Chapter 67
The Exam Ends
Inside the tower.
There is still half an hour left before the end of the second exam.
The clock on the wall ticked.
Naruto pulled out the Heaven and Earth Scroll and handed it to Sasuke and Sakura respectively.
"Let's begin."
The two men took the scroll.
As the two scrolls were pulled open simultaneously, the complex technique converged at the center of the scrolls, and a cloud of white smoke rose instantly.
Hi! Long time no see, everyone.
As the smoke cleared, Iruka Umino, wearing a Chunin vest, appeared before them.
He looked at Class 7 with a bright smile on his face.
Sasuke stood on the right with his hands in his pockets.
Although his expression was gloomy, he exuded a sharp aura.
Sakura stood on the left, her eyes now showing more confidence and determination than before.
Naruto in the middle still wore a gentle smile, and his clothes were so clean that they seemed out of place.
It seems they didn't fight their way out of the Death Forest, but rather just went for a walk.
Behind them stood a timid, red-haired girl wearing a Kusakabe headband.
"The entire seventh squad has arrived."
Naruto smiled slightly at Iruka, his tone calm.
"Iruka-sensei, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Iruka was stunned as he looked at the boy whose demeanor had changed so drastically.
That underachiever who used to doodle, play pranks, and yell in class... is gone.
Instead, a calm, confident, and mature ninja was born.
"Naruto...you've really grown up."
A complex mix of warmth and pride welled up in Iruka's heart.
The figure who earnestly sought his guidance and yearned to become stronger seems like it was just yesterday.
Today, the fledgling eagle has already spread its wings.
He glanced at his watch and muttered something strange to himself:
"It's really strange, though, since there are quite a few people taking the exam..."
"But before you, only a handful of small teams had arrived."
"Based on the timeline, you might be the last squad."
"Well..."
Naruto didn't say much, he just took off the bulging backpack on his back and threw it on the ground.
Splash!
As the backpack collided with the ground, the opening of the backpack burst open, and a large pile of rolls poured out like garbage.
Iruka's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"This, this is..."
"There are many strong contenders this year."
Naruto adjusted his glasses, his tone calm.
"So, for the sake of their lives, I gave them a dignified exit."
Iruka stared at the large pile of scrolls, and the faint dark red bloodstains on them...
"Decent...is it being treated decently?"
It took Iruka a moment to recover from his shock.
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and tried to calm himself down.
His gaze then fell upon the unfamiliar red-haired girl:
"Then...who is this child?"
"Ah, let me introduce you."
Naruto turned to the side and pulled Karin, who had been hiding behind him, to his front:
"Karin, the last survivor of the Uzumaki clan, is someone I found in the forest."
"She is my people, and my companion."
"I will personally report to the Hokage about her arrangements later."
"The Uzumaki clan?"
Iruka looked at the girl in front of him with some surprise, then his eyes softened.
He stepped forward and gave Karin, who was somewhat frightened, an encouraging smile:
"Don't be afraid, it's very safe here."
Karin looked at the gentle-looking middle-aged man in front of her, then at Naruto.
He nodded somewhat timidly.
Subsequently, under Iruka's leadership...
After walking through the long corridor, Class 7 arrived at a large hall.
Pushing open the door, a chilly atmosphere hit me.
Compared to the enormous hall, there were very few people inside.
Apart from the seventh class that just joined.
Only Gaara's team, who had been waiting in the corner, Hyuga Neji's team, who were resting with their eyes closed and looking aloof, and Yakushi Kabuto's team, who looked somewhat disheveled, were present.
Four teams, with a total of 12 candidates.
These are all the survivors of this year's Chunin Exams.
Mitarashi Anko stood on the high platform, looking at the few people below, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips.
"Hmph, 12 people? Not too many, not too few, just right."
"This saves us the trouble of the qualifiers. These kids aren't all useless."
"Cough cough..."
A deep, dignified cough rang out.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, led a group of elite Konoha Jonin out of the corridor.
He was wearing a large, flowing robe and holding a pipe.
His gaze slowly swept over the 12 young ninjas present.
Then, the Third Hokage stepped forward, his voice echoing in the hall:
"First of all, congratulations to everyone present, you have officially qualified for the third Chunin Exams."
"The third exam will be held in a month."
"This month is for you to rest, gather intelligence on your opponents, and undergo targeted training."
The third generation paused, then said seriously:
"At that time, lords and nobles from various countries will be present to watch."
"In short, this is a battle where we must risk our lives for our dreams and the prestige of our village!"
"I hope you will not slack off."
After a brief explanation, the third generation announced its disbandment.
After days of tension, the candidates finally relaxed and gradually left the hall.
Get ready to enjoy a long-awaited hot bath and delicious food.
Kakashi walked over, preparing to take Team 7 out for a nice meal.
"Naruto."
An old voice suddenly called out to the boy who was about to leave.
Naruto stopped and turned around, only to see the Third Hokage standing not far away.
"About this exam, and some things that happened to you in the forest..."
The third generation took a puff of his pipe, and through the swirling smoke, his tone was calm yet brooked no refusal:
"I have something I'd like to ask you privately."
Sasuke and Sakura, who were standing nearby, were taken aback and looked at Naruto with some nervousness.
Karin grabbed Naruto's hand, looking at the Third Hokage with some fear.
"It's okay."
Naruto waved to his teammates, signaling them not to worry.
He also gently patted Karin's hand to comfort her.
Then, he adjusted his glasses and followed with a leisurely gait.
"Perfect timing, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
Watching Naruto's departing figure following the Third Hokage.
Kakashi, who had been standing still, slightly opened his previously dead fish eyes and frowned.
As an elite Jonin, he has an extremely keen sense of chakra.
Before entering the hall,
He had assumed Orochimaru had come for Sasuke Uchiha, and was even worried that Sasuke would be placed with the Curse of Heaven.
But now it seems that Sasuke is not unusual except for being a little tired.
On the contrary, it was Naruto...
Although his collar covered him up very well, he still sensed something was wrong.
"Orochimaru's target... could it be Naruto!?"
Kakashi's heart skipped a beat, and as he looked at Naruto's retreating figure, his expression became more serious than ever before.