195
Added 2025-02-27 01:19:55 +0000 UTCChapter 195: The River in the Forest of Death! 1
"Prediction Change Node 2: In Konoha Year 60, June – The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, dies of illness at home."
"Prediction Change Node 3: In Konoha Year 60, July – Itachi Uchiha returns to the village of Konoha."
"Note 1: The above time nodes are system-predicted events and may not occur under the influence of the host. They are provided for reference only."
"Note 2: If the predicted events occur smoothly, the host will receive additional system points as a bonus for successfully showing off."
"Wishing the host an enjoyable time showing off!"
"Ding-dong!"
With a system notification sound, the year-long guide to future events concluded its predictions.
Something had changed!
Sasuke's expression shifted slightly.
The system was truly impressive.
Based on the current situation, the predictions had been recalculated.
Now, there were only three remaining prediction nodes.
Moreover, the node related to the Chūnin Exams was gone.
This indicated…
The major events of the Chūnin Exams had already concluded!
"So, I probably won't get any more bonus points for showing off during the Chūnin Exams," Sasuke calculated silently.
He immediately opened the system panel.
Current System Points: 34,489.
Looking at the number in front of him, Sasuke felt a surge of satisfaction.
One Chūnin Exam.
Tens of thousands of points gained.
If you included the points spent earlier on upgrading Susano'o, the total might well exceed 50,000 points.
An absolute windfall!
Extremely satisfying!
Sasuke felt completely content in his heart.
Although he had lost two major event nodes related to the Chūnin Exams, Sasuke didn't regret it in the slightest.
The lost nodes were Orochimaru's attack on Konoha Village and Jiraiya inheriting the title of Fifth Hokage.
Neither of these mattered to Sasuke anymore!
Orochimaru had already been fully exploited during the second round of the Chūnin Exams. Through layer upon layer of power displays, Sasuke had wrung every last possible point out of Orochimaru.
As for Jiraiya…
That guy was a loyal reader of his.
There was absolutely nothing to worry about there.
At any time, Sasuke could effortlessly extract an endless supply of points from Jiraiya!
Turning his attention back to the three members of Guy's team, Sasuke maintained his cold, superior demeanor.
"I trust surviving in the Forest of Death for five days won't be an issue for you."
"Right now, no one has any scrolls left."
"What you need to watch out for are the wild beasts."
"However..."
"I doubt you'll last the full five days."
"Because the Chūnin Selection Exams are about to end!"
+50 (25)
The numbers before Sasuke's eyes fluctuated, still accompanied by parentheses.
This meant the current event was still considered a major event.
How interesting!
The corners of Sasuke's lips curled upward as he immediately understood the system's intention.
The future events had shifted.
However, the current event was still ongoing.
Since the Chūnin Exams hadn't officially ended yet…
That meant showing off now still earned bonus points!
Not bad!
The system wasn't so bad after all!
After finishing his words, Sasuke casually waved his hand toward the three members of Guy's team.
"See you around."
With that final remark, Sasuke immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique and disappeared without a trace.
The Tower.
Entrance Hall.
Naruto and Sakura stood in a corner, waiting for Sasuke's return.
They didn’t have to wait very long.
However, because they hadn’t seen Sasuke for a while, both of them couldn’t help but worry. It felt like centuries had passed.
Tap, tap, tap…
At that moment, footsteps echoed from outside, immediately catching Naruto and Sakura’s attention.
Of course, the proctor ninja also turned to look toward the door.
Someone was coming!
Everyone realized this.
The person approaching wasn’t Sasuke.
If it were Sasuke, he would have arrived instantly using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
It was likely another participant.
At that moment, under everyone’s watchful eyes, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, entered, clad in his Hokage robe, with a woman slung over his shoulder.
"This…"
The sudden scene stunned everyone present. No one had expected the Third Hokage to appear.
"Hokage-sama!"
The proctor ninja immediately knelt halfway and bowed, lowering his head without daring to look up.
"Hokage-sama!"
