Borrowing the Wind

Konoha, Training Ground 44, Forest of Death.

The Forest of Death was filled with flora and fauna dozens of times larger than those outside.

The towering trees swallowed even the sunlight. As far as the eye could see, there was only pitch-black darkness.

It was as though it foretold that any ninja who entered would ultimately be swallowed by darkness.

Outside the Forest of Death, surrounded by iron railings, the chief examiner for the second test—Anko Mitarashi—watched the three members of Team 7.

"You're lucky. I was just about to disqualify you."

Anko looked at the candidates gathered before her. There were sixty in total, every one of them present.

"Now, I'll explain the rules of the second test in detail."

Anko shook the stack of papers in her hand. "While I explain the rules, pass around the consent forms and sign your names."

Naruto accepted a consent form from another candidate and skimmed through its contents.

There were quite a lot of words, but only one meaning between the lines.

Any death or injury suffered by candidates during the second test would be entirely their own responsibility.

"They actually pay compensation? Didn't expect that."

Naruto took a pencil from Sakura and signed his name on the consent form.

Then again, it made sense. This was, after all, a joint examination among several countries. If ninjas from friendly nations came to take the exam and died in Konoha, unable to return home, they had to be sent back another way.

Konoha was not some poor little ninja village either, so it was naturally willing to spend a little compensation money to resolve potential conflicts between nations.

"Naruto, that isn't funny."

Sakura took back the pencil from Naruto and handed it to Sasuke.

"Looks like you've all signed your names."

Anko pointed at the small wooden building behind her, covered in black cloth so thoroughly that its interior could not be seen.

"Those who have signed the consent forms should exchange them for examination scrolls at the exchange station in teams of three."

"But before you exchange your scrolls, listen to the examination briefing."

Anko took out another map of the Forest of Death and displayed it before everyone.

The Forest of Death had a diameter of twenty kilometers. It was both a training ground and an ecological park.

The content of the second test was a "survival exercise."

Candidates would be assigned to one of the forty-four entrances of Training Ground 44 for the official examination.

But there were additional requirements.

First, candidates had to proceed to a point ten kilometers from the Forest of Death's perimeter—the tower built at the center of the training ground.

Second, the second test was a team battle between ninja squads.

Third, before the official examination began, Chunin examiners would use each team's consent forms to exchange for one of two black-and-white scrolls, "Heaven" and "Earth"—meaning the sixty candidates would be divided into twenty ninja teams, with ten teams receiving Heaven Scrolls and ten receiving Earth Scrolls.

Fourth, all three members of the same ninja team had to collect both the Heaven and Earth Scrolls and enter the tower at the center of the training ground to pass.

Fifth, there would be absolutely no restrictions on the methods candidates used to seize scrolls, nor would there be any restrictions on killing.

Sixth, no form of withdrawal would be permitted after the examination began. The test would last five days, beginning at six tonight and ending at six in the evening on the fifth day.

"Any ninja team that fails to enter the tower with complete Heaven and Earth Scrolls before the time limit;

opens a scroll without authorization before entering the tower;

or has a member die or become unable to continue the examination midway through—any of these circumstances will be judged a failure."

Anko explained the elimination rules to everyone once more.

"Examiner Anko! It's about time."

Another Chunin examiner spoke up to remind Anko.

"I know!"

Anko turned and replied before addressing the crowd. "Now wait for the examiners to call you, then exchange your consent forms for scrolls as ninja teams."

"Then choose your own examination entrances. The examiners waiting at the entrances will open them for you at exactly six!"

Anko handed the remaining work over to the other Chunin examiners.

"Konoha, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno!"

A call came from inside the tightly covered wooden building.

Unexpectedly, Team 7, which had arrived at the examination grounds last, became the first ninja team to receive their scroll.

"Let's go."

Naruto swept his gaze over the other candidates, signaling Sasuke and Sakura to follow him toward the wooden building.

Forest of Death Training Ground, Entrance 14.

The three members of Team 7 waited quietly for the official examination time to arrive.

"Time's up."

The Chunin examiner responsible for opening the training ground suddenly spoke in front of them.

The moment the entrance gates were pushed open, the three members of Team 7 rushed into the training ground.

Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto leaped through the towering trees in that order: front, middle, and rear.

At six in the evening during summer, the sun was still visible, but the trees growing densely throughout the Forest of Death were simply too enormous.

No matter the time of day, it was always "night."

"We can't rely on the light to judge the time. We could easily exceed the five-day limit without realizing it."

The moment they entered the Forest of Death, Sasuke discovered the first troublesome problem.

"We can only find a ninja team with an Earth Scroll corresponding to the Heaven Scroll in our hands as quickly as possible!"

Sakura responded.

Sasuke glanced back at Sakura.

"There's no need to rush for now. As we discussed before entering the training ground, tonight we'll mainly search for a place that can serve as a base. If we encounter other ninja teams along the way, we'll decide whether to make contact based on the situation."

Then Sasuke said to Naruto:

"Once we find a base where we can rest, Naruto, use Shadow Clones to confirm the safe area around it. We should avoid conflict as much as possible on the first night. Everyone has only just entered the training ground and is at their peak condition. If we can't end a battle quickly, we might attract others."

"Got it."

Naruto answered Sasuke to show that he understood.

But his mind was not on his conversation with Sasuke.

The moment he entered the Forest of Death, Naruto activated the Wind Caress Dawn Technique.

A powerful chakra presence seemed to know Team 7's route.

It was heading straight toward Team 7.

Naruto knew very well who that chakra belonged to—

Orochimaru really was... impatient.

"Danger!"

Sasuke finally sensed that something was wrong as well and immediately shouted a warning to Naruto and Sakura.

But the next instant, a violent hurricane swept toward the three members of Team 7!

This hurricane was powerful enough to uproot even the towering trees of the Forest of Death!

"Damn it!"

Sasuke cursed as the hurricane separated him from Naruto and Sakura.

Naruto looked toward Entrance 14 of the training ground.

Through the Wind Caress Dawn Technique's perception, Naruto had long known that the Chunin examiner originally responsible for opening the gates had left after locking the entrance again.

Just like in the original story, the technique Orochimaru used to attack Team 7 was still a powerful Wind Release.

That saved Naruto the trouble of working out a cumbersome backup plan.

Naruto reached out and erased the Flying Thunder God Mark from the iron railing.

He used the Wind Caress Dawn Technique again to sense Sasuke and Sakura's locations.

Orochimaru was near Sasuke, but Sakura was much farther away.

Orochimaru, who coveted Sasuke's body, would not kill Sasuke. And no matter where Sasuke was in the Forest of Death, Orochimaru would definitely find him.

But Sakura was not necessarily safe.

Sasuke only had the One-Tomoe Sharingan right now. Orochimaru, who had studied the Sharingan, might very well viciously attack Sakura in order to make Sasuke's Sharingan evolve into a Two-Tomoe or even Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

But as long as Sakura was kept away from Orochimaru, he would not waste time bothering with her at all.

So Naruto had already marked Sakura with Flying Thunder God beforehand, then used Orochimaru's hurricane to create the illusion that Sakura had been blown far away by Wind Release.

He had pulled her out of the battle between Sasuke and Orochimaru.

After confirming that he had no more worries behind him, Naruto sensed another chakra presence.

Looks like those three still hadn't escaped the fate of being killed by Gaara...

In that case—it's time to deal with Yakushi Kabuto.