Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

And confirm whether the enemy is still pursuing.

But they already knew that Karin was alone.

With the 7th class having a three-on-one numerical advantage, subduing Karin in advance can more effectively prevent any potential accidents.

The choice between fighting and retreating was taught to them by their ninja academy teachers even before they became ninjas.

Naruto's approach was perfectly correct.

"Naruto... her companion was indeed..."

Sakura glanced at the "Heaven" scroll in Karin's hand, then hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Given the bullying she suffered at the hands of Karin's companions, the scroll would never have ended up in Karin's possession unless something unexpected happened.

Naruto had absolutely no interest in Karin's companions.

But he still asked Karin about his companions: "Where are your teammates?"

Faced with Naruto's interrogation and unsure of how Team 7 would treat her, Karin's eyes welled up with tears.

She doesn't actually have the resilience that most ninjas should have.

Karin answered tremblingly, "They...were killed by the people of Sunagakure..."

Upon hearing Karin's words, Team 7 quickly identified the Sand Village that Karin had mentioned.

Of the 20 groups of examinees participating in the second Chunin Exams, only one group came from Sunagakure.

That's Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari.

"Then why are you still alive?"

Sasuke intervened in Naruto's interrogation of Karin.

"I was going to be killed anyway..."

Sasuke's questioning brought back memories that Karin had been trying so hard to forget.

"There was a red-haired ninja in Sunagakure with no eyebrows and a love symbol carved on his forehead... He killed my comrade in an instant using only sand."

"When he was about to kill me, his companion, a blonde girl, stopped him, and that's how I survived."

“I was terrified… so I ran all the way to the tower, but I sensed that terrifying guy from Sunagakure was also inside… so I hid here…”

Karin quickly summarized her experience.

Sensing the silence of the three members of Team 7, Karin, believing she was about to die, pleaded with Naruto, who was choking her:

"Please...please don't kill me. I've already lost my eligibility for the exam. As for the scroll...I can give it to you..."

Karin's glasses had already fallen to the ground when Naruto attacked her.

She couldn't actually see Naruto's face clearly at that moment.

But the next moment, Karin suddenly realized that her vision had become clear again.

Naruto released his grip on Karin's neck, picked up the glasses Karin had dropped, and put them back on her ears.

"Sorry, I startled you."

When Naruto's apology reached Karin's ears, she only vaguely saw Naruto's face for a fleeting moment.

Karin originally thought that Naruto, who attacked her, had a fierce and menacing face.

Who would have thought that Naruto's apologetic smile was so sunny and cheerful?

Then, the members of Class 7 used the Body Flicker Technique to disappear from Karin's side.

Everything that just happened started suddenly and ended just as suddenly.

Karin was left standing there, stunned, straightening the glasses that Naruto had just put on her crookedly.

……

Konoha's 44th Training Ground, the center of the Forest of Death, the central tower.

After passing through the Karin, Class 7 encountered no other examinees and entered the tower without any obstacles.

After the examiners in the tower confirmed the Heaven and Earth Scroll in Team 7's hands, they determined that Team 7 had passed the second Chunin Exam.

"Then the second exam is officially over."

The examiner took back the scroll and announced it to the three students in Class Seven.

"Wait, isn't today only the third day?"

Sakura pressed the examiner for more information.

"The remaining candidates in the Death Forest have all lost their eligibility to take the exam, and no more qualified groups will be produced. The exam, which was originally scheduled to last five days, has ended prematurely."

"You are the last group of candidates to pass the second exam."

The examiner explained for a moment, then reminded them, "You should all gather in the hall first. The Hokage will explain the remaining exam content to you later."

After saying this, the examiner made a move to leave.

This time, it was Naruto who stopped him: "Excuse me, how many groups of test takers passed the second exam?"

The examiner glanced back at Naruto and replied, "Group 5, Konoha Group 4, Sunagakure Group 1."

Once again, the examiner answered the questions of Team 7. As if afraid of being caught by Sasuke, who was still in Team 7 and hadn't asked any questions yet, the examiner asked a third question.

This time, he used the Body Flicker Technique to leave directly.

Naruto's heart remained unsettled as he watched the examiner disappear.

The group that passed the second Chunin Exams...

