The brutal selection in the Forest of Death had finally come to an end. The surviving Genin, exhausted and bearing injuries as well as varying degrees of hard-won growth, gradually arrived at the central tower.
Ling, serving as a special observer, had been sitting quietly in an observation room with an excellent view inside the tower for some time. His gaze swept over the examinees gathered in the hall below.
Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura came in, supporting Uchiha Sasuke, who was still weak but had regained consciousness. The Cursed Seal markings on Sasuke's neck had faded, but his face was pale, and alongside his usual coldness, his eyes held a deeper gloom and suppressed pain. He instinctively avoided Ling's gaze. After that crushing defeat and losing control of the Cursed Seal, he had no idea how to face a fellow clan member.
Next came Team Three, consisting of Hyuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten. Neji's gaze met Ling's for a brief moment. There was less of the bias that had marked his Byakugan before, replaced by a trace of inscrutable contemplation.
Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro of Sunagakure arrived as well. Gaara kept his head lowered, and the icy aura that seemed to warn everyone away had grown even stronger. But Ling could sense that Shukaku's chakra inside him was unusually calm, as if something had temporarily "soothed" it. Temari and Kankuro looked especially tense, cautiously guarding Gaara on either side.
White and Kimimaro came in next, disguised as weary survivors from a few minor ninja villages. Without drawing attention, they gave Ling a slight nod to signal that the mission was complete.
Mitaraishi Anko appeared at the front of the hall and announced that the second exam was over. She explained the meaning behind the Heaven and Earth Scrolls, and only then did the surviving Genin finally understand.
Just as Anko was about to dismiss everyone to rest while they awaited word about the third exam, a sudden burst of smoke erupted on the platform!
When the smoke cleared, several figures appeared. At their head was Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, with several Konoha Jonin standing beside him. On his other side stood a figure who made Ling's pupils contract—Shimura Danzō!
Danzō still leaned on his cane, his single eye sweeping over all the Genin below like a hawk's. His gaze lingered for a moment on Ling, Sasuke, Gaara, and White and Kimimaro. It was deep and inscrutable, as if he were plotting something.
"First of all, congratulations to everyone for passing the second exam," the Third Hokage said, his voice aged yet gentle. "You have proven your strength and perseverance. However, since so many people passed the second exam, tradition calls for an additional preliminary round to determine who will take part in the official third exam."
A preliminary round! A commotion immediately broke out below.
The Third Hokage turned slightly to indicate the pale man beside him, who wore a high-collared coat and sunglasses. The man stepped forward—Gekko Hayate.
"I'm Gekko Hayate, and I'll be overseeing the preliminary rounds. The rules are simple." Hayate coughed twice, his voice sounding weak. "One-on-one matches. The winner advances, until we've determined the final roster. Now, look at the screen."
He pointed to an electronic screen that had suddenly lit up on one side of the hall. The names of all the Genin who had passed the second exam began scrolling across it at random.
Everyone tensed, watching the screen anxiously.
In the observation room, Ling's eyes turned cold. Danzō's sudden appearance was no coincidence. The preliminary round was probably about more than simply reducing the number of participants. He might be using this chance to observe and test them further—or even... eliminate those he disliked.
"First match: Uchiha Sasuke versus Akado Yoroi!"
The screen stopped, displaying the two opponents in the first match.
Ling's gaze sharpened at once. Akado Yoroi was a spy planted by Orochimaru in the original story, and he specialized in chakra absorption. Was it really a coincidence that Sasuke, whose Cursed Seal had only just been placed on him and whose condition was terribly unstable, had been matched against him? Or had Danzō or Orochimaru already meddled with the preliminary-round roster?
Sasuke's expression darkened further. He was in terrible shape. His chakra was in disarray, and the Cursed Seal still throbbed with pain.
"Sasuke-kun, are you going to be okay?" Sakura asked anxiously.
Sasuke didn't answer. He only clenched his fists, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. He couldn't fall here! He still had to avenge himself against that man!
Watching Sasuke force himself to walk toward the arena, Ling's thoughts raced. He couldn't interfere with the match directly, but he had to make sure Sasuke wasn't pushed into activating the Cursed Seal in front of everyone, or drained of chakra by Akado Yoroi. The consequences would be disastrous.
He quietly separated off an extremely faint thread of mental energy and linked it to a special item in the system called the "Guiding Rune Stone (Weak)."
In the arena, Gekko Hayate announced the start of the match.
A strange smile on his face, Akado Yoroi immediately attacked. His objective was clear: get close to Sasuke and absorb his chakra!
Sasuke struggled to defend himself, but his movements were sluggish and his chakra circulated with difficulty. He was soon forced onto the back foot, barely avoiding one danger after another.
In the stands, Naruto and Sakura were frantic with worry. Kakashi had appeared at the edge of the spectators' area at some point, his brow furrowed.
Just as Akado Yoroi's hand was about to grab Sasuke's arm and use his chakra absorption technique—
In the observation room, Ling focused his thoughts and activated the "Guiding Rune Stone"!
A barely perceptible mental ripple, like a passing breeze, slipped unnoticed into Sasuke's mind.
Overwhelmed by anxiety and pressure, Sasuke felt as if a bolt of lightning had flashed through his mind! A detail he'd overlooked suddenly became clear—his Sharingan! He still had his Sharingan! He couldn't use much chakra, but its basic powers of perception and copying were still available!
He snapped his head up, and his One-Tomoe Sharingan activated in an instant! Through the Sharingan's vision, Akado Yoroi's seemingly swift movements became clear, leaving openings everywhere!
A moment before Akado Yoroi's hand could touch him, Sasuke slid sideways at an extremely tricky angle, simultaneously thrusting his Kunai with precision at the one flaw in his opponent's technique—his wrist!
"Squish!"
The Kunai cut Akado Yoroi's wrist, interrupting his chakra absorption technique at once!
Akado Yoroi recoiled in pain, disbelief written all over his face.
Sasuke pressed his advantage, enduring the discomfort of the Cursed Seal and his lack of chakra as he launched a fierce counterattack with the help of his Sharingan's perception! Taijutsu, Shurikenjutsu... Though his attacks had lost much of their power, they were extremely precise, each one aimed at a vital point!
In the end, he combined a clever Substitution Technique with a sneak attack from behind, bringing his Kunai to Akado Yoroi's neck.
"The winner is Uchiha Sasuke!" Gekko Hayate announced.
Panting, Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and glanced toward the stands, his expression conflicted. Then he staggered off the field.
In the observation room, Ling slowly let out a breath of relief. The Guiding Rune Stone had worked even better than he'd expected, guiding Sasuke to find a way to turn the tide at the crucial moment and avert the worst.
Still, Ling's expression grew even more solemn. Danzō remained beside the Third Hokage, his face blank, as if none of this had anything to do with him. But Ling knew this was only the beginning.
The preliminary rounds had begun, and the fangs hidden in the shadows were waiting for their next prey.
The names began scrolling across the screen again. The next one was about to appear.
In Ling's perception, Orochimaru's chilling aura seemed to be quietly spreading through some corner of the tower.
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