Considering this carefully, Orochimaru quietly departed from the Forest of Death's perimeter, returning to his hotel lodging. He remained completely unaware that his whereabouts meant nothing to Sasuke.
As long as Sasuke wished, he could appear directly before Orochimaru at any moment and terrify him completely. And if he brought Naruto along? Orochimaru would likely die from pure fear! Sasuke watched Orochimaru's departing back, his eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts.
Meanwhile, Naruto was chatting intently with his friends, showing genuine concern about their performance in the Forest of Death.
Anko observed the rookies, thinking to herself: The second Chūnin Selection Exam had seventy-eight people enter. Finally, eighteen passed successfully. If you count Team Seven's three members who were exceptionally promoted, that's twenty-one passes total.
I said I'd eliminate half of them. I really wanted to reduce them to single digits.
This year's rookies are all remarkably strong. Asuma's team and Kurenai's team all advanced. She glanced at the members of both groups.
"Hinata, Shikamaru... Congratulations on passing the second exam! Keep it up!" Naruto encouraged each friend individually, missing absolutely no one.
After finishing his encouragements, Naruto looked at Anko. "Sister Anko, is there still a third exam?"
To Naruto's question, Anko naturally answered directly. This wasn't classified information. "Yes, but the specific test format will be decided by the Third Hokage. Go rest first. The third test will begin soon. I'll return and request instructions from Lord Third."
She waved. "Goodbye, Naruto. Come find me if you need anything."
After speaking, Anko departed.
Once she'd left, Rock Lee stepped forward. "Naruto, this is my teammate Tenten. She said she really wants to become your friend."
Neji echoed from the side, "Yes, Tenten keeps saying she wants to be friends with you." Hurry up and complete our team. Then I won't feel so awkward being the only one.
"Really? That makes me so happy, Tenten! But... wait just a moment." Naruto vanished, reappearing instantly before all the candidates. These examinees had been about to depart. Seeing Naruto blocking their path, they grew visibly nervous.
Of course, there were exceptions. Gaara stared at Naruto. If Naruto wanted conflict, he didn't mind fighting.
"Uzumaki Naruto, why are you stopping us?" Someone asked cautiously.
After witnessing Naruto's massive transformation, these people felt distinctly afraid of confronting him. Mainly, they feared getting beaten.
Seeing each nervous face, Naruto quickly displayed a kind smile. "Everyone, please don't misunderstand. I have no hostile intentions stopping you. I simply want to make friends with all of you."
"Oh, so it's about making friends! You should have said that earlier. That's not scary." Someone breathed with relief.
"Yeah, making friends is easy! Let's have a meal together later. Then we'll be friends." Someone invited Naruto to dinner.
After Naruto explained his purpose, coupled with the bright, kind smile on his face, these candidates all relaxed, thinking it would be beneficial befriending a powerful ninja like Naruto.
However, in the hearts of those who knew better—Sasuke, Sakura, Neji, and others—they silently mourned for these poor souls.
Don't look so happy now. You'll be crying later.
Naruto felt relieved seeing no one misunderstood after his explanation. He was very satisfied with these people's responses.
"Then, let's begin making friends..." Naruto said with a brilliant smile.
Anko arrived at the Hokage building and met with Hiruzen.
"Lord Third, the second exam has concluded." Anko bowed respectfully.
"Oh, it's finished already?" Hiruzen stood. "How many passed?"
"Seventy-eight entered the Forest of Death. Eighteen passed through successfully. This doesn't include Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura, who you exceptionally promoted, Lord Third." Anko reported.
"That many? Good, very good. This year's batch looks quite strong." Hiruzen nodded, smoking his pipe contentedly. Smoke rings drifted from his mouth as he spoke with clear satisfaction.
"Worth mentioning is that all nine Konoha rookies passed the exam." Anko smiled.
Hearing this, Hiruzen thought of the nine rookies taking exams this year. Needless to say, Kakashi's team had been promoted due to Naruto's overwhelming power. Hiruzen had directly advanced them all to chūnin.
