Traveling through Naruto with Heroes of Might and Magic.

Kakashi's voice rang in her ears, and a kunai was pressed against Qingwu's eyes.

"Tch..." Qingwu tossed aside the short blade and rubbed his numb arm.

He was not discouraged.

He was already satisfied with this growth rate in less than two months.

"You've made great progress!" Kakashi retracted his kunai. "I'm not just being polite."

"Hehe, I also have to thank you, senior." Qingwu smiled, but his tone was extremely sincere.

He had seen Kakashi's attitude towards his subordinates before.

This guy, whose heart was practically dead, was treated very well.

The nightly practice sessions allowed the two to gradually become familiar with each other.

Even knowing that Kakashi probably valued him because of his identity as a "Wood Release ninja," Qingwu had already considered Kakashi a good friend.

"Since you're thanking me, could you... return my money?"

When Kakashi faced Qingwu, he didn't even realize that he had become more "human" than before.

Qingwu's face fell. "Wait a bit longer. I'll join the Anbu after the Chunin Exams, and I'll pay you back when I get my salary."

Qingwu still remembers the time he made with the third generation.

If he still cannot demonstrate the ability to convince the Third Hokage to send him to the battlefield after the Chunin Exams, then he will have no choice but to join the Anbu for training.

"Waiting for payday..." Kakashi nodded slightly and didn't continue the topic.

"The Chunin Exams... you should be fine," Kakashi said. "But are you sure you want to bring that Iruka with you?"

Qingwu said frankly, "Of course, we've been good friends since we were little."

"Sometimes, bonds can be a burden." Kakashi seemed to be testing him.

"The Chunin Exams are all team-based until the final round. If you're held back and fail, don't regret it."

“How could it not pass?” Qingwu was speechless. “Senior, you were already a Jonin at my age. Even if I’m not as good as you, I’m not that bad, am I?”

“I’ve already said, your strength is not a problem.” Kakashi stared at him: “But anything can happen in the first two rounds of team trials.”

Qingwu shook his head. "If I fail, I'll take the exam again next year."

“You brat, don’t you understand the situation?” Kakashi said. “Lord Danzo has questioned your ‘special treatment’ multiple times in meetings.”

"Hmm?" Qingwu looked at Kakashi with a puzzled expression.

He thought that Danzo had been focusing his attention and energy on getting 'Armor' back during this time, and had no time to covet him.

"You're just a genin, yet you possess resources and freedom exceeding those of chunin or even special jonin. That's against the rules!"

Kakashi said, "Look around. You've 'cut down' a huge part of this once beautiful forest."

"Oh, really?" Qingwu scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

“Don’t play dumb,” Kakashi said. “This is the Hokage’s way of showing you favor, but if you can pass the Chunin Exams and officially advance, there will be far fewer open doubts.”

"I will try my best," Qingwu said.

"So, you're still going to carry that... burden?" Kakashi's topic circled back to the present.

Iruka's progress was acceptable, but as an "ordinary person," he felt the gap between him and Qingwu was too large.

In order to complete their missions and achieve their goals, ninjas must make sacrifices.

"Senior, you may have misunderstood or made a mistake about some things."

Qingwu said earnestly, "Iruka is a good friend. He has helped me a lot. He brings me hot breakfasts every day and teaches me many basic things..."

“You should have learned those things in school,” Kakashi interrupted him.

"..." Qingwu paused, then said irritably, "Before I awakened Wood Release, I wasn't a genius."

Kakashi: "..."

He did not further discourage the boy in front of him.

Qingwu continued, "When Iruka, Xiyan, and I formed a team before, the three of us discussed participating in this year's Chunin Exams together."

But now that Yugao has joined the Anbu, she no longer needs to participate in the regular Chunin Exams.

If I don't team up with Iruka, who else can that kid team up with?

Kakashi turned his head. "Why are you telling me all this? I'm asking if you'll regret it if you get dragged down?"

"Senior, you must have had some very good teammates before, right?" Qingwu asked in return.

"..." Kakashi turned his head away and remained silent.

At this moment, he couldn't help but think of his teammates who were now sleeping forever beneath the memorial stone.

