Sound Ninja Attack

"Sakura... Sakura!"

Naruto's voice gradually grew louder.

Only then did Sakura raise her head again. "What is it?"

In response to Naruto calling her, Sakura gave him a gentle smile.

But Sakura knew very well that she had not completely concealed her emotions.

The smile she showed Naruto must have been an ugly, forced one...

Realizing that, Sakura hurriedly turned her head away.

She faced Naruto with her profile, her pink hair hanging down to hide her expression.

Sakura knew very well that Naruto had fought the three Hidden Rain ninja alone last night in order to reunite the scattered Team 7.

Naruto must have used up a great deal of chakra.

And with Sasuke still unconscious alongside her, Naruto had no idea where the enemy who had attacked Team 7 with a powerful Wind Release was hiding...

With the crisis still unresolved, Naruto surely had not rested at all last night.

He had guarded his Team 7 comrades and endured until dawn.

Sakura did not want her weakness to make Naruto, already exhausted beyond measure, divide his attention even further.

"Sakura, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"

Naruto's concerned question still reached Sakura's ears.

That was right. How could someone as attentive as Naruto fail to notice her clumsy attempt at hiding it?

"I'm fine. Oh, right—Naruto, what did you call me for just now?"

Sakura hurriedly shook her head and stiffly changed the subject.

But Naruto did not immediately answer her question.

The sudden silence made Sakura, who had tilted her head away and did not dare look at Naruto, feel awkward.

Just as Sakura's unease grew stronger and stronger, Naruto returned to his usual self and continued from her question.

"We still don't know what Sasuke went through on his own... Under these circumstances, continuing the exam rashly is too dangerous."

"It would be safer to stand guard here until Sasuke wakes up. We already have both scrolls, after all. Once Sasuke wakes up, we can head straight to the tower at the center of the Forest of Death and pass the second exam."

"I think..."

Sakura was about to respond to Naruto's suggestion.

But an unexpected voice appeared, answering in Sakura's place.

Sakura hurriedly looked toward the source of the voice.

The three Sound Ninja who had clashed with them during the first exam appeared in the short grass outside the tree hollow.

"We think there's no problem with that. This place has an open field of view, perfect for fighting."

The one who picked up Sakura's words was Dosu Kinata, whose entire head was wrapped in bandages, leaving only one eye exposed.

"...Once the battle is over, it can serve as your graveyard too."

Dosu mocked Sakura and Naruto.

His companions, Zaku and Kin, joined in with equally unpleasant sinister grins.

They clearly did not take Team 7, currently in poor condition, seriously at all.

"You hateful bastards!"

Sakura could not tolerate the Sound Ninja's contempt for Naruto and Sasuke. She drew a kunai and prepared to fight.

Naruto reached out and stopped her.

"Sakura, take care of Sasuke."

Naruto's meaning was obvious. He intended to face the three Sound Ninja alone.

"But!"

Sakura still wanted to say something.

But Naruto cut her off.

"Sasuke is still unconscious. Someone has to stay behind to protect him—and that person can only be you. I can't just stand by and watch you go fight."

Naruto stared into Sakura's eyes with a gaze that brooked no refusal.

"I can give you another choice. Wake Sasuke up. We can deal with you two later; Sasuke is our target!"

Dosu made the suggestion to Naruto in an exceptionally "generous" tone.

But his proposal was met only with Naruto's fierce glare.

"Sasuke is your target? Was it you who attacked us last night and injured Sasuke like this?"

Then Sakura heard Naruto say, "Tell me, what did you do to Sasuke? What exactly are those magatama-like scars on his shoulder and neck?"

Magatama-like scars?

Only then did Sakura belatedly notice the three strange scars on Sasuke's body, shaped like magatama.

The three Sound Ninja also reacted as though they clearly knew something about those magatama scars.

"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly stop talking? Weren't you quite talkative just now?"

Naruto looked at the speechless Dosu, certain that the three Sound Ninja knew something.

"Dosu, let's get rid of these two annoying pests first!"

Irritated by Naruto's attitude, Zaku, whose clothes bore the character for "death," suggested this to Dosu.

"You're right. We'll kill these two weak-looking pests first, then wake Sasuke up and let him see his companions' corpses—I'm really looking forward to the desperate expression Sasuke will make then..."

The moment Dosu finished speaking, he leaped forward and charged at Naruto and Sakura.

Though facing both Naruto and Sakura, he chose to fight alone.

And Dosu's companions tacitly allowed his arrogant choice.

Naruto immediately formed hand seals. Two Shadow Clones appeared in front of the tree hollow, protecting Sakura and Sasuke.

Meanwhile, Naruto's real body charged toward the approaching Dosu.

"Die!"

Dosu thrust out his armored hand and roared as he swung his fist at Naruto.

Chakra began overflowing from the holes in his arm guard!

That was...!

Sakura noticed that Dosu's attack was exactly the same technique he had used against Yakushi Kabuto in Room 301!

Naturally, Naruto noticed it as well.

Before Dosu's fist arrived, he bent down in advance and pressed both hands against the ground.

Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!

A massive earthen wall surged up from the ground, blocking Naruto and Dosu.

Boom—!

Dosu's fist struck the earthen wall. The next second, accompanied by a piercing sound, the entire wall suddenly shattered.

Having witnessed Dosu's attack again, Sakura figured out the principle behind it.

"Naruto! He attacks with sound!"

Sakura shouted a warning to Naruto.

Even though his attack method had been exposed, Dosu did not care. "So what if you know I attack with sound? Sound is invisible! You can dodge the first attack, but can you guarantee you'll dodge the second?"

Dosu increased the amount of chakra he poured into his arm guard.

The holes in the arm guard emitted another piercing shriek, and the range of Dosu's sonic attack extended even farther this time.

Even though Naruto stood behind the shattered earthen wall, a considerable distance away from Dosu, he was still struck accurately by Dosu's sound wave!

"Looks like you couldn't dodge my second attack."

Dosu looked at Naruto, who had fallen to the ground, confident that no one could remain unharmed after being hit by a sonic attack.

However, Dosu's confident expression suddenly froze.

The fallen Naruto abruptly turned into a cloud of smoke, as though mocking Dosu's arrogant confidence.

"A Shadow Clone?!"

Dosu stared at the sight before him in alarm.

This guy used the Earth-Style Wall not to block my sonic attack at all!

He used the earthen wall to block my vision and hid his real body with a Shadow Clone!

Dosu immediately understood Naruto's purpose in using the Earth-Style Wall.

But Naruto had now vanished. Where was he?

Dosu swept his gaze around, only to suddenly discover that the two Shadow Clones Naruto had originally left guarding the tree hollow—were gone!

"Zaku! Kin! Both of you, stay alert!"

Dosu hurriedly turned to warn Zaku and Kin.

And from the ground beneath Zaku and Kin's feet, four hands silently emerged.

Dosu's eyes narrowed. Two Shadow Clones—

—and one real body!

He immediately looked down at his own feet. Sure enough, beneath Dosu himself—

—a pair of hands was also reaching up from underground, about to grab Dosu's feet!