Mitaraishi Anko made a flamboyant entrance.
She stood on the platform with her hands on her hips.
Her trench coat, bulging over her fishnet undergarment, fluttered in the wind.
A bloodthirsty, wild grin spread across her face.
Yet the examinees in the room looked at her as if she were an idiot.
For a moment, the atmosphere was extremely awkward.
To cover her embarrassment, Anko turned to Ibiki and complained.
"Ahem... Ibiki, you went way too easy on them, didn't you?"
"You actually let this many people stay?"
Ibiki snorted.
"There are a few interesting ones among this year's examinees."
"I'll leave the rest to you."
Anko licked her lips and swept her gaze over the crowd.
"No problem!"
"In my second exam, I'll eliminate them until only half are left!"
"No, maybe even fewer!"
Half an hour later.
Konoha's Training Ground Forty-Four, also known as the "Forest of Death."
An enormous wire fence tightly enclosed the entire dense, primeval forest.
Trees soared into the clouds, blotting out the sky and sun.
From time to time, spine-chilling roars of wild beasts came from deep within the forest.
The examinees stood outside the wire fence.
They felt the cold, sinister wind blowing from the forest.
Quite a few swallowed hard.
Holding a stack of papers, Anko walked up to them.
"This is the site of the second exam."
"Before entering, everyone must sign this death waiver."
"Because in there, whether you live or die is up to fate!"
A stir ran through the crowd.
Anko raised two scrolls, one black and one white.
"The rules are simple."
"This is a battle for scrolls."
"The Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll."
"Each team will receive one of them at random."
"Your task is to survive in the forest for five days."
"Seize the scroll you need to complete the pair, and reach the tower in the center of the forest with every member of your team."
"Then you pass!"
"Now sign your waivers and go over there to exchange them for scrolls!"
The examinees began lining up to sign.
Anko leaned against the wire fence.
Her gaze seemed casual as she sized up these Genin.
When her gaze swept over Team 7, it suddenly stopped on Shengu Xuan.
The black-haired boy was leaning against a tree.
His hands were in his pockets, his eyes closed.
It was as though the tense atmosphere had nothing to do with him.
Anko narrowed her eyes.
So this is the brat called Shengu Xuan?
Ibiki specifically warned me just now that he's extremely dangerous and uses bizarre methods.
She had always liked challenges and thrills.
Especially when it came to brats who looked this ridiculously full of themselves.
She loved seeing terrified expressions on their faces most of all.
Whoosh!
Without warning, Anko drew a Kunai.
She flicked her wrist.
The Kunai became a cold gleam, shooting straight toward Shengu Xuan's cheek!
The attack was incredibly fast, and its angle was exceptionally tricky.
An ordinary Genin would have no time to react and would at least suffer a cut to the cheek.
Naruto cried out.
"Watch out!"
Yet Shengu Xuan did not even open his eyes.
Just as the Kunai was about to strike his cheek.
Shengu Xuan tilted his head slightly.
Thud!
The Kunai flew past Shengu Xuan's ear.
It embedded itself firmly in the tree trunk behind him.
It even sliced off a lock of his black hair.
Anko gave a cold laugh.
"Oh? Not bad reflexes."
Her figure flashed, and she instantly appeared behind Shengu Xuan.
She reached out with one hand from behind him and grabbed the Kunai embedded in the tree.
Her other hand rested on Shengu Xuan's shoulder.
Anko leaned close to Shengu Xuan's ear and taunted him in a dangerous tone.
"But reflexes alone aren't enough in the Forest of Death."
"Brat, your killing intent is far too weak."
"You'll end up as food for the beasts in there."
Shengu Xuan slowly opened his eyes.
There was not a ripple in his pitch-black eyes.
He spoke flatly.
"Lady, you're too close."
"The smell of dumplings on you is choking me."
A vein instantly bulged on Anko's forehead.
"L-Lady?!"
She hated people calling her old more than anything!
A flash of anger crossed Anko's eyes.
"You're asking to die!"
She abruptly exerted force with the hand gripping the Kunai.
She wanted to teach this brat who did not know his place a little lesson.
