A Snake's Shadow in the Forest of the God of Death

What's all the noise about, you bunch of useless idiots?

This shout pulled Wu Chiwu out of his reverie.

He brushed a stray hair from his forehead and looked up ahead.

The examination hall was suddenly filled with ninjas.

The one at the top, with a scar on his face, sternly surveyed the people below.

Sorry to Chunin you waiting. The first Chunin Selection Exam, examiner Ibiki Morino.

Let me make this clear: no one is allowed to take any action without my permission.

Even if I agree, you're not allowed to treat me like I'm dead.

Any idiot who dares to break my rules is fired on the spot.

Did you all hear that clearly?

With those words spoken, the first exam officially began.

This exam has several crucial rules.

I'm not going to answer any of your questions from now on, so get your ears perked up.

The first rule is that all of you will start with ten points. The written test consists of ten questions, each worth one point.

The exam uses a deduction system; one point is deducted for each wrong answer, so if you get three wrong, you only have seven points left, and if you get all ten wrong, you get zero.

The second rule is that whether a team passes or fails depends on the total score of the three members.

Furthermore, cheating or engaging in similar cheating activities during the exam will result in a two-point deduction if caught by the invigilator.

In other words, some unlucky individuals might not even make it to the final grading stage before they are no longer eligible to stay here.

If one member of the team gets zero points, the entire team is eliminated.

Wu Chiwu casually found a seat and sat down, his eyes beginning to scan his surroundings.

Everything was scattered.

A faint smile flickered in those Azure eyes beneath the bandages.

The exams these days are much more peaceful than they were back in his day.

You can pass the level simply by gathering intelligence.

He picked up the test paper and glanced at it.

Wow, that's too easy.

There's no need for Six Eyes to investigate; the answer just floats into my mind on its own.

On the other side, Sasuke carefully read through all the questions.

So that's what happened.

A slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth; he had already made up his mind.

I can't answer any of these questions.

He glanced around out of the corner of his eye.

Damn it, they're watching us so closely; they clearly believe we'll cheat.

Could it be that...

This isn't a test of textbook knowledge at all; it's an intelligence-gathering war conducted through disguise and concealment.

Once he had a clear idea of what was going on, he began to carefully observe the people around him.

Of these people, who actually knows how to solve these problems?

His gaze suddenly stopped and landed on Wu Chiwu.

That guy's pen never stopped.

No way?

Can my second brother make it by himself?

He found no trace of cheating on Wu Chiwu.

Could it really be something you wrote yourself?

Isn't he the kind of person who can even get the explanation of Chakra nature wrong?

If Wu Chiwu could hear what he was saying inside his head, he would definitely cry out that he was wronged.

He really only messes up occasionally.

As for the others, these kinds of questions are a piece of cake for him.

Even if it were Itachi, we could easily deal with him.

He was once called a genius, after all, isn't that enough?

Sasuke's lips curved slightly as he silently activated his Sharingan.

Second brother, let me copy your answer first.

He looked at the clean exam paper and the clearly written answers, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Surprisingly, his answer was quite plausible.

Time passed slowly, and the students began to cheat using various methods. Apart from a few who were caught and taken out, most of the students remained safely in the classroom.

Finally, examiner Ibiki Morino stared at everyone and announced the tenth question.

First, you have to choose whether to answer question ten or not.

Those who don't choose this option will receive a zero score on the spot, meaning they are considered unqualified, and of course, both of their companions will also be eliminated.

Another rule is that if someone chooses to answer a question but doesn't answer it correctly, that person will never be able to participate in the Chunin Ninja Exams again for the rest of their life.

This was a psychological battle. In the end, thanks to the persistence of some candidates, Ibiki Morino announced that everyone present had passed the first exam. Naruto, too, passed the exam without any major incident, even though he had submitted a blank paper.

They then proceeded to the venue for the second exam, the Training Ground 44.

Wu Chiwu, with a Three-Color Dango dangling from his mouth, casually glanced around.

He quickly noticed Orochimaru hiding in the crowd.

Ugh, that slippery, slimy snake makes me want to vomit.

Beneath the bandages, Wu Chiwu's Azure eyes suddenly sharpened, and the nonchalant air on his face vanished.

With his Six Eyes, he clearly sensed that Orochimaru was stronger than before.

His skills are improving.

Wu Chiwu felt no tension from the pressure or challenge; on the contrary, he felt increasingly calm.

What's been missing these past few years is that sense of tension and pressure, and I'm still getting used to it.

This is just right.

Not far away, Mitarashi Anko was still continuing her story.

This place is called the Forest of Death, and you will soon experience it for yourself.

"Scare me all you want, I'm not afraid at all." Naruto said smugly to Anko's threats.

"Really? You seem quite energetic. "Anko smiled meaningfully.

Then she suddenly struck, her sharp Kunai grazing Naruto's face and severing the hair of the strange woman behind him.

Mitarashi Anko suddenly appeared behind Naruto and spoke with great interest.

Children like you are usually the ones who die the fastest.

It will spurt out my favorite kind of bright red blood.

Wu Chiwu found Mitarashi Anko's actions somewhat amusing.

Isn't it inappropriate to scare a child like that?

He remembered someone who had once secretly shed tears on his favorite recliner.

However, does Mitarashi Anko know that her Kunai just now cut off her teacher's hair?

As Wu Chiwu was pondering this, the long-haired woman disguised as Orochimaru suddenly appeared silently behind Mitarashi Anko.

He held a handful of Kunai with his long tongue and stretched it towards the Anko in front of him.

However, Mitarashi Anko hasn't slacked off over the years, and her skills have become much more agile than before.

She quickly grabbed another Kunai and parried the long-haired woman's attack.

Orochimaru smiled strangely, his eyes gleaming with a serpentine light.

Kunai.

He seemed to have no intention of revealing his identity, offering a casual explanation that immediately filled the air with murderous intent.

Mitarashi Anko glanced back at the long-haired woman behind her and said coldly.

But don't stand behind me with a menacing look.

If you don't want to die too soon.