The Sound Three weren't even there!

Chapter 46 Bye

In front of a giant arm statue with hands clasped together in a mudra.

The chief examiners for the two Chunin Exams were Ibiki Morino and Anko Mitarashi, along with several other examiners.

The Jonin leading each ninja squad who passed the second exam:

Might Guy of Team 3, Kakashi Hatake of Team 7, Kurenai Yuhi of Team 8, and Asuma Sarutobi of Team 10.

And Maki, the Sand Village resident who uses bandages as a headscarf and covers half of his face with a white cloth.

They all stood upright with their hands behind their backs.

The old man standing among them was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who wore a Hokage hat and robes.

As expected... the three Sound Ninja who failed the second exam, including Orochimaru, who was supposed to be disguised as the Sound Ninja's Jonin leader in the original story, were not here.

Having confirmed this fact, Naruto lowered his head, frowned, and pondered.

Given the strength of the three Sound Ninja, there's no reason for them to fail in the second exam.

Could something have happened?

Or perhaps Orochimaru ordered them to abandon the Chunin Exams?

Or perhaps... Orochimaru has become suspicious of Kabuto Yakushi's death and has begun to adjust some steps of the plan to destroy Konoha?

Naruto was unable to deduce the reason for his failure in the Sound Ninja Exams.

It's that damn little difference again!

For example, Umino Iruka, who died in the Nine-Tails' rampage.

For example, Danzo Shimura, who began preparing to control the Nine-Tails several years in advance and took actual action.

Now, however, we can no longer apply the original plot to judge Orochimaru's actions while he is hiding in Konoha!

"quiet!"

Just then, Anko, the examiner of the Forest of Death, suddenly spoke up, attracting everyone's attention: "Lord Hokage is about to begin his explanation of the third exam!"

All the candidates present focused their attention on the elderly man in front of them.

Looking at the group of young figures before him, the Third Hokage spoke with the pride and satisfaction of an elder for his successful juniors: "The fact that you are standing here at this moment is enough to prove your excellence, but those who become Chunin must be the best ninjas among you—"

The third generation suddenly changed their attitude, displaying the aura of superiors to the test takers.

"The 15 candidates present will immediately compete in the preliminary rounds in this hall for the right to qualify for the third exam. The preliminary rounds will eliminate 7 more candidates, leaving only 8 who will be allowed to participate in the third exam!"

"Please wait a minute. The odd number of 15 candidates will advance to the even number of 8. That means the preliminary round is a one-on-one competition. Doesn't that mean that one person will inevitably get a bye because they have no opponents and directly qualify?"

Shikamaru raised his hand, expressing his skepticism about the arrangements for the preliminary rounds.

"It always happens on the battlefield that powerful ninjas die in the war, while weaker ninjas survive until the end of the war."

The Third Hokage explained to Shikamaru that the experienced Third Hokage knew very well that ninjas of Shikamaru's age would always regard "fairness" as a creed, but the ninja world had never been fair.

Throughout his life, the Third Hokage witnessed countless powerful ninjas die because of "injustice."

"Luck is also an important part of a ninja's strength—Speed!"

The Third Hokage didn't give Shikamaru a chance to continue debating; he called out the names of the referees for the upcoming preliminary rounds.

A young man wearing a Konoha ninja headband walked out from the examiners' group, looking sickly.

"Ahem... Nice to meet you all, I am Gekko Hayate."

Moonlight Gale coughed heavily and stretched out one of his hands, saying, "Before we begin the preliminary rounds, we'll select the byes by drawing lots."

In the outstretched palm of the moonlit wind, there were 15 neatly folded sheets of white paper.

"After opening the slip of paper, if it says 'battle,' it means that a match will be played, and if it says 'empty,' it means that you will get a bye and will qualify for the third test."

After briefly explaining the rules of the draw, Moonlight Gale approached Class 3, who was standing on the far side of the field.

"Let's start with you."

Hayate Gekko looked at Neji Hyuga.

"I'll draw one last time."

Neji's white eyes never once looked at the slip of paper in Hayate Gekko's hand.

Unlike the first exam, where cheating is part of the test itself, Neji wouldn't use the Byakugan to cheat in this kind of situation.