The exam held no meaning for them.
The remaining six rookies belonged to teams led by his son Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi. The rookies in both teams were all descendants of Konoha's established clans. It would be strange if they'd failed to pass.
"Lord Third, what will be the content of this year's third exam?" Anko asked.
"Look here." Hiruzen pointed to a video screen.
Anko looked immediately. On screen stood a proctor ninja on grass. His voice came through the speakers: "According to Chūnin Exam regulations, the third exam will use a format that hasn't been employed in five years."
Oh, that's interesting. Anko smiled.
"Let's go. Send someone to inform the candidates to report directly to the third exam. Then we'll proceed to the examination venue and await their arrival." Hiruzen spoke, walking from his office first.
"Yes, sir!" Anko immediately dispatched a proctor ninja to summon candidates who'd passed the second exam. Then she followed Hiruzen to the third exam venue.
In the third exam's testing ground, Hiruzen stood dressed in his Hokage robes on a raised platform. Behind him gathered the instructors of participating candidates.
There stood Asuma, Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai Yuhi... along with leaders from visiting ninja villages... and others.
They stood quietly, waiting for candidates to arrive.
During the waiting period, Guy suddenly addressed Kakashi. "This exam tests real skills. Kakashi, I must say, you're an incredibly lucky guy. All three of your students broke regulations and were promoted to chūnin."
He struck a pose. "Hey! This isn't youthful at all!"
Speaking of youth, Guy's face showed distinct resentment. Ever since meeting Naruto, he'd cruelly discovered he was no longer youthful.
My beautiful bird of youth has flown away and will never return.
"Speaking of which, Lee isn't bad. Neji and Tenten are also excellent. This time, let me show off my students! Although they're not as monstrous as Naruto, they're still very impressive." Guy raised his thumbs enthusiastically.
While talking, Guy realized something was wrong. No one responded.
He turned and discovered Kakashi's dead fish eye staring intently at the ground, not listening at all. Guy felt immediate frustration. "Kakashi, are you even listening to me?"
Kakashi's head turned slowly. He looked at Guy and uttered a single word: "Mm."
After responding, he turned back, refusing to look at Guy again.
Guy's eyebrow twitched. He clenched his fists tightly, turning his face away and gritting his teeth. "Ah, you're truly my rival, Kakashi! You're really something!"
Kakashi ignored him completely. Guy felt bored talking to himself. The examination room fell into immediate silence.
Half an hour later, Hiruzen frowned. He looked at Anko below, his meaning obvious: Didn't I ask you to send someone summoning the candidates? It's been half an hour. Why hasn't a single candidate arrived?
Anko wore an equally puzzled expression. She'd obviously dispatched someone to summon all candidates. By this time, they should have already arrived at the examination venue.
After all, every candidate valued the Chūnin Selection Exam tremendously. This was extremely important for their futures.
"Lord Third, I'll go investigate." After speaking, Anko turned, intending to check personally.
At that moment, a ninja ran inside. A fist-shaped bruise marked his face. He spoke urgently upon entering: "Lord Third! Naruto stopped all the candidates! He said he wants to make friends with them!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen's brow furrowed deeply.
Guy looked at Kakashi from behind. Seeing Kakashi's completely calm expression, as if his own student hadn't caused this disruption at all.
Anko's face showed remarkable complexity. She addressed the injured ninja. "Didn't you explain clearly to Naruto that there would be a third exam?"
Hearing Anko's words, the ninja immediately looked aggrieved. He pointed to the fist marks on his face. "Anko-sama, I did tell him! Then Naruto punched me directly!"
His voice grew defensive. "You know Naruto can kill someone like Orochimaru! How dare I continue arguing blindly before him?"
"You... you're right." Anko had wanted to educate this subordinate but discovered his reasoning was sound. She couldn't refute it.
"Go rest and apply ointment." Anko waved dismissively.
"Then, ma'am, can this be reported as a work-related injury?" The ninja pointed to the fist marks on his face, looking at Anko with hopeful expectation.