Sakura also bowed and tugged at Naruto beside her.
“Heh, heh, heh…”
Naruto clasped his hands behind his head, grinning mischievously as he looked at the Third Hokage. He teased, "Grandpa Third, what are you doing here?"
“So, this is where you all are!”
The Third Hokage’s gaze swept over Sakura and Naruto. Only then did he realize why Sasuke could move so freely in the Forest of Death.
“Ah… the chief examiner…”
Sakura suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
Following her words, everyone noticed that the woman slung over the Third Hokage’s shoulder was none other than Anko Mitarashi, the chief examiner for the second round of the Chūnin Selection Exams.
“She’s not…”
The Third Hokage began to speak but stopped mid-sentence. Before he could finish, a figure appeared abruptly beside Naruto.
It was Sasuke.
+30 (15)
As Sasuke appeared, the points in front of him jumped suddenly, marking a completed increase.
“Hokage-sama!”
When Sasuke saw the Third Hokage before him, he immediately nodded in greeting.
“So, you’ve mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique.”
The Third Hokage’s expression remained unchanged, as if he already had intelligence on this development.
“Yes,” Sasuke replied with a nod, saying nothing more. He stood quietly, smiling faintly at the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage stared deeply at Sasuke for a moment, then, after a brief silence, said, "Neji and the others lost to you, didn’t they?"
The Third Hokage’s voice carried a tone of reluctant acceptance. While he hoped his assumption was wrong, he knew the odds were slim.
“There was no suspense.”
Sasuke replied nonchalantly, his demeanor completely relaxed.
+40 (20)
The points in front of Sasuke jumped again.
“Very well!”
The Third Hokage’s voice grew heavy, his expression darkening noticeably.
Now, only this team remained.
Just these three.
Even if they proceeded to the third round of the exam, the spectacle that was meant to captivate the daimyō and nobles from various nations was already lost.
After all, he had painstakingly invited participants from all the major nations and villages to this Chūnin Exam!
How had it come to this?
“Thank you for the compliment, Hokage-sama!”
Sasuke, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm in the Third Hokage’s words, turned his gaze to Naruto and Sakura.
“Naruto, Sakura, let’s go.”
+50 (25)
Sasuke’s words instantly drew the attention of everyone in the room, including the Third Hokage.
“Alright.”
Naruto didn’t ask any questions. He was ready to follow Sasuke without hesitation.
There was no need for explanation.
Whatever Sasuke said, that was what they would do. Wherever Sasuke went, Naruto would follow.
“Where are we going?”
Sakura asked in confusion. She couldn’t understand. This was already the end of the second round of the Chūnin Selection Exams.
Why would they need to go anywhere else?
It didn’t make sense!
Sakura’s question hung in the air.
Chapter 195: The River in the Forest of Death! 2
---
This was exactly the sentiment of everyone present.
"To the Forest of Death."
When Sasuke spoke, his gaze bypassed Sakura and landed on the Third Hokage. He said calmly, "We didn’t pass the exam."
+60 (30)
The numbers in front of Sasuke's eyes abruptly fluctuated.
"What do you mean?"
The Third Hokage's tone grew even heavier. He already had a hunch about what Sasuke was about to say, and a wave of displeasure filled his heart.
All the scrolls are in your hands.
And you say you didn’t pass the exam.
Isn’t this deliberate?
Are you here just to stir up trouble?
"It’s exactly as I said. We don’t have any scrolls in our hands."
Sasuke spread his hands, showing his palms to the Third Hokage. The gesture seemed to emphasize that he was holding nothing.
+70 (35)
Once again, the numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes shifted.
"Hmph!"
The Third Hokage let out a cold snort but didn’t say anything further. There were still four and a half days until the second round of the Chunin Exam ended, leaving some room to maneuver.
"Let’s go."
Sasuke paid no further attention to the Third Hokage. He gestured toward Naruto and Sakura, leading the way out.
"Alright!"
