Looking at Sasuke's bewildered expression...
Kenya did not try to comfort him.
For a sapling to grow, it must endure wind and rain. This kind of setback, where its understanding is crushed, is also a form of spiritual practice for it.
"Alright, stop standing there."
Kenya walked over and, without any hesitation, tapped Sasuke and Naruto on the head once each.
" Orochimaru, that old slippery eel, may have escaped, but things aren't peaceful in this forest yet."
"Hurry up and take your scrolls to the central tower, don't delay my business."
After saying that, Kenya put his hands in his pockets and strolled away.
The three students from Team 7 were left looking at each other in bewilderment.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
The second brutal survival test in the Forest of Death has finally come to an end.
Those candidates who survived the swamps, poisonous insects, and enemy pursuit.
Dragging their wounded and exhausted bodies, they Earth Flow from the dark forest and entered the central tower.
At this moment, they were on edge, hungry and exhausted.
I just want to find a safe place to get a good night's sleep or have a good meal.
The moment they stepped into the tower's lounge.
An intensely rich aroma of roasted meat, almost bringing tears to your eyes.
It suddenly and without warning entered their nasal cavity!
"Gurgle..."
A chorus of stomach rumblings erupted in the hall.
The aroma was so overpowering, carrying a caramelized scent from the unique oils of the deep sea, mixed with the spiciness of a secret blend of spices.
For these Genin had been eating dry rations and even tree bark for five days in the forest, it was the most irresistible temptation.
"Where's that smell of barbecue coming from?!"
"Is there a restaurant inside this tower?!"
The students' previously tired eyes instantly lit up, and they rushed frantically towards the source of the aroma.
As they squeezed to the center of the hall.
The sight before them stunned everyone.
In the center of what was once an empty rest hall, all that could be seen was...
Someone had actually set up a huge charcoal grill that was five meters long!
The oven's wooden frame was made of Black Iron Wood, the kind that even Ninjutsu couldn't break, exuding an air of extravagance.
On the grill, dozens of huge skewers of meat, each as thick as a forearm, were neatly stacked.
The meat skewers were grilled until golden brown and glistening with oil, sizzling loudly.
And standing in front of the oven.
It was none other than Senju Kenya, the one who crushed a solid iron desk with one hand in the first written exam and called himself the "Emperor of Discipline Supervision"!
At this moment, he had taken off his flashy suit and put on a very professional chef's apron.
Holding a palm-leaf fan in one hand, he skillfully flipped the roasted meat with the other, occasionally sprinkling it with cumin.
Come on over! Don't miss out!
Kenya shouted energetically in a loud voice.
"Authentic deep-sea specialty from the Land of Waves: Pure wild, White Sea mammal meat!"
"This will replenish your Qi and blood, restore your Chakra, and is the perfect choice for preparing for the third exam!"
Next to Kenya, Haku, also wearing a small apron, was busy using Ice Release to "rapidly cool down and lock in freshness" the freshly grilled meat skewers.
At the other end of the oven.
Holding Tonton, Shizune sat with a table in front of her, a thick ledger in her hand, and smiling as she collected the money.
This scene completely Genin the group of serious genin.
Dude, this is the rest area for the Chunin Ninja Exams!
Is it really appropriate for you to set up a barbecue stall here?!
Don't the proctors care?
The candidates looked around and spotted the usually fierce-looking invigilators.
Instead of stopping them, they hid in a corner, secretly swallowing their saliva.
Are you kidding me? They're a super sponsor who spent 200 million taels of silver.
Let alone selling barbecue here, even if he demolished the tower and built a bathhouse, the Third Hokage would have no choice but to accept it.
"Hey boss, how much are these meat skewers?"
A hungry examinee from the Otogakure, his eyes practically glowing green, couldn't resist the temptation and stepped forward, swallowing hard, to ask.
Kenya stopped fanning himself and grinned.
"Honest and fair dealing, one string costs ten thousand taels."
"What?!"
The student with the Otogakure almost jumped up.
Ten thousand taels?! Why don't you just rob someone?!
"A bowl of top-quality Ichiraku Ramen outside only costs a few dozen yen, and you're charging ten thousand yen for this skewer of grilled meat?!"
Other candidates echoed this sentiment, vehemently condemning Kenya as a heartless and unscrupulous businessman.
"Too expensive?"
Kenya shrugged indifferently and continued flipping the meat skewers.
"This is a high-level sea beast that I personally hunted down at sea. One bite of it is equivalent to three days of your cultivation."
"Take it or leave it, I'm not worried about selling them. If you guys are hungry, you can keep munching on your Military Rations Pill."
As Kenya spoke, he deliberately picked up a skewer of meat that was dripping with oil.
He held it to his nose, took a deep breath of the aroma, and showed an expression of extreme enjoyment.
"Gulp."
The sound of swallowing filled the hall once again.
Those Military Rations Pill are dry and tasteless, like mud; they've long been sick of them.
In this state of extreme hunger and exhaustion.
Who could resist the allure of that golden-brown, fragrant roasted meat?
"Give me... give me a skewer!"
Finally, a wealthy examinee from Sunagakure gritted his teeth, pulled out 10,000 ryo from his pocket, and slammed it onto the Shizune table.
Bai immediately and deftly handed over a skewer of grilled sea monster meat.
The examinee couldn't wait and took a big bite.
"Hiss—it's so hot! It smells so good!"
The firm texture and rich oils of the sea monster meat explode in your mouth.
The examinee even felt his depleted Chakra slowly returning.
"It's so delicious! Give me two more skewers!"
Once the first person took the plunge, the remaining test-takers could no longer remain reserved.
"I want one too!"
"Give me three skewers! Damn it, I'll risk it all. Even if it means not buying ninja tools for a year!"
The test takers from various countries were originally cursing Kenya as a profiteer.
At this moment, everyone turned into "it smells so good" party members, drooling, and lined up in long queues in front of the barbecue stall.
Shizune, I've been collecting money until my hands are sore.
She looked at the man next to her who was grilling meat while humming a song.
Chunin.
This young master Kenya is not only abnormally strong, but his methods of accumulating wealth are a hundred times more outrageous than Lady Tsunade's!
As the queue grew longer and longer.
The lounge has been transformed into a bustling night market food street.
The sounds of hawking and chewing mingled together, completely shattering the original tension and cruelty of the Chunin Ninja Exams.
At the very front of the line.
Naruto squeezed to the front of the line, holding an empty wallet, and stared longingly at the grilled meat.