"Report it. Go ahead." Anko waved helplessly, agreeing. The ninja immediately retreated happily.
Anko looked at Hiruzen. Seeing his darkened expression—impossible to tell whether joy or anger—she asked carefully, "Lord Third, what should we do now?"
Obviously, facing someone as overwhelming as Naruto, Anko had no solutions.
Hiruzen's eyes showed complex emotions. He pondered momentarily, then turned toward Kakashi. A smile formed on his aged face. "Kakashi, Naruto is your student. You should handle this."
Kakashi didn't answer immediately. He continued spacing out.
Guy gently nudged Kakashi's elbow, reminding him quietly, "Kakashi, Lord Third is speaking to you."
Kakashi seemed to return to awareness. "Understood, Lord Third. I'll go immediately."
He stepped forward to leave the examination room.
"Kakashi, wait! I'll accompany you." Anko called, following after him.
Both walked from the venue. Kakashi moved slowly, as though not handling something important but rather taking a leisurely post-meal stroll for digestion.
Anko observed Kakashi walking so carefully he seemed afraid of stepping on ants. She spoke with exasperation. "Kakashi, should we really walk like this?"
"Yes." Kakashi replied calmly.
"But..." Anko patted her forehead helplessly. "Kakashi, Lord Third and representatives from other ninja villages are waiting for this exam! Shouldn't we hurry?"
"Let them wait. I think Naruto's matter is more important." Kakashi spoke matter-of-factly.
"Naruto's matter is more important? Kakashi, you mean Naruto making friends?" Anko looked puzzled. How could Naruto making friends possibly be more important than the Chūnin Exam?
This represented a major event for all ninja villages.
Kakashi stopped. He turned, looking at Anko quietly with his visible dead fish eye. He spoke with absolute seriousness: "Yes. Exactly."
Seeing Kakashi's serious expression, Anko felt utterly helpless. Though she wanted to hurry, she was essentially useless. Even if she went ahead, she likely couldn't stop Naruto's absurd behavior.
They had to rely on the person before her.
"Do you know why Naruto likes making friends?" Suddenly, Kakashi asked.
He continued before she could answer. "Because this is his dream. His dream is making many, many friends—starting with Konoha, then expanding to the entire world. Isn't this dream grand? Yes, it's grand."
His voice grew softer. "However, perhaps no one will ever know how much bitterness hides behind this grand dream. When Naruto was young, he had no friends. Everyone avoided him, showing him complete indifference."
"He was always alone. Living alone. He wanted friends to talk with, to play with. But for reasons he couldn't understand, no one wanted to befriend Naruto."
"Perhaps that's how Naruto's dream was born."
"So I believe this is an extremely important matter—at least for Naruto, it is. And I, as his sensei, naturally must fully support his dream."
Hearing Kakashi's calm narration, Anko could imagine such a child facing universal coldness, yet somehow reaching the present with tremendous strength while maintaining a sunny, positive personality. She couldn't help but admire him.
If it were me experiencing that, I'd have been corrupted long ago.
Thinking this through, Anko muttered, "Then let's walk slowly. There's no rush."
At the Forest of Death's exit, Naruto looked at the candidates and displayed a bright smile. "So, who wants to make friends with me first?"
The crowd suddenly grew agitated.
Finally, a candidate in a black one-piece suit stepped forward. Purple makeup lines painted his face. He carried a puppet almost as tall as himself on his back.
Looking at the forehead protector, one could identify him as a ninja from Sunagakure.
Kankuro untied the puppet, setting it on the ground. "Uzumaki Naruto, hello. I'm Kankuro from Sunagakure, and I want to be your friend."
After speaking, Kankuro looked at Naruto expectantly.
Naruto studied Kankuro, then nodded. "Uzumaki Naruto—you already know my name. Kankuro is a good name. But I always have requirements when making friends."
"What requirements?" Kankuro asked.
Other people also looked at Naruto curiously, wondering what conditions he had for friendship. If the requirements were too demanding, and they didn't meet them, wouldn't they miss out on befriending such a powerful ninja?