The day of the written test, the first stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams, had finally arrived.
The entrance to the Ninja Academy was several times noisier than usual. Genin from Konoha, Sunagakure, Amegakure, Kusagakure, and many other ninja villages had gathered there, filling the air with a tangled mix of tension, confidence, and wariness. Many candidates looked considerably older than Team 7 and carried themselves with a fierceness that made them hard to dismiss.
The four members of Team 7 arrived at the designated school building and followed the signs toward the supposed "Room 301." The corridor was packed, and something about the atmosphere felt strange.
"Wow, there are so many people!" Naruto looked around, both excited and a little nervous.
With his hands in his pockets, Sasuke quietly activated his Sharingan and calmly observed everything around him, paying particular attention to the ninja from other villages.
Sakura stayed close beside Sasuke, clutching her review notes-though they would most likely be useless-and silently mouthing something she had memorized.
Ling was the calmest of them all. His gaze swept across the crowd as though he were searching for something.
Soon, they spotted their destination. A large crowd surrounded the entrance to Room 301, where two Konoha Chunin who looked like examiners-Izumo and Kotetsu in disguise-stood guard with stern expressions. Nearby, several dejected candidates sported bruised, swollen faces, apparently having failed to force their way inside.
"What's going on? Why isn't anyone going in?" Naruto edged closer in curiosity.
"Hmph. You can't even see through genjutsu of this level, yet you want to take the Chunin Ninja Exams?" a cold, arrogant voice rang out. Everyone turned to see Neji Hyuga, Tenten, and Rock Lee approaching. Neji had spoken. His Byakugan was already active, allowing him to clearly see the genjutsu chakra wrapped around the room sign.
"Genjutsu?" Sasuke's Sharingan immediately confirmed it as well. "The real room is upstairs."
Just then, a commotion erupted nearby. Rock Lee suddenly slid to his knees in an outrageously dramatic fashion, appearing before Sakura in an instant. Producing a rose from somewhere, he declared in a booming voice, his eyes shining:
"Beautiful young lady! My name is Rock Lee! May I ask your name? Please go out with me! I will protect you with my burning youth!"
The sudden confession silenced the entire corridor. Every gaze turned toward them.
Sakura's face instantly flushed crimson, not from shyness, but from anger and embarrassment. Taking in Rock Lee's thick eyebrows, bowl cut, and skintight outfit, she felt a vein bulge at her temple. "Absolutely not! Who would want to date a bushy-browed guy like you? Besides, Sasuke-kun is the only one in my heart!" She instinctively hugged Sasuke's arm.
The devastating blow left Rock Lee petrified on the spot, as though the world behind him had faded into shades of gray.
Sasuke frowned impatiently, shook off Sakura's hands, and said coldly to Rock Lee, "What a waste of time. Move."
But Rock Lee abruptly snapped out of his petrified state, fierce fighting spirit blazing in his eyes. "I understand now! Sasuke-kun! I must defeat you first to win Miss Sakura's heart! Come on! Let's settle this!"
Before he had even finished speaking, Rock Lee vanished. In the next instant, he appeared at Sasuke's side and swept a vicious kick at his legs! His speed drew startled cries from many of the surrounding Genin.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun rapidly, barely catching the trajectory. He narrowly dodged by jumping back, though the escape left him looking rather clumsy.
"He's so fast!" Sakura exclaimed.
Rock Lee kept attacking, his taijutsu battering Sasuke like a raging storm. His speed and strength far surpassed those of an ordinary Genin! Relying on the perceptiveness of his Sharingan, Sasuke dodged repeatedly and occasionally blocked with his arms, but each impact left them numb. He was completely on the defensive!
"Damn it!" Sasuke tried to create some distance with the Great Fireball Technique, but Rock Lee's relentless close-range pressure left him no chance to form hand seals!
Sasuke was about to be driven into a corner.
"Stop, Lee." Neji's icy voice rang out. At some point, he and Tenten had come over.
Rock Lee halted instantly, as though someone had pressed pause, but he continued to stare at Sasuke in frustration.
Neji's Byakugan swept over Sasuke as he said flatly, "Don't forget why we're here. Besides, he isn't your target." He cast a meaningful glance at Ling, who had been watching from the sidelines the entire time.
Only then did Rock Lee reluctantly back off, though he still told Sasuke, "Sasuke-kun, you're strong! But as you are now, you're no match for me! I'll prove it during the exams!" After speaking, he gave Sakura another determined look before Tenten pulled him aside.
Sasuke's expression darkened. He clenched his fists, frustration filling his Sharingan. This was the first time someone his own age had overwhelmed him so thoroughly in taijutsu.
The sudden clash made the other candidates reassess the strength of Konoha's Genin, especially Rock Lee and Sasuke.
Ling, meanwhile, had stood to one side throughout, calmly watching the farce. Rock Lee's taijutsu speed had surprised him slightly, but it was not unexpected.
Tenten came over with a helpless sigh. "Oh, there he goes again... He didn't scare you, did he?" She was mainly addressing Ling and Sakura.
"Not really..." Sakura was still a little shaken.
Ling shook his head and told Tenten, "His taijutsu is strong."
Tenten smiled and lowered her voice. "Yeah, that guy's an idiot who makes up for it with hard work. Still, you should be careful too. There are plenty of hidden talents in this exam. Those Sand Ninja we saw earlier look pretty dangerous as well." She pointed toward Gaara's trio, who were watching coldly from a short distance away.
"Thanks for the warning." Ling nodded. He knew Tenten meant well.
After a little more conversation about the exams and ninja tools, Neji led Tenten and Rock Lee toward the stairs to the real exam room ahead of the others. Before heading upstairs, Rock Lee still remembered to turn back and give Sasuke and Sakura a thumbs-up, flashing his gleaming teeth.
"Let's go too," Ling told his teammates.
Sasuke snorted coldly and was the first to follow. Naruto was still secretly gloating over Sasuke's earlier humiliation, but a punch from Sakura made him behave and follow along.
The four easily saw through the genjutsu and headed toward the real exam room on the second floor. Behind them, the candidates still trapped at the illusionary entrance or trying to challenge the "examiners" were destined to be eliminated from the first stage.
The doors to the exam room slowly opened, revealing an even more oppressive and tense atmosphere inside. The first stage of the Chunin Ninja Exams was about to begin. But Ling knew the real trials would be far more complicated than a written test. Orochimaru might already have set his sights on one of them.
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