But in the next second, Anko's expression changed.
She discovered that the hand resting on Shengu Xuan's shoulder could no longer move!
And that was not all.
The hand gripping the Kunai also seemed to be locked tight in some invisible iron clamp.
She could not pull the Kunai out at all!
Alarm surged through Anko as she looked down.
"What's going on?!"
At some point, without her noticing.
The shadow beneath Shengu Xuan's feet had stretched unnaturally.
It had climbed up the tree trunk.
And tightly bound her feet and hands!
The shadow was bone-chillingly cold, carrying a suffocating sense of pressure!
Anko was just about to speak.
"You..."
Shengu Xuan turned his head to look at Anko.
A wicked smile curled his lips.
"Shh."
"Lady, this little testing game ends here."
"If you dare point this scrap metal at me again."
"I guarantee you'll end up ten thousand times worse off than this Kunai!"
The instant his words fell.
A dark red gleam flashed deep within Shengu Xuan's eyes and vanished.
Crack!
The refined-steel Kunai held in Anko's hand.
Despite no external force acting upon it.
Instantly melted into a pool of scalding molten iron.
It dripped onto the ground with a sizzling hiss!
Anko jerked her hand back and sucked in a sharp breath.
Had she not reacted quickly.
Her hand would have been burned through by now!
The shadow instantly withdrew.
Shengu Xuan returned to his lazy demeanor.
He walked toward the tent where they distributed the scrolls.
Anko stood rooted to the spot in a daze.
She stared at the pool of molten iron on the ground, still smoking.
Her back was already soaked in cold sweat.
Anko swallowed.
A powerful unease rose within her.
What kind of power was that...?
No Hand Seals, no Chakra fluctuations...
Is this kid really a Genin?
Anko came back to her senses and announced loudly.
"All right, time's up!"
"Everyone, enter the Forest of Death!"
As the gates slowly opened.
Dozens of teams charged into the gloomy forest like arrows loosed from their bows.
Team 7 had received the Heaven Scroll.
Naruto was keeping it.
The moment they entered the forest, the light dimmed.
Towering trees dozens of meters tall surrounded them.
The smell of rotting leaves and poisonous miasma filled the air.
Sasuke walked at the front.
His Sharingan was already activated as he warily surveyed their surroundings.
"Everyone, be careful."
"There are venomous insects and savage beasts everywhere in here."
"And enemies from other villages."
Naruto walked in the middle.
He kept a tight hand over the pocket containing the scroll.
Shengu Xuan walked at the rear.
With his hands behind his head, he was as relaxed as if he were strolling through his own backyard.
"Rustle..."
Suddenly, a strange noise came from the bushes beside them.
Sasuke whipped his head around, a Shuriken already held between his fingers.
"Who's there?!"
Three Rain Ninja wearing gas masks leaped down from the treetops.
They surrounded Team 7.
The lead Rain Ninja sneered.
"What luck."
"We've only just come in, and we've already run into a bunch of Konoha brats."
"Hand over your scroll!"
"And we can spare your lives!"
Naruto roared and charged straight at them.
"You want to steal our scroll?"
"Dream on!"
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Pop, pop, pop!
A dozen or so Shadow Clones of Naruto appeared instantly and lunged at the Rain Ninja.
Not to be outdone, Sasuke rapidly formed hand seals with both hands.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Several balls of flame hurtled toward the enemies like meteors.
Battle erupted in an instant.
Although the Rain Ninja were Genin, they had extensive experience in actual combat.
Before long, they were trading blows with Naruto and Sasuke.
Shengu Xuan stood to one side, showing no intention of intervening.
He watched Naruto and Sasuke's clumsy fighting techniques.
He gave a bored yawn.
"What a bunch of amateurs flailing at each other."
Just then, Shengu Xuan's brow suddenly furrowed slightly.
He sensed that in a dark corner not far from them,
there was a pair of cold, clammy eyes, like a venomous snake's,
staring fixedly in their direction.
More precisely,
they were fixed on Sasuke.
The corners of Shengu Xuan's mouth lifted slightly.
"This chakra... interesting."
Before you continue