The Forest of Death Dungeon Opens!

"...For the tenth question, you have already passed."

As Ibiki's voice fell, the examination room went completely silent.

Passed? What did that mean? They had passed without even being given the question?

Everyone was dumbfounded, including Ling Yue... Knowing the plot was one thing, but experiencing that roller-coaster thrill firsthand was completely different.

"The moment you chose to stay and face the fear of the unknown and the threat of permanently losing your qualifications, the examination had already begun," Ibiki explained. Even the scars on his face seemed less menacing now.

"A Chunin is not judged solely by strength, but also by decision-making and willpower. When intelligence is insufficient, having the courage to take risks, trusting your companions, and persevering to the end—those are the qualities a Chunin should possess."

"Congratulations. You have passed the first exam."

After a brief silence, the surviving candidates erupted into thunderous cheers and sighs of relief.

"Awesome! I knew it!" Naruto sprang to his feet, wildly waving his arms in excitement and nearly overturning the desk.

Sasuke also let out a breath, his clenched fist slowly relaxing as the corner of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.

Sakura slumped into her chair and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. "That scared me to death..."

Ling Yue touched her back and found her hand covered in sweat as well. That psychological warfare had been ruthless.

[ Ding! Mission completed: Participate in the first stage of the Chunin Exams—written test. Answer at least five questions correctly (system determined six), and do not get caught cheating.

Reward issued: Dimensional Points x500, Skill Card Voucher (R) x1.]

As the system notification rang out, Ling Yue finally felt completely at ease. She was even a little pleasantly surprised. She had guessed six correctly?

Just then.

The window on one side of the examination room suddenly shattered! Two dark figures burst through amid countless shards of glass!

A huge curtain swept through the air, curling precisely toward Ibiki, who stood at the front!

Ibiki seemed to have anticipated it. He casually raised a hand to block it.

At the other end of the curtain, a curvaceous female ninja in sunglasses landed nimbly, planted one foot on the fabric, and grinned at Ibiki. "Ibiki, aren't you taking too long over here? Aren't there a few too many people left? Let me help you cut down the numbers!"

Before she had even finished speaking, several shuriken shot from her hand at incredible speed, flying straight at the vital points of several candidates below!

"Waaah!" The candidates cried out in alarm and hurriedly dodged.

Naruto crouched down, clutching his head in fright.

Sasuke and Neji reacted instantly, using kunai to deflect the shuriken aimed at them.

Ling Yue immediately activated Paper Arts. Her body swayed slightly as though boneless, and the shuriken brushed past her hair before embedding itself in the wall behind her.

"Tch, not bad reflexes." Anko licked her lips, seeming even more excited.

"Anko, stop messing around." Ibiki sighed helplessly and tore away the curtain wrapped around him.

"Tch, boring." Anko pouted, then turned toward the candidates, spread her arms, and shouted, "Little ones! Congratulations on passing the first stage! I'm the proctor for the second stage, Mitarashi Anko!"

A wild smile spread across her face. "The location for the second exam—Training Ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death!"

The Forest of Death? The name made quite a few candidates' expressions change.

"I'll explain the detailed rules once we get there! Everyone, assemble immediately outside the Forest of Death! Anyone who can't keep up will be eliminated on the spot!" With that, Anko flashed away and shot out through the window at astonishing speed.

"Let's go!" Sasuke was the first to react and immediately followed.

Naruto and Sakura hurried after him.

The other candidates also displayed their own skills, rushing out of the examination room and sprinting toward the Forest of Death.

Ling Yue blended into the crowd, quietly circulating Thunder Breathing to enhance her speed and endurance as she followed the main group at an unhurried pace.

The Forest of Death... It was finally here. Orochimaru... and that cursed seal.

The thought made her tense up. Knowing the plot was not always a good thing. She knew there was a twisted boss waiting ahead, yet she still had to force herself onward.

Before long, everyone arrived outside the Forest of Death.

The towering wire fence seemed endless. Beyond it lay a primeval jungle so dense it blotted out the sky, with the faint roars of unknown beasts echoing within. The air was thick with dampness and danger.

Anko was already waiting there, with two large boxes beside her.

"Your speed isn't bad." She swept her gaze over the candidates who had caught up. There were fewer than before, clearly because some had fallen behind.

"Now, I'll explain the rules for the second exam!" Anko kicked one of the boxes at her feet. "Inside are two kinds of scrolls: Heaven and Earth. Each team will be randomly given one."

She picked up a scroll marked "Heaven" and another marked "Earth."

"Your mission is to cross this Forest of Death, which has a diameter of ten kilometers, and reach the central tower within 120 hours. And you must arrive carrying both the Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll!"

"In other words, you must seize the scroll different from yours from another team!"

The rules were simple and brutal, immediately stirring up a commotion.

"Seize them? Does that mean we have to fight other teams?"

"120 hours? Five days and five nights?"

"The Forest of Death... That name alone sounds terrifying..."