Without hesitation, Naruto followed Sasuke, his trust in Sasuke’s decisions unwavering.
"Sigh..."
Sakura let out a helpless sigh, her emotions conflicted.
At the beginning—
She hadn’t wanted to participate in the Chunin Exam.
The reason was simple.
She didn’t think her abilities were worthy of the title of Chunin!
But...
Now that things had come to this point—
Sakura’s emotions were mixed.
They had already cruised their way into the second round of the exam!
If their team were the only ones to pass, they might even breeze into the third round and become Chunin directly.
What a rare opportunity this was!
Sakura felt this might be the closest she had ever been to becoming a Chunin. In the future, she would have to pass the Chunin Exam fair and square to achieve that title.
…
As Sasuke led Team 7 out, the plaza at the tower grew empty, leaving only the Third Hokage, Anko, and the remaining proctor ninja.
Outside the tower—
Sasuke and the other two walked away.
"Sasuke, why don’t we just pass the exam and become Chunin?" Sakura couldn’t help but ask, her tone full of doubt.
She was genuinely reluctant.
They had worked so hard to make it this far.
Giving up now felt like such a waste!
In truth—
Deep down in her heart—
She didn’t want the Chunin Exam to end so quickly!
"This year’s Chunin Exam will have no winners," Sasuke said indifferently, responding to Sakura.
At this point, all the scrolls were in his possession.
Wait—
To be precise—
There was one set of scrolls not in his possession.
The "Heaven Scroll" from that set was outside the exam grounds, while the "Earth Scroll" had been sealed along with Orochimaru in the Totsuka Blade.
All the other scrolls were in his private storage space.
No one else could collect enough scrolls.
+20 (10)
As Sasuke finished speaking, the numbers in front of him shifted again. The points weren’t particularly high or low; Sasuke, having seen many high numbers lately, no longer felt much about them.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Suddenly—
Three figures leapt out of the bushes, each wearing a forehead protector from the Hidden Rain Village.
"Scrolls!"
These three Hidden Rain ninjas had been lurking here for a while, hoping to ambush someone and snatch their scrolls.
But...
Their ambush was glaringly obvious, more akin to outright robbery. They simply waved their kunai around in a half-hearted manner.
The trio’s first target was the leisurely Naruto.
Then they noticed Sakura, who was talking to Sasuke.
Sasuke, standing to the right of the two, was momentarily in their blind spot.
If this had been in the past...
---
---
They would certainly inspect things carefully, but now they had all lost their scrolls, were physically and mentally exhausted, and had almost no chakra left. They could only resort to such a primitive method of snatching.
Naruto and Sakura looked like easy targets.
“What?”
Sakura’s eyelid twitched violently. She hadn’t expected such a scenario at all—being ambushed right after stepping out.
“What, you want to fight?”
Naruto clenched his fists and gestured toward the three Hidden Rain Village ninjas in front of him. His stance, meant to be threatening, instead made him look adorably fierce—hardly intimidating.
“Hand over the scroll!”
The leader of the Hidden Rain Village squad stepped forward, with the other two following closely behind.
As he took just two steps forward—
A white figure appeared in their line of sight.
Graceful.
Aloof.
Silent.
Simply standing there, watching them.
“It’s you!!!”
The three ninjas from the Hidden Rain Village immediately began trembling uncontrollably. Their legs gave out, and they collapsed to the ground after losing their balance.
“We don’t want the scroll anymore!”
“We’re done with it!”
“Really, we don’t need the scroll!”
“Please let us go!”
“We were wrong!”
“…”
The sudden pleas for mercy from the Hidden Rain ninjas were completely unexpected, catching both Naruto and Sakura off guard.
Totally unforeseen!
No one had anticipated this!
For a moment—
Naruto and Sakura exchanged glances, each seeing the shock in the other’s eyes. Then their gazes turned toward Sasuke.
*+50 (25)*
Numbers flashed in front of Sasuke’s eyes.
“Get lost.”
Sasuke sneered. He didn’t recognize these Hidden Rain ninjas—after all, their attire made them all look alike.
