and Dosu looked back. "Who exactly is Orochimaru! What did he do to Sasuke! Why did he choose him?"

"I don't know. We were only ordered to kill Sasuke," Dosu said, then turned and walked away. Orochimaru's image flashed in his mind. Ordering us to kill Sasuke while moving to act before us... and not only failing to kill him but leaving that Cursed Seal behind—what are you thinking?

"Hey, are you guys alright?" After Dosu left, Choji called out. "It's a drag, but I'll leave that guy Lee to you, Ino." "Right!" The Shikamaru trio emerged.

"That chakra... it's abnormal. But that Cursed Seal... it's on Yin Xiang's neck too..." Neji said, standing in the trees with Tenten.

"Will Yin Xiang end up like that too?" Tenten asked, looking at Neji with concern.

"No, I sealed it," Yin Xiang's voice came from behind Tenten. The two turned to see him standing on a nearby branch.

"Sakura, it's dangerous... it's okay, I'll protect you, Sakura..." Naruto muttered on the ground, seemingly lost in a dream.

"What about this guy? Should we kick him awake?" Shikamaru and Choji walked over to Naruto.

"Can I do it?" Choji asked.

Sasuke stared at his own hands, his heart churning with turmoil. His hands were trembling—that power from just a moment ago...