Meeting Karin in the Forest

Kosuke was astonished. Shao Nan Senju actually possessed such confidence!

"Just like Lord Hashirama's bearing!!!"

"I heard you intend to unify the Ninja World and bring an age of peace and prosperity to it?"

Shao Nan really wanted to curse that rotten old man, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

It was one thing for Jiraiya to tell him about going to Mount Myoboku, but Hiruzen Sarutobi had gone and spread it everywhere too!

"I haven't figured it out yet. As for the road ahead, I'll take it one step at a time!"

"No matter what, this old man has devoted his entire life to Konoha. Your grand undertaking concerns Konoha's peace, and this old man is willing to give his all to help you."

Maruboshi Kosuke was an exceptionally rare source of combat power!

But at his age, he was old already!

Shao Nan could not understand why Konoha's old men would not retire and peacefully enjoy their later years.

More than an hour passed, and the first written portion of the Chunin Exams had ended.

Kosuke climbed out of bed and said, "Shao Nan, it's time for us to go in too."

Shao Nan grinned smugly. "Time to make those brats suffer a little! Otherwise, how will they grow stronger quickly!"

"Shao Nan, don't mess around!"

"Don't worry, I know my limits! I won't cripple them or harm their lives!"

The content of the second exam was simple: there were thirteen Heaven Scrolls and thirteen Earth Scrolls.

A total of twenty-six scrolls were randomly distributed among twenty-six teams, with each team receiving one scroll.

The teams needed to seize the other type of scroll from one another and gather both a Heaven Scroll and an Earth Scroll.

They also had to pass through the Death Forest and reach the Central Tower deep within the forest within five days to pass the exam.

When Shao Nan and Kosuke arrived outside the Death Forest,

they saw that the chief examiner of this test, Anko Mitarashi, had already opened the gates to the forest.

Each team of genin from the various villages participating in the exam consisted of three people.

Carrying a scroll, they rushed into the Death Forest from different directions.

When Anko Mitarashi saw Shao Nan and Kosuke, she could not help but freeze. However, the Third Hokage had informed her

that the two of them would participate in the Chunin Exams starting from the second stage!

Anko Mitarashi handed over an Earth Scroll.

"You two can go in."

Shao Nan did not take the scroll. Instead, the old man Kosuke stepped forward, accepted it, and tucked it into his clothes.

Shao Nan said, "Little Anko, your figure is so graceful now. Could you stop eating dango already?

It would really be such a pity if you turned into an old lady!"

Kosuke was dumbfounded. He really was as flirtatious as Lord Hashirama!

When Anko Mitarashi heard the handsome, elegant man in front of her complimenting her figure, a blush rose to her cheeks.

But what the hell did he mean by turning into an old lady!!!

Will I become an old lady in the future?

"I won't turn into an old lady! Absolutely not!!!"

"If what you said is true, then that really is something to look forward to, Little Anko.

Senior Kosuke, let's go in. There's prey in there that interests me!"

After saying that, Shao Nan led Kosuke leisurely through the gates and into the Death Forest!

But they did not hurry deeper inside.

Instead, they stood just inside the gates and looked at Anko Mitarashi.

"Little Anko, tell me, if I killed your teacher, would that hurt you!!!"

"Hahaha!"

After laughing heartily, Shao Nan began running toward the depths of the forest!

He left Anko Mitarashi standing there, utterly bewildered!

Anko stroked her chin, continuously analyzing Shao Nan's final words.

Then she shook her head!

My teacher?... Impossible. Orochimaru... how would he dare return to the village!

Inside the forest, every team was discussing how to seize scrolls from their opponents!

But Shao Nan was different. He only wanted to find ten people and let them know what fear was.

Only Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha were remotely interesting in here, but the accounts he had given them

seemed to be beyond their ability to log into!

They were still foolishly unable to use the abilities he had awakened for them.

Perfect. He could use this chance to teach those two little brothers a lesson.

Otherwise, once the two of them reached the Six Paths, he would no longer have the chance!

"Senior Kosuke, I'll go on ahead."

After saying that, Shao Nan picked a random direction and sped forward.

Kosuke muttered to himself, I can't let you leave my sight!

Though Kosuke was already elderly, his speed had not declined in the slightest, and he actually managed to keep up with Shao Nan's pace.

Suddenly, a miserable scream spread through the forest in every direction!

Aah!!!

The birds in the forest took fright and flew into the sky.

Shao Nan stopped and raised his head. "Has the killing started so soon?"

The Death Forest did not seem that large, yet they had not encountered anyone along the way.