However...
He had swept through the Forest of Death, taking scrolls from nearly everyone.
Almost everyone knew who he was.
The moment these three saw his face, they were utterly terrified.
When Sasuke uttered the word “leave,” it was as though they had been granted a reprieve from execution.
They bolted as fast as they could!
They had come for the scrolls, but if getting them meant risking their lives, survival was the obvious choice!
*+50 (25)*
The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes flashed again, just like before, with no significant increase.
“Sasuke, what’s going on?”
Sakura asked curiously.
Recently, she’d become something of a curious cat, her head brimming with questions one after another. She was utterly bewildered, wanting to ask about everything yet understanding nothing.
“It’s simple,” Sasuke replied calmly. “I took their scrolls earlier. They were trying to get new ones, saw you two as easy targets, but got scared the moment they saw me.”
*+20 (10)*
The numbers in front of him rose slightly as he spoke.
“I see!”
Sakura instantly understood. She was actually very smart, but the Chūnin Exams had left her somewhat frazzled.
“In the next few days, you two can use this time to train. Even if there aren’t other ninjas in the Forest of Death, there are plenty of poisonous insects and wild beasts—it’s all very dangerous.”
Sasuke instructed Naruto and Sakura matter-of-factly.
There were still at least four days remaining, enough time for them to gain some experience and enjoy the ‘fun’ of the Chūnin Exams.
Then—
Sasuke stood behind their three-man team, adopting an idle stance, silently watching as Naruto and Sakura led the way through the forest.
Minute by minute, time passed.
Gradually—
Night fell.
Under the moonlight, the Forest of Death became especially mysterious, filled with the sounds of beasts growling.
Occasionally, the wind carried the faint sound of ninjas moving nearby.
Among them—
---
Chapter 195: The River in the Forest of Death! 3
Some ninjas spotted the Seventh Team and started heading their way. However, as soon as they saw Sasuke, they quickly turned tail and ran off.
This was a big shot.
A big shot they couldn’t afford to provoke!
Although the three members of the Seventh Team were walking through the Forest of Death, they didn’t feel the slightest sense of danger.
It was completely different from the original story.
There was no need to reach the tower within a set time!
No need to fight over scrolls!
No pressure.
No goals.
They were just wandering aimlessly, as if on a sightseeing adventure.
As time passed and midnight arrived, the forest under the moonlight became increasingly eerie. The examinees inside were all utterly exhausted.
“Naruto, Sakura, you two should rest. I’ll take the night watch,” Sasuke ordered in a tone that brooked no argument.
“Yes!”
Naruto and Sakura nodded in agreement. Neither of them objected because they were truly worn out.
Sakura pulled a tent out of her backpack. She set it up and went inside.
“Naruto, aren’t you going to sleep?” Sakura poked her head out of the tent and looked at Naruto, who was still standing outside and hadn’t come in.
“I didn’t bring a tent...” Naruto scratched his head with a sheepish grin. He looked silly but somewhat endearing.
“Well... why don’t you come in?”
After hesitating for a moment, Sakura invited Naruto in. Their relationship had grown much closer during their recent missions together.
“That doesn’t seem right...” Naruto hesitated, but the smile on his face betrayed the excitement stirring in his heart.
“If I’m not bothered, why are you so worried?” Sakura huffed. She ducked back into the tent without closing the flap, leaving just enough space for Naruto.
“Not bothered, not bothered...”
Naruto stopped hesitating altogether. He slipped into the tent without any pretense.
The inside of the tent was surprisingly spacious.
“Here, take this.”
Sakura tossed a sleeping bag to Naruto. She held another one in her hands and slid into it herself.
“Thanks!”
Naruto caught the sleeping bag Sakura threw over and crawled into it as well.
For a moment, the tent resembled two silkworm cocoons.
“Sasuke, could you zip the tent flap? Otherwise, mosquitoes might get in,” Sakura’s voice called from inside her sleeping bag.