Anko looked very pleased by the candidates' tense expressions and added, "Let me remind you: the forest is crawling with wild beasts and poisonous insects, and there are things even more dangerous than those. If you want to withdraw, fire a signal flare. Of course, that also means elimination."

"Now, come draw your scrolls and sign these consent forms." She pulled out a thick stack of documents. "After all, the death rate is pretty high. No one's taking responsibility if you die~"

The atmosphere instantly grew even heavier.

The team representatives stepped forward one after another to draw their scrolls and sign the waivers.

Sakura stepped forward for Team 7 and drew a scroll.

"What is it? What is it?" Naruto asked impatiently.

Sakura nervously glanced at it and said in a low voice, "It's the Heaven Scroll."

Ling Yue swept her gaze over the other teams, trying to see what they had drawn, but everyone kept their scrolls well hidden.

"Alright! The entrances are open! The exam begins!" Anko waved her hand!

Four different entrance gates rose at once, like the mouths of giant beasts opening wide.

"Which one do we take?" Naruto asked.

"Pick any one. Get inside quickly; don't linger at the entrance," Sasuke said calmly as he charged toward Entrance Three.

Naruto and Sakura immediately followed.

Ling Yue was the last to enter. Before stepping into the forest, she instinctively looked back.

She happened to see the three strange Sound ninja entering Entrance Five. The leader's gaze seemed to linger on her for a second, and an eerie smile curled onto his lips.

Ling Yue immediately turned and darted into the dense jungle.

The moment they entered the Forest of Death, the light dimmed dramatically.

Towering trees blocked out the sky, while thick layers of rotting leaves covered the ground. The air was filled with the heavy stench of decaying vegetation and a faint smell of blood.

Strange birdcalls and insect noises came from every direction, along with the distant, indistinct roars of beasts.

"Whoa... This place feels so creepy..." Naruto shrank back slightly.

"Shut up, dead last. Keep quiet!" Sasuke snapped in a low voice. His Sharingan was already activated as he vigilantly scanned their surroundings. "If you don't want to become a target, rein it in."

Sakura also gripped her kunai nervously, looking around in all directions.

Ling Yue maintained Zetsu at a lower level, reducing the entire team's presence.

At the same time, the enhanced perception granted by Thunder Breathing allowed her to detect movements around them sooner.

"What do we do now?" Sakura asked softly.

"Find somewhere to hide first and observe the situation," Sasuke decided. "Follow me."

He led the team swiftly and silently through the dense forest, soon finding a natural hiding spot formed by thick bushes and enormous tree roots.

The four of them hid inside and relaxed slightly.

"Alright, now let's discuss our strategy." Sasuke lowered his voice. "We have the Heaven Scroll, so we need to take an Earth Scroll. We don't know the situation with the other teams yet, so it's best not to act rashly. First—"

Before he could finish.

[ Ding! Emergency mission issued: Seize the Earth Scroll held by the Hidden Rain team.]

[ Mission prompt: The team is currently resting approximately five hundred meters away at the two o'clock direction.]

[ Mission reward: Dimensional Points x300.]

[ Failure penalty: None. (But you may miss a good opportunity.)]

The system's notification suddenly rang in Ling Yue's mind.

A Hidden Rain team? An Earth Scroll? What a coincidence.

Ling Yue hesitated for only a second before immediately speaking up and interrupting Sasuke. "At the two o'clock direction, around five hundred meters away, there's a team resting. I sensed them."

The other three immediately looked at her in surprise.

"You sensed them? How did you sense them?" Naruto asked curiously.

Sasuke's Sharingan also regarded her with a probing look.

Sakura looked impressed. "That's amazing, Yue!"

Ling Yue lied without changing her expression. "Just a little family technique. I'm more sensitive to chakra fluctuations." Blaming it on a family technique was always the safest choice.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes but did not ask further. This was not the time to dwell on it.

He considered it for a moment. "Can you confirm they have the Earth Scroll?"

"Not completely." Ling Yue shook her head. "But it's worth checking. They seem fairly relaxed. It's an opportunity."

"Alright!" Sasuke immediately made his decision. "Naruto, Sakura, you stay here and provide backup. Yue and I will go scout them out. If there's an opening, we'll seize it."

"I'm going too!" Naruto immediately objected.

"You're too noisy. You'll expose us easily." Sasuke rejected him mercilessly. "That's an order."

Naruto puffed out his cheeks in anger, but he did not argue any further.

Ling Yue and Sasuke exchanged a glance and nodded.

The two silently slipped into the forest, moving toward the direction indicated by the system.

The combination of Zetsu and the Sharingan allowed them to avoid every obstacle and potential trap like ghosts.

Soon, they heard faint voices and the crackling of a campfire.

Hiding behind a large tree, the two carefully peeked out.

In a small clearing not far away, three ninja wearing Hidden Rain forehead protectors and raincoats were resting around a small campfire, seemingly completely unguarded.

One of them took a scroll from his clothes, apparently checking something.

A clear "Earth" character was written on the scroll!

Sasuke's eyes instantly lit up!

The Earth Scroll!

He exchanged a look with Ling Yue.

Time to move!