Qingwu shrugged and didn't continue the conversation.

The idea of ​​stopping short of a point has led to Kakashi's current mindset, and many things have happened in the process.

It's not something that can be changed back in a day or two.

"You've completed the registration, right?" Kakashi asked with concern. "Besides Iruka, who's the other person in the team?"

"Hehe." Qingwu's lips curled up. "He's also an old classmate of mine."

"How's your strength?" Kakashi asked again, "Don't get eliminated in the first two rounds, kid!"

Thinking of that feisty pineapple-headed girl, Qingwu laughed:

"They'll be here tomorrow for special training with me. You'll find out then, senior."

Chapter 38 New Teammates

The next morning.

At the edge of the Death Forest.

Iruka led the way, carrying breakfast in his hand.

A girl of similar age followed behind him.

A dark ponytail swayed behind her head, and the girl wore a mesh bodysuit and shorts, with a bamboo skewer of meatballs dangling from her mouth.

She looked around curiously: "Iruka, Qingwu actually lives in the forest?"

“Ah,” Iruka responded, “Red Bean, you’ve been away from the village for half a year. Are you back now just to take the exam?”

The girl was none other than Mitarashi Anko.

I graduated last year in the same year as Qingwu and Iruka, but after the New Year, I heard that he left the village to do a mission and just came back not long ago.

"Hehehe," Hongdou said casually, "With my current abilities, taking the exam is just a formality. You'd never guess who my teacher is."

Faced with his smug old classmate, Iruka opened his mouth, "..."

He really didn't know, but he envied his classmates who still had teachers to guide them after graduation.

"You say Qingwu has improved a lot?" Hongdou pouted. "I don't think he's that great, otherwise he wouldn't be living here."

"Huh?" Iruka asked, puzzled.

"Look, isn't that guy staying here to familiarize himself with the Death Forest environment beforehand?"

Mitarashi Anko had a 'everything under control' expression on her face: "Usually, the Death Forest is set up as the test site for the second round of exams."

"!!" Iruka hadn't really thought of that.

However, he shook his head and said, "Red Bean, didn't I tell you? Qingwu is no longer an ordinary ninja. He has awakened Wood Release."

"Tch, really?" Hongdou pretended not to care, but her eyes darted around cleverly as she probed, "He didn't seem to have changed much when I saw him that day."

"You'll understand when you see Qingwu's new home." Iruka didn't say much more and led the way in silence.

"Tch, still playing the mystery game?" Red Bean curled her lip in disdain.

As an old classmate, she knew Qingwu very well.

The teacher asked her to appear at the right time and join Qingwu's team, and also gave her a task: to collect information about Qingwu's Wood Release ability.

Red Bean didn't understand why her teacher, one of the "Three Ninjas," would pay attention to a 13-year-old boy.

Is it because of Wood Release?

How much better can he be? He was just an ordinary classmate before. How much can he change in half a year?

however……

The moment Red Bean followed Iruka into the territory, she was shocked.

An ancient tree, about eight meters tall and exuding an extraordinary aura, stands quietly with its canopy like a canopy.

Scattered around are several buildings of different styles.

Long, shed-style stables and low, sturdy stone and wood fortresses.

There is also an exquisite wooden house that seems to blend into the trees, with vines entwining it and leaves serving as windows, exuding a tranquil and natural atmosphere.

"The air here..."

Hongdou closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "How special."

"Of course!" This time it was Iruka's turn to be proud.

The natural energy within the territory is abundant. Iruka has been coming here to cultivate every day for the past two months. He feels that not only has his physical and mental health improved a lot, but he has even grown taller.

"What... what exactly happened?" Hongdou asked in surprise, "Did Qingwu do this? The inside and outside of the walls are completely different worlds."

Although the Death Forest has a large number of trees, its ecosystem is well preserved.

But beneath the tranquility, there is always an unsettling stillness.

But here, even though it's located deep in the Death Forest, everywhere you look there's... the scent of life.

"You've arrived."

Qingwu emerged from behind the ancient tree, dressed in simple training clothes, his body still damp with sweat.

"Qingwu, have you already started training?" Iruka greeted him.