“Got it.”
Sasuke nodded. Standing at the tent’s entrance, he zipped it shut.
Despite her reputation as tough and fearless, Sakura was, after all, still a girl. The tent and sleeping bags she prepared were surprisingly well-equipped and not as crude as one might expect.
Seeing that Naruto and Sakura were settling in to sleep, Sasuke’s figure blurred. He leaped up and perched on a branch above the tent.
At this moment...
The night was dark, the wind was high, and there was nothing to do.
Might as well figure out how to spend those points!
Sasuke immediately opened the system panel.
Current system points: 35,149
He opened the system shop.
Six toolkits appeared before him.
Without hesitation, Sasuke selected the first one.
[Experience Pack]: Instantly upgrades any jutsu to perfection. Price: 350 points (limited to one per month; refreshes in 29 days).
Let’s buy it! No point in hoarding these points, especially when there’s nothing else to do.
Sasuke made his decision in a flash.
-350 points
Current system points: 34,799
A red experience pack appeared in Sasuke’s mind space.
He continued scrolling through the options.
[Upgrade Pack]: Raises the level of a bloodline limit in a single upgrade. Price: 600 points (limited to one per month; refreshes in 29 days).
Buy it!
Once again, Sasuke made the purchase.
600
Current System Points: 34,199.
Buzz!
In an instant—
Sasuke's mind trembled again, and a blue upgrade package appeared in his consciousness space.
The next moment—
Sasuke clicked on the third package.
[Attribute Package]: Increases the host's chakra attribute abilities. Price: 1,000 points (Limited to 1 per month; refreshes in 29 days).
Purchase!
With a thought, Sasuke chose to buy it once more.
-1,000
Current System Points: 33,199.
Sasuke didn’t stop there.
Instead, he moved on to the fourth red experience package.
[Experience Package (2)]: Enhances any ninjutsu to perfection, reaching its ultimate state. Price: 1,750 points (Limited to 1 per month; refreshes in 29 days).
Buy it!
This one was a must-have!
Purchase immediately.
-1,750
Current System Points: 31,449.
After this series of purchases, Sasuke’s points were still above 30,000.
Take a look.
In Sasuke’s mind, there was a special storage space.
It resembled a system-created inventory designed to store items exclusively from the system.
Current Inventory:
[Experience Package] X7
[Upgrade Package] X1
[Attribute Package] X1
"Hmm..."
Sasuke pondered for a moment, deciding that he should buy another upgrade package. After all, collecting 10 of them would allow him to obtain the Rinnegan.
The second upgrade package should cost 3,000 points.
Given his current points, it was entirely manageable!
Let’s get it!
Sasuke made up his mind and immediately clicked on the fifth package.
[Upgrade Package]: Increases the level of a single bloodline limit. Price: 3,000 points (Limited to 1 per month; refreshes in 29 days).
Purchase!
With a single thought, Sasuke made the purchase.
-3,000
Current System Points: 28,449.
In the storage space of his mind, the [Upgrade Package] count had increased to 2, bringing him one step closer to 10.
Use the Attribute Package!
Ding!
In an instant—
A crisp electronic notification sound echoed.
“Attribute Package detected in use.”
“Current Chakra Attributes: Lightning X5, Water X1!”
“Please select the chakra attribute to enhance!”
Fire
Lightning
Earth
Wind
Water
Select 2.
Sasuke made his decision without hesitation.
As long as he could choose, he would focus on stacking Lightning attributes.
Maximize it to the extreme.
Buzz!
After making his choice, Sasuke’s entire body trembled once more, followed by a tingling sensation spreading throughout him.
Ding!
“Congratulations! Lightning Chakra attribute successfully enhanced!”
It’s done!
The Lightning attribute had increased again.
Next—
Sasuke opened the attribute list to check.
Open [Attributes] List.
