All 14 teams entered the Forest of Death, each through a different gate.
The origins differed, but the destination was the same:The Tower—a lonely sentinel at the center of this monstrous, living maze.
The trees here weren't just trees. They were giants, their trunks wider than houses, their branches stretching like arms toward the heavens. The canopy loomed high above, filtering light into eerie greens and shadows. The air was thick. Humid. Alive.
Somewhere in the distance, a beast howled—low, guttural, and promising pain.
Still, the Genin entered.Courage in their hearts.No Fear in their eyes.The exam had begun.
Team 7, entering through Gate One, paused just inside the threshold.
Naruto cracked his knuckles and grinned."Alright, here's the plan. You three go hunt down the Chi Scroll. I'll make a straight dash for the tower. Once I'm there, I'll link us up for teleport. That way, we save time and break the record. Sound good?"
Sakura gave a thoughtful nod."Risky... but efficient. Fair enough."
Karin pushed up her glasses, smirking."Tch. That's the easiest way to finish this test—and get your little Anko reward."
Sasuke didn't say much—just the smallest nod. But that fire from earlier was still burning in his eyes.
Decision made.
Naruto leapt up and landed effortlessly on a thick tree branch, high above. From there, he scanned the horizon. His sharp eyes locked onto the distant silhouette of the central tower, barely visible through the haze of leaves and mist.
"Gotcha."
And with a sudden whoosh, he vanished—just a blur of motion tearing through the treetops toward the goal, like a kunai loosed from a skilled hand.
Meanwhile, the rest of Team 7 readied themselves.
Karin pulled out a sensor tag."Alright, let's go find a team with the opposite scroll. Preferably one that doesn't smell like a walking disaster."
Sakura smirked."Let's move. We'll make him earn that date."
Sasuke's Sharingan flared to life."They won't know what hit them."
The hunt for the Chi scroll had begun.But the forest?It was waiting.
Within minutes of entering the forest, Team 7 ran into their first prey—or opponent, depending on perspective.
Three Genin from another village stood tense across the clearing. Both teams stared, silent, sizing each other up.
Sakura stepped forward, her voice calm but firm."We don't want to waste time. Just tell us what scroll you have. If it's not the one we need, we'll leave you alone."
The opposing team hesitated. One of them shifted nervously.Trust wasn't a luxury in the Forest of Death.
Sakura sighed and held up their own scroll."Look— Ten Scroll. You see? We just need a Chi scroll. If that's not what you've got, we'll walk away. No need for a fight."
The enemy team's eyes widened—too wide.
That was all the answer Team 7 needed.
Karin clicked her tongue."They've got it. That look gave them away."
Before anyone could blink, Sasuke vanished in a blur.
Crack!
One of the enemy Genin slammed into a tree with bone-jarring force and dropped like a ragdoll, unconscious before he even hit the ground.
The remaining two froze.
Sasuke turned to them, Sharingan glowing like cursed rubies in the gloom. His expression blank. His presence—a storm just barely held back.
To them, he didn't look like a Genin.He looked like a red-eyed oni, a devil summoned by the forest itself.
They trembled.
One of them fumbled, pulled out a scroll, and held it out with shaking hands.
Sasuke didn't say a word. He took it, turned his back, and walked away without so much as a glance.
"Let's go," he said coolly.
Karin snorted."Guess it's our lucky day."
Sakura gave the enemy team a short nod—acknowledgment, maybe even pity—before following the others.
The enemy team stood frozen for a beat, then rushed to their fallen teammate.
He was still breathing. Barely.Luck was on their side.
But they knew now—this exam wasn't just about survival.It was about monsters hiding in plain sight.
And Team 7 had more than one.
Team 7 was walking at a steady pace, moving through the thick underbrush toward the tower. They had both scrolls. The mission now was simple:
Wait for Naruto. Get teleported. Break a record.
Easy, right?
But fate, as always, had other plans.
Karin suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"…Something's off."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He could feel it too. A cold gaze. A predator's stare. And it was locked—not on the group—but on him.
Sakura paused a second later. She couldn't sense the chakra like they could, but even she could tell the air had shifted.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Sasuke didn't wait. He spun and flung a shuriken in a single smooth motion.
Clang!
The metallic ring echoed through the forest. He'd hit something. Or someone.
And then…
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Slow, deliberate applause.
A voice slithered out from the trees."Well done. Keen senses… as expected of a trio like you. One Uchiha, one Uzumaki, and one medical kunoichi. Quite the team."
From the shadows stepped a figure—tall, elegant, and unnervingly androgynous. Their presence alone sent a chill up the spine. A soft smile curled their lips, but the eyes held something far more unsettling. A hunger. A calculation.
Sakura stepped forward slightly, keeping her guard up."Who are you?"
Karin's brow furrowed. Her Kagura Shingan was wide open."That chakra... You're not normal. You're hiding your true strength."
The figure gave a delighted chuckle."Oh? Even after I carefully sealed my chakra to mimic a mere Chunin, you can still sense me? Impressive."
Sasuke tensed. His hand drifted toward his kunai.
Sakura's eyes were serious now."Jonin-level... at least."
Karin nodded."No. It's more than that. The chakra pressure—it's almost on par with Lady Tsunade."
The stranger grinned wider."My, my. Such lovely insight. You really are Tsunade's apprentices. But still so young... so green. I wonder how well you scream."
The trees rustled unnaturally.
Something was coming.
Or rather—someone wasn't planning to let them leave.
Karin narrowed her eyes, heart pounding, yet her voice was cool and calculated."Best we go all in. Three-on-one. We don't know his origin, or the full extent of his strength."
With Naruto off on his record-breaking sprint to the tower, leadership naturally fell to her—and she wore the mantle well.
Sakura nodded, her fists clenched."Yeah. Better to be cautious. Naruto always says: 'If you can't gauge 'em—overwhelm 'em.'"
With that, the trio launched into action.
They moved like a storm, fast and fluid—not like genin, but like seasoned shinobi. Chunin? No. High-chunin, even Jonin level, in raw coordination and intent.
Sasuke led the charge, a black blur with crimson eyes and cold purpose. His katana flashed like lightning—his strikes quick, precise, and fatal if not countered. Speed, agility, and keen kenjutsu were his weapons. He didn't dance. He executed.
The figure chuckled, sidestepping one of Karin's chakra-threaded kunai with snake-like grace."Calling me abnormal… when you three are far from average yourselves."
But even while smiling, the pressure was real.
He felt it.
Fighting them wasn't like playing with children—it was like evading three shadows of Jonin.
Still, he held ground, his movements calm and mocking. He weaved between Sakura's monstrous punches, dodged Karin's strikes infused with chakra disruption, and nearly avoided Sasuke's slicing arcs.
Nearly.
Clang!
Sasuke's katana kissed fabric—just a scratch, but a win.
The figure clicked his tongue."Hmm. That speed… Only someone with Sharingan or better could even follow it."
And still, the rhythm built.
Swing after swing.Punch after punch.Kick after kick.Parry. Dodge. Evade. Block.
Each attack landed like thunder, the sound of movement echoing through the forest clearing.
But no matter how they pushed, they couldn't find the opening.
He wasn't just dodging. He was playing.