Deep in the dark forest, the light was fragmented, cut into pieces by layers upon layers of branches and leaves.
Three Ninjas wearing Kusagakure headbands, looking exhausted and alert, were resting in a relatively dry hollow at the root of a tree.
They were another team from Kusagakure.
"Tsk."
Grass Ninja A, with a sallow face and sinister eyes, carefully took out a few potions and bandages from his Ninja bag. His face was full of distress at the cost as he grumbled in a low voice, "Konoha is really too much."
If they hadn't taken away that red-haired monster girl, why would we need to spend money on these deathly expensive medicines?"
He was referring to their original reliance on Karin's 'Heal Bite' ability, which allowed them to quickly recover from injuries and restore Chakra at almost no cost.
Now, having lost this 'portable blood bag,' they were forced to spend a fortune to temporarily purchase a batch of military medical supplies and supplements before the exam—items whose effects were far inferior to Karin's ability, yet whose prices were outrageously high.
This was a significant burden for Ninjas from a small nation where resources were already scarce.
Beside him, the tall and thin Grass Ninja B, whose eyes were somewhat numb, sighed and spoke in a low, powerless voice: "Isn't that just how the great nations are? Plundering small nations at will."
"If they like something, they take it; if they need it, they requisition it."
"The key is that we aren't as strong as Konoha. So, we can't resist their plunder, and even our protests seem pale and weak."
His words were filled with the helplessness and resentment of a small-nation Ninja, but they also carried a hint of resigned numbness.
In the Ninja World, strength is the right to speak; the Law of the jungle is the unchanging Law. As one of the Five Great Nations, Konoha's actions, while hateful to them, were within the 'rules.'
Because those plunderers are mostly the ones who make the rules.
"Alright, stop complaining."
Grass Ninja C's voice came from above. He was crouching on the branch of a thick tree, tensely observing the surroundings, performing lookout duty.
He was the calmest-looking of the three, though his expression was also quite grim.
"Small nations are like this, but in the end, that is our country."
"If you think the Land of Grass is weak, then get stronger yourself and go build up the Village and the nation."
Grass Ninja C's voice carried a trace of subtle fatigue and annoyance.
"Instead of wasting time complaining, you'd better think more about how to pass this damn exam!"
His tone was somewhat impatient.
In fact, under the soul-crushing pressure of the first written exam, he had originally intended to raise his hand and give up.
That kind of mental torture and the fear for his future qualifications had made it almost impossible for him to breathe.
But he couldn't give up.
There had been two teams from Kusagakure before.
That other team was even more miserable. For some unknown reason, they had provoked someone in Konoha; two members were beaten so badly they were hospitalized with serious injuries. The remaining one, that red-haired 'blood bag' Karin, was taken away directly by Konoha's people, and there had been no news since.
If their sole remaining Kusagakure team gave up at the very beginning of the second round, or performed too poorly, then Kusagakure would be completely 'wiped out' in this Chunin Exams.
Upon their return, what awaited them would likely not just be punishment for a failed mission, but also the wrath of the Village's high-ranking officials and the disdain of their colleagues.
To not even try the exam was simply losing face for Kusagakure!
To avoid even harsher punishment upon his return, and perhaps to preserve a shred of pitiful dignity and future mission opportunities, Grass Ninja C gritted his teeth, forced himself to endure, and held out until the second exam to sign that life-and-death waiver.
He harbored a sliver of hope: as long as they could scrape through to the second round, even if they ultimately failed to pass, they would at least have an explanation when they returned, and wouldn't be punished too severely.
"Hurry up and rest, replenish your Chakra and stamina."
Grass Ninja C jumped down from the tree and said to his two companions in a low voice: "This forest isn't right; it's too quiet. We need to find other weak teams as soon as possible, seize their scrolls, and then find a safe place to hide and endure these five days..."
Before his words could finish—
Rustle...
An extremely faint sound, as if it were just the wind blowing through fallen leaves, came from behind the nearby bushes.
The hair on the three men's necks stood on end instantly.
That sound... didn't seem like the natural sound of the wind!
"Enemy attack!"
Grass Ninja C was the first to react, shouting sharply while his hands rapidly formed seals!
However, it was already too late.
Three figures, like ghosts, suddenly appeared from three different directions, moving so fast they left afterimages.
It was Team 7!
Naruto's eyes were cold and his goal was clear, lunging straight for Grass Ninja A, who had been complaining the loudest.
Sasuke's figure flashed, cutting off Grass Ninja B's path of retreat.
Sakura threw several Kunai to attack Grass Ninja C.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto drew eighty days calamity cutter.
Grass Ninja A only felt a chill on his neck, and his vision suddenly began to spin wildly.
He saw his own headless body standing frozen in place, with hot blood gushing from the neck like a small fountain.
Then, he discovered with horror that his head had already left his body, flying high with a trail of crimson blood.
Time seemed to stretch at this moment.
He could clearly see the terrified expressions of his companions, the distorted light and shadows of the forest, and the drops of blood falling from that pitch-black blade... His head traced a parabola in the air, finally falling heavily onto the leaf-covered ground, rolling a few times and becoming covered in dirt and broken leaves, his face frozen in a final state of shock and fear.
The head flew up, trailing a string of blood, and then rolled onto the ground.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Nail Crimson!"
Sasuke formed hand seals and quickly spat out dozens of small fireballs from his mouth, each wrapping a Shuriken. Like blooming phoenix flowers, they carried a sharp whistling sound, covering all of Grass Ninja B's possible evasion routes in a fan shape!
In his terror, Grass Ninja B could only roll clumsily on the ground, barely dodging most of the fireballs. However, his sleeves and pant legs were still grazed, igniting small flames, and the stinging pain made him groan.
His rhythm was completely disrupted, and he fell into a passive position.
Without giving him any breathing room, Sasuke's second Ninjutsu followed immediately!
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"
Sasuke took a deep breath, his chest swelling high, and then exhaled violently.
This time, it was no longer scattered fireballs, but three condensed and compressed streams of blazing fire shaped like ferocious dragon heads.
The three fire dragons formed a triangular pattern, roaring as they tore through the air, instantly engulfing the area where Grass Ninja B had just steadied himself.
"Ah!"
Grass Ninja B only had time to let out a short, miserable scream before his figure was completely swallowed by the violent fire dragons.
The flames rolled, burning the ground where he stood into a charred black mess.
When the flames dissipated, only a charred, curled, and unrecognizable corpse remained, the air filled with the pungent smell of burnt flesh.