[Attributes]
Mental Attribute: Grade S (128/5,000)
Physical Attribute: Grade SS (5,111/10,000)
Illusion Attribute: Grade SSS (MAX)
Ninjutsu Attribute: Grade SSS (MAX)
Strength Attribute: Grade SS (2/10,000)
Speed Attribute: Grade SS (1/10,000)
Chakra Attributes: Lightning X6, Water X1.
Sasuke reviewed his attributes, which now looked quite impressive. He immediately allocated 2 points to enhance Mental Attribute and Physical Attribute respectively.
Recover Status.
-1
-1
Two numbers flashed across Sasuke’s vision.
A warm current flowed through his body, and a refreshing sensation washed over his mind.
Current System Points: 28,447.
"That’s enough for now."
Chapter 195: The River in the Forest of Death! 4
Sasuke looked at the 28,000 system points in his hand.
Actually, these system points could be used for many things. For example, he could upgrade the strength, speed, and stamina attributes to SSS rank.
However...
For now, they were sufficient.
He hadn't encountered an enemy that required such powerful attributes.
Upgrading the Mangekyō Sharingan’s abilities would also require a lot of points, but it wasn’t an urgent need at the moment.
The next major event would be Danzo becoming the Fifth Hokage.
That was something scheduled for May.
There was still plenty of room for improvement throughout April.
Sasuke preferred to save these 28,000 points for the lottery, as it might significantly enhance his abilities and techniques.
At this point, there weren’t many people Sasuke feared anymore. More than anything, he enjoyed showing off and casually dealing with the system points he earned from doing so.
---
The entire night was exceptionally quiet.
Occasionally, snakes crawled toward the tent, but Sasuke sliced them up with his kunai.
The night passed peacefully.
The next day.
Early morning.
Sakura was the first to climb out of the tent. Naruto was still sleeping in his sleeping bag, snoring like a log.
“Sasuke, do you know if there’s a stream nearby?”
Sakura looked up at Sasuke, who was perched on a tree branch. Just waking up and seeing Sasuke’s handsome face made her mood instantly better.
“What do you need it for?”
Sasuke asked curiously. The drinking water supply was still sufficient, so there didn’t seem to be any need to search for a water source so early.
“I want to wash my face.”
Sakura replied, a bit embarrassed. She was disheveled and covered in dirt from yesterday’s forest adventure and sleeping in the tent.
If it were just her or a different team, she wouldn’t have cared.
But Sasuke was right there!
She couldn’t let that slide!
She had to maintain her appearance!
“Yeah, there’s one.”
Sasuke stood up on the tree branch, his black eyes instantly turning into the blood-red Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Swoosh!
Sasuke’s figure blurred as he leaped down from the branch and landed firmly on the ground. His gaze swept across the area.
*+20 (10)*
The numbers flickered in Sasuke’s vision.
“???”
Sakura’s mind filled with question marks. She just wanted to know where the stream was.
Sasuke had merely said, "There’s one."
But where?
Why wasn’t he leading the way?
However, what happened next shook Sakura to her core, creating an unforgettable memory deeply imprinted in her mind.
Buzz!
A purple aura of chakra emanated from Sasuke’s body.
The intense chakra had a nearly tangible quality, forming the shape of a skeleton.
*Susanoo!*
Sasuke activated Susanoo directly.
The appearance of the purple skeletal form caused the ground to tremble, waking Naruto inside the tent.
*+50 (25)*
Once again, the numbers in Sasuke’s vision flickered.
“Oh my god!”
Sakura exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at Sasuke.
Astonishment!
Sasuke could wield chakra to such an incredible degree!
Tangible chakra!
So overwhelming!
This was way too powerful!
Sakura’s gaze toward Sasuke became even more admiring. In that moment, she completely transformed into a fangirl, her eyes filled with adoration.
Swoosh!
The next moment...
---
A tengu mask appeared on the head of Sasuke's Susanoo, covering the skeletal face entirely.
The skeletal figure began to grow flesh and expand, its bones enlarging and becoming cloaked in a faintly shimmering suit of armor. Its form grew even more colossal.
*+80 (40)*
The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes fluctuated again.
The massive Susanoo stood towering, now fully visible in Sakura's line of sight.
Of course, many other examinees who had woken up that morning also saw this Susanoo, which stood taller than the surrounding trees.
Shh, shh, shh, shh...
At that moment, a spiritual sword materialized in Sasuke’s hands.
It was none other than the *Totsuka Blade*.
Gripping the Totsuka Blade in Susanoo's hand, Sasuke suddenly swung it downward at the ground not far ahead.
Whoosh!
In an instant.
A flash of sword energy sliced through the void and struck the ground.
Boom!
In mere moments.
The earth trembled violently. Birds scattered from the forest, and beasts fled the area in a frenzy, leaving the zone entirely.
The ground split open, leaving a deep gorge carved by the Totsuka Blade wielded by Sasuke's Susanoo. From a distance, the crevice appeared pitch black, its depths impossible to discern.
*+100 (50)*
Once more, the numbers in front of Sasuke's eyes shifted.
Sakura blinked her beautiful eyes, staring at Sasuke. Her head filled with question marks as she remained utterly clueless about his intentions.
She couldn’t understand.
What was the purpose of that slash?
Was there an enemy nearby?
Buzz!
While Sakura was still in doubt, Sasuke immediately dismissed Susanoo, reverting back to his normal human form.
Then.
His Mangekyo Sharingan disappeared, and his eyes returned to their dark, pitch-black state.
Sakura silently watched Sasuke’s back, still unable to figure out what he was thinking.
She thought to herself, I just wanted to freshen up…
What’s all this about?
“What happened here?”
Naruto rushed out of his sleeping bag in a panic, the earlier tremors having startled him awake. His face still bore traces of shock and confusion.
“Um… I don’t know how to explain it… Just watch with me!”
Sakura said with a wry smile. She wasn’t trying to brush Naruto off; she genuinely had no idea what Sasuke was doing.
“Huh…”
Naruto glanced toward Sasuke in the distance. His eyes were immediately drawn to the Uchiha clan crest on the back of Sasuke’s white robe.
“Oh, it’s just Sasuke causing a commotion!”
Naruto’s worried expression disappeared instantly. As long as it was Sasuke, there was nothing for him to be concerned about.
At this moment.
Sasuke’s hands moved rapidly, forming hand seals. Then, he took a deep breath, his chest swelling dramatically.
“*Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!*”
Whoooosh!
Sasuke unleashed a torrential stream of water toward the gorge created by the Totsuka Blade. The water surged violently, quickly forming a sea that flooded into the crevice.
Splash, splash, splash...
The sound of rushing water echoed throughout the area. Within mere moments, a flowing river materialized in front of Naruto and Sakura.
*+200 (100)*
The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped again.
“No way!”
Sakura’s eyes sparkled with disbelief. Staring at the newly-formed river, her mind buzzed, momentarily incapable of rational thought.
“Sasuke!”
“This is way too over the top!”
“I just wanted to freshen up!”
“You could’ve just taken me to an existing river!”
“This…”
---
---
Sakura swallowed hard, her face full of astonishment.
“Sasuke, you’re incredible!”
Naruto had just witnessed Sasuke using a Water Release technique. Though he hadn’t seen Susanoo, just the ability to create a sea was enough to leave him speechless.
“Sakura,” Sasuke began casually, “The river is too far from here. Instead of taking you there, how about I just create one?”
He spoke as though it was the simplest thing in the world, without any difficulty. Beside him, the newly created river flowed gently, the sound of water trickling through the air.
+250 (125)
The numbers in Sasuke’s vision flickered again.
“Wow, this is insane!”
Sakura’s mouth twitched in disbelief, but amidst her shock, a warm sense of happiness welled up inside her. Looking at the flowing river nearby, her heart was brimming with gratitude.
“This river… Sasuke made it for me!”
Sakura silently told herself, unwilling to voice it out loud, afraid it might embarrass Sasuke. Regardless of whether Sasuke did it intentionally or not, Sakura felt deeply moved.
“Naruto, you should wash up too,” Sasuke said, glancing at him. At the moment, Naruto looked like a student who had spent all summer vacation holed up at home—his hair was simply unbearable to look at.
“No way!”
Sakura immediately turned to Naruto, hands on her hips, adopting a bossy stance. She exclaimed, “This is…”
She wanted to say, “This is my river.”
But…
She suddenly realized.
This river was clearly created by Sasuke, and it was Sasuke who invited Naruto to use it.
No, I can’t act so petty!
“Uh, Naruto, what I mean is, you can’t just ignore your appearance like this in front of a girl!”
Sakura quickly changed her tone, then dashed toward the river. If she couldn’t keep it to herself, she would at least enjoy it before Naruto did.
“Alright!”
Naruto, oblivious to the subtle shift in Sakura’s tone, grinned, thinking she was genuinely concerned about him. He happily followed her toward the river.
Watching the two, Sasuke’s mind wandered to a curious thought.
It was said…
That most of the trees in the Hidden Leaf Village were created by Hashirama Senju. That’s what made the village so prosperous compared to others.
If that’s the case…
Could it be that the mountains and rivers were also Hashirama’s doing? Or did Tobirama contribute to this as well?
Sasuke’s thoughts drifted aimlessly. After all, he had just created a river with ninjutsu, so what earth-shattering feats could the man known as the God of Shinobi achieve?
---
Half an hour later.
Naruto and Sakura had finished washing up. Their faces were clean, and their hair fresh and tidy. They now looked more like tourists visiting the Forest of Death rather than participants in a deadly survival test.
After all, other teams were immersed in a deadly game.
“Whoooo!”
Suddenly.
A loud horn sounded from the direction of the central tower.
The resonant sound echoed through the entire Forest of Death, reaching the ears of every participant. It was the horn used to summon all examinees.
During the Chūnin Exams, the horn rarely sounded.
But when it did…
It meant something major was happening.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant.
Every examinee in the Forest of Death began racing toward the tower.
This year’s participants were all exceptionally skilled. As long as they weren’t involved in scroll battles, simply running to the tower wouldn’t take much effort.
“What’s going on?”
Naruto asked curiously, his eyes filled with confusion.
“That’s the summoning horn for the Chūnin Exams,” Sakura explained, her face serious. “It usually doesn’t sound, but when it does, it means there’s a significant change to the test. I can’t believe this is happening during our exam!”
Her tone was so grave that she didn’t even bother to scold Naruto for once again failing to pay attention during their Academy lessons.
“Let’s go see what it’s about,” Sasuke said calmly.
The horn was meant to summon them. Whatever it was, it was better to hear it directly.
Sasuke had a hunch this was something orchestrated by the Third Hokage. He just wasn’t sure what kind of waves the old man intended to stir.
“Alright!”
Naruto and Sakura answered in unison.
The next moment.
Team 7 dashed through the forest, heading for the tower. Thankfully, their earlier wilderness exploration hadn’t taken them too far from the tower, so the journey didn’t take long.
---
Ten minutes later.
Sasuke led Team 7 into the central hall of the tower.
Only one team had arrived earlier than them—Guy’s team, consisting of Neji, Lee, and Tenten.
Besides Team Guy, no other participants had shown up yet.
However.
Several prominent figures were already present in the hall.
Standing at the forefront was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, flanked by the proctors of the first and second exams: Ibiki Morino and Anko Mitarashi.
Behind them stood a line of masked Anbu operatives.
As Sasuke entered, many of the Anbu turned their gaze toward him, their eyes filled with resentment.
Clearly…
These were the same Anbu Sasuke had "disciplined" before. Their lingering grudge against him was palpable.
Noticing this, Sasuke’s lips curved into a cold, arrogant smirk.
So…
The Third Hokage was still planning to stir up trouble.
He really couldn’t let the Chūnin Exams conclude so smoothly, could he?
---
(End of Chapter)