"Kosuke, does this forest have some kind of barrier? We've already walked quite far, haven't we?"

Behind Shao Nan, Kosuke pondered for a moment. "Probably. This old man isn't sure either. I'm only a genin and have never taken the Chunin Exams. This time is an exception."

Hearing that answer, Shao Nan knew there was no point asking him!

He immediately started running forward again. Before he had gone another two hundred meters,

Shao Nan spotted a familiar figure.

A red-haired, Red Eye girl from Kusagakure, wearing glasses and a Kusagakure forehead protector, was being stalked by a black bear.

The girl wore a beige crop top, an ultra-short skirt, and fishnet stockings.

Her arms were folded over her chest, and she held an Earth Scroll in her hand.

Clearly, it was not the Heaven Scroll Shao Nan wanted.

The large black bear advanced toward the red-haired girl step by step!

It forced her beneath a large tree!

It looked at the girl as though she were prey!

The frightened girl cried out, "Help!"

Then she ran frantically to the side, and the bear immediately charged after her.

The girl tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground!

Her glasses flew off onto the ground!

The Earth Scroll in her hand also fell away.

The black bear pounced at the red-haired girl!

At that critical moment,

a fierce, violent blast of air swept in from ahead.

The black bear was knocked to the ground by the blast. It curled up, its eyes warily fixed ahead.

Shao Nan walked forward with calm steps, pale purple chakra swirling around him!

Kosuke said beside him, "Your monstrous strength is even greater than Lord Hashirama's!"

Shao Nan ignored Kosuke and picked up the girl's glasses.

Then, like a true gentleman, he took the girl's hand, helped her up, and sat her down on the ground.

When the girl felt her hand clasped in a warm, large palm,

she was immediately filled with a sense of safety!

Shao Nan slowly put her glasses back on for her.

"Why are you running around alone? This forest is very dangerous!"

The girl steadied her glasses and slowly opened her eyes.

A handsome, imposing man came into view.

Her cheeks flushed crimson as she secretly thought, He's so handsome!

Yet the clothes he wore were completely at odds with the aura he gave off!

He wore a stylish white casual outfit underneath, but over it was a green jacket.

And on it was the character "Gamble"!

The moment Shao Nan saw the girl, he recognized her!

She was a member of the Uzumaki clan, Karin Uzumaki!

Red hair was the signature mark of the Uzumaki clan.

Karin's abilities could be called utterly overpowered, but compared to cheaters like Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Nagato, and Obito Uchiha... she was not especially outstanding.

First, she possessed the Uzumaki clan's uniquely powerful chakra and life force.

Second was her sensory ability, Mind's Eye of the Kagura!

This sensory ability was second only to sensory abilities in Sage Mode.

Her body also possessed a unique ability! Whether it was herself or someone else, by biting her skin, they could quickly restore their own or another person's chakra and injuries.

She also possessed the Uzumaki clan's unique sealing technique, Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Adamantine Sealing Chains could form chains of chakra from within the body, binding others or Tailed Beasts.

Shao Nan smiled. "My name is Shao Nan. What's yours?"

Karin picked up the scroll from the ground, then raised her head and said sweetly to Shao Nan,

"My name is Karin..."

Shao Nan nodded and helped Karin to her feet with his right hand.

"Kusagakure is not where you belong! Follow me from now on! I'll give you a new life and a new future!"

Karin hesitated. "Shao Nan! I... I!"

"You're an Uzumaki clanswoman, aren't you? Karin!"

Upon hearing that, Karin raised her head, her eyes widening.

"Do you... want to bite me too?"

Shao Nan noticed some clues in Karin's reaction!

Perhaps Kusagakure had been exploiting her unique physical ability, the ability to heal injuries when bitten, to treat the wounded!

Shao Nan shook his head. "I won't bite you!"

Then he continued.

"Is there anyone or anything in Kusagakure that you can't leave behind?

I am also a descendant of the Uzumaki clan!

I only inherited the bloodline, but I did not inherit the Uzumaki clan's distinctive red hair!"

After saying that, Shao Nan handed Karin the photograph his great-grandmother had left him!

"This is my great-grandmother and great-grandfather!"

Karin took the photo, looked at it, and said, "Isn't the man in this photo you?"

Then she seemed to notice something different.

"No, the man in the photograph looks older than you!"

"Do you believe me now? I only knew you were an Uzumaki clanswoman after seeing your red hair!"

After Shao Nan said that, Karin seemed to have found a lifeline.

She threw herself into Shao Nan's arms and burst into tears.

"Brother Shao Nan, save me! Save us! Our clansmen are still suffering in Kusagakure!!!"