Chapter 35: The First Hurdle
"Forget it," Naruto said with a dismissive wave, turning away. "There'll be plenty of chances to fight. Let's just register first."
"Don't ignore me! Take this!" Lee, seeing Naruto brush him off, acted on pure impulse. His fist shot out, a green blur almost too fast to follow.
Naruto had already sensed the movement behind him. He was about to pivot and counter when a dark blur shot past his side. Sasuke intercepted the punch with a solid thwack, her forearm blocking Lee's fist.
She felt the impact shudder up her arm. This guy's strength is no joke!
"Huh? You're the Uchiha Sasuke, the genius of this year's graduates?" Lee's focus instantly shifted, his eyes blazing with fresh excitement. Challenging acclaimed geniuses was his passion. His entire creed was that hard work could overcome any natural talent!
Sasuke didn't respond, but having felt Lee's power firsthand, her own competitive fire was lit. She wanted this fight.
Without another word, the two of them leaped to the center of the hallway, squaring off against each other.
Seeing events unfold exactly down this path again, Naruto could only shake his head in resignation. By now, the gathered genin had formed a loose circle around the two, eager for a show. Tenten and Neji stood to the side, making no move to intervene. They had confidence in Lee's abilities and were equally curious about the famed Uchiha prodigy. Letting Lee test her was fine by them.
The air crackled with tension as the two combatants stared each other down.
Scene Two
"I'm coming!" Lee barked. He lowered his center of gravity slightly, then exploded forward. In an instant, his form became a streaking arrow aimed straight at Sasuke.
Sasuke's eyes widened. She saw a blur, and then Lee was already in front of her. Fast! But her own speed had improved drastically under Kakashi's tutelage, especially after beginning her training with the Chidori.
She brought her hands up to block, but they met empty air. Her vision darkened for a split second as a familiar, bright-haired figure materialized between her and Lee.
Naruto!
A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers. So fast! That's the Body Flicker Technique—a Jonin-level skill!
Lee himself was stunned. Naruto's movement had been a mere blur; even his trained eyes had barely caught it. Sakura, standing nearby, hadn't seen him move at all.
"Naruto! Why are you interfering?" Lee shouted, refocusing. "If that's the case, then you will be my opponent!"
Sasuke's pretty face was taut with displeasure at Naruto's sudden intervention. She muttered under her breath, "Hmph! Meddler."
Naruto ignored both of them. He simply pointed to the side. "Take a look. What time do you think it is? If you keep this up, you'll be late and disqualified. And sensei is watching."
Lee followed his gesture and spotted Might Guy observing them with his usual intense posture. Leaning casually against the wall nearby was Kakashi.
Seeing their attention shift, Kakashi gave a lazy wave. "There'll be plenty of time for sparring later. The first exam starts in five minutes. Shouldn't you be getting inside?"
"Tch. How annoying," Sasuke scoffed, turning on her heel with clear irritation.
Lee, seeing his sensei's look, had no choice but to relent. Team 7 finally made their way toward the examination classroom.
Behind them, Neji and Tenten from Lee's team watched Naruto's retreating back with keen interest.
"This Uzumaki Naruto… he wasn't notable among the graduates," Neji mused quietly. "But after that display, it's clear he's been concealing his true ability. The number of worthwhile opponents is growing."
"Neji, that speed… was that really the Body Flicker?" Tenten asked, awed.
Neji gave a solemn nod. "Without a doubt. It is a technique typically mastered only by Jonin."
"Really? Then he's actually incredibly strong?" Tenten's gaze followed Naruto with even greater curiosity.
"You! I haven't forgotten what just happened!" Sasuke suddenly hissed at Naruto as they approached the exam room door. "You owe me a fight. You're my next opponent."
Naruto blinked, turning to see her utterly serious expression. He couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. "Don't be so intense. We'll see."
"You—!" Seeing his casual dismissal, Sasuke's fine eyebrows shot up. Then a cold, confident smirk curled her lips. "Fine. Have it your way."
Naruto was left speechless. Her tone makes it sound like a robbery. Is she forcing a duel on me?
The three entered the examination hall, and Sasuke dropped the matter—mostly because she no longer had the time. Before them was a classroom packed with ninjas. The assembled elite genin from every village turned as one, their collective gaze settling on the newcomers.
Ino, who had arrived earlier, spotted Sakura and immediately waved. "Sakura! Over here! What took you so long?"
Sakura hurried over to her friend, with Naruto and Sasuke following at a more measured pace.
Naruto's eyes swept the room and locked onto a pair of familiar, pale lavender eyes watching him intently from the crowd. He offered a small, warm smile and a slight nod, then made his way over, sliding into the empty seat beside her.
"What a coincidence, my seat is right next to yours, Hinata," he said softly.
"Y-yes, Naruto-kun. Please do your best on this exam," Hinata whispered back, her voice barely audible. "I heard the first test is a written one…"
"I'll be fine with the written part. How about you, Hinata? Need any help?" Naruto asked.
"I… I'll manage," Hinata murmured, a sweet warmth blooming in her chest. Naruto-kun is so kind and considerate.
As they spoke, Lee's team also entered the room. Soon after, the super-spy genin, Kotetsu, made his flashy entrance, showcasing his intelligence-gathering skills and immediately directing everyone's attention to the known geniuses: Gaara, Neji, Sasuke. Then, when Gaara pointedly asked for information on Naruto, Kotetsu paused, slightly taken aback, before producing another data card.
The information listed, however, was utterly mundane—nothing outstanding at all. It left many puzzled. Why would someone like Gaara show interest in such an ordinary-seeming genin?
But those who had witnessed Naruto's speed earlier knew the data was incomplete. Everyone had their secrets and hidden cards. Still, the incident succeeded in making many examinees mark Naruto as someone to watch warily.
The exam then proceeded as expected. Sasuke relied on her Sharingan to copy answers from nearby elites. Sakura, with her solid academic foundation, filled in her answers with ease. Naruto, no longer the dead-last of old, didn't resort to cheating. He answered each question based on his own hard-won knowledge. Even under the psychological pressure of Examiner Ibiki's intimidating presence, he remained unshaken, passing the first hurdle without issue.
"Ibiki! You let this many pass?" Just as the first exam concluded, a figure came crashing through the classroom window with a carelessly loud shout. "That's way more than last time! Don't worry—in my exam, I'll cut their numbers in half!"
At the entrance to the Forest of Death, all those who had passed the first test gathered, buzzing with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Before Anko announced the rules of the second phase, none truly understood the danger that awaited.
Naruto stood slightly apart, observing the varied expressions around him with the detached air of a bystander, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips.
"What are you smiling about?" Sakura asked, her sharp eyes catching his odd expression.
"Nothing," Naruto replied, his gaze shifting across the crowd. It landed on the figure of Orochimaru, disguised as a Grass ninja. The snake Sannin was staring at Sasuke with naked, predatory interest, a hunger in his eyes that made Naruto's skin crawl.