"What a truly adorable little sister!"
Fuka Yukiyuki's voice was soft and pleasant, carrying the gentleness of an older sister.
"Of course."
As she spoke, she leaned forward gracefully, reaching out to pat Hanabi's cute little head to show her affection.
Her smooth, dark hair slid off her shoulders with the movement, shimmering like silk under the light.
However, just as her fingers were about to touch the top of Hanabi's head...
Hanabi, like a clever little kitten, tilted her head slightly and nimbly dodged Fuka Yukiyuki's hand.
"No way!"
Hanabi shook her head solemnly, her small face full of seriousness. "Father said that if you get your head patted, you won't grow tall!"
"Pfft—"
Fuka Yukiyuki's hand froze in mid-air, and then she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
Far from being embarrassed by the rejection, she found the little girl even more adorable and amusing.
"Is that so? I didn't know there was such a saying."
She withdrew her hand with a smile and took the notebook and pen she had borrowed from Naruto.
"Alright then, so that this cute little sister doesn't stop growing, I won't pat your head.
Here, I'll give you an autograph~"
"Thank you, Big Sister Princess Fuun!"
Hinata gently placed the two large bags of snacks she was carrying onto the dining table.
Seemingly infected by the little episode of her sister Hanabi's successful fan meeting, she relaxed a bit. With a gentle smile, she naturally looked at Naruto and spoke softly but proactively:
"Naruto-kun, I'm going to cook now."
She had clearly taken to heart what Naruto said during the exam.
Having said that, she prepared to head toward the kitchen, looking quite familiar with the way.
Neji glared at Naruto, and Naruto glared right back.
What are you acting like a good brother for?
In the original story, you and Pain were the ones who beat Hinata the hardest!
And you did it during the Chunin Exams, no less.
Neji wanted to give Naruto a beating? The current Naruto also wanted to give Neji a beating.
What are you glaring at?
If you can't see clearly, go get treatment! Why are you glaring here?
"Hanabi, you and Big Sister Karin play with Big Sister Koyuki for a while. I'm going to help your sister cook."
Naruto habitually reached out to pat Hanabi's head, only remembering what she had just said after his hand was already out. Just as he was about to pull it back...
Hanabi proactively leaned her little head toward Naruto, pressing it into his palm.
The soft sensation of her hair came through.
Then, Hanabi looked up, her pure white and clear eyes curving into cute crescents. A bright, slightly mischievous smile bloomed on her face as she replied in a crisp, loud voice:
"Okay!"
A single word, crisp and neat, filled with trust and intimacy.
The meaning was clear: Others can't, but you can, Big Brother Naruto!
This sudden double standard and proactive closeness left Naruto stunned.
It also made Fuka Yukiyuki's eyes widen slightly. She then covered her mouth and chuckled, her gaze shifting between Naruto and Hanabi.
Karin watched this scene with some envy; the last time she had her head patted was before her mother passed away.
It had been a long time since she had been patted on the head so gently.
Neji was simply ignored.
Still asking?
Ask again and you'll be cosplaying a hedgehog!
Naruto: "Guess if I know the Cutting Technique? Ask again and I'll turn you into Ne-stab!"
——————————
The next day, numerous candidates gathered at the designated location in the Forest of Death.
Anko Mitarashi had already been waiting for a long time.
"This is Training Ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death."
After introducing the content of the second exam, Anko distributed stacks of Consent Forms.
These were essentially death waivers; once signed, Konoha would not be held responsible if they died inside the Forest of Death.
Those in the front took one and passed the rest to those behind them.
"Each team send one representative over there to randomly draw a scroll."
Anko commanded, "Remember, you can only see your own team's scroll type; you won't know anyone else's.
You must collect both the heaven and earth scrolls to enter the Tower at the center of the Forest of Death, and you are not allowed to open the scrolls before entering the Tower."
Each team stepped forward in turn, pulled a sealed scroll tube from the box, confirmed it, and immediately tucked it away.
Finally, lots were drawn to determine the entrance to the Forest of Death.
There were dozens of different entrances around Training Ground 44. Entering separately avoided an immediate large-scale melee and added uncertainty and strategy to their encounters.
All procedures were complete.
Anko Mitarashi stood on high ground, looking down at the young faces about to step into the "Domain of death." Her smile faded, replaced by a near-cruel calmness.
"Now, the second stage of the Chunin Exams—begins!"
"Proceed immediately to your designated positions according to the entrance numbers you drew! Any who fail to reach the central Tower with both the heaven and earth scrolls by noon five days from now will be eliminated!"
As soon as she finished, the candidates hesitated no longer. Following the instructions, they dashed toward their respective entrances like arrows released from a bow!
The dark and silent entrances of the Forest of Death were like the gaping maws of giant beasts, gradually swallowing the young figures one by one.
The five-day period of survival, competition, and hunting had officially begun.
The moment they stepped into the Forest of Death, the surrounding light dimmed abruptly.
Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun. The thick layer of fallen leaves was soft and silent underfoot. The air was filled with the scent of decaying plants, damp soil, and an indefinable sense of danger inherent to a primeval jungle.
The chirping of birds and insects seemed exceptionally distant, emphasizing the forest's own silence and depth.
The three members of Team 7 quickly found a relatively hidden thicket, paused to observe their surroundings, and confirmed each other's positions.
"What's our plan?"
Sakura looked at Naruto.
Sasuke also listened intently.
"Before we got the scrolls, I used a Sensing Ninjutsu to record the Chakra of that team from Kusagakure. Follow me to take care of them first. I have a bit of a personal grudge against them."
Naruto responded without hesitation.
Even if Orochimaru had infiltrated the Grass Ninja, it didn't matter; after killing the other two, Naruto was confident he could repel Orochimaru.
But killing him was another matter, as Orochimaru was notoriously hard to kill.
"After dealing with them, we'll regroup with the others and then head full speed to the area outside the Tower. As we agreed before, we'll only let one team from each of the remaining Villages through; everyone else will be dealt with outside the Tower."
Naruto added, his tone lightening slightly.
"We can also take out any enemies we happen to encounter along the way and seize their scrolls."
"Understood."
Sakura and Sasuke nodded simultaneously.
"Alright, follow me. Move quickly and stay alert."
Naruto said no more. With a sudden movement, he was like a leopard blending into the forest shadows, racing silently toward the Chakra fluctuations of the Kusagakure team he had sensed.
Sakura and Sasuke followed closely behind, and the three of them quickly vanished into the dense, dark woods.
Except for the fact that it can only perceive the shapes of objects and cannot directly see their appearance like the Byakugan, Kagura Minds Eye can be said to be the most powerful sensory technique.
The range of Kagura Minds Eye could cover the entire Forest of Death; the movements of everyone here could not escape Naruto's perception, so he wasn't in